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+---- Thread: [Complete] Getting Along Without Words [Churches, Abbey, and Schools] (/showthread.php?tid=666)
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Getting Along Without Words [Churches, Abbey, and Schools] - Francis Tully - 03-16-2022
Francis had wandered off for a day or so before returning to the church to scrub the floor and the pews. It was long and annoying work, but not the most difficult thing he'd ever done. Still, his hands felt gross and rough after all of that washing so he went outside to take a break.
He had considered going to beg Mrs. Higgins for a snack after he'd done such a good job when he saw someone familiar walking by. That guy from breakfast who didn't speak a lick of English. Chéri had been nice to Francis despite the language barrier and his clear downcast state. He cupped his hands around his mouth to call out, "Hey! Frenchman!" He grinned and waved for him to come over to chat for a bit though he did stand in case the other was on the way somewhere else. He had no clue what he could say but some things translated past mere words.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-16-2022
Chéri hadn’t been to church much and they missed it terribly. They had come over on their first real Sunday in Whitby, but had stayed as close as possible to the exit and left the second they could. It was very reassuring to hear latin, to find one thing that was the same everywhere and that was just about it. They hadn’t dared going to confession yet and were honestly struggling with the idea.
Chéri did not know the frenchman was them, although they had heard that word before and recognised it fairly clearly, but Francis’s voice was still relatively fresh in their memory, so they turned. “Ah, Francìs!” They greeted “Are you still at the church or have they chased you out? No idea how you sleep.” They knew they were not understood. “Church” they indicated the direction of the building and did a thumbs up, in their own way to inquire about Francis’s satisfaction.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-16-2022
Francis assumed he was understood when they turned and smiled huge. He walked over to them and noticed them say something and gesture to the church. "Oh I'm done for now." He said waving it off as if he could care less and walked to them cheerfully.
"I was gonna go see about checking the kitchen or begging Mrs. Higgins for food. Wanna come?" He tilted his head curiously showing he had a question, then gestured towards the constabulary and then made the motion of eating. That had to be clearly understood, right?
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-21-2022
Francis made a gesture that meant I’m done and Chéri nodded, then they didn’t understand what Francis was saying, except for “food” and “Mrs Higgins” and nodded. Chéri went where food was, no matter what.
“Church good?” My dear fellow, how is life treating you these days? Are you finding yourself quite comfortable with your current employer? Was too complicated for him. “Père good?” This was probably less clear.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-21-2022
Francis smiled huge at the nod and waved for Cheri to follow him towards the Presbytery. "Oh, you know.. it's church. I don't stay for the services, pretty sure I'd get a side eye the entire time. Funny how they talk about god is charity and kindess, but you see someone who clearly has nothing and they think I'm just a drain on society." He totally was." But cleaning it has been fine, it's usually pretty quiet. When I can, I try to do it during confessions and I try to 'just happen' to be by the confessional as close as possible in case I can hear something. They've been too quiet so far, but I'm sure I will eventually. " He grinned huge and looked over. "What about you? Where have you been staying and doing?" He thought hard how to convey it and gestured wiping tables, hitting stone with a pickaxe, and finally sleeping to mean where he'd been staying. He had no idea if the other would understand but it was worth a shot.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-21-2022
Chéri had no idea what the answer specifically meant, but the essential was clear: not good. Bat though? It didn’t sound bad, but if Chéri understood what sort of life Francis was leaving, anything that wasn’t just bad was welcomed. “Confessional”, though, was a word they understood “You confessional?” Close enough. They couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to share something with Father Brennan AFTER talking to him for more than fifteen minutes and Father Richards clearly didn’t like Francis, so….that sounded like good gossip. Chéri had started to learn some basic questions -probably most of it was Christine’s hard work and dedication, to wine and education- and understood “where”. The rest they could try to guess. “Pub,” they shook their head. That hadn’t worked. “Doctor,” they shrugged. That somehow also hadn’t worked. “Diamond Pony,” they nodded at that. The last one was good enough for them.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-21-2022
Francis shook his head at being asked if he went to confessional. He gestured by cupping his ear to show he'd tried to listen in. But the idea of going to confession and forcing the priest to listen did sound fun. He then decided to shrug with a mischievous smile.
