ph_logs | (Winter Open) Unfit and Ill-Fitting

(Winter Open) Unfit and Ill-Fitting

Who: Mary Dahl and ANYONE
What: General Open Prompts
When: the month of December
Where: all around town
Warning(s): None at the moment

(The Only One Doing This Group Assignment)
Mary has been assigned to the radio project by Agent Jean. While she knows how to construct crystal radio receivers, since those were a popular activity for kids when she really was a kid, her knowledge on radio transmitters is limited.

She approached Comrade Cecil on Jean's recommendation, but he doesn't know about building radios. She may still recruit him as the face of the project, since he's more likely to be taken seriously by the people she needs to talk to.

As it is, Mary can be found in the library going over the science-related books -- still trying to find out if any information known in this world can fill in the gaps in her own knowledge. She scribbles away in her notebook, often flipping back to earlier sections to consult the information there.

(Overqualified but Surviving)
Mary's current job is working as an assistant in a shop that sells things like perfume and cosmetics. It doesn't pay particularly well, but it covers the rent for her room and cost of her groceries so far.

{OOC: Retail drudgery chosen to explain why she wasn't seen between test drive memes.}

She has other skills. She's just had very bad experiences in trying to branch out from the light comedy that she was known for as "Baby Doll". Dr. West is trying to get Mary to change her mind, and pursue a more fulfilling career as some form of entertainer. But maybe more voices in support of the idea are needed...

Wildcard
Other than the Oak and Iron or the Greymare Library, Mary can be found at Tawny Beach on the days that she isn't working her shop assistant job. Maybe you might catch her doing a dramatic recitation to herself. Or maybe she's quietly exploring the town. Come say hi?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Dahlia Leeds spends time in the library nearly every day. The fact that she hasn't gone through the place's entire collection ten times over seems something of a miracle. So the fact that she comes across Mary while she's researching comes as no surprise.

"If you're looking for something specific, I might be able to give you a hand."

Mary gives a tiny sigh before she looks up at Dahlia. She manages a small, if tired, smile. "Part of the problem is that what I'm looking for was named for its inventor, and he may not exist in this world. At least, I haven't seen any mention of a 'Poulsen arc' in any of the books I've consulted."

Given how tired she looks, she's clearly been consulting quite a few of the books in the library's collection.

Dahlia made a thoughtful face, tapping her finger against her lip as her eyes drifted to the side. "Mm, you're right, I haven't heard of that. What was it that he invented in your world? Maybe there's an equivalent."

"It's also called an 'arc transmitter' or an 'arc converter'. I know how to construct a type of radio receiver, but without a radio transmitter, they'd be useless."

And just in case Dahlia hasn't heard of the project, Mary elaborates, "Radio will allow us to transmit sound waves, and thus messages, to anyone with a receiver. It could be used for emergencies, like telling people to avoid a dangerous scene, among other things. Sharing news, or even entertainment."

Dahlia's brows raise, and she blinks in surprise. "Oh! That's--- amazing, I've never heard of anything like that. Is it magical or electrical?"

[ooc: sorry for taking so long to post this! I've been feeling really crummy irl, makes it hard to write. I'd still love to have our characters work together, though!]

The library is of a decent size in proportion to the town that houses it, but it's not so large that an attentive person could fail to notice that someone else is using one's desired research materials. The third time he traces a book from the card catalogue (ugh, so inefficient) only to find it already removed from the shelves, he sighs (not too loudly, this is a library after all) before changing his course to slowly prowl around the edges of the stacks and the reading area, looking for any sign of those books. If the other party's already checked them out and left then he'll simply be out of luck, but if by chance they're still here...

Ah! Yes, just as he predicted, there are two of the books on a table next to a seated human child. Admittedly the sight of such a small human studiously pouring over a book about electrical engineering does take him aback, but it's not really any of his concern what someone else is using the books for, he just needs a look at them. So he takes a moment to make sure his extra legs are tucked under his clothes (which unfortunately means transferring all of the books he wanted to check out to one of his human arms, ugh. Such a hassle) before approaching the table and saying, as gently as he can, "Hello there. Are you keeping an eye on these books for someone else?"

