"You faked being a doctor? I really hope you weren't taking any patients during that time. Although some of the doctors I've had might as well have gotten their degrees out of a cereal box, for all they seemed to know. Those were usually the psychologists, though. Have you ever faked being one of those?"
The elevator attendant knows where they're going, so he feels free to continue the conversation uninterrupted by pushing any buttons, although he does nod politely to a couple people who step into the elevator after them. It's not clear whether he works with them or whether he just knows them from seeing around the building, but it's obvious that, no matter what he may say, he's capable of being at least somewhat polite and subdued in a work setting.
When they reach the floor that SC&P is located on, he steps out of the elevator, and then pauses for a moment. It all looks the same (of course it does) but it's been so long since he's seen it... He wants to embrace the very walls. He manages not to.
"Okay, I'm just going to grab my stuff from my designated corner of the creative lounge and tell whoever I can find that I'm leaving. They won't mind. You can follow me around, if you want, get a sense of how it all works. I'll tell you right now, though -- the answer's alcohol, usually."
The elevator attendant knows where they're going, so he feels free to continue the conversation uninterrupted by pushing any buttons, although he does nod politely to a couple people who step into the elevator after them. It's not clear whether he works with them or whether he just knows them from seeing around the building, but it's obvious that, no matter what he may say, he's capable of being at least somewhat polite and subdued in a work setting.
When they reach the floor that SC&P is located on, he steps out of the elevator, and then pauses for a moment. It all looks the same (of course it does) but it's been so long since he's seen it... He wants to embrace the very walls. He manages not to.
"Okay, I'm just going to grab my stuff from my designated corner of the creative lounge and tell whoever I can find that I'm leaving. They won't mind. You can follow me around, if you want, get a sense of how it all works. I'll tell you right now, though -- the answer's alcohol, usually."
"More fun that living with my parents too. And don't worry, we only have cameras watching your every move at work." She tells it like it's teasing, but he'll find out eventually that it's very much not.
It's a relief to see him relax a little and show maybe a bit of optimism about the future. Tosh makes a mental note to get him a computer of his own, and some of whatever software people use to make graphics and videos for him to play with.
"I bet you'll be brilliant. Retro things are really popular, too, so don't worry too much about trying to change everything. I'll take care of setting you up with a birth certificate, driving license, things like that. We can always just make up some places for you to have worked and sort it out later if someone wants a reference."
These are things she's good at. Setting Ginsberg up so that on paper he fits into the current year will be the easiest part.
It's a relief to see him relax a little and show maybe a bit of optimism about the future. Tosh makes a mental note to get him a computer of his own, and some of whatever software people use to make graphics and videos for him to play with.
"I bet you'll be brilliant. Retro things are really popular, too, so don't worry too much about trying to change everything. I'll take care of setting you up with a birth certificate, driving license, things like that. We can always just make up some places for you to have worked and sort it out later if someone wants a reference."
These are things she's good at. Setting Ginsberg up so that on paper he fits into the current year will be the easiest part.
"Oh Jesus, don't give me a driver's license until I learn how to drive. I mean, a fake birth certificate is one thing, but a fake driver's license might make me to think I should actually be allowed on the road without knowing what I'm doing, and I really don't want to have come to the future just to run people over."
He can already tell he's going to be fascinated by a great deal about the future, but overwhelmed, too. The City had been one thing -- it had technically been the future, but because everyone had been from different places and time, it hadn't always felt that way. Here, though, he feels distinctly out of his time, and if it's noticeable in just the very brief time that he's been here... how much stranger is it going to get before he gets used to it?
The very thought makes him feel slightly nauseous, and he has to sit down on the couch.
"Can I have some water? Or some tea? Or something to stop the whole oh my god I'm in the future I'm going to die feeling?"
He can already tell he's going to be fascinated by a great deal about the future, but overwhelmed, too. The City had been one thing -- it had technically been the future, but because everyone had been from different places and time, it hadn't always felt that way. Here, though, he feels distinctly out of his time, and if it's noticeable in just the very brief time that he's been here... how much stranger is it going to get before he gets used to it?
