[Dial tone]

[Pickup]

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

[Music]

[Beep]

[Pickup]

[Beep]

VICTOR: [Uncertain] Hey, Storm, it's Victor. I was wondering... could we grab lunch or something sometime?

Kane was telling me about the most recent tape of his Mum's that he listened to, and... well, it got me thinking.

I want to do more with my life, I want to help people. And... one of the avenues I could take for that would be to become a nurse.

And I was thinking... you're a nurse, so... maybe you could tell me a little about what it's like, and... help me figure out if it's for me?

[Hangup]

[Beep]

STORM: Hey, Victor, sure thing. Let's talk nursing. I'm free all Wednesday if sometime around then works for you. We can meet at the Best of Luck so I can see my best girls on the same day.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

HELEN: [Concerned] Hey, Mira, it's Helen. I didn't want to wake you up, but... I really want to talk to you. So... hence the voicemail.

Also, this way I can get my thoughts out now while I need to, and I don't have to go over it all again later when I inevitably need you to tell me if you think I'm imagining all this or not.

I don't know if you've noticed, but... Kane and Jason and Ricardo, they've all been asking me a lot of questions over the last few weeks about... well, magic. That's what they call it. I don't think that's what it is. I think it's just... coincidences and brain weirdness and stuff.

Or at least... that's what I thought that I thought. But I'm... I'm questioning that, now?

Nothing's really changed as such. It's not like something happened to make me question it. I just... I was thinking about it, and I have to admit, things have been... different over the past year or so. And that's been a lot of what they've been asking me about. About what sorts of things have changed for me in the last while.

And... a lot of things changed for me when I came here to the Best of Luck Bar. And I thought they were just... normal changes. But now...

[Frustrated sigh] I don't know. Things have just been different ever since I came here. I used to... [Vulnerable] I used to bring bad luck with me everywhere I went. I was sure I was going to bring it here, too.

And I thought I had, for a while. When the vandalism happened, when those horrible people were attacking us... I thought I had brought that on us, somehow.

But... then it was over. It ended. My bad luck never ended. Or... well, it never ended until I came here. And... ever since then? Things have been... really good. I haven't had any bad luck at all. And that's... unusual, for me.

I don't know. Maybe it's nothing. But... it doesn't feel like nothing.

[Sigh] I'm going to make some tea. I'll call back in a few minutes.

[Hangup]

[Beep]

HELEN: [Thoughtful] You know, I used to be so bad at talking to people. I used to make people uncomfortable, or they made me uncomfortable. And I was just the worst at comforting people, I always made people feel worse instead. I just... I always said the wrong thing, you know?

But ever since I got here... that doesn't happen any more. I find it really easy to talk to people now. I find it easy to find something to say, and... I mean, as far as I know, I haven't said anything accidentally horrible to anyone, which is a huge improvement over mistakes I've made in the past.

And I can make people feel happy, now. I can make them feel good. I didn't used to be able to do that at all. I always felt like I was locked out of other people's emotional states, no matter how empathic or sympathetic or compassionate I tried to be.

But that all changed when I came here. Now I can comfort people. Now I can connect with people better than I ever could before.

And the only thing that's really changed between the old me and the new me is that... I'm here, at the Best of Luck Bar, and I love this place and these people so much.

But that's... [Amused scoff] Well. Surely just loving people doesn't grant someone magic powers, right? That's ridiculous.

... Right?

[Hangup]

[Beep]

VICTOR: [Cheerful] Hey, Kane. I just wanted to let you know that I took your advice. I thought about what I can do, and then I directed it.

One thing I have is time. I do work, but... I still have time for other things. And I'm healthy, I'm able bodied, and I got good grades at school, so... I know that I can study pretty well.

[Serious] So... I'm going to TAFE. Storm helped me apply today. I'm going to study aged care.

I figure... we already don't look after our elderly very well, and... that's even worse for LGBT elders. So... that's something I can help with. I can... look after the people that paved the way for me, you know?

Originally I was thinking of going for a full nursing degree, but... this will be cheaper. But more importantly... it just feels right. For now, anyway.

This feels like the thing I want to do. And if I change my mind at some point and decide that I do want to go get a nursing degree after all, well... I can do that.

So, yeah. Thanks for the advice, Papa Bear.

[Hangup]

[Cassette noise]

JULIE: [Tired, tearful] Well baby... I figured you'd grow up with Priya as kind of like your other parent, but... I guess that's just not meant to be.

She got a job offer this week. Which is great! It's the perfect job! It's exactly her area of expertise, it's exactly the kind of position she wants, it's a good salary, it will help her shape future minds in a really positive way...

[Sobs] It's in Canberra. 600 kilometers away.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to break up, but... I don't want to leave Melbourne. Especially when I've just been accepted to learn nursing at the Alfred. Especially when all my friends are down here. And especially after what happened at the beach.

I just feel pulled to stay here. I don't feel like I can leave, and... even if I could, I don't want to. This feels like home in a way nowhere else ever has.

[Shaky sigh] I mean, I guess we could try the long distance thing, but... even if we do, this will still mean our relationship will have to change drastically. We'll go from touching and hugging and kissing every day to being lucky to feel each other's skin once or twice a year.

I don't know what to do. I don't know what the right decision is. I'm not even sure there is a right decision.

[Cries] I hate this. I hate this so much. I'm so tired of losing people.

[Click]

[Music]

ROSLYN: Love and Luck is written by Erin Kyan, and produced by Passer Vulpes Productions.

Helen is voiced by Ashe Connor. Julie is voiced by Nic Rummery. Victor is voiced by DL Turnbull. Storm is voiced by Creatrix Tiara. Credits spoken by Roslyn Quin. Recorded by Kermie Breydon and Eris Barnes.

If you're enjoying Love and Luck, consider backing us on Patreon. We do our best not only to make a high quality show for you, but to pay everyone involved in its creation. Your monthly donation will be directly supporting queer art by queer people. Pledge now at patreon.com/passervulpes - that's patreon.com/ P A S S E R V U L P E S.

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, on twitter as @LoveLuckPodcast, and on tumblr and instagram as loveandluckpodcast, all one word.

[Music fades out]