Episode 41 - Vandalism

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ROSLYN: You've reached the Love and Luck Podcast.

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JASON: Hey babe. So, I was gonna close up, but then a group came in looking really upset. They said the posters are back... with some new, even more horrible things written on them, too, and they've been posted a lot closer to the bar.

Soothed them with some magic as best I could, and I've settled them all in the lounge area so they can crash for the night if they want to, so they may well still be here when you get up in the morning.

I am fucking pissed. I'm going to go out and do a quick circle around the block and rip down any of those fucking posters I find before I head to bed. Tomorrow me and my nellies will do a bigger sweep. And if I come across any of the fuckheads who are putting them up, I swear to god I will fuck them up.

[Hangup]

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KANE: Hey. Folks are still pretty rattled this morning, unfortunately. I made everyone breakfast and I think I'm going to do free cupcakes again today. I know that seems to always be my fallback, but I just... I don't know. Cupcakes might not make anything better, but they're nice, and they're something I can do, so... yeah.

I've been strengthening the wards, too - added a couple more knots to the door twine, and been throwing around a little more weight when I remember. All together it all seems to be helping a little bit - people are scared, but they're still smiling and talking with each other, so that's something. At the moment it seems it's just the posters, no more bashings or anything, but... well. It's still pretty scary.

Michael is... doing as well as can be expected. He had a panic attack when he found out about the posters being closer to the bar this time. At least I'm kind of an expert in panic attacks, unfortunately, so I could help him through it. He's on edge, but he's having tea with Helen, and she's always such a gentle presence, I think he'll be okay.

I really wish we could somehow stop this. Like... I wish we could cut this off at the stem, rather than just... bandaging over all the fear. [Sighs]

[Hangup]

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KANE: Hey... bedtime voicemail again. Unprompted, this time, even. Because... [sighs] Look, I know you're going out after closing to take down posters, and that's fine. But just... be careful, okay? It scares me a little. I don't want anything bad to happen to you.

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JASON: Hey babe. I'm home again, safe and sound. I mean... I guess by the time you listen to this I'll be in bed with you anyway so it'll be obvious, but... I don't know, I still feel like I should leave a message.

We took down a lot of posters tonight. I don't know if we got them all. I mean... probably not, I guess. But we took down a lot. Hopefully things will feel a bit safer again tomorrow.

[Hangup]

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KANE: God, it was a relief to wake up next to you this morning. My anxiety feels like it's just... I don't know. Not getting worse, necessarily, but I feel like my base level has risen in the last few weeks. [Sighs]

Anyway... things seem a little better today. People aren't coming in like they're getting out of a storm, they're just coming in to hang out, like normal.

I still... I don't know. I still feel very anxious about all of this. I feel like it's not over yet. Like we're just in the eye of the storm.

I really hope I'm just being paranoid and this isn't some kind of prophetic shit.

[Hangup]

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JASON: Hey, I was just reading this article online about cold brew coffee - should we consider offering that too, as well as espresso? Might be worth looking into.

I'm basically just leaving you this voicemail as a reminder, so I don't forget to look into this further, hah. I love you. See you tomorrow.

[Hangup]

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KANE: [Enthusiastic] Gooooood morning! Guess who just booked a hotel room for us as a belated anniversary celebration for tomorrow night? This guy!

Victor said he's happy to cover the late shift for you, and I mean, it's a Wednesday, so it wouldn't be too busy for him to handle alone. Helen said she'd open for us on Thursday morning, too, so we don't have to rush home from the hotel right away if we don't want to.

It's not a super fancy hotel or anything, but who cares - hotels are fun. Even if we just sit around and watch TV in our underwear, it's still somehow more fun in a hotel than doing it at home.

Anyway, I know I could have just told you when I saw you but I'm excited, so I wanted to leave you a message. Love you!

[Hangup]

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JASON: Hey babe. It's another quiet night tonight, no one's been in for like an hour now, and I'm kind of bored, to be honest. I've been playing games on my phone so much I had to bring a charger downstairs.

I'm pretty excited about the hotel tomorrow, though! I'm gonna do so many fucked up dirty things to you. But don't get your hopes up, I'm not telling you what they are in this message. I'll show you in person tomorrow instead.

[Hangup]

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KANE: [Teasing] Now who's the mean one in this relationship? Making me wake up to a message like that? You could have at least given me a taste, so I know what to look forward to.

Instead I'm just going to be serving morning tea to people and my imagination is going to run wild. So if I drop a cup or spill something on someone because I'm too preoccupied with your teasing, I'm blaming you.

I'm excited for tonight though, no matter how mean you are. Or maybe because of how mean you are.

[Hangup]

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JASON: [Softly] I know I should be trying to sleep, but it's still early by my body clock.

Leaving you a voicemail while you're sleeping in the same room as me is probably not the best choice I could be making, but I'm trying to be quiet, and you haven't moved or anything, so I figure I'm not bothering you.

Thank you for tonight. It's been really wonderful. I don't know why you keep apologising for it not being anything special... it's been really special. We hardly ever take intentional time out to be together and not do anything else, these days. Not that I don't love our everyday life, I do. I don't want it to change. But it's nice to have a holiday too, is all I'm saying.

Anyway... you just rolled over so I'm going to end this here so I don't wake you.

I love you, Kane. I love you very, very much.

[Hangup]

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VICTOR: [Nervous] Hey Jason... it's Victor. Um... there's not really an easy way to say this, so I'm just gonna... jump straight in.

I know Kane's going to be really upset about this, so that's why I called you instead of him, I figured you'd know how to break it to him without him getting distraught, you know?

I don't want him to freak out too badly about this but... well. Helen called me in tears when she opened this morning. Whoever's been posting those homophobic flyers around the area? They've clearly figured out that we've been ripping them down, or at least know we're a queer bar. Someone has spray painted hate speech and threats all over the Best of Luck's facade.

We're cleaning it up as fast as we can, but we're probably not going to be able to get it done before you get home. So... just giving you a heads up.

Sorry to ruin your morning. See you guys soon.

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ROSLYN: Love and Luck is written by Erin Kyan, and produced by Passer Vulpes Productions. Kane is voiced by Lee Davis-Thalbourne. Jason is voiced by Erin Kyan. Victor is voiced by Darby Turnbull. Credits spoken by Roslyn Quin. Recorded by Kermie Breydon.

For more information about Love and Luck, check out our website, loveandluckpodcast.com. You can also find us on facebook as Love and Luck Podcast, and follow us on twitter, at @LoveLuckPodcast.