Chinatown

[gone_byebye]

The Firehouse isn't particularly far from Chinatown, at least not if you're in the mood for it. It's warm and sunny this time of day and year, so there's quite a few people on the streets of New York as Ray opens the door into the alley. "Come on, Tyler," he says. "Let's move before the spud decides to tag along."

Comments

[basic_powers]

Bleh.

Tyler looks over the menu anyways.

"Vanilla with blueberry sauce? And the red bean stuff doesn't look too bad. For being made with beans." Pause. "And a big glass of water? All the talking made me thirsty."

[gone_byebye]

"Red bean ice cream is really good," Ray says. "Sweet and a little grainy. Ma'am, give my companion here everything he ordered, please. And one of the T-shirts. The orange one- no, make that two, he's got a brother back home."

[basic_powers]

"Sure thing Mr. Stantz."

And while holding the t-shirts and waiting for his ice cream..Tyler ventures a question.


"...Ray? ...am I messed up?"

[gone_byebye]

Ray blinks a few times at that. "No," he says after a while, "no, I don't think so..."

Then again, consider who he lives with.

"But you're in one heck of a tough situation. Dr. Venkman would probably have a lot more to say about it than I could. Assuming you trusted Dr. Venkman with any kind of worry like that, of course."

[basic_powers]

"Knowing Venkman he'd probably make clone jokes. I trust Venkman about as far as I can shove a putty egg under his mattress." Oh hey, his ice cream's here. Time to find a nice place to sit for a while.

[gone_byebye]

It's going to have to be outside. There's no room in the shop for a seat. Fortunately there's a small park around the corner, and there's an available bench.

"Figured as much," Ray says. "Well, okay. There's other people who might be able to help you out more than I could, to be honest. I freely admit I'm a little bit far along on the spectrum of Normal to Froot Loops compared to most people, but I know a guy in Milliways who might be a step up..."

[basic_powers]

"...yeh?" Tyler says around a careful mouthful of blueberry, red bean and vanilla. "Who is he?"

[gone_byebye]

"His name's Malcolm Crowe," says Ray. "He's been in Milliways for a while- he's dead, but it's just Milliways kind of dead. He's a psychologist who works with all the different types in Milliways. Pete's gone to see him once or twice."

[basic_powers]

"...you think I should talk to him about this stuff? And...it'll be okay?"

[gone_byebye]

"It'll definitely be okay," Ray says. "I think he can help, definitely."

[basic_powers]

Ray's going to find himself recieving another hug from Tyler.

"Thanks Ray. For everything."

[gone_byebye]

Ray smiles and ruffles Tyler's hair with his free hand.

"No problem, kid."