vr

a novel

Scott Alexander Gabriel Reiss

December 1999

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

From: Nichelle
Date: 7 December 1999
Subject: Re: Offline

Thanks for sending the cash.. I received it, but haven't read "Absolom, Absolom" yet. How have you been doing? I'm doing fine.. I have plans to move back to the Seattle area in the spring and work for freei.net, a free Internet provider in the area. We'll see how that goes. Hurricane Agnes continues to be a big expense, which I kind of anticipated. If Spokane didn't have such a terrible bus system, I wouldn't feel the need to own a car. I have joined Weight Watchers, which is actually a really good system, though a little expensive as well. It works though- I've lost about 2 pounds per week consistently, which they say is ideal.

There isn't much happening in my professional life. The big company party is tomorrow night at Patsy Clark's, kind of the fancy spot in town- a big mansion which was converted into a restaurant. I plan to make my appearance and skip out as soon as possible. I work far too hard for the money I earn, but at least I feel some (probably unwarranted) sense of dignity and pride in my work. I have to justify getting out of bed each morning somehow.

I now have a digital camera which my brother gave me as an early Christmas present. Apparently he bought a new one, the rich bastard. Anyway, I'm enjoying playing with it. Now I have the power to send anyone a picture of my butt. Neat, huh?

Murtilda is doing well. Speaking of butts, she now has plenty of hair on hers and hasn't been fighting with fleas since we moved to a drier climate.  She has the whole basement to herself, and the upstairs when she's not knocking things off the mantle. When I go back to the western part of the state, I'll probably be south, closer to Tacoma in a town called Tillicum (till-I-cum). Houses there rent for about 700 bucks a month, on the average, and I have a housemate lined up. We shall see... I'm sure Mur would enjoy having a whole house to run around in.

I have missed you... I hope you are taking care of yourself. Write and tell me all about your life... I have missed your email to the World.

-Nichelle

At 06:39 AM 12/7/99 GMT, you wrote:
>I've been offline for a while, except at work. How are things? Have you
>received "Absolom, Absolom"? I hope you are well. Maybe something will
>happen in 2000. I wish I had a place to live...

November 1999

February 2000

vr: 1999