behold! a second pass at the beginning of this thing...
Phone Call, Odette to Vergie
OPERATOR. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. Hello! (phone number), please
ODETTE. Hi, can I speak to Vergie, please?
MOTHER. May I ask who's calling?
MOTHER. Oh, Odette! I didn't recognize your voice for a moment there! How are you, child, it's been too long!
ODETTE. It has! I'm well, thank you, and you?
MOTHER. Oh, you know how it is. How's your leg doing?
ODETTE. Getting better every day
MOTHER. That's good, I'm glad to hear it. One moment, I'll grab Vergie for you
*shuffling**yelling off, "VIRGINIA! ODETTE'S ON THE PHONE"*
VERGIE. How are you, dear?
VERGIE. Well, I suppose you must be, if they let you out of the hospital already
ODETTE. Yes, it's-- I don't really want to talk about it right now, if that's alright?
ODETTE. It's only that that's all anyone seems able to ask me about, 'oh how's the leg,' 'how's your hip feeling,' 'look at you, up and about, well done!--
VERGIE. Dettie! We don't have to talk about it
ODETTE. Oh. Alright. Thanks
VERGIE. Besides, I have news
(simult) ODETTE. Are you going to tell me? + VERGIE. Would you like to guess?
VERGIE. Oh come on, Dettie, give it a go
ODETTE. You want to tell me, why not just--
ODETTE. Alright, alright, you... shook hands with the president
ODETTE. You (second thing)
ODETTE. You (third thing)
ODETTE. I give up. What--
VERGIE. (blurt) I'm getting married!
VERGIE. I'm getting married!!
VERGIE. Well, don't sound too happy for me, a girl might think you're jealous
ODETTE. No, that's not-- Sorry, I suppose I'm just-- surprised, is all. Congratulations, Vergie, that's wonderful
ODETTE. I suppose you've been up to your ears in wedding preparations?
VERGIE. Yes, Mama's been making me /write all the invitations, even though we /just got that typewriter!
ODETTE. Have you been learning to type?
VERGIE. Now it's your turn, dear
VERGIE. To find a husband! Wouldn't that be swell? The two of us, married, like full adults?
ODETTE. It's not really my thing, Vergie
VERGIE. Mmm, you think that now, but just you wait, some strapping young man will come along and--
ODETTE. John. How did he propose?
VERGIE. (taking the bait) Oh, Dettie it was so lovely! We went out to the park and had a picnic lunch, just the two of us
ODETTE. Sleepless again. Frustrating. Had thought that having something to do during the day would tire me out more, but alas, I find myself at these pages once again at the ripe hour of three in the morning. Old habits die hard, I suppose.
//more char setup bullshit
Operator Records, Odette Training
KATIE. (and if you do this...)-- that light should come on, which tells you the line's connected.
KATIE. I usually stay on for a few moments, just to make sure everything's hunky-dory, then you just pop your line out--
KATIE. And into the next. Got it?
KATIE. Great! Hand me the headset, would you, I've got a call to make
KATIE. Mr. Murphy. I'll let him know you're all trained up
ODETTE. Why not tell him in-person?
KATIE. He prefers to call
KATIE. Shh. Mr. Murphy? It's Katie Thompson. Miss (Odette last name) has completed her lessons. You're welcome Mr. Murphy. Thank you! Goodbye.
MURPHY. Dictation. Note begins. Miss (odette last name). Congratulations on successfully completing your operator training. We are more than pleased with your work with us so far, and look forward to working with your further. In light of this, your hours will be extended to a twelve-hour shift, securing your status as a full-time employee of COMPANY. Please contact your shift manager for more information. Signed, Winston Murphy. Note ends.
Phone Call, Katie to Odette
ODETTE. It's the middle of the night, why are you calling, are you alright?
KATIE. I'm so sorry to do this-- I've caught the flu-- could we trade shifts?