Francis tilted his head curiously. "Doctor?" He repeated and gestured by putting a hand to his head as if faint. He was wondering if the other was ill. He definitely was surprised he knew Diamond Pony. He snapped and gestured to him. "Ah.." He wasn't allowed there. Not that he'd want to go anyway. He gestured to himself and made a big X to say he was forbidden.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-22-2022
Francis touched his ear and Chéri went “oooh” then laughed out aloud, way more than it was appropriate before wrinkling their nose. They touched their ear and then then mimicked an interested expression, nodding, curious to know if Francis had heard any interesting thing.
Chéri shook their head and made the gesture of someone sweeping the floor. They had seeked the help of a doctor to get a job. Francis seemed surprised and explained the Diamond Pony didn’t work for him. Chéri shrugged. “Diamond Pony food. Money.” Apparently they found something adequare there. The looked at the presbitery again “Safe.” They added, then turned to Francis. “How long Francis presbytery?” They asked.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-22-2022
Francis grinned huge, pleased how much he and Cheri were able to communicate. He laughed a little as well then when asked if he heard anything good, he waved his hands behind him. He wasn't sure if they understood him, but he was lying and saying it was all boring instead of admitting he couldn't hear anything.
He was happy that they were working for the doctor instead of being ill. But also working for the Pony was interesting. He didn't know how to ask in a reasonable way so he tried to gesture as someone giggling and leading someone away. He wasn't judging, but he was wanting to know if Cheri was doing a lot for that room and board and if so, they were getting paid. The scrawny man was confused by the question and gestured behind him and then before wondering if they wanted to know how long he'd been there or planning. He decided to answer either way. He first gestured the number one and being asleep before waking up and seeing him there. And then shrugged to the later, he would be there as long as he allowed but he certainly wasn't there every night.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-22-2022
Francis didn’t seem impressed with the local’s confessions. Chéri shrugged. They were a little let down, to be honest: villages often had nice secrets.
Chéri tilted their heads at the question surrounding the giggling and leading away and nodded in a fashion that suggested a “yes and?” Apparently to them it was obvious what kind of job they had at the Pony. They identified with it so much they had started to take for granted that everyone did the same.
Francis started to explain and Chéri did a big gesture of surprise. What a coincidence! Chéri shook their head. “How?” They also knew that word. The presbytery clearly had come across as a perfectly normal place to them… not.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-22-2022
Francis tilted his head as Cheri agreed that was part of their job and frowned in thought to explain what he wanted to ask. He gestured getting money put into his hand and then gestured to Cheri and pretended to hand over the money and then tilted his head quizzically.
Francis grinned looking rather proud of himself. He mimicked yelling and then brushed off his shirt as if he brushed off the insults. That was clearly not true as Richards had annoyed him, but it wasn't enough to make him leave. He then gestured around to the buildings around them and shrugged. Where else would he go?
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-23-2022
Francis wanted to know if Chéri was getting payed. Maybe how much. Chéri shrugged slowly, blinked a few times, making sure to emphasise how long their lashes were, put both their hands on the side of their face and blused a little while their eyes started to shine like stars. They considered that and answered. A second after, they melted into a loud, disorderly laugh, appropriate for a fisherman or a small time merchant, very far from the grace they had shown off so far.
Chéri laughed at the carelessness the other one was showing and puff, incredulous. They then gritted their teeth and looked aggressively toward Francis, then made a gesture that said “big”. It was difficult to obtain specific information.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-23-2022
Francis was very confused as Cheri said whatever they said, but they hadn't shaken their head and said no. They seemed pleased enough about their pay so that was good enough.
He looked more confused and stared at the other hard trying to figure it out. Finally, he seemed to get an idea. He touched his fingers and held them to his face to mimic glasses then dropped them to look scared. He was wondering if the other thought maybe he was or should have been scared of Father Brennan?
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-24-2022
Chéri was sincerely happy to learn that Francis was not going to judge or inquire too much about exactly how they made their money. The Pony had been enough of an answer and that, Chéri found appropriate. They smiled lightly, appreciating Francis’ relaxed attitude surrounding the matter.