Hi Mary. A guy with eight eyes and purple fur all over his face thinks you're a little kid. This must be just like being back in Gotham for you!

"Ah, it's electrical." Mary says, "There's only a few people back home who can use magic. Most of us don't, so there's nothing large-scale that depends on magic."

Mary glances up from the book, and has absolutely no reaction to the furry purple guy with with extra eyes. She glances back down, and places a bookmark at a particular height along the page before shutting the book.

She speaks in her most prim, enunciated accent with her natural adult voice, "Sir, are you aware that both actual dwarves and little people make their home on this island?"

(This is, by the way, much improved from her initial reaction, which would have been to drawl out in a thick New Jersey accent, "Buzz off, Arachnophobia". So... progress?)

Edited (posted too soon) 2023-12-09 00:27 (UTC)

"E-excuse me?" Tarantulas is so startled that he takes a step back, his two primary eyes wide as he stares the -- child? Minibot in human form?? -- like she just grew a second head. "I --What in the world do you mean by that?" She can't possibly be claiming to be a dwarf; what job training Tarantulas needed before he could start working in this town, he received from a dwarf. He knows what they look like and it isn't this.

"Do you even know what dwarfism is? Or the fact that 'little people' is one of the modern terms for humans with dwarfism?" Mary looks at him, unable to completely hide the contempt she feels. She has so very little patience for people who make assumptions about her based solely on her looks, and it's an easy and quick way to get on her shit list.

(However, Yorick is proof that one can get off said shit list. He rocketed to the top by trying to carry Mary like a child on her first day here, but he's since fallen off because he treats her like an adult now that he knows better.)

She sighs, and asks sharply, "What do you even want? Cut to the chase here."

{OOC have time for one tag and Mary decided she wanted to be mad today, RIP Tarantulas}

"I see. That's a shame--- I don't know magic, myself, as it takes a lot of skill, but it's done a lot for societal advancements." Still, she starts looking for books on non-magical inventors of electrical technologies and hauls a stack over to the same table as Mary, apparently intending on contributing. "I'm Dahlia, by the way. You?"

[It's good for people to cut through his bullshit now then, no worries <3]

"Do I look like I'm an expert on human pathologies?" he asks, with an irritated little wave at his face. The annoyance is almost entirely born of embarrassment; he's starting to get that itchy little feeling that --

"Look," he sighs, pinching his nose. "Clearly I made some sort of misstep when I assumed your age. I apologize for that. It seems we are both researching the same subject -- or at least, our interests are aligned." He turns the books in his arms so Mary can see the titles. "May I -- respectfully -- ask after your goal in looking into this topic?"

"Oh!" Mary watches her efficiently going through the shelves and stacking other books onto the table. "Thank you, Dahlia."

Mary smiles warmly. "My name is Mary. Mary Dahl. I want to help the town, and physical contributions are beyond me, so... it's my brain and my time on offer."

"No, but it's a condition that occurs across the animal kingdom," Mary replies, and she can't keep the small smile off her face.

"I'm trying to research electrical transmitters than can produce the alternating current used for radio. I know how to make crystal radio sets, but those are only receivers. Even if the mines can bring up the ores we'll need, without a transmitter they'll just be..." she waves her hands, "modern art sculptures, basically!"

"A pleasure to meet you, Mary. And I understand." Dahlia sits beside her at the table. "I'm much the same way. I run the Historical Society, and that's kind of what we do, is research for the benefit of the town."

She pauses a moment, thinking about something. "If you're having trouble getting around town, I have something I can give you. If it's not too presumptuous of me."

"History is important. Back home, there's a saying, 'Those who don't know the past are doomed to repeat it'. We should take lessons from history so we don't suffer the same pitfalls."

Mary's expression is more cautious at the mention of being given something. "I get around all right on my own. If I pace myself. But what are you thinking of?"

Dahlia opens her mouth to speak but falters a moment as she decides how to word it.