ODETTE. Of course. Are you meant to be in this morning?
ODETTE. Of course. Feel better soon
KATIE. Thank you. Goodnight
Operator Records, Odette covering Katie’s Shift
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. One moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. One moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
Static, screechy whispering snippets of a voice, but no words
Static. From amidst it, OTHER ODETTE’s voice crackles.
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
OTHER ODETTE. 1234567. 1234567. Odette. 1234567.
This pattern continues, even as ODETTE tries to talk to the caller.
ODETTE. I—I’m sorry, I don’t understand—
OTHER ODETTE. 1234567. Odette. 1234567. 1234567.
ODETTE. Um. That’s too many—Are you sure you have the right number, sir?
OTHER ODETTE. Odette. 1234567. 1234567.
ODETTE. I’m sorry, hold please
OTHER ODETTE. Odette. Odette. Odette. Odette.
The voice suddenly cuts off. Dial tone.
ODETTE. Thank you for holding, may I have the name of the city you’re calling?
ODETTE. Hello? Hello? Are you still there? He—
ODETTE. H--hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. I-- one moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. One moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. One moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
Static, screechy whispering snippets of a voice, but no words
Static. From amidst it, OTHER ODETTE’s voice crackles.
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. How do you know my name?
OTHER ODETTE. Hello. 1234567. Odette
ODETTE. Sir, unless you can give me a line to connect you to, I'm going to disconnect the call
ODETTE. Sir, that's not--
ODETTE. Sir. That's not a vaild address. Do you have a--
ODETTE. I'm sorry. I can't connect you. Please call again later.
ODETTE. Mr. Murphy? Yes, it's Odette Lastname. I've had a repeat caller who I believe is pulling a prank, would you like me to connect them to you if they do it again? Alright. Thank you. Goodbye.
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. One moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
Static, screechy whispering snippets of a voice, but no words
Static. From amidst it, OTHER ODETTE’s voice crackles.
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
ODETTE. One moment, please
Clicks of pins/switches being moved
ODETTE. Hello, how can I connect you?
MURPHY. Miss Lastname, the client is asking for you by name
ODETTE. Sir, I'm aware. I'm not sure who they are
MURPHY. I am having her connected back to you
OTHER ODETTE. Odette. 1234567. 1234567. 1234567
ODETTE. Sir. Unless you can give me a properly formatted number, I'm going to disconnect the call.
OTHER ODETTE. Odette. 1234567
ODETTE. Sir, I'm disconnecting the call. Goodbye
OTHER ODETTE. (in the middle of the previous line) Odette. Help.
//odette calling people, generally being upset about the above incident
//odette hanging up on several clients in a row, when they hear the fist bit of the number string
//vergie calls odette, re:baby and also odette leaving
ODETTE. My first night in CITY. Or, rather, just outside of it-- the train let me off in the town at the base of the mountain, I’ll have to go the rest of the way by some other means. It was too late in the day to continue my journey, so I’m spending the night in a boarding house owned by a very sweet older gentleman, who insisted I take his room on the ground floor when he saw my cane. I tried to refuse, it’s his room, after all, and his house to boot, but he would hear none of it.
Everything around here is so beautiful—greenery and rolling hills all around, nothing like the beige drudgery of the city. I sat on the front steps of the boarding house to watch the sun set, and nearly wept at the vibrancy of the colors. I don’t think that even given a century I would be able to find the right words to describe it. I am by no means a poet, and find myself jealous of those with a gift for words. What must it be like, to be able to paint a picture with a few simple strokes of a pen? Alas, I fear I may never know.
I had thought, given all the travelling I’d undertaken today, that exhaustion would take over and send me swiftly into sleep, but that is not the case. Once again, three am has found me wide awake, staring at the shadows cast by the moon. This room is positioned perfectly to catch the most moonlight— for the moment, at least, it’s nearly bright as day in here. I can see clearly without need for another light, that’s how bright it is!
