Mythbusting, Tuesday, 8/4

[tyler_gone]

Class met in the Danger Shop today, and Tyler was notably subdued. He didn't feel right but was trying to hold it together enough to teach.

"Car myths," he said, once the class was gathered near a parking lot of simulated vehicles. "Sugar or bleach in the gas tank will kill the engine, a potato in the tail pipe will blow up the car, mothballs in the fuel tank make a car run better, a penny in the carburetor ruins the engine, an egg will fix a crack in the radiator. You've probably heard stuff like that -- the ones of you from worlds with cars, anyhow."

"Today, we're checking them out. 'Additives' " -- finger quotes on that word -- "are over on the table, and every pair of you gets a fake car to screw around with. If you're going to try to blow it up, handwavily let me know so I can get up the shields. If you don't know how to drive, pair up with someone who does. I'm passing out a diagram of a car's engine that should get you started."

"Questions?"

Comments

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

Anemone wrinkled her nose at him, obviously confused.

"Um. You mean besides the part where people kept falling over like dominoes and taking the naps from hell? 'Cause that was kinda creepy and not-normal." Well, not normal for them, anyway.

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[tyler_gone]

"Besides that," Tyler assured her. "And it was just as creepy if you were the one who was asleep."

He bit his lip, considering the girl. Part of him felt she deserved to know; a larger part felt like no good could possibly come of it.

"Good to hear you got through it okay."

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

She gave a half-shrug, still watching him warily. Anemone knew repression very, very well, and Mr. Durden was not doing a good job of hiding whatever was bothering him.

"The magical-thinggie probably couldn't grab what isn't there," she mused, tapping her head. "I used to have these zone-outs; lights on, no one home, yeah? It was a little uncomfortable seeing everyone else out like that, but now I know what it was like for the people around me."

"I'm sure this falls under 'personal growth' or something, but I think I could do without it."

She shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure out how to phrase what she wanted to say. "Um. But. I think the radio said you were sick. Did you want me to take class so you can go home, or...?"

Anemone, ladies and gentlemen. Failing at showing concern in a coherent fashion since, well, ever.

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[tyler_gone]

That drew a genuine, surprised, grin out of him despite his internal twist at her mention of losing time.

He wasn't going to. He'd stay in charge.

"I think I can stay here since I'm here," Tyler decided. "Thanks for offering, though."

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"Good, because I'd probably just encourage everyone to blow the cars up." What? She so would, and she knew that he knew it.

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[tyler_gone]

He did know it, and he acknowledged that with a light touch on her arm. "I think we can stay away from that for the day."

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"Yes, sir." It was an automatic response to an order from her superior officer -- and that was an order, no matter how nicely it was phrased, or that she knew Mr. Durden was not Dewey.

She clapped her hands over her mouth with a squeak, looking mortified. Stupid stupid conditioning.

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[tyler_gone]

"You are allowed to call me sir," Tyler said, surprised by her reaction. "I ... am not going to complain about that."

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[death-of-hope.livejournal.com]

"It's not creepy?" she asked warily, lowering her hands slightly so she could speak clearly. "Sometimes people think it's creepy when I do that. Respond to orders automatically, I mean."

It didn't happen often, since it had to be a direct order, but when it did people tended to give her odd looks.

Re: Talk to the TA [8/4]

[tyler_gone]

"I wasn't trying to give an order," Tyler said, then realized that wasn't quite right. "I mean, I was, but ... not the drill sergeant kind. But no, 'yes, sir' usually won't creep me out."