"Well, I have a few things that belonged to my brother Jonah, including his pony and saddle. He... unfortunately passed away some years ago, but he had dwarfism and was a bit of an adventurer. Buster allowed him to go further and stay out longer. The saddle was customized for Jonah, so I can't really use it, and I just don't have the time to exercise Buster like he deserves. I thought maybe you might be able to use him, as well as some of Jonah's other custom mobility things." She pauses. "I know that's probably a lot coming from a stranger, I just... really loved my brother, and I know he wouldn't want his things to collect dust. He hated wasting things."

Mary considers that in silence for a while, twisting her hands together.

"I don't have a lot of experience with ponies. But I do have some. Maybe it would be better for me to meet Buster first?"

"Sure! He's a real sweetheart, and well-trained. You're welcome to drop by my home anytime. I apologize that it's such a hike." Dahlia's gushing--- it's no secret that out of her many siblings, she was closest to Jonah.

"I'm sure I can catch a ride with someone," Mary says. She smiles briefly, politely, and pulls a book closer to her. "I appreciate the offer."

She's a little nervous about Dahlia's offer. Mary doesn't trust easily, and is used to people acting friendly and having an ulterior motive. (Side effect of growing up largely within Hollywood and its weird culture.) But it could be entirely innocent, so she doesn't want to be rude.

"I planned my day around spending time in the library, and you've been so helpful with the books... but I'll visit when I have another free day. Will that... be okay?"

Dahlia's well-aware that she's coming on strong, and knows how it might look. She's happy to let Mary do this however she likes.

"Sounds just fine to me," Dahlia agrees readily. "Like I said, anytime you like. There's no rush. I've just got a house full of my siblings' things and it'd be nice to see some of them be used again. I think in that way, I get to see a little piece of them come back to life. If that makes any sense."

"It does make sense...." especially for someone dealing with a lot of grief, Mary thinks. Aloud, she continues, "better for things to be used than to collect dust. But... is that a thing that can happen?"

She twists her fingers together a bit more as she elaborates, "Since... since magic is a larger influence in this world. Do people leave... imprints of themselves, on items they treasured?"

"Sometimes. But I wouldn't give away those things." Dahlia smiles, hopefully reassuringly. "It's been six years, I think if Jonah was haunting his pony, I would've noticed by now. If his spirit's anywhere, it's on that boat of his. Or at the top of Crane's Ridge."

"Indeed?" Tarantulas's entire demeanor brightens. "Then we are studying the same thing, or nearly so. I've been working on a design for a short-range communicator that can be built with local materials -- it's been a bit slow-going I'm afraid, I'm used to having more advanced tools at hand -- but I think I've nearly cracked it! Tell me, what do you think of this?"

He shuffles the books in his arms, eventually pulling out a notebook and opening it to a specific page before holding it out for Mary to see. On it is a carefully drawn-out Poulsen circuit, with notes theorizing on how a magnetic field could be used to generation radio waves. And they are actually theories: Tarantulas has never actually built something like this before. He never had to; radios are something most people are just born with on his homeworld. He had to develop it himself from base principles, that's why it's been taking so long. (He's been working on this for less than a month.)

"Forgive me. It's a silly worry, I suppose... but I wouldn't want to make anyone angry with me here. Even if he's... otherwise gone."

"I think... that might be what I was looking for."

Mary hurries to grab her own notebook, and close to the start of it, she opens it onto several drawings of the receiver, with notes on the different semiconductors for crystal-to-crystal setups. She sets it out for Tarantulas to see, turning the pages a few times so he can see the various drawings and notes she's done.

"This... I've mostly been working from memory. I hope it makes sense. Maybe you can tell if it would work."

"Not at all! I can understand the logic behind it. But I wouldn't give away anything my siblings wouldn't want shared, spiritual energy or no."

Dahlia can certainly think of a few of her siblings (and other family members besides) that were not particularly generous people. Jonah was not among them.

"I apologize if I come off as pushy, though. It's not--- I hope I don't seem like I think of you as a charity case or something. I'm just familiar with how certain things about Pumpkin Hollow and life in general probably impact you. In a bigger city, there'd be way more diverse options for all manner of people. Here, not so much."