The very thought makes him feel slightly nauseous, and he has to sit down on the couch.
"Can I have some water? Or some tea? Or something to stop the whole oh my god I'm in the future I'm going to die feeling?"
"Only dead ones." She grins at his expression. "Had to go undercover as a pathologist. It wasn't meant to be me, but Owen was hungover and not answering his phone." The fact that she blithely relates all of this without seeming to think there's anything at all unusual says a lot about the work environment she's used to.
When they arrive at their destination, Tosh takes a deep breath and falls in behind Ginsberg, her earlier cheer and confidence giving way to the shy uncertainty of a person faced with a completely alien situation. There's no way she won't be sticking to him like his shadow, at least until she gets some kind of feel for her surroundings and how they operate. It almost reminds her of the day she started university.
"Well, most of our work is fueled by pizza and coffee, so I'm not one to judge."
When they arrive at their destination, Tosh takes a deep breath and falls in behind Ginsberg, her earlier cheer and confidence giving way to the shy uncertainty of a person faced with a completely alien situation. There's no way she won't be sticking to him like his shadow, at least until she gets some kind of feel for her surroundings and how they operate. It almost reminds her of the day she started university.
"Well, most of our work is fueled by pizza and coffee, so I'm not one to judge."
"Yeah, sure, of course, that all makes total sense."
Her job strikes him as incredibly bizarre, and he's saying that as a guy that's sometimes the only sober one in the office (the incident where everyone had done speed is still very much fresh in his mind; he doesn't think he's ever going to forget just how ridiculously everyone was acting, himself included, and he hadn't even done any drugs.)
"So, uh..."
He leads them down a hallway and into a large room. It's fairly nondescript, except for the fact that every wall is papered with drawings, some of which are intricate and some of which are simply half-finished sketches, photos, words, storyboards, and all manner of ad ideas. It's ridiculously colorful, and his excessively colorful outfit almost seems to fit in, here.
"This is where the magic happens, I guess. For a given value of magic. And that over there--" He gestures to the end of the table, where a bearded man is intently working on sketching something out. "--That's Stan. I'm going to guess he's ignoring me right now, for whatever reason, probably because of something irritating I said, until he realizes that I'm here with a visitor who's new and interesting, and then he'll probably look up and..."
At that moment, Stan looks up from his drawing, and offers the both of them a huge grin. Ginsberg looks at Tosh and shakes his head. "See? What'd I say, that was just a given. Stan, this is Tosh. Tosh, this is Stan."
There's definite affection in his voice, even as he's rolling his eyes.
Her job strikes him as incredibly bizarre, and he's saying that as a guy that's sometimes the only sober one in the office (the incident where everyone had done speed is still very much fresh in his mind; he doesn't think he's ever going to forget just how ridiculously everyone was acting, himself included, and he hadn't even done any drugs.)
"So, uh..."
He leads them down a hallway and into a large room. It's fairly nondescript, except for the fact that every wall is papered with drawings, some of which are intricate and some of which are simply half-finished sketches, photos, words, storyboards, and all manner of ad ideas. It's ridiculously colorful, and his excessively colorful outfit almost seems to fit in, here.
"This is where the magic happens, I guess. For a given value of magic. And that over there--" He gestures to the end of the table, where a bearded man is intently working on sketching something out. "--That's Stan. I'm going to guess he's ignoring me right now, for whatever reason, probably because of something irritating I said, until he realizes that I'm here with a visitor who's new and interesting, and then he'll probably look up and..."
At that moment, Stan looks up from his drawing, and offers the both of them a huge grin. Ginsberg looks at Tosh and shakes his head. "See? What'd I say, that was just a given. Stan, this is Tosh. Tosh, this is Stan."
There's definite affection in his voice, even as he's rolling his eyes.
"You don't know how to drive?" She shouldn't sound so gleeful, but finally, someone will have to let her do the driving. "We'll teach you and then just get you a license the proper way. Anyway, probably for the best, you know we drive on the left here."
