video; cw: talk about suicide

[anewlanguage]

The end of the year, the holiday build-up, whatever it is, back home you could count on December and January being the peak suicide months. I always tried to plan my high-risk jobs around then; easier to get them written off as accidental deaths...or intentionally self-inflicted ones.

[He sighs, sips his drink (which is a soda for once)]

God, am I glad I'm retired. The trick to this place is, when you start feeling that.... It's like an urge to look over your shoulder, when you know you're being followed, right? That's what guilt's like. When you start to feel that, you have to figure out what you're going to do. And if any of you start thinking thoughts that maybe would get your warden or your inmate worried, just know that you're not the first person to feel it. And whatever it is that's tailing you, there's something better ahead of you, believe it or not.

For the record, though, now that I'm done pretending I like a good cry on my shoulder? I fuckin' hate holidays. Especially Christmas. It's those sweaters. Terrible....

Comments

[no_tell_belle]

Oh.

Well, I don't imagine you had any trouble finding work. [In her case, yeah, family was her worst enemy. Not that she would hire a hitman. Think about it, maybe, but not do it.]

[anewlanguage]

[He grins, shrugs a shoulder]

I kept busy. But I'm retired now--still trying to figure out how to stay active. Golf doesn't really hit the spot.

[no_tell_belle]

No, I don't imagine it does. Though if you think about it, both golf and contracting involve hitting a target.

Probably harder to get a hole in one in golf, though.

[anewlanguage]

[He barks a laugh. That's a good one.] Well now you know why Arnold Palmer's a bigger name than me.

How'd you make your name?

[no_tell_belle]

Probably best to stay out of the limelight. I hear fame isn't all it's cracked up to be.


I'm a professional in the entertainment field. [The private, naked kind of entertainment, yes, but the way she sees it, it's a job and she is a consummate professional.]

[anewlanguage]

[He'd agree. He's seen a lot of professionals in his time, dancers, assassins, businessmen, hookers. Generally, the dancers were the easiest to deal with, and they had the clearest rules.]

Oh yeah? You could probably stir up a following here if you wanted. People get stir crazy, it'd do 'em good to move.