Chéri shook their head. The question had been different and it was not relevant to Malachi. Chéri touched his chin, wondering how they could possibly mimc Father Richards. They had met him only once and mostly he had looked fidgety and angry. Chéri did the glasses gesture and shook their head, then sank their head in their shoulders, waved a finger around with a preachy look and growled at Francis. Than it occurred to him. “Père Richards” growl again “Francis” drawing something big with their hand in the air. God, luckily they had almost reached Mrs Higgins kitchen.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-24-2022
Francis frowned sharply as he tried to figure out the charade. He looked forward to open the door and poke his head in to see if Mrs. Higgins was there. She wasn't , that meant the kitchen was theirs. He grinned huge as he opened the door more to let in his new friend. "Richards!" he said and then tilted his head as he was already looking around for food. "Hm, are you wondering what happened between us to make him hate me?" He asked but then gestured between them, pointing at Cheri and mimicking the angry Richards and then himself and gestured between the two and both frowning.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-25-2022
Mrs Higgings wasn’t there. Well, all the better, they could explore. It wasn’t stealing if Francis lived there, right? Chéri nodded. Richards indeed! Chéri wasn’t wondering that, but whatever it was it sounded connected to Richards anger story and some gossip was good for the soul. Chéri laughed and clapped their hands, like at the theatre, nodding. They were weren’t sure what it was about, but they definitely wanted to know.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-25-2022
Francis grinned as he had assumed he got it right. He saw they wanted to see a version of events. His smile faded a little as he was sure it wasn't that thrilling, but he would try to make it more amusing for his audience.
He pretended to act like Richards but acting happier and then closing a door, then he stepped on the other side and mimicked the motions of undressing. He then looked over in surprise and pretended to cover himself. Immediately he side stepped to act like Richards looking shocked while holding the door open. A step to the side again as himself and startled, he then grinned and stopped covering himself and wiggled his brow gesturing from the priest to his hips.
It wasn't the truth but close enough to give Cheri an idea of the events. He smiled and shrugged. "It wasn't all that exciting."
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-25-2022
Chéri stayed completely stone faced as Francis explained and they expression didn’t change a bit until the story was well over and the final comment had been made.
Then they started laughing so hard, so openly, so crassly even it felt like the walls were shaking and they could be heard on the other side of Whitby.
He called some form of higher power and shook their head. “Encroyable” was all they could say, really. They scratched their head in debrief and then added “Brennan” and touched their ear. Had the other priest heard of that? Had he tried to mediate?
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-25-2022
Francis was worried the other didn't like his tale told in gesture until he started laughing. He grinned huge, feeling delighted that the other liked it. He wasn't used to others finding him enjoyable and it made him like this other one more even if he didn't know them really at all. "Brennan?" He repeated then gestured to himself talking to the man in question.
"He knew, he.." He scratched his head a moment then gestured as Brennan shaking his head and then wagging a finger at himself basically telling him not to do it again.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-27-2022
Chéri had to hold themselves onto something to avoid tumbling to the ground. They kept laughing and could barely contain themselves. They probably would have had quite a few comments to add, had they been able to.
Francis explained Malachi’s reaction and Chéri nodded. That made sense. “And Francis?” they opened a hand, as per asking what he intended to do going forward.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-27-2022
Francis grinned, looking delighted at Cheri's response and grabbed their hand so they wouldn't fall from laughing, to offer support. He tilted his head at the question and thought to make sure he understood. He grinned and shrugged. He grabbed some rolls and glanced around the kitchen until he found some cheese. He looked delighted and put them on the table for him and the other to share. "You know.." he said looking to Cheri. "You probably will learn english eventually." He was sure Cheri would make friends, pretty faces tended to. "Maybe you should me French." He gestured from his mouth talking, then to theirs.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 03-30-2022
Chéri used Francis’s grip to steady themselves, barely managing. They fixed their clothes a little then started to look around, looking for food. They found the cheese faster than they could say “priest”. Chéri wasn’t sure what Francis had said, but based on their guess, they shrugged and went “Chéri English” in the sense of “if it’s necessary” judging from how they moved. Then they squinted. When an Englishman said the word “French” without inquiring about Chéri’s origin, he generally meant something lewd. But this didn’t seem to be Francis intention. Chéri made the mouth gesture, making it particularly chatter-y, with his hand and asked “French?” Taking a hopeful guess.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 03-30-2022
Francis noticed Cheri find the cheese and smiled pulling out some bread and he started to make tea. Might as well do it right, he was hopeful Higgins would be gone for a while. As the kettle started to brew, he looked over and tilted his head. He wasn't completely sure what they meant so he tried to make it clearer. "English.."He gestured to his mouth talking then pointed to Cheri's mouth. "French." He used the hand that was pointing to move in the air like a bird towards his own mouth and started opening it like he was talking and said, "French" again, pointing at himself.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-02-2022
For the potential return of Mrs Higgins, Chéri was already imagining a potential reaction. After all, they were used to having to take things that officially didn’t or only half belonged to them. Chéri nodded. They pointed at Francis and repeated the French terms for “English” and “French.” They then did a gesture with their hand, inviting Francis to go on. What else was did he want to learn?