He actually does look a little nauseated, and Tosh rushes to get him a glass of water before putting on the kettle for tea. She gave up on making coffee when Ianto started working at Torchwood. It never tasted right when she made it herself. Besides, she grew up too English not to see tea as a comfort beverage.
"I've never been to the future myself, but I've been into the past. So I know a little bit what you're feeling. But you'll be all right. You're smart and creative, and the world is a lot more accepting of people now. You don't have to care as much about fitting in and being what someone else thinks you ought to be."
When the kettle whistles, she pours two mugs and brings them to the couch, sitting down next to Ginsberg with her arm against his, like she did when they had their talk under the tree back in the City.
He actually does look a little nauseated, and Tosh rushes to get him a glass of water before putting on the kettle for tea. She gave up on making coffee when Ianto started working at Torchwood. It never tasted right when she made it herself. Besides, she grew up too English not to see tea as a comfort beverage.
"I've never been to the future myself, but I've been into the past. So I know a little bit what you're feeling. But you'll be all right. You're smart and creative, and the world is a lot more accepting of people now. You don't have to care as much about fitting in and being what someone else thinks you ought to be."
When the kettle whistles, she pours two mugs and brings them to the couch, sitting down next to Ginsberg with her arm against his, like she did when they had their talk under the tree back in the City.
"Well, I mean, I never really had any reason to drive when I was back home. I just took the subway everywhere, and it wasn't like we could afford a car, anyway. I always meant to learn, but then I ended up in the City, and then I ended up here, and..."
He shrugs, and gives her a half-hearted little smile in thanks for the water. It helps steady him a little, lets him hold out long enough to wait for the tea and to listen to what she's saying about him being all right. He'd like to believe it. He's pretty sure she wouldn't deliberately mislead him. Maybe she knows something he doesn't.
"So everything you said about the future being more accepting was actually true, and not just some stuff you were telling me so that I didn't despair that the world would be shitty forever?"
Her presence here on the couch is comforting, and he knows the tea will be, too. This might not all be so bad.
He shrugs, and gives her a half-hearted little smile in thanks for the water. It helps steady him a little, lets him hold out long enough to wait for the tea and to listen to what she's saying about him being all right. He'd like to believe it. He's pretty sure she wouldn't deliberately mislead him. Maybe she knows something he doesn't.
"So everything you said about the future being more accepting was actually true, and not just some stuff you were telling me so that I didn't despair that the world would be shitty forever?"
Her presence here on the couch is comforting, and he knows the tea will be, too. This might not all be so bad.
"I can teach you. There are lots of places to practice, and cars these days practically drive themselves."
She takes a sip of her tea as a way of encouraging him to do the same, and nods, smiling. "Promise. It's not perfect, I mean there are plenty of problems still, and it's not like everyone loves and accepts everyone else. But on the whole, things have gotten a lot better. Not just about sexuality, but about gender equality and civil rights... There's always more improvement to be made, and there are ways that the world is still sort of shitty. But yeah. It's better."
She takes a sip of her tea as a way of encouraging him to do the same, and nods, smiling. "Promise. It's not perfect, I mean there are plenty of problems still, and it's not like everyone loves and accepts everyone else. But on the whole, things have gotten a lot better. Not just about sexuality, but about gender equality and civil rights... There's always more improvement to be made, and there are ways that the world is still sort of shitty. But yeah. It's better."
He follows suit, taking a sip of the tea, and seeming to relax slightly more. He's nervous, and he can't help it -- new situations make him nervous in general (he'd been a wreck when he'd first arrived in the City) and new situations that're this big and this potentially life-changing are even scarier. Anxiety always manages to rear its ugly head, and he's grateful that he doesn't have to explain that to Tosh, because she's seen him in pretty bad mental states before, and never given him grief for it, not the way so many other people do.
"Well, there're problems everywhere you go, I guess. I'd just like to believe that this is the kind of place I can be myself. I mean, within reason. I was myself back home, too, and I guess I was myself in the City, but there're different kinds of ways of being yourself, if that makes any sense at all. Does that sound totally crazy? It might. I don't want to make a fool of myself here or anything, I'd just like to stop worrying so much about what people're going to think of me."
