IC CONTACT.

[osreborn]

(555 - 888 - 3010)

"Norman Osborn. If you're calling about a job interview, hang up now and call [ business phone number ]. Otherwise stay on the line and leave a message. I'll get back to you when I can."

beep!

calls | voice mail | text messages | email

Comments

call!

[idontdoyay]

It's not that easy.

call!

[osreborn]

Why not?

call!

[idontdoyay]

Because it's not. This place is not New York. It's not even as similar as they try to make it seem like.

call!

[osreborn]

[ Calmly: ] Who's the one in control of your emotions? What about your thoughts? Is it them, or is it you?

call!

[idontdoyay]

[...O-oh. That actually gets through to her. Softly,] Me.

call!

[osreborn]

[ Tough love with Norman Osborn. ]

Very good. See, that wasn't so hard. Once you've realized that much, the rest will fall into place.

call!

[idontdoyay]

Will it though? I tried to kill myself and then I was sent-- [ohgodohgodohgod] I'm still dead.

That must be it. I'm still dead, I never woke up.

call!

[osreborn]

Then what am I?

A figment of your imagination?

call!

[idontdoyay]

Well, yeah.

call!

[osreborn]

Wrong.

[ He even makes a buzzer noise. ]

A word of advice, young lady; if you really want to adapt yourself to reality you need to understand that reality does not merely start and stop within your own mind.

call!

[idontdoyay]

[That, also, seems to catch her off-guard and there's a soft intake of breath followed by a long silence.]

So I should just suck it up and believe all this crazy shit, is what you're saying? The paraphrased edition.

call!

[osreborn]

No. You should adapt.

call!

[idontdoyay]

Yeah. And how do you suggest I do that?

call!

[osreborn]

Isn't it obvious?

Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get a move on with your life.

call!

[idontdoyay]

But my life isn't here, Norman. This is a freak show.

call!

[osreborn]

[ He exhales impatiently. ]

Your life is here now as long as you're here and you're alive.

call!

[idontdoyay]

[soft but not sad.] And if I weren't? Alive?

call!

[osreborn]

You are. What good does 'what if' do you?

Re: call!

[idontdoyay]

The whole contemplating suicide thing kind of comes as one, big 'what if.'

call!

[osreborn]

Then don't. It's incredibly simple.

call!

[idontdoyay]

[Not even Dogg, her suicide coach, talks to her like this. It's incredibly puzzling.] Then...don't.

Why didn't I ever think of that? [sarcasm kills]

call!

[osreborn]

A good question. I'd almost think it was out of your own control, listening to you.

call!

[idontdoyay]

Maybe it is.

call!

[osreborn]

But it isn't.

call!

[idontdoyay]

...Dogg always says we have to be a different person than the person who tried to kill ourselves the first time. I guess it doesn't get much more fucking different than a superhero version of myself.