ODETTE. Finding transportation up to CITY is proving more difficult than I thought. I’ve received a strange assortment of reactions from people when I ask after it, some have laughed, others shoo me away, still others outright ignored me. One lady even started shouting at me, telling me to get out of her shop before she calls the cops again! I think she mistook me for someone else, but still. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why it should be so hard to get information on how to get to a nearby city. You’d think that it would be easy, to even just point me in the direction of the road that will take me there, but for some reason, even that much information is eluding me.
I asked NAME, the man who owns the boarding house, for a map of the area, and have been scouring it for CITY, with little success. I’ve traced out the coordinates, just like John taught me, but it keeps landing me in the middle of nowhere… UGH! I am beginning to grow frustrated by this whole ordeal. Not to mention, the amount of walking I’ve had to do today has been obscene—it’s just past noon and I’m exhausted. Am going to try and sleep for a bit, hopefully things will shape up while I’m in dreamland.
Diary, Odette, Same Day, Later
ODETTE. A bit of news—talked to NAME, who revealed something to explain the weird reactions I’ve been getting when asking after CITY. Apparently, CITY is another name for CITY2, technically. From what NAME tells me, CITY was founded a mile and a half away from CITY2 well over two centuries ago, until a devastating flood rendered the land unlivable. Nearly half the town’s residents lost their lives, and the survivors were left homeless. They moved a smidge west, to where CITY2 stands now, but locally, the two names are interchangeable, so when I was asking for directions to CITY, the odd looks I was getting were because I was already in CITY, aka CITY2!
I showed NAME the place on the map that the numbers pointed to, and he confirmed that CITY stood there before the flood, so that’s one mystery solved, and about a million more questions left in my mind.
I no longer know why I’m here. I was blinded by the chase, and now that it’s over, and with such an abrupt, accidental end, I feel… adrift. I don’t know what to do, now. There’s still a day left before I have to go back to ORIGINALCITY, but I’m not ready I don’t think. I feel unsatisfied. There was supposed to be meaning at the end of this, answers, but instead I’ve received a stock-standard story for my troubles. Why would someone take the time to call me, over and over and over again, with these coordinates and my name, only for there to be nothing? What purpose does that serve? If it’s a child playing a prank, it’s an elaborate one, and I fail to see the humor in it. If not, I fail to see the logic. At this point, I begin to wonder if perhaps I was wrong, if maybe I’m finally succumbing to the exhaustion brought on by too many sleepless nights and have begun to dream things in my waking life.
I don’t know what to do next. That’s the truth, plain and simple. I don’t know that I want to do anything next. Stagnation seems agreeable, at this moment
Frustrated sigh, the sound of a notebook snapping closed
idea: external framing device of a pbs-like news program presenting the story???
DOCUMENTARIAN. Hey there. You're listening to NAMEOFSHOW, presented by FAKENEWSORG, I'm your host, CHARNAME. This is part two of a three-part series exploring the recently released ODETTETAPES
Phone Call, Doctor to Mother Superior
DOCTOR. Hello? Yes, I'm calling about a patient of mine. Room 34, intersex, early thirties. Yes, that is correct. No. No issues. I am ready to make a discharge into your care. Yes. Minimal belongings, they were living in the Gatewater temporarily, was my understanding. Yes. Tomorrow at noon, then. Yes. You as well. M'bye.
DOCTOR. Patient was brought in at 1:00pm by emergency response crew. According to eyewitnesses, patient had collapsed while walking down Park Row, and, in a remarkable stroke of bad luck, fell into the road. An oncoming motorist was unable to fully brake in time, and ran into the patient, inflicting fractured ribs and a mild concussion. Patient has preexisting condition in hips and left leg
Patient has been moved to the care of the Sisters, as hospital is at capacity and danger has passed.