It's a fresh start, in a way. It's also yet another chance to get rejected by the world as a whole.
"Well, there're problems everywhere you go, I guess. I'd just like to believe that this is the kind of place I can be myself. I mean, within reason. I was myself back home, too, and I guess I was myself in the City, but there're different kinds of ways of being yourself, if that makes any sense at all. Does that sound totally crazy? It might. I don't want to make a fool of myself here or anything, I'd just like to stop worrying so much about what people're going to think of me."
It's a fresh start, in a way. It's also yet another chance to get rejected by the world as a whole.
The creative lounge is nothing like the kind of place Tosh is used to working. She's always surrounded by machinery and computer screens, artificial light and the ever-present noises of the rift manipulator and the running water of the fountain above them. This is new and fascinating, and she finds herself drifting a little around the room, looking at the sketches and storyboards.
She does turn back to face the two men when Ginsberg makes his introduction, with a grin of her own. "Pleased to finally meet you, Stan. Hope we aren't interrupting anything too impossible to recover."
With a half-teasing look, she adds in Ginsberg's direction, "Your workspace is loads nicer than mine."
She does turn back to face the two men when Ginsberg makes his introduction, with a grin of her own. "Pleased to finally meet you, Stan. Hope we aren't interrupting anything too impossible to recover."
With a half-teasing look, she adds in Ginsberg's direction, "Your workspace is loads nicer than mine."
Stan's obviously eyeing the two of them, trying to determine whether Tosh is Ginsberg's girlfriend, and, if not (or even if so, if Ginsberg knows the guy well enough, and he thinks he does) if he can get away with hitting on her. Perhaps fortunately, Tosh speaks again before he has the chance to start up with something ridiculous, and Ginsberg shrugs.
"Yeah, it's an okay workplace, except for the pest problem."
He looks meaningfully in Stan's direction as he says it. It's a pretty weak joke, but Stan laughs anyway, and flips him off. For a moment, Ginsberg's so relieved to be back home, in a room with people he actually likes, that he can hardly stand it. Then he remembers himself, and doesn't start any emotional blathering. Instead, he just smiles at Tosh. "Give me just a second," he says, "I've got to tell someone I'm leaving, and then we can go."
With that, he leaves her for a brief moment as he goes off down the hall in search of Peggy. If he knows her, she won't question him leaving, at least, not more than perfunctorily. In the meantime, he figures Tosh has enough to look at with all the sketches on the walls, and maybe a decent conversation, too, if she strikes one up with Stan.
He's back within three minutes, coat and a pile of papers in hand.
"Yeah, it's an okay workplace, except for the pest problem."
He looks meaningfully in Stan's direction as he says it. It's a pretty weak joke, but Stan laughs anyway, and flips him off. For a moment, Ginsberg's so relieved to be back home, in a room with people he actually likes, that he can hardly stand it. Then he remembers himself, and doesn't start any emotional blathering. Instead, he just smiles at Tosh. "Give me just a second," he says, "I've got to tell someone I'm leaving, and then we can go."
With that, he leaves her for a brief moment as he goes off down the hall in search of Peggy. If he knows her, she won't question him leaving, at least, not more than perfunctorily. In the meantime, he figures Tosh has enough to look at with all the sketches on the walls, and maybe a decent conversation, too, if she strikes one up with Stan.
He's back within three minutes, coat and a pile of papers in hand.
"Can't promise there won't be people who react poorly to you being yourself, but there are always people like that. This is a good time to be the creative sort, or the intellectual sort, though. And a good time to just be the kind of person who isn't like anyone else you'll meet."
All the reassurances in the world aren't going to convince him until he experiences it for himself, she knows, but she wants him to at least feel comfortable trying to make a go of it. (She also bets that a few days immersing himself in popular culture will prove that there are plenty of people out there bucking convention a lot harder than Ginsberg is likely to do.)