Tarantulas puts down his books entirely, so he can more easily lean over Mary's notebook and study her diagrams, muttering bits and pieces of her notes out loud to himself. "Yes," he finally says, "yes, it all fits. Oh, but it's so simple once the basic principles have been laid out!" he bursts out in mingled glee and exasperation. "I can build this easily -- once I have the materials, it will only take me a few days." It'd be insulting, compared to the things he's used to building, if only it weren't so vital to this town.

"I asked Cecil Palmer to assist, mostly as a liaison to the mining operation. He'll have an easier time being taken seriously, after all. Once he gets back to me with a list of the materials we have available, construction sounds like it won't be an issue for you."

This is good. This is what she was hoping for. Even with research help from Dahlia Leeds, Mary kept hitting dead ends in getting the radio project off the ground.

Why, then, does Mary feel so unhappy?

Shouldn't she be glad that someone swooped in with just the right knowledge to bring everything together? And she very nearly chased him off -- might have, if she didn't keep her temper. No, Mary hasn't been the right fit for any of this, and it's only luck that got her here.

Fuck your feelings, Mary Dahl. When have they ever done you good in the past?

"This is good. Communications are so important..."

"And I don't want to seem ungrateful!" Mary hastens to assure Dahlia, "It did surprise me some, you offering me an entire horse! But I appreciate the thought behind it, and if it will benefit Buster too, then I see no reason to refuse."

She smiles and says in a wry voice, "Well, unless he doesn't like me. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, right?"

Maybe big cities are different in this world -- maybe people are better at getting resources to others to help toward equality of outcome. Mary lived in a big city and the number of times that handicap access wasn't well maintained... or there were half-hearted attempts at offering adaptive measures... if she had a nickle for each, she'd be so well off that a life of crime would have no incentives.

"The pizza man? My, he's very well-connected," Tarantulas says absently, as he begins copying some of Mary's diagrams into his notebook. But after a moment her changing mood registers, and he looks up at her uncertainly.

"You've been most extremely helpful," he informs her tentatively. "I'm not used to working at this level of technology. It was irritatingly thorny problem, until you showed me the other side of it."

"He works for the newspaper. And I believe he's interviewed quite a few different people," Mary answers.

She smiles faintly at his compliment, though the expression doesn't quite reach her eyes, and replies, "I'm glad I got the information to the right person in the end."

Tarantulas only looks at her for a moment, head tilted slightly to one side. He is not good with people. This was an incontrovertible fact even before his time in exile. He often struggles to understand people on the individual level, and for most of his life he didn't much care.

But Springer cared. Springer would want him to care. It's what a good person would do.

"You know," he finally says briskly, "If you have any other ideas that might improve things for the town, I'd very much like to hear about them. I lived alone for a very long time, and as you can see I'm not human. I'm sure I'd benefit from an additional source of perspective."

"I don't know if I will," Mary says honestly. "Agent Jean is the one who got their hopes up when I mentioned crystal radios. But I can keep an ear out for things people are missing from home?"

It's a nice effort, even more because it's not his first instinct, but it doesn't quite pierce Mary's melancholy. Still, she'll let him go through her notebooks and point him toward the proper books for any information she missed. Her days of desperately striving for the spotlight are behind her.

"If you need help with building anything, let me know. I have some practice, from back when hobby kits were popular."

You know, back in the 1960s and 70s... (well, Tarantulas probably wouldn't know)

"Another set of hands would be most welcome!" Tarantulas immediately brightens at the suggesting, seizing it with gusto. "I expect that one people know there are radios -- or at least once our fellow offworlders know, who knows how long it'll take to catch on among the locals -- but I expect everyone will want one. I'll take any help I can get keeping up with demand."

He taps his chin in thought. "Have you ever thought about learning how to weld?" he asks.

{I think this thread qualifies for AC now? For the tags dated in January.}

"I'd be glad to help," she replies. At his question, though, she laughs.

"Can you imagine me in an industrial setting? I would have been too scared to pay attention to any lessons. But why do you ask?"

[Looks like it! We can fade to black here if you want; thanks so much for bearing with me, and I hope we can thread again soon!]

"Just curious," Tarantulas replies, making a mental note to show Mary his welding pen later. His hands aren't that much bigger than hers, and if he can get her assembling the transmitters as well as the receivers the work will go so much faster. "I look forward to working together."

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