[video]

[waiting]

Is it just me, or does Easter feel more and more like early Halloween every year?

[ The video comes on late -- or at least, late for normal people used to working the nine to five circuit, but he's sure that for some people on the Network, this is just about their time to wake up. Bradbury's not normally one of the night owl crowd, but he feels uncharacteristically restless, so here he is, in what appears to be one of those little 24/7 convenience stores, panning the camera over an aisle packed with chocolate rabbits, eggs, and generally enough sugar to make a few small, hyperactive children practically explode. ]

Not that I'm complaining, but I don't remember having any of this growing up. 'Course, that might've just been because grandma thought kids ought to have more, uh, spiritual fiber instead of egg hunts. [ He snorts, muttering quietly under his breath, but the microphone picks it up anyway. ] Bet she'd just love knowing angels are real.

Anyway, uh. [ He seems to realize the clock's ticked over into midnight while he was talking, and he clears his throat. ] Happy Easter. If you celebrate. If you don't ... [ The shrug's practically audible; more so is the huff of soft laughter. ] Just enjoy the rest of the day.

Comments

voice

[paintjobs]

I'll do my best.

What is it that this holiday celebrates, anyway? All I've gathered so far is... something about eggs and rabbits, and half the stores promise to be inconveniently closed.

audio | later time

[gevurah]

Happy Easter, Rick.

Or Chag Sameach.

[ Her pronunciation is not perfect. ]

voice

[waiting]

That about sums it up for most people, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. [ Pause. ] You want the short version or the long? Either way, someone else could probably fill you in better, but...

[paintjobs]

You don't sound very enthused; I'll take the short, how's that? No need to waste anyone's time.

[waiting]

I'm not even gonna try and pronounce that. [ He snorts, the shake of his head and the smile almost audible. ]

Thanks. But Easter ain't really a thing for you, is it?

[waiting]

[ He laughs. ]

That obvious, huh? Nah, I just don't really know where I oughta start. Been a long time since I went to Sunday school.

You know anything about Christianity?

[paintjobs]

I know it's one of your religions. It would be difficult not to have picked up on that by now.

[gevurah]

We were never strictly religious, but yeah, I indulge in matzah instead of chocolate.

[waiting]

Right. We make it hard to miss.

Anyway, Easter's supposed to be about Christians celebrating the day that Jesus -- the guy it's named after in the first place -- comes back from being, uh, dead. It's a pretty big deal because that doesn't usually happen.

[waiting]

Eh, chocolate ain't all it's cracked up to be, anyway

Haven't talked to you in a while. You still holding up all right?

[paintjobs]

Don't worry, I'd gathered that much. We don't generally come back from the dead either.

So then, did it really happen? Or is it one of those... exaggerated moments?

[gevurah]

I am. Keeping busy, as you know it.

You?

permavid

[centurybaby]

I bet you were a dorky kid, too.

[video]

[glassinine]

I hardly would say we have any proof that angels are "real," sir. We only have proof that several rather powerful individuals have decided to call themselves "angels."

video :

[alofts]

What does the rabbit have to do with the dead guy?

voice;

[notdaredevil]

Well I guess at least with Halloween, if you're lucky, you can find something that doesn't taste like sawdust and preservatives all the way down.

[AUGH Easter candy. Can't even stand to smell it. Everything, somewhere, has some kind of nasty chemical that just hits like a punch to the nose.]

I don't remember binging on candy at the end being true to the spirit of the holiday, either. Or ever understanding how anyone could cram a whole packet of Peeps in their mouth, even when I was a kid.

[acclimatized]

Nah, it's not just you. You should see Tescos after Christmas.

Happy Easter, Rick.

voice;

[fraternalism]

The Easter sweets go on sale now in January, there is very little gap between seasons when it comes to profits.

voice

[viced]

No wonder we have an obesity epidemic, huh?

[waiting]

That's what makes it a matter of faith, doesn't it? Whether you believe it really happened or not. Nobody actually knows for sure, so people gotta decide whether they believe it or not.

video.

[selfequipped]

Not a whole lot of waking up to find the Easter basket, then? [Kate hadn't had a lot of years with that herself, but she had some. Her sister had ensured she had it for a couple years longer, but even then ...]

I think every holiday is like Halloween. It makes Halloween a lot less special.

[waiting]

Same old. Guess you really do settle down after you hit forty.

[waiting]

Dorky? How do you figure that?

AUDIO.

[selfimage]

[do you hear this? it's a faint tsk tsk tsk.]

[waiting]

No need to "sir" me. Bradbury's fine.

I'm not trying to start a theological debate here, but something tells me it's not too smart to go around telling people they aren't real.