"You know, I haven't had a real vacation in ages. I think I deserve one, considering I just crammed months of time in an alternate dimension into what everyone here is going to think is an afternoon at the cinema. Think I'll take a few days, and give you the grand tour of Cardiff. Sound like fun? Could even pop iver to London if you wanted."
All the reassurances in the world aren't going to convince him until he experiences it for himself, she knows, but she wants him to at least feel comfortable trying to make a go of it. (She also bets that a few days immersing himself in popular culture will prove that there are plenty of people out there bucking convention a lot harder than Ginsberg is likely to do.)
"You know, I haven't had a real vacation in ages. I think I deserve one, considering I just crammed months of time in an alternate dimension into what everyone here is going to think is an afternoon at the cinema. Think I'll take a few days, and give you the grand tour of Cardiff. Sound like fun? Could even pop iver to London if you wanted."
"Yeah, well, some people are just assholes, wherever you go. That's human nature, and it's weirdly reassuring to know that it never changes."
Forty years in the future or forty years in the past, he's pretty sure he'd run into a lot of people who didn't like him being himself. 'Himself' is pretty blunt, at the best of times, and downright abrasive and irritating at the worst of times. Frankly, he's amazed that Tosh has been able to put up with him for this long, and that niggling sense of doubt comes back into his mind once again -- now that they're here, maybe she'll realize that he's not worth the effort or the time, and leave him stranded in a place he doesn't know or understand.
Her next suggestion, though, has him smiling again, vacillating right back to happy and eager. "Yeah, I'd like that. That sounds like a lot of fun. I haven't gone on vacation in forever. Actually, maybe I haven't gone on vacation in ever, unless you count the City, which I don't really."
Forty years in the future or forty years in the past, he's pretty sure he'd run into a lot of people who didn't like him being himself. 'Himself' is pretty blunt, at the best of times, and downright abrasive and irritating at the worst of times. Frankly, he's amazed that Tosh has been able to put up with him for this long, and that niggling sense of doubt comes back into his mind once again -- now that they're here, maybe she'll realize that he's not worth the effort or the time, and leave him stranded in a place he doesn't know or understand.
Her next suggestion, though, has him smiling again, vacillating right back to happy and eager. "Yeah, I'd like that. That sounds like a lot of fun. I haven't gone on vacation in forever. Actually, maybe I haven't gone on vacation in ever, unless you count the City, which I don't really."
"Remind me to tell you sometime about our pest problem." Not in front of Stan, though, because there's no way she can even approach the idea of a pet dinosaur without sounding completely nuts, and probably causing difficulty for Ginsberg in the process.
She does laugh at the joke, though, and nods encouragingly when he wants to run off and deal with whoever needs to know that he's taking the rest of the day. Tosh can hold her own with Stan's flirtation, and does indeed manage an enjoyable conversation with him while she waits. It doesn't do anything to solve his dilemma about whether she's dating Ginsberg or not, but she thinks she does all right in convincing him that she's harmless and not-crazy.
"No trouble, then?" Three minutes wouldn't have been nearly enough time back at the Hub, not to navigate everyone's nosy need for details on exactly why she'd be taking off suddenly in the middle of the day. But they're probably all a lot more polite here.
She does laugh at the joke, though, and nods encouragingly when he wants to run off and deal with whoever needs to know that he's taking the rest of the day. Tosh can hold her own with Stan's flirtation, and does indeed manage an enjoyable conversation with him while she waits. It doesn't do anything to solve his dilemma about whether she's dating Ginsberg or not, but she thinks she does all right in convincing him that she's harmless and not-crazy.
"No trouble, then?" Three minutes wouldn't have been nearly enough time back at the Hub, not to navigate everyone's nosy need for details on exactly why she'd be taking off suddenly in the middle of the day. But they're probably all a lot more polite here.
"Nope, none at all. Told her I felt like I was going to throw up, and she pretty much flung me out of the office and slammed the door behind me. See you around, Stan."