ODETTE. Can’t sleep. Sick of staying in bed, but am not able to go much further than the door before someone comes swooping in to usher me back to the mattress. Infuriating. Not sure how this is supposed to help, but am not in a position to argue. I suppose I should be grateful that I have been sent here and not an institution, but I find the sentiment hard to scrape together. I can only stare at the same patch of ceiling for so long, and that time has long since passed. If it comes to it, I believe I could finagle my way out the window and into the tree that brushes its panes, though where to go from there is more of a mystery. Alas.
My one saving grace has been the texts that Sister Ana has snuck in for me to peruse. None of it is anywhere near the caliber of what I would expect from the library, given its reputation, and I cannot tell if the (word on the street) is exaggerated, or if she is simply handling me with kid gloves. I would be more mad about it, but as I said, these texts are the only things keeping me from clawing at the walls, so. I’m trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Am going to attempt to copy some of the illustrations here, to take back as souvenirs when (if) I leave the Abbey.
Image description: a pencil and paper sketch of a creature, done by an unskilled hand. The image is smudged, as if a hand had dragged its way across the surface of the paper, blurring the lines, distorting the shape of the animal. The eyes have been erased and redrawn with a heavy hand, to the point that it seems to have a good many more than it should.
Hm. Perhaps I should use this time to improve my drawing skills. That came out more than a bit scary looking, if I’m completely honest. It… it almost seems like the eyes follow me. They don’t, obviously, but. Hm. Ramblings of an overtired mind, I’m sure.
Ha. Can’t hurt to try again, I suppose. Goodnight
ODETTE. Surprise surprise, still unable to sleep. I had thought that perhaps, given my increased mobility and the start of my duties in the Library, I thought that I might be more physically exhausted at the end of the day and therefore more inclined to fall asleep, but alas. Physically exhausted? Yes. However, my mind and my body do not seem to be in communication with one another on this matter, and I remain sleepless.
Have taken to wandering the halls at night. The garden would be the obvious choice, but on the two times that I’ve attempted to sneak out there after-hours, there’s been someone else out there, and I simply cannot deal with the human interaction that would require. Similarly, I’ve been avoiding the chapel, since there’s almost always someone praying holy hours or sitting Adoration, and it feels a bit sacrilegious to loiter there without the intention of praying or anything.
Which leaves the work rooms, or the library, and. Well. I know for a fact that the Sisters adhere to a strict schedule, that Mother Superior is very adamant on maintaining curfews, mostly because I myself have been told off for wandering into off-limits areas. This wouldn’t be a problem, except I have heard shuffling in the work rooms, the same step step swish that always accompanies her arrival into the doorway of my room. Which… leaves the Library.
The Library which I have specifically been told not to enter unless I’m chaperoned by one of the Sisters.
The Library, which I know is locked at the end of each shift (because the Mother Superior showed me the key she wears around her neck when she told me I wasn’t allowed to enter the Library without a chaperone).
Locked library means no one will be in there at night, means no one will come looking, means I won’t be found out if I camp out there.
Will have to find a way to pick the lock, though… Hm.
Phonograph Recording, Sister Ana
Fizzle fizzle pop of the phonograph
ANA. Transcription, translated and recorded by Ana. Original song heard sung between children skipping stones on the lake.
¿Qué le gustaría, señor, señor?
¿Media libra de patas, señor, señor?
¿Media libra de patas, señor?
¿Una fanega de tarwhi, señor, señor?
¿Una fanega de tarwhi, señor?
He vaciado mis bolsillos, Señor, Señor
He vaciado mis bolsillos, señor.
¿Qué más se puede pedir, Señor, Señor?
¿Qué es lo que quiere, Señor, Señor?
¿Qué es lo que quiere, señor?
¿Quieres mia lliclla, Señor, Señor?
Me voy a quitar mia lliclla, señor
¿Quieres mi chumpi, Señor, Señor?
He desatado mi chumpi, Señor
Por favor no, Señor, Señor