In the mean time, they very elegantly arranged the table, so that they could consume their food properly, while Francis made tea. Chéri was still getting used to the drink but, like all the food, they considered it a blessing, however it came.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-02-2022
Francis wondered briefly if this was as it sounded. He decided to test what Chéri was hinting at, thus placed a hand on the table and spoke to his new, maybe only, friend. "Table."
He managed to find some lemon and smiled huge taking the entire thing to slice up and watched the other set the table. The taller man walked over to watch curiously. It hadn't been that long of a time since he'd set a table thanks to being here, but the other did it far more complicated than the priests had.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-02-2022
Chéri repeated the word in French, nodding with their head. They looked at Francis with a meaningful look. Was that really what he wanted to learn? Were things like “Cocksucker” or “Fuck you” not more urgent terms to include in one’s vocabulary?
Chéri was just trying to pamper them both. Chéri hadn’t been a “proper” stray in a really long time, but they still very much felt constantly on the brink of precipice, so they had learnt to take the very best out of anything they were given in life. And if they could have a fancy lunch with a new friend, they were going to.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-02-2022
Francis repeated the word a few times, trying to say it accurately but then stared at Cheri. He had a feeling they wanted him to say or do something. He had no clue. Finally he gestured for Cheri to say a word so he could say the english one for. If he knew what Cheri was saying.
When the table was set, Francis wanted to correct Cheri that there were too many forks and spoons, but he had seen fancy people eat at a distance. This seemed to make sense. He set out their simple food he'd managed to scavenge and gave a grin as he pulled out a chair for Cheri like a real gentleman.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-06-2022
Chéri themselves did not have exactly the most desirable accent, but they weren’t going to say and anyway, when it came out of their mouth no one had ever complained. As a Romance language speaker, Chéri had questions about modal verbs -not that they knew what they were-, since they had already learnt a language and found it the most useful, but that wasn’t going to be easier to translate. So they did a different things. They smiled and indicated the gesture with a hand, then repeated the French verb for “simile”.
Chéri, who didn’t want to let Francis down, sat like a real lady and devoured the food like the indigent they barely weren’t anymore. They seemd very satisfied, when another word came to them: indicating the food they said “food” and bit. To eat was what they were looking for.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-06-2022
Francis watched with his head cooking to the side like a curious sparrow before he oh'd. He pointed to his mouth then smiled huge. "Smile!" He said and then repeated their word.
It didn't take much thinking for him to not and said "eat" towards them before looking up hoping that he'd done the word justice.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-06-2022
Chéri pointed the finger. That! They had actually heard the term before but weren’t sure at all they could repeat it. Chéri nodded, then turned to Francis. Was there more he wanted to learn?
“Francis Whitby?” Chéri asked. In the meantime, Chéri could try to lear a little more about Francis. “Francis England?” They added, trying to make clearer what they were trying to ask. They had already taken for granted Francis was English, to be honest. After all, he spoke English.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-06-2022
Francis looked a little intimidated by the fancy food but then smiled as he ate, picking whichever silverware he liked. The words had him looking at Chéri. He didn't need more of an example before gesturing to himself.
"Scotland! Francis... Scotland! Hebrides, Scotland." Was Scotland a word she knew? It didn't matter, he couldn't begin to guess what it was in French if it wasn't. He gestured to them. "Chéri... France? Paris France?" It was the only city he knew.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-10-2022
Chéri also had only a vague idea of what silverware went for what and was generally very messy, but liked to take it slow, in this case, as a form of celebration. His was really improvisation.