He gets waved off with a "See you around, asshole" directed at him, although Tosh gets a much more pleasant wave and a "Nice to meet you!" before Stan returns to his storyboarding. Ginsberg briefly wonders what pitch he's working on, and then shakes his head to clear it. Of course, it's the same damn pitch he'd been working on the last time Ginsberg had seen him -- time hasn't passed here, though over six months had passed in the City. That's going to take some getting used to. He'll have to be careful not to slip up and say something that makes it sound like he's been gone for a long time, although even if he does, people'll probably just chalk it up to his inherent oddness.
"Okay," he says, turning back to Tosh, eager look on his face, like he's delighted to have her here (and he really, really is. It's a little embarrassing, in fact.) "What do you want to do first? I mean, do you want to be shown around the city? Do you want to get something to eat? Do you want to... I mean, whatever you want to do, it's up to you."
He gets waved off with a "See you around, asshole" directed at him, although Tosh gets a much more pleasant wave and a "Nice to meet you!" before Stan returns to his storyboarding. Ginsberg briefly wonders what pitch he's working on, and then shakes his head to clear it. Of course, it's the same damn pitch he'd been working on the last time Ginsberg had seen him -- time hasn't passed here, though over six months had passed in the City. That's going to take some getting used to. He'll have to be careful not to slip up and say something that makes it sound like he's been gone for a long time, although even if he does, people'll probably just chalk it up to his inherent oddness.
"Okay," he says, turning back to Tosh, eager look on his face, like he's delighted to have her here (and he really, really is. It's a little embarrassing, in fact.) "What do you want to do first? I mean, do you want to be shown around the city? Do you want to get something to eat? Do you want to... I mean, whatever you want to do, it's up to you."
"Last holiday I tried to take wound up with me and Jack stuck in 1941. I'm sort of looking forward something a little more normal."
Now that they're in Wales again, Ginsberg isn't going to be able to avoid the residual weirdness that comes with being friends with a Torchwood employee. Especially one who has a hard time keeping those kinds of things to herself when there's a friendly ear around to share them with.
"Maybe we can hunt up some videos of older films too, so I can get a better sense of exactly how much I'm going to need to prepare you for. But at least you've already got a head start on the technology, being in the City, right?"
Now that they're in Wales again, Ginsberg isn't going to be able to avoid the residual weirdness that comes with being friends with a Torchwood employee. Especially one who has a hard time keeping those kinds of things to herself when there's a friendly ear around to share them with.
"Maybe we can hunt up some videos of older films too, so I can get a better sense of exactly how much I'm going to need to prepare you for. But at least you've already got a head start on the technology, being in the City, right?"
"Yeah, I'd kind of like to avoid time traveling again, so soon after all of this. Especially not to 1941. Especially not getting stuck there. No thanks."
He's pretty sure he's content to stay here in the future for awhile. Or, possibly, forever, since he's not sure Tosh and her team of apparently mad scientists (at least, that's what they sound like to him) can put him back where he belongs. And besides, he's here now, and he's going to make the most of it. This whole vacation thing even sounds like fun. Will wonders never cease?
"Sure, I learned some stuff about technology. I learned that if you drop your phone in the bathtub, sometimes it doesn't work anymore. And I learned that you don't put aluminum foil in the microwave because it lights the microwave on fire. And I learned that there's something called the internet and then I stopped listening."
He's pretty sure he's content to stay here in the future for awhile. Or, possibly, forever, since he's not sure Tosh and her team of apparently mad scientists (at least, that's what they sound like to him) can put him back where he belongs. And besides, he's here now, and he's going to make the most of it. This whole vacation thing even sounds like fun. Will wonders never cease?
"Sure, I learned some stuff about technology. I learned that if you drop your phone in the bathtub, sometimes it doesn't work anymore. And I learned that you don't put aluminum foil in the microwave because it lights the microwave on fire. And I learned that there's something called the internet and then I stopped listening."
Honestly, it's pretty flattering to have someone be that openly pleased to have her around, and Tosh has to resist the strongest urge to hug him for that eager look. Instead, she grins back at him and takes a deep breath, looking around the people they pass as they head down to the entrance. It's sort of weird all of a sudden, the realization that she's here for good, that at some point, somehow, she'll just up and vanish from her life in her own time. That she'll have to learn how to live in this time, which is neither quiet familiar enough nor quite alien enough to be entirely comfortable yet.
