01 | Video

[dr_eldarov]

[The camera turns on, a bit unsteady at first, though it gets adjusted to give a better view after a moment. The man operating the camera is older than the average imPort, with a streak of white in his hair that's clearly from actual aging as opposed to the normal white haired pretty boys of the imPort population. Though faint, the camera's audio picks up the rain of De Chima in the background, which serves as background noise when the man speaks with what is very clearly a Russian accent.]

Hello, everyone. I am Doctor Anatoly Eldarov, and I would like to start off by apologizing if this video is poorly done. I am still very much getting used to this. Not just this as in the States, though that is obviously a massive change in and of itself, but the technology. This place is a good sixty years in the future from when I am from, so, well - I know they say you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but it seems to me a prudent thing to attempt to catch up on all that has changed, if only so I don't become a burden on other people or make egregious errors when attempting to operate technology or talk about modern current events. If anyone else has come from the relative 'past', and can advise me on how to proceed in learning about what I have missed, I would be incredibly thankful for that.

And if anyone could tell me if there's a synagogue in De Chima or near enough for me to regularly attend, that would also be appreciated. I tried but I am afraid I am still woefully unskilled at looking these things up on the internet. Hopefully I will improve on that front with time.

Thank you in advance for your assistance. [And with that, he carefully turns the camera off, smiling slightly, as if relieved that went well.]

Comments

video

[h2no]

Eh... can't help ya with the history thing, but ya could use your phone to search for a Synagogue? The map function thingy should show ya all the closest ones and how to get to 'em.

[bless Schmoogle Maps.]

video

[dr_eldarov]

I am still working out that whole map... thing. It is more than a touch new to me and I keep managing to mess up with the touch screen. As ungrateful and old as this statement will make me sound, I miss rotary phones. [Those, he knew how to operate without looking like an idiot.]

Re: video

[h2no]

Damn, bro. Last rotary phone I saw was in a museum.

[he runs a hand through his hair, thinking.]

Tell me where ya are, I'll see if I can do the search for you.

Video;

[snarkbot]

[ A small, very shiny gold robot hovers in midair to answer this in his robotic,
(but not monotone) voice. ]

If you would like, I can give you a rundown of the history in this world since your era, sir. Additionally, I can also give you assistance in learning how to use the internet.

For example, I've found a list you may find helpful.

[ And then sends a quick text of all the synagogues in De Chima along with screenshot of the momverse equivalent of a google map for them, and a quick explanation on how to use that sort of thing. Maybe a bit too quick of an explanation for someone unversed with the basics. ]

Video

[dr_eldarov]

[He pauses, but, not wanting to seem rude, tries not to stare, nodding in gratitude.] Thank you very much, sir. That would be wonderful, although there is nothing I could do at the moment to repay that kindness. I have yet to start work, and quite frankly, I'm a bit impressed the government could find a job for someone as outdated as I currently am at all.

...I hope it won't lower your opinion of my intelligence if I confess this a bit much to take in, sir. [Good God, that map is big, so much more detailed than maps of his era, so precise, and in color. For a brief moment he recalls serving in WWI, how he'd taken the time to mark riverways on a map they were using with the letter ל just because, being a Hebrew letter, it couldn't be confused with any other abbreviations or Cyrllic lettering they were using to mark things.

Now things have photo-maps with instant directions to the exact building, and it's both impressive and worthy of a long, hard stare.] Huh. An Orthodox shul and a Reform temple in the same city. I never thought I'd see the day, but here we are. I suppose that means religious freedoms are in place fairly firmly - and it just occurred to me I have very little knowledge of American laws on this or any subject.

[Said with just a touch of self-deprecation. This poor robot may want to go help someone with at least some idea of what they're doing.]

[snarkbot]

There's no need for repayment, sir; I'm very bored. Around what year was it last for you? That should give me a good starting point.

Considering the leap in time, you're adjusting quite well, sir. Knowing there's things you don't understand about this era and wish to catch up on is relatively advanced for many in your situation.

As for religion, while the United States still has a majority Christian population, it does have freedom of religion and all that entails. However, any in-depth discussion into religion would be best left to someone else, sir, as I'm not programmed with existential questions of faith and the nature of the universe.

[ That last sentence he says somewhat wryly and tongue-in-cheek. ]

[audio]

[devoutish]

[Duuuude. Hello, guy he has several things in common with.]

Yeah, there's synagogues in all the cities. Can't remember the name of any in De Chima, but I'll ask my own rabbi for suggestions, eh? You'll want one where they won't bother you for being an imPort.

[Or at least he assumes he will, anyway. Alfie isn't the type to want to be bothered by imPort fans - or imPort haters - ever, but he figures even people who are more open to that wouldn't want to be hassled for autographs and pictures at a place like a synagogue.

And then he switches to Russian, just because he can and he figures this guy can too. His own English is heavy Cockney, not Russian-accented at all, but his Russian is still fluent and pretty nativelike in pronunciation.]

And as for this, friend, have you heard about the war they've got going on with the mother country?

[audio]

[dr_eldarov]

[Finally someone who took the radio option on these communicators! He's not used to the idea of having his face on film yet, so this is a welcome thing.]

Are there ones that would bother me for such a thing? I have yet to properly talk with many people here, so you'll find me woefully uninformed regarding the relations of imPort and native peoples in such a context.