“Scotland,” Chéri replied, staring with big eyes at Francis. “Scotland?” They looked around, as if they could find it. Chéri nodded. Paris, France was good enough for them and after all they had lived there a very long time. Euskadi and Ainoha meant nothing to most people.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-11-2022
Francis took whichever fork or spoon looked the fanciest to eat with. He grinned towards his new friend as they looked confused by Scotland. At least he'd gotten Paris right, not that he knew of many other places in France. Did he know any? Maybe if he wracked his brain, he could come up with another.
He snapped his fingers in thought and grabbed a cup. "England", he gestured to the cup and pointed to the top right side, "Whitby." And then he grabbed another cup and put it against the cup against the topside of the cup. "Scotland is above England because we are better." He said playfully.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-14-2022
The french-english lesson had turned into a geography lesson and Chéri stared with great interest. They had a vague idea of the concept of cardinal points and lands, and knew what an island was. If England was an island, probably so was Scotland.
“France?” Chéri then asked, turning a finger around the rest of the cups, trying to make out where that might possibly be.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-15-2022
Francis hadn't looked at many maps in his life, so he squinted a bit at the area of 'France'. He reached over to it and gently moved it to where he thought France would be and immediately grabbed a saucer for Spain to help. "France." He nodded pointing to it then to the other one just below. "Spain." He smiled towards Cheri and took another bite of food. "Paris..." He said in thought and gestured towards the lower middle part of 'France', he wasn't certain completely where Paris was.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-16-2022
Francis kept explaining. Chéri looked at the “map”. Now, “Spain” didn’t sound exactly the same in French or in Basque, but they knew that that word also didn’t sound like Germany or other places. They also had been cast in a Don Quixote ballet, so they knew that the place was considered southern and exotic. Chéri pointed between Spain and France and said “Chéri.” Then moved their fingers up to the middle of “France” and “Paris” and then up to the middle of England “Whitby”. They concluded, telling Francis something about their personal history.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-16-2022
Francis looked closely and nodded as he got it and smiled. So Chéri had traveled. He gestured towards Scotland but grabbed some bread and shredded. Piece and put the pieces on the top left of the map. "Islands, Hebrides." He explained and then pointed close to the center, near the left of the pile of crumbs.
"Home." He said softly and then moved his finger to the mainland and then his finger went down mostly along the left coast line before it cut through the middle and back up where Whitby was. "Now." He said and looked to Chéri. Whitby was not home, but then no place would be again to him, that seemed clear.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-21-2022
Chéri needed an extra moment to make out what the crumbs might be. They narrowed their eyes. It didn’t make sense for them to be boats. It didn’t make sense for them to be towns, they were off the land. The word for French was pronounced different, despite a similar orthography. So Chéri needed an extra moment. “Ooooh” they said. They pointed at a crumb specifically “Hebrides?” They couldn’t know Francis meant plural.
Chéri followed the finger and asked, a little confused “Whitby?” The knew what “home” meant in theory, but not in practice. Chéri stared at Whitby. How had they ended up there? But then again, how had they ended up anywhere in this world outside of their little village? Too much introspection, best to prioritise tea. Chéri took France and poured themselves some.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-21-2022
Francis tried to think on how to explain himself. "Hebredes.." He circled his finger around all of the crumbs,then pointed back at one spot in particular. "Home.. born here.." Then his hand returned to the last spot. "Whitby, now."
He knew it was hard to explain and tried to think how to explain islands. He started to tear up more bread and placed them in random spots. "Isle of Man.." A much larger piece. "Ireland." Some smaller pieces in further places. "Iceland. Sicily.." He was really stretching his geography skills but hoped something would show these were all islands to Cheri.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 04-26-2022
“Hebredes.” Chéri repeated, to learn the word itself as best as they could. “Home… name?” Chéri wanted to know if the island had a name, for the circle had cleared that Hebrides was just the general name of the archipelago.
Francis started to tear off bread and Chéri showed both their hands and shook their head. It wasn’t necessary. They had gotten the concept. They had never gone on to become a sailor after all, but they still recognised at least one of those names as an island name. “Francis, Whitby. Why?”
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 04-26-2022
Francis listened to Chéri and nodded as he pointed to a crumb again. "Skye, s-k-y-e." He knew they were smart and would get it quickly.
