(no subject)

[xp_artie]

I was walking to the bus station after school the other day and I cut through an alley. There was this one lady dumpster diving and for a minute there, she looked exactly like Annalee. Exactly like she used to look. I thought she was going to talk to me and everything.

It's weird the things you remember: I'd completely forgotten that that was one of our dumpsters, you know? One of the ones we used to hit all the time because it was a really good one. You could find awesome stuff there. (I mean, awesome stuff for bin food.) I mean, I kind of even forgot about the dumpsters.

You know how sometimes you see something and it kicks off a whole bunch of memories about things you never normally think about? Like, I dunno, how Annalee would send me into diners so I could steal all their toilet paper and things.

Comments

[x-penance.livejournal.com]

Memory can be strange, yes. Some things we cannot cope with can be forgotten until a time when we can. I did not remember much of the time after I was taken from the orphanage in Kosovo until much later, for example. So perhaps your mind is ready to accept things now?

[x-daredevil.livejournal.com]

sounds like you had an interesting childhood.

but yeah, you remember the weirdest stuff sometimes, it just sort of happens. that's how memory works, I guess.

[x-deadpool.livejournal.com]

Toilet paper thief!

But in all seriousness, yeah. But scent's usually a better trigger for memories.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

But I don't wanna go sniffing sewers and storm drains. They all kinda stink!

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, something like that. I think there's a reason I've lived here since forever, you know?

[x-daredevil.livejournal.com]

It sounds like here might be better?

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

Here is totally better. Even with the whole periodic people try to kill us thing. I mean, we've got the X-Men. Even if something happens to us, they'll put a world of hurt onto whoever got us. They'll hunt them down, no matter where they are, and eventually, they'll get them.

Here is definitely better.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

But it was years ago! And most of it sucked hardcore but it's not like I was... you know, what happened to you or anything.

[x-daredevil.livejournal.com]

the way I see it, this place can't be any more dangerous than the neighborhood I grew up in. there might be less drivebys, but dangers regardless.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

Different dangers.

Ask Kyle or Marius about the time they got kidnapped together or, dude, if Julio was still here, you could learn about the time Magneto made him cause an earthquake in San Diego.

[x-daredevil.livejournal.com]

uh...you mean the earthquake a few years ago?

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that earthquake.

[x-daredevil.livejournal.com]

mary jesus and joseph

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[x-skin.livejournal.com]

Is this what you kids are warning the newbies about these days? I remember when it used to be demons.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

I forget about the demons. I sure did like Illyana less after she was stuck in Limbo, though.

[x-legion.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. Some things do take years to process. Maybe you should keep a journal as things come, along with what jogged the memories. It may help organize your thoughts.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

And write about what, exactly? Like the time I threw up all week because Chinese bin food isn't any good? Or the time some junkie stole my sleeping bag that I'd drawn the batman symbol onto? Or how the police would do sweeps of bits of the tunnels at night in the middle of winter and boot everyone they found out?

Why should I write about it? Most of it sucked.

[x-legion.livejournal.com]

Because even though there's a reason you forgot, there's also a reason you're starting to remember. I blocked some things for years, and while I can't say I was happy to get them back I do know they were ultimately doing more damage blocked than they've ever done out in the open.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

mmm. I'd be less shitty if I knew why I forgot about so much stuff.

Do you forget things when you can't talk to people? It took me ages to work out how to talk to people here so that they could mostly understand. I remember that just fine.

[x-legion.livejournal.com]

I know you lose knowledge if you don't apply it, but I think that's more in regards to skills. I think it's more likely you just put things aside rather than dwell; you did have a lot of adjusting to do, after all.

And I don't know, my experience with blocked memories is that you're sort of shitty when they're blocked, then feel really shitty when you remember. The main benefit is that once the latter happens you can finally get it out of your system, whereas blocking just causes . . . I don't know, emotional constipation? This probably wasn't the best metaphor to follow.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

I suppose... But there were some seriously awesome things to adjust to, so it's not like I was suffering or anything. Just eating all the cake and lasagna I could find.


Yeah, Mr Haller, no offense, but your metaphores suck.

[x-legion.livejournal.com]

Yeah, okay. What can I say, there's a reason I never teach any classes.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

I thought it was because we made your brains hurt.

[x-legion.livejournal.com]

Really, it's largely due to my blatant lack of qualifications.

But also that.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

Phht. Like you need them. Mr Logan didn't.

[x-legion.livejournal.com]

I like to think even Logan took a primer course.

[x-artie.livejournal.com]

I'll take your word for that.