am i what i am? [OPEN]
Who: Jarod (
onyssius) & YOU!
What: For a Pretender, job hunting is a bit…unconventional.
When: Back end of March, maybe first week of April
Where: All over Pumpkin Hollow
Warning(s): potential discussions of canon typical psychological abuse, abduction, medical abuse, and general mistreatment of children (strictly non-graphic)
Re-searching
Jarod likes books. Computers are useful, but books have that wonderful smell. They have a weight and an accessibility, the sound of pages turning is so soothing…
He spends a day around the library. He doesn’t read a single book, just peruses the stacks, running his fingers over the spines. He sits at tables, watching the patrons and the staff on their rounds. The next day, he spends several hours among the stacks, shelving books as if he’s worked there for years. Those who ask for help get exact directions to their selections or spot on recommendations. He’s quiet, friendly, and even tempered.
Feel free to call him on it—now, or later, because the head librarian won’t know who you’re talking about when she gets back from spending the afternoon helping her sister with her lumbago.
Or…y’know…catch him being intensely distracted by one of the children’s picture books he’s meant to be putting away.
En-farce-ment
Jarod’s next stop on the job shopping tour is that of enforcer. He spends an afternoon observing Janine Kilbride from a distance, two more days following others among the enforcers on their day to day rounds, and another day back in the library inhaling detective stories.
One more morning spent at Town Hall, researching some local ordinances, and Jarod steps in one evening to help a local enforcer break up a fight between a couple of drunks down the street from the Oak & Iron, helping to run both in so they can sleep it off.
He doesn’t linger after everyone is safe and sound—but Jarod finds he cut his forearm on a piece of broken glass somewhere along the way.
Time to find a doctor—or at least someone who can give him directions.
The Great Befriend-er
“You’re certain?”
”Yep!”
“But…sorry, I’m just confused.”
“About what?”
“Well, this unmarried young lady—is she dressed for a funeral? Black is traditionally a mourning color.”
”It just rhymes!”
Jarod’s eyes widen in understanding as he nods. “I see—so it’s a work of fiction…”
The little girl in front of where Jarod is crouched near the Oak & Iron nods brightly. ”Yeah! It’s a clapping rhyme! Wanna see?”
Which is where Jarod can be found for the next hour and a half, until the girl has to go home: crouched on his haunches in front of a six year old, clumsily trying to learn a clapping game with earnest concentration.
A Simply Pun-derful Time
Choose your own Jarod!
What: For a Pretender, job hunting is a bit…unconventional.
When: Back end of March, maybe first week of April
Where: All over Pumpkin Hollow
Warning(s): potential discussions of canon typical psychological abuse, abduction, medical abuse, and general mistreatment of children (strictly non-graphic)
Re-searching
Jarod likes books. Computers are useful, but books have that wonderful smell. They have a weight and an accessibility, the sound of pages turning is so soothing…
He spends a day around the library. He doesn’t read a single book, just peruses the stacks, running his fingers over the spines. He sits at tables, watching the patrons and the staff on their rounds. The next day, he spends several hours among the stacks, shelving books as if he’s worked there for years. Those who ask for help get exact directions to their selections or spot on recommendations. He’s quiet, friendly, and even tempered.
Feel free to call him on it—now, or later, because the head librarian won’t know who you’re talking about when she gets back from spending the afternoon helping her sister with her lumbago.
Or…y’know…catch him being intensely distracted by one of the children’s picture books he’s meant to be putting away.
En-farce-ment
Jarod’s next stop on the job shopping tour is that of enforcer. He spends an afternoon observing Janine Kilbride from a distance, two more days following others among the enforcers on their day to day rounds, and another day back in the library inhaling detective stories.
One more morning spent at Town Hall, researching some local ordinances, and Jarod steps in one evening to help a local enforcer break up a fight between a couple of drunks down the street from the Oak & Iron, helping to run both in so they can sleep it off.
He doesn’t linger after everyone is safe and sound—but Jarod finds he cut his forearm on a piece of broken glass somewhere along the way.
Time to find a doctor—or at least someone who can give him directions.
The Great Befriend-er
“You’re certain?”
”Yep!”
“But…sorry, I’m just confused.”
“About what?”
“Well, this unmarried young lady—is she dressed for a funeral? Black is traditionally a mourning color.”
”It just rhymes!”
Jarod’s eyes widen in understanding as he nods. “I see—so it’s a work of fiction…”
The little girl in front of where Jarod is crouched near the Oak & Iron nods brightly. ”Yeah! It’s a clapping rhyme! Wanna see?”
Which is where Jarod can be found for the next hour and a half, until the girl has to go home: crouched on his haunches in front of a six year old, clumsily trying to learn a clapping game with earnest concentration.
A Simply Pun-derful Time
Choose your own Jarod!

Re-searching
She takes note of the man's presence as he lingers around the shelves the entire day, as much as she does anyone else in her vicinity simply by habit rather than any lookout. Nothing strikes her as odd about his behavior, until the next day. Where he's far busier amongst the shelves. Odd, but still not triggering Ava as particularly suspicious.
Eventually, though, she approaches while he seems to be intently studying some children's book. "You work here?" She has a book clutched tightly to her chest as if she's afraid she might drop it.
no subject
"I'm...sort of trying it on." he admits evasively before his expression becomes a frown of confusion. "But I've come up against a very perplexing situation regarding this book I was putting away."
Looking up at her again, he shows her the book and page in question--namely an illustrated version of Hansel and Gretel.
"Are you familiar with this work?"
no subject
But her attention turns toward the book he's inspecting, and nods slightly in recognition. "They try to eat a lady's house so she tries to eat them?"
The Great Befriend-er
He approaches right after the child leaves, his gnarled cane going tap-tap-tap against the stonework. He's a funny old man, with eyes like a cat and a beard that seems to smile independently of his mouth.
no subject
Letting himself become the blind man on the uneven stone road, Jarod rises to his feet and moves forward a couple of steps before stopping, letting him close the gap on his own.
"I don't know very much about funerals." he admits. "I've never been to any, but I've seen the aftermath. A sort of...ritual socialization after the ceremony. I'm still learning to understand it--and this."
He gestures back to the direction of the departing child, his smile turning sad.
"There's a lot I still have to learn about what's out there."
no subject
"Everything is 'out there,' if you look far enough. Better to draw a little circle first, and look at everything inside its edges, before you get carried away taking in everything 'out there.' Not that I'm one to talk. Often feels like I'm bouncing around everywhere, all the time, all at once. But that's neither here not 'out there.'"
He holds out a hand.
"Theodor Gorlash is the name. Not sure the name of what, but it's a name, all the same. We really ought to get you to a funeral. Fascinating bouquet of emotions, that, and quite the complicated aftertaste! Goes well with a nice emmentaler."