When they let him know they got it, he nodded and ate some bread he'd been preparing to rip. The next question had him pause. He was sure he could be honest but was that what they really wanted to know. Finally he looked down. "Family ah... kicked me out." He didn't know how to explain it in French but tried to put a hand over his heart and then gestured holding it in his hand and it breaking in half.
He looked to see if he understood.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 05-01-2022
“Sky” more or less, Chéri understood a word in principle identical to one they already vaguely remembered. “Skye, Hebrides” they summed up ad then tried to equate it to “Whitby, England?” not precisely the same, but something akin. The concept of geography was developing in their mind.
Francis explained about his situation, but Chéri had no idea what he meant. They knew it wasn’t good though. “Family?” and they repeated the broken heart gesture. “Why?” they asked.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 05-01-2022
Francis scratched his cheek in thought and nodded but waved his hand back and forth as if to say 'sort of'. He didn't know how to explain an island mass attached to scotland and the name of a specific island. It was too confusing so he left it be.
He was disappointed the other didn't get it, but it was fine. He was sure if it was reversed, he'd have no clue what Cheri meant. He thought hard and gestured to himself and then gestured to the side as if there was another there and pretended to hug someone. Then gagged and rolled his eyes back and pretended to collapse on the table dead. It was very cruel to Lewis, but it had no baring on his last moments or anything else about him. He then tried to gesture being scared of something or someone and then gestured moving from his island to Whitby.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 05-08-2022
I am here because I was afraid where I was. That bit was clear to Chéri, who bent their head to the side and observed Francis. “You… peur?” it sounded like poor, it didn’t sound like fear, but Chéri wasn’t sure how to communicate that, so they went for mimic: they put both their hands on the side of their face and made a scared expression.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 05-08-2022
Francis seemed in thought and sighed wishing it was easier to speak. The scared expression seemed right, so he nodded. He searched the kitchen, then snapped his fingers. He stood and crept to the door to look around and disappeared. He was sure if any of the priests or Higgins caught him, he'd be kicked out but the place seemed empty. Not a door was locked, and no one here. What was going on with these people?
He went into what looked like a study and dug around to find papers and a very fancy pen and went back to the kitchen. He couldn't write but....
He drew stick figures, of a figure with straight features and another one with a triangle and lines falling from their head to be a woman. He then pointed to the stick figure and drew it next to a similar figure and then scribbled a big heart around them.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 05-17-2022
Chéri hadn’t thought of drawing, but somehow it was very fitting. It was also something they could do in the future if they so wished, to explain more complicated concepts to non-French speakers. Like Francis. They had a lot of drawing ahead of them.
They made a not of asking Christine for some form of paper.
Chéri followed Francis drawing. A man, a woman, love. Chéri nodded. “Une femme?” Chéri asked, wondering if there could be someone like that around.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 05-18-2022
Francis looked confused and realized Cheri meant a woman. He realized it was confusing and redrew to make it clear it was two male figures and with a heart around them. "Men." He said simply. Then drew a group of stick figures and lots of frowning faces.
Then he seemed in thought and redrew the two male figures and put x's over one of their eyes and the other had a sad face.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 05-25-2022
Chéri did a big “oooooh” but since the sentence had no words and they needed some clarity, the considered how to put their comment. After intent consideration, their question took an odd shape, but the clearest one they could muster “Oscar Wilde?” a verb, a subject, a concept. Anything fit to those two large words.
Chéri indicated the non X one “Francis?” the story was becoming clearer.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Francis Tully - 05-25-2022
That name was becoming a curse to them all. Putting their personal lives in people's minds because of news from some big name writer. He frowned sharply and his eyes became downcast before nodding a little. "Yeah..." he said and stared at the scribbled face with x's for eyes. "This.. was Lewis." He tapped it slightly.
RE: Getting Along Without Words - Chéri - 05-29-2022
For Chéri, the Wilde trial was different: it wasn’t the paper that had done the trick, as much as the fact that they had personally had dealings with the man. They remembered his voice, his presence and more. They also remembered the panic that had taken their former lover and his group of friends. It was just… something that had changed things to a deeper level, in a way they couldn’t explain. “Lewis,” Chéri repeated. “Quand?” they thought about it and then added “Year?” maybe that was clearer.