Author's notes: So many stories which try to explain how Blair ended up overstaying his week in the loft depict it as an act of charity on Jim's part. What if the opposite happened?
Thanks go to Becky for her transcript site. I couldn't write anything without this!
Oh, and I apologize for my anthro-speak. I'm completely winging it.
Rated G.
RE: Housing
By Helen W.
During the events of "The Debt"…
To: akane@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Re: Housing
Andy,
Thanks so much for inviting me to apply for space in the co-op! I really appreciate this - I know you get people asking to move in all the time. My message to you last night wasn't meant to sound too pathetic, I just wanted you to realize that I was okay in case you heard about my place exploding on the news or something. But, I gotta say that your invitation really takes a load off my mind!
I'm really relieved you said it was Jan who recommended letting me into your guest room until another room opens up. I guess she's not still sore with me about last Valentine's Day.
I'll email in my application as soon as I down a pot of coffee. Jim and I were up half the night moving my stuff (or what's left of it) over here (852 Prospect) where Jim says I can crash for a few days.
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: rphc-list@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Joining your cooperative
To Whom it May Concern:
Man, that sounds absurd! Let's make that: Dear Andy, Jan, Sven, Rick, Valerie (I don't think we've met?), and Martya!
Thanks for inviting me to apply for residency in the Rainier Progressive Housing Co-operative.
1. Name: Blair Jacob Sandburg.
2. Connection to Rainier U.: I started at Rainier nine years ago, but I've been taking the scenic route, doing field work all over the world as well as locally. I finished up an M.S. in anthropology last summer, and since then I've been doing a bunch of small projects hoping something will turn into a potential Ph.D. topic.
3. Sources of income/support: right now, I'm a teaching fellow. I'm hoping that I can wrangle an instructorship soon; also, I may get offered another RA slot if I can get myself excited about something a faculty member is willing to fund. Even if none of that comes through, though, I've been pretty much assured that I will have a TA position whenever I want one.
4. What I want out of co-operative living: I've lived in almost every type of housing you can imagine. What I've liked best is living with a bunch of progressive folks from different places with different backgrounds and interests. I'm looking for evenings of pasta and politics with good friends.
Since almost all of you know me, I'll stop with this. Let me know if you need more information. Andy says the next step is a group interview - just name the hour and I'll be there!
Cheers,
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: akane@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Re: pet policy
Andy,
About Larry - I completely understand and agree with your house "no nonhuman vertebrates" policy. I'll figure something out. I think I can get enough data over the next few days to at least be able to write something up for class. Then, he goes back to the primate lab.
Maybe I can leave him here with Jim for a few days when I move out. Anyway, it won't be an issue, I promise. I am so looking forward to having human housemates I can't even tell you!
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: akane@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Re: pet policy
Andy,
To recap, I wrote:
>> I am so looking forward to having human housemates I can't even tell you!
And you wrote:
> Yeah, Sandburg, you've gone from one ape to two. I bet you're really ready for a change!
I can't let this go. I know you don't think much of paramilitary power structures. But my life experience has been that without law, and a decent threat of punishment, everything goes to pieces. This requires a law enforcement caste, and whether this caste is made up of genetically differentiated sentinels or guys who score well on civil service exams or just a group of thugs, it's got to exist.
Anyway, I know we can argue about this all night and not change each other's minds. But I really can't let you dis my buddy Jim! I'd be dead three times over if it weren't for him (maybe more - I've lost count!). Plus, he cares incredibly deeply about what he does, both because of his caste's sense of obligation/honor but also because there are real people involved. Did you hear about the Asian-American cop who was killed a few weeks ago, Danny Choi? He was a friend of Jim's, and Jim was incredibly broken up about it. Not because Choi was a cop, but because he was Jim's friend and because Jim couldn't stop him from being killed. Jim has this incredible need to protect everyone, and of course he can't and it eats him up.
Anyway, I've got to go. Larry's on his third viewing of "The Wild Bunch" of the day and I should go keep him company.
Regards,
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: rphc-list@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Re: Rainier Progressive Housing Co-operative group interview
I'm really sorry but I have to cancel tonight's group interview. The barbary ape I'm using as a test subject got out of the apartment I'm staying in and I haven't been able to catch him yet.
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: akane@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Re: Rescheduling interview
Andy,
No, Larry still hasn't turned up. I've given up actively looking, for now.
I think I'm going to have to reschedule this afternoon's interview, though. Will that kill my chances with the co-op? I'm helping Jim out with a case, and we're getting pretty close to bagging the creeps who blew up my pad. Actually, it's all really fascinating, and not just in an abstract, sociological sense. I've met the neatest old black lady named Lila Lacroix, "Miz Lacroix" to everyone but her grandson. She and I really hit it off, and I'm sort of doing the bodyguard thing for her for a few days until some stuff settles down. I don't know whether I can give more details. I guess I really need to find out more from Jim about how much I can talk about.
By the way, watching Jim in action, and the other cops, is such an education! Everyone starts out with all their prejudices, of course, but they hash through more in five minutes than we did in TA Sensitivity Training last semester in five hours. It's so NOT what I expected the police to be like, and you know I've always been pretty supportive of societal law structures.
Can't wait to tell you more.
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: akane@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: Bagged 'em!
We did it! Bad guys bagged, gang war averted! Oh, and Larry was found, and has gone home to the lab. I've decided I can make something out of the data I have, so no more primates for me.
I think I'm free to do the interview whenever you can get everyone together.
Blair
* * * * * * *
To: rphc-list@rainier.edu
From: bsandburg@rainier.edu
Subject: My application
It's with mixed feelings that I withdraw my application for membership in your co-operative. I'm sure I'd have a great time living with you all, and I am not sure how stable my current living situation is, so I may be being an idiot for backing out. But, I've been crashing with a member of the Cascade PD and I think the guy really needs me around.
How can I explain this? Well, being a good, honest cop is hard. The guy I've been staying with, he lives his job, and he's really, really good, but it takes its toll, you know? I think he needs to live with someone who's stable, who won't freak out if he comes home with a bloody t-shirt or whatever, and who won't try to micromanage his emotional life. So why is this my problem? I really wish I knew, but I just have this deep, gut-level feeling that I can help him out, and maybe help society a bit too. And not just logistically - I think this guy really needs a friend.
A big reason I wanted to join your co-op was that I wanted to live with people from a variety of backgrounds. To be honest, though, we're all pretty much living the same lives right now. But since I've been working with the Cascade PD, I've been meeting a huge variety of people, and though they may not all share my political views it's been great, and they've been cool about letting me be me.
Anyway, I hope I haven't been blacklisted by y'all because of this. I'd love to come to your Memorial Day BBQ again this year.
Peace,
Blair Sandburg
All feedback welcomed, negative particularly! helenw@murphnet.org.