realityshifted

[Handy arrives on the Plane in a much better state of mind than he was last time he appeared. He is a little annoyed with the Proper Doctor for inviting him to travel without first properly considering the fact that their realities are not merged. Still, he is in a fairly decent mood.

He remembers finding the Doctor on the Plane with a chair and some books and has decided to follow His example. Upon arrival, Handy is lounging on a sofa, nose buried in a book, “1812: The Catalyst to Canadian Independence.” He may have ‘borrowed’ the sofa and some books from a bookshop for use on the Plane. Either way, he is proud of himself for managing to get it all here.

On the end of the sofa at his feet are various other books, which he promptly kicks to the floor so he can stretch out his legs. The books are mostly biographies and historical texts. He is still a bit foggy on the history of the parallel Earth he’s on now, so he’s decided to utilize the Plane and take this opportunity for some much needed reading.

Despite the fact that he has no idea how the book will end, it is still incredibly boring. He’s being stubborn and refuses to move on to another book until he finishes the one he is reading. He is fighting the urge to fall asleep. If he continues reading, it will most likely be a losing battle.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I can't help my metabolism. It's my metabolism. It just is.

And my hypothetical fat Italian grandma neighbor might be a little more understanding about my metabolic limitations.

She's a fat hypothetical Italian grandma, I think she'd be a little hypothetically jealous. Speaking hypothetically, of course.

Well maybe I'd be hypothetically jealous that she isn't stuck being called a flagpole with hair. Maybe you should hypothetically think of that.

Maybe you should hypothetically take it as a compliment! Lots of hypothetical people wish they were that skinny.

Though hypothetical Italian grannies defer. Naturally.

Well lots of hypothetical people shouldn't worry about being hypothetically skinny because they seem hypothetically just the right size.

Well, hypothetically, people ought to be satisfied with that. But you know how people are. Never happy with what they've got-- always wanting more.

Wouldn't be human otherwise, I s'pect.

I guess not.

[looks down at his empty plate.]

Speaking of wanting more, you wouldn't happen to have another piece around here, would you?

Absolutely! Think I've got cherry and pumpkin left.

Well then, I think my hypothetical fat Italian grandma neighbor would tell you to give me some before I get any skinnier.

[pause]

Please?

For you? Anything.

[and taking the plate, she's gone again. Momentarily she reappears with more pie! This time, with a side of ice cream. Mmm.]

You didn't say which flavor! I brought both, just in case.

Good thinking.

[settles in with more food]

How long did it take you, to learn what you needed to know about Oz?

Mmm... [plopping back onto the couch, curling her legs up to her chest and resting her knees on her chin] Don't know. Depends what you mean by "what I need to know", really. I learn new things every day. Oz is a big place.

Right. [nods and sits cross legged so he's facing Dorothy. his plate rests in his lap, and he's splitting his time between eating and talking.] What did you do with all those things you knew from Kansas that didn't apply, though? Do you just forget them, pretend they're not real?

Of course not. Memories make you who you are. You forget your home, you forget yourself.

[Her head tilts to the side] Are you stuck, where you are?

[he shrugs, focusing on the pie] Most likely, yeah.

[sighs and looks at the books] Still, it could be exciting, brand new things to learn.

[noticing his not-too-thrilled glance at the pile o' books, she gives a little smile]

Can I make a suggestion?

All right.

Well, you can sit here and read all these books and probably go completely insane, or you can do what I'd do.

See your new world the way it oughta be seen. Travel; talk to people, learn the landscape. Beat feet. Climb a few mountains-- heck, climb a few trees. Learn as you go. You never know, you might wake up one day and find you love the place.

[thoughtful] Yeah, maybe.

It's just...the more I see the less I know. All these things I know are right, are wrong.

[puts his plate down on the makeshift book table and looks around at the books on the floor] They can't all be as bad as this one.

They're not wrong, just... different. You can't let yourself be overwhelmed. Take it a step at a time.

I guess it was easier for me because things were so different. I don't know, there's a lot of books here. There has to be something interesting in all this nonsense.