[It hadn't even occurred to him that people might bring their outside issues into the synagogue with them, mostly because he hadn't even been sure of how many synagogues a man could expect to even find in an American city, if any at all, or what kind and what size it would be. Clearly, things are more complicated here than they appear - and they already looked complex at the outset.

There's a pause, but he switches to Russian too, grateful to have the chance to use it.] I have, but it makes no sense to me. I am from Siberia, and I admit we are not necessarily on top of things, but I have heard no murmurs of political tensions with the United States or a Cold War starting. When they told me after I arrived that we were 'still' in one, I had to ask them to clarify what they meant.

[Alternate worlds, alternate histories, it seemed. And how ludicrous a history, for the world to come out of a World War and start preparing for the next one. Nobody seemed to be lying, but it was one of the stupider truths he had encountered so far.]

[audio]

[devoutish]

Mm. At the first temple I tried out, the rabbi was very excited. He wanted a line on their internet website - "temple of choice for imPort Alfie Solomons". He hoped I'd help him run campaigns to encourage young people to attend services more often, using my celebrity as a draw. I told him no; I didn't go back.

[Some of these words - imPort, internet, website - he doesn't even try to translate, just throwing the English into the mix.]

The one I attend now is much more discreet. Had an altercation with a man on the way out once, because not all of the natives like us, yeah? But the rabbi stepped in and told him to fuck off.

["Fuck off" and "yeah" are also said in English.]

You're from what decade? The 1950s? I'm from the 1920s. Bit of a surprise for me as well.

video

[foreshadower]

Mm, the technology has a certain...curve. You are...from the thirties, then? Or is it closer to the forties these days?

[ he is clearly out of place. ]

video

[dr_eldarov]

From February of 1950, actually. Though I will be the first to admit that Siberia lags behind the rest of Russia and indeed the world in terms of technology in and of itself, which puts me at a distinct disadvantage in coming here. Still, people seem friendly enough and there's not a lack of resources to learn from; I am sure I can improve, in time.

video

[foreshadower]

Mm, most do.

[ He waved a hand. ]

But! You will find that it's... fascinating in its own right. The idea that what we had in such times now... led to this? It's delightful.

video

[incogneto]

[ In German-accented but grammatically correct Russian: ]

It depends where you are in De Chima, which one is closest, but I can take you there.

video

[dr_eldarov]

[He blinks, a little caught off guard that there's apparently other people here who speak Russian, but it's a pleasant surprise, if anything, and he smiles slightly.]

I live in the government housing, for the moment, at least. I appreciate the offer very much, Mister...?

Re: video

[incogneto]

Lehnsherr, but you can call me Erik.

[ And don't worry, he learned Russian after coming here. It was a necessity at the time! ]

If you wait, I can be there in fifteen minutes.

Video

[ret2go]

A synawhat? The heck is that?

Video

[dr_eldarov]

A synagogue is a place where Jewish people gather to worship and hear the word of God. [He tries not to stare at the purple hair, but all he can think is that his granddaughter Inna would love to have hair like that, and it makes him miss home.]

Video

[ret2go]

[Very long purple hair, down way past her waist even up in a ponytail.

The pointed ears might be unusual too.] Ohhhh, I got it! It's some sorta religious thing. Makes sense. I don't think I've ever met someone who's a Jewish, though.

First time for everything!

video/action

[bindsthedead]

[Hello new roommate. Sabriel is in the kitchen, making some tea as she replies.]

I'd suggest stopping by a library to learn about this world's history, and how to use the internet.

action

[dr_eldarov]

[He sort of jumps at her voice, looking sheepish. He hadn't intended to disturb his roommates with basic questions; it seemed awkward and rude enough to simply suddenly be living here, they surely had other things to think of. That said, he's not going to have a conversation via communicator with someone a room over, so Anatoly comes into the kitchen, lingering in the doorway as he takes it in. He misses the way his wife kept the kitchen, a chaotic mess she knew like the back of her hand. This one is too neat by far.]

Not to sound old, even though I most definitely am, but the internet is hard and I feel like going to the library is admitting defeat, or at least admitting I have failed to master the internet on any real level.

Re: action

[bindsthedead]

[Sabriel likes things neat, until she gets so busy she stops caring. She pulls another mug out of the cabinet, setting it down as the electric kettle beeps.]

Well, people say I'm young, but I see no shame in visiting one. There's something about printed paper that screens can't quite match.

[Audio]

[aberranthubris]

It is rather marvellous, isn't it? All this new technology, and how easy it makes communication especially, transportation. I could easily spend my days just admiring the intellect that has brought these new developments to existence.

And I thought a microwave oven was quite something...

[Audio]

[dr_eldarov]

It is! Here I thought it was amazing when radios became inexpensive enough I could afford one. All these things here, they were either only in science fiction films I saw at the cinema in Novosibirsk, or they were not even imagined at all.

I am a medical doctor, not a scientist in any of the fields it would take to properly understand these things, but still, all in all I find the future surprisingly good and wonderous, even if I know it isn't my world's future.

video;

[baetiful]

Living in a place like De Chima where technology is crammed down a person's throat on a daily basis, I've little doubt you will catch on in no time, my friend. But as a man who seems to come from a time even further in the past than you, I believe I could certainly aid you in how to cope with these modern marvels.

video;

[dr_eldarov]

I have yet to properly see the other cities, but yes, I noticed the technology is on full display. It can be a bit mesmerizing at times. And I thank you for the offer; might I ask when it is that you're from, sir?