session 13 . video

[chaotica]

[ Here is Cambridge, seated at his desk, if the word 'seated' includes sprawled with feet up and uniform jacket open, revealing blue turtleneck underneath. He looks very comfortable. He may also have a glass of Scotch. ]

I'd like to conduct a survey. Call it personal patient satisfaction, if you think it's annoying.

Ready?

Now: Pick three adjectives to describe me. Support your choices with evidence and/or reasoning.

Thank you very much.

[ Cheers. He takes an apparently very satisfying sip of Scotch, letting out a little ah after. ]

Comments

[chaotica]

Do you know how many addicts I've treated? Because I could count, if you like, Mason, and the problem with all of them is that they believe they are justified, and that their problems are something else's fault. And what happens with this, every single time, is that they are driven to the lowest point of their lives.

The Barge is a safe place. Perhaps it won't happen to you. That would be lovely. I fear it will.

[maced_eggs]

'Cept you don't know I've already been down there. An' being condescending and cruel to me over something I'm fighting with isn't making me want to change faster. It doesn't make me want to change at all.

Prick.

[chaotica]

If you haven't pushed yourself to stop, then my experience says there's always somewhere lower.

[maced_eggs]

So you jus' berate me until I want to drink more jus' to chase away the shit feelings you bring on me? That's how you cure people?

I've got a warden.

[chaotica]

And she's being gentle.

[maced_eggs]

I like gentle. I'm a gentle person.

[chaotica]

I'm not.

[maced_eggs]

You're also not my fucking warden. If the Admiral thought your techniques were going to help me any, he would've paired us.

Instead he paired me and Gwen, who is gentle and kind and a hell of a lot prettier than you with your stupid beard and your dead eyes and your condescension.

[chaotica]

And the Admiral wouldn't have brought me here at all if he'd thought I shouldn't interact with anyone but my inmate.

[maced_eggs]

That's fuckin' debatable, isn't it?

Lissen. You talk to Tiffany the way you talk to me, an' I will punch your fucking lights out, mate. I'll do it. I'm warning you up front right now. She likes you. Don't really know why but she does, an' you be kind to her in return.

[chaotica]

I'm not discussing another person's treatment with you.

cw; language that's harsher in american english than british english?

[maced_eggs]

Would you fuckin' listen to me? I'm not discussing her treatment.

I'm discussing manners. Bein' polite, an' kind. If you're going to be sticking your nose in other inmates' business, you ought to be showing her a bit more respect'n you show me, you cunt.

[chaotica]

Bloody hell, Mason, if you'd like me to stop "sticking my nose" in, them you can just stop talking to me.

[maced_eggs]

I was going to. I honestly was. I jus' want to know if you're going to be as cruel to Tiffy as you are to me.

[chaotica]

I won't.

[maced_eggs]

...right, good then.