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[geekorthodox]

[ There's a lot on her mind, a lot she could say. Maybe it would help to talk about some of the terrifying nightmares she's been having since the event ended, but that's not a conversation she's ready to have yet. It's easier for her, at least, to check up on others.

She's still a stranger to many, but you have to start somewhere. ]

This week was... [ Well. She died. And so did a lot of other people, she's guessing. So. ] Anyway. I just wanted to see if uh, you're all okay out there.

[ She's sure a lot of people are wondering who the hell she is and why she would care, but oh well. She does. ]

Right now, I'm not a super big fan of sleeping, so if you can't sleep either and you want a buddy, come find me at the diner. I'll be the one hunched over a huge cup of hot cocoa and an etch-a-sketch. [ Old school, but soothing. Thanks, Wonderland closets. ]

Comments

( action-o? )

[tobelieve]

( helena's reasons for not sleeping aren't entirely the same as patterson's, even if the more recent event was troubling on its own. she does, at least, understand the desire for company, and without even sending a message makes her way down to the diner. she slips into the seat beside patterson with just a-- )

What exactly is an etch-a-sketch?

[geekorthodox]

[ She does appreciate the company, and actually, meeting with strangers right now is a little more preferable than hanging out with Jane or Kurt. She's so deeply connected with them, and maybe that's part of it. It's hard to be vulnerable with the people you're closest to sometimes. Or at least it is for her. ]

Oh, it's - you draw with it. [ She pushes it closer so she can see. ] It's filled with aluminum powder and there are horizontal and vertical bars connected to the knobs with steel wire. You move the knobs and it moves its bar and a stylus. It's pretty cool, huh? [ That's probably more than Helena wanted to know. ] Wanna try it?

[tobelieve]

( never underestimate the power of scientific explanations. that and without it helena would probably have been a little lost )

You just move the knobs?

( it was very simplistic, which was fine, but at the same time-- )

How much can you draw?

[geekorthodox]

That's...basically it, yeah. Oh! You know what's fun? Close your eyes and just move the knobs around for like a minute or two. Sometimes what you come up with looks better than if you'd actually been trying.

[tobelieve]

( there's a slight hesitation before helena does exactly that. she doesn't know what she's trying to draw, rather just getting a feel for the device )

What do you draw on it?

[geekorthodox]

[ Patterson is no Picasso, and she won't pretend to be. She knows where her talents truly lie, and this is just purely for fun. ]

Trees and stick figures, mostly.

[tobelieve]

You made it sound like something more. As if it could be used for designs.

( or maybe that was just helena's expectation )

[geekorthodox]

The way it's built, it's pretty amazing inside. Really innovative for its time, but it's mostly fun as just a toy, at least for me. Some people are really good at intricate designs with it, though. I've seen incredible artwork, so it can definitely be done.

Who knows, maybe you play around with it and next thing you know, you're etch-a-sketching the Mona Lisa.

[tobelieve]

( opening her eyes helena examines what she'd drawn before turning the etch a sketch over, trying to figure out the actual "machine" a little more )

Perhaps examining it would be more exciting. When was it made?

[geekorthodox]

You could take it apart if you want! I can always get another one from the closet. One of the few things Wonderland is good for, right?

[ She watches the other woman checking it out, wondering what time and place she's from. There are so many possibilities, with so many worlds converging here. ]

Right around the end of the 1950s, so it's pretty old.

[tobelieve]

It is, though I suspect doing so here would make quite a mess.

( at least helena could get one from the closet later now that she knew what it was called.

there's also a small smile when patterson calls the thing 'pretty old' )

Well, that's a decade that I managed to miss.

(so sorry for the delay, had computer & family troubles, feel free to drop)

[geekorthodox]

[ A decade she managed to miss. Interesting. ]

What decades did you...not miss?