"Something to eat sounds perfect. Sort of...ease back into the normal world, you know? I keep catching myself wondering things like why everyone looks so much the same, why I can't hear the clock ticking, whether I'm going to step out onto the street and into an invasion of talking rabbits or something."
"Something to eat sounds perfect. Sort of...ease back into the normal world, you know? I keep catching myself wondering things like why everyone looks so much the same, why I can't hear the clock ticking, whether I'm going to step out onto the street and into an invasion of talking rabbits or something."
"Okay, we can get something to eat, and then maybe we can see about getting you some new clothes. Not that you look bad at all, I don't mean that, and I wouldn't be one to judge anyway, based on how I dress, but all I mean is that you probably need more than one outfit, and maybe you'd want to get some things that helped you ease back into the normal world. If you can call this the normal world. I mean, there aren't talking rabbits here, as far as I know, but there's a whole lot of other weird shit going on."
Is it obvious that he's slightly uncomfortable trying to figure out exactly what she'll need while she's here? It's not like she's just on vacation -- this is where she's going to live, and she'll need somewhere to live and a job and clothes that fit in at least somewhat and... it's all incredibly overwhelming. He has to pause for a moment and shake his head.
"Okay. Food first, dealing with everything else later."
Is it obvious that he's slightly uncomfortable trying to figure out exactly what she'll need while she's here? It's not like she's just on vacation -- this is where she's going to live, and she'll need somewhere to live and a job and clothes that fit in at least somewhat and... it's all incredibly overwhelming. He has to pause for a moment and shake his head.
"Okay. Food first, dealing with everything else later."
"That's that, then. The only traveling we'll do is by car or train, and absolutely no going backward or forward in time."
Not that they could actually do anything to prevent it, but Tosh figures that the likelihood increases dramatically with proximity to Jack and/or the Rift. Keep Ginsberg away from both for a while, and they should be able to get in a few days of pretending the world is entirely dull and normal.
She shakes her head at the sketchy understanding he demonstrates of 'modern' tech. "If you drop your phone in water, just put it in a jar of rice. That'll pull the moisture right out. Assuming you didn't leave it at the bottom of the ocean for a month or something. And everyone puts foil in the microwave at one time or another. It's sort of beautiful how the sparks jump and arc." The mischievous expression on her face does nothing to indicate whether she's joking or serious about that part. "You're definitely going to want to learn to use the internet, though. But we'll take it all slow, I promise. Baby steps."
Not that they could actually do anything to prevent it, but Tosh figures that the likelihood increases dramatically with proximity to Jack and/or the Rift. Keep Ginsberg away from both for a while, and they should be able to get in a few days of pretending the world is entirely dull and normal.
She shakes her head at the sketchy understanding he demonstrates of 'modern' tech. "If you drop your phone in water, just put it in a jar of rice. That'll pull the moisture right out. Assuming you didn't leave it at the bottom of the ocean for a month or something. And everyone puts foil in the microwave at one time or another. It's sort of beautiful how the sparks jump and arc." The mischievous expression on her face does nothing to indicate whether she's joking or serious about that part. "You're definitely going to want to learn to use the internet, though. But we'll take it all slow, I promise. Baby steps."
"Baby steps sound great. Necessary, in fact, unless you want my brain to explode."
He's only semi-joking, but of course, he's always had a very dramatic way of speaking. Why be subdued when he can make everything sound exciting? It's part of the reason he's always been so good at advertising. He really hopes he can keep doing that here, both because he truly loves it, and because it's the only thing he knows how to do. If he has to get an entirely new career on top of learning everything else... that thought is overwhelming, too. He takes another sip of tea.
"Okay, next time I drop my phone in water, I'll do that. Because I'm almost certainly going to. And I might just want to avoid the microwave in general, until I get a better handle on how it works. And I trust you to teach me to use the internet without, I don't know, falling into a black hole of modern technology and never coming out."
He's only semi-joking, but of course, he's always had a very dramatic way of speaking. Why be subdued when he can make everything sound exciting? It's part of the reason he's always been so good at advertising. He really hopes he can keep doing that here, both because he truly loves it, and because it's the only thing he knows how to do. If he has to get an entirely new career on top of learning everything else... that thought is overwhelming, too. He takes another sip of tea.
"Okay, next time I drop my phone in water, I'll do that. Because I'm almost certainly going to. And I might just want to avoid the microwave in general, until I get a better handle on how it works. And I trust you to teach me to use the internet without, I don't know, falling into a black hole of modern technology and never coming out."
"God, I hadn't even thought about all of that." And she's going to have to do it on Ginsberg's dime, too, because nobody here is going to accept currency printed forty years in the future, and she doesn't exactly have a credit rating. "Just a couple of necessities til I get on my feet. I suppose it's going to be a challenge getting the sort of work I'm used to, isn't it?"
That being the sort of work that even in the twenty-first century, women are still far outnumbered by men.
"Food first," she agrees, putting her arm through his without thinking about it, as much for her reassurance as for his. "And then we'll worry about all the other little things."
That being the sort of work that even in the twenty-first century, women are still far outnumbered by men.
"Food first," she agrees, putting her arm through his without thinking about it, as much for her reassurance as for his. "And then we'll worry about all the other little things."
He hasn't really thought about the money issue, either, and now he's starting to. He doesn't make a whole lot at SC&P -- for god's sake, he still lives with his father, after all. And that's a whole other concern. Where is she going to live? If he lived on his own, he could bring her home with him and let her stay there, but in the tiny apartment he shares with his dad? Even if his dad were okay with the notion, which he just might be, there's no way he'd subject Tosh to his father. And there's no way he'd be able to deal with the constant teasing and expectant announcements of their impending marriage, or something equally ridiculous. No, he'll have to find somewhere else for her to live.
"It might be. I mean, I've never really looked for jobs in your area of work. But this is New York, there's everything here, we'll find you something. Keep in mind, you've got forty years of technology knowledge on these guys! You can just go into the interview and blow them away with a concept of how to build something they've never even heard of, much less figured out how to make."
The arm linked with his is nice, and it increases his confidence a little as they walk down the street towards his favorite deli. He knows it's not particularly exciting, not the height of fancy New York cuisine, and so he feels compelled to explain himself. "I figured you might want to have the authentic experience of working around here, and a lot of us from work eat here. It's good. Not too expensive. Not that I'd take you somewhere, you know, cheap."
Cheap in terms of expense, maybe, but never cheap as a synonym for inferior. He has more pride than that.
"It might be. I mean, I've never really looked for jobs in your area of work. But this is New York, there's everything here, we'll find you something. Keep in mind, you've got forty years of technology knowledge on these guys! You can just go into the interview and blow them away with a concept of how to build something they've never even heard of, much less figured out how to make."
The arm linked with his is nice, and it increases his confidence a little as they walk down the street towards his favorite deli. He knows it's not particularly exciting, not the height of fancy New York cuisine, and so he feels compelled to explain himself. "I figured you might want to have the authentic experience of working around here, and a lot of us from work eat here. It's good. Not too expensive. Not that I'd take you somewhere, you know, cheap."
Cheap in terms of expense, maybe, but never cheap as a synonym for inferior. He has more pride than that.
Right. So. Going with her showing up in his world... fuck plurk
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element_wizard
2014-03-14 04:50 am (UTC)(link)
"Ginsberg!" Laruna called out his name, waving wildly through a crowd of people. She's like that crazy person who sees someone at the airport and just can't wait to see that person and is bouncing up and down on their feet and walking at the same time.
At least he can appreciate her enthusiasm -- he's one of those people who's inclined to wave wildly through crowds, too, so he's waving back almost as demonstratively, waiting for her to get a little closer before giving her a big grin. His grins never last long, but they're genuine, when he manages them.
"Hey," he says. "How're you?"
"Hey," he says. "How're you?"
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