Undropped Jackie email, September 7, 2011 -

[Marvin]

So, gathering up the rest of the Jackie emails might take a bit. But I was going through some old emails and I found a particularly interesting one:

I could not get to sleep; my heavier cries from my father's passing is
really hitting me bad. Suffice to say, I am feeling through multiple
emotions. I, like my mother, can not believe he is gone. In a dream I
had years ago, the Grim Reaper made an appearance; I asked him
directly, I understand my dad does not have long to live, but I have to
ask while you're here, when will you be taking my father? He informed
me that he would not claim his soul until the year 2015. So I've known
since before 2005 that Robert had a good number of years left. Two
Thousand Fifthteen... Damn you, Reaper, this is Two Thousand Eleven! I
Was Promised that we'd be blessed with father's presence for Four More
Years! I Was Promised!!!



Upon assuming his responsibilities of household finances, bill paying,
and helping my mother, I started reading his payment-plan binder,
figured out his chart organization and got started okay with a better
informed mind. I have been emotionally comforting to my mom and
keeping her straight as she is still feeling drunk-like weird, lonely
and sad. When I have my moment, I am able to share a smile with her.

Currently, she is sleeping in comfort up in my room, with a CD of big
band romance tracks my Aunt Harriet offered to Robert for his 84th. At
least now I have finally confirmed that you, a shorter-than-me woman,
can crash on my couch, and I would take the bed, without having feet
hit me. I mean, I am uncertain my bed is wide enough for two.

I'll check in again later.

Love You, Jackie.
Chrissy.

This is where Chris talks about why he was so confident Bob would live. Also, interestingly enough, Barb is having Chris take care of the finances. It's one of the few good things she's done. She knows she won't be around forever.

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Administrative Edit: This topic has become a discussion warzone about whether or not Marvin should release content where Chris cries over the phone to Julie about Bob's death. Discussion about this call and if it can be released should not be added here. Visit this thread instead.

 

[Tubular Monkey]

IT WAS BASICALLY PROMISED!

Idiot.

 

[Anon]

I AM FEELING THROUGH MULTIPLE EMOTIONS.

...This is how hoo-mans talk right?

 

[Tubular Monkey]

How did Chris not realize that the reaper is a troll?

 

[applecat]

I can see why this would have been a huge turning point in Chris' life. He finally had to accept that his dreams are not prophecies. We haven't heard much about his God-promised daughter lately, have we? It's sad that he had to learn it this way, but it was a lesson that was long, long, long overdue.

 

[teheviltwin]

It does seem like a huge responsibility for Chris to suddenly take on.

 

[snowkitten91]

Also, Chris expected his heartsweet to sleep on the couch while he took the bed?

 

[Anon]

I have been emotionally comforting to my mom and keeping her straight as she is still feeling drunk-like weird, lonely and sad.

And by drunk-like, he means she's been sending him to the liquor store twice a day.

 

[Kosher Dill]

[youtube]N9YpnklYhxY[/youtube]

 

[Rio]

I like how he went from his grief and the way he deals with it to the fact that Jackie can apparently sleep on some dusty old couch when she visits him. (who lets guests sleep on a couch anyway? That doesn't seem very hospitable.)

I get that the death of his father hit him hard. It would have hit anyone hard, and only A-logs would deny that it did... but wouldn't it have looked better if he'd just left the part about Jackie crashing on his couch out of this particular e-mail? It doesn't seem very appropriate.

 

[introman]

I feel sympathy for Chris losing his father. That's a tough pill to swallow for anybody but even harder on a guy like Chris. Bob was the rock of the family and now that he's gone. Chris has to take the responsibility and I don't think he will be able to fill bobs shoes. I don't want to be a leaker but Chris was emotionally a wreck for at least a month after Bob's death. This event probably changed his life more than Mary Lee Walsh or the green-ville county incident.

 

[pickleniggo]

Also, Chris expected his heartsweet to sleep on the couch while he took the bed?

Well how else are him and Barb supposed to spoon?

 

[Himawari]

Guys, you're being too hard on Chris for offering Jackie the couch.

After all, he's being kind enough to offer her the sleeping surface with (probably?) the least fecal matter.

In all seriousness though, poor guy. Was hesitant when I saw the date, because I knew it'd be a tough read. Good to know that Barb had the sense to try teaching him to take more responsibility though.

 

[teheviltwin]

If Chris is in charge of finances, is there a reason Barb is controlling gas money etc. or has the situation changed?

It makes me so much more concerned for OPL's future. It would be good if he could find another current pokemon or yugioh league in his area. Something to get him out of the house and socialising. I'd suggest he got into something more appropriate for his age but I don't think he could fork out the cash needed for MTG cards or the patience to learn something like D&D.

 

[Male]

Hold on, don't we have a member here called The Grim Reaper? I think he needs some explaining to do.

I would take the bed, without having feet
hit me. I mean, I am uncertain my bed is wide enough for two.

Basically Chris is saying he's a giant fatty

 

[Varis]

I can see why this would have been a huge turning point in Chris' life. He finally had to accept that his dreams are not prophecies.

I didn't get that vibe from this email. To me it sounds like Chris is cursing the Pickleman Grim Reaper for tricking him again.

Still, it is sad.

 

[Marvin]

If Chris is in charge of finances, is there a reason Barb is controlling gas money etc. or has the situation changed?

It's not that she's controlling the gas money, it's that he wouldn't disobey Barb in the first place.

It makes me so much more concerned for OPL's future. It would be good if he could find another current pokemon or yugioh league in his area. Something to get him out of the house and socialising. I'd suggest he got into something more appropriate for his age but I don't think he could fork out the cash needed for MTG cards or the patience to learn something like D&D.

Yeah, that's why he is in that Richmond lego users group on facebook.

 

[Male]

If anything Chris should be cursing Bob's heart for not waiting until 2015 to give up.

 

[Himawari]

It makes me so much more concerned for OPL's future. It would be good if he could find another current pokemon or yugioh league in his area. Something to get him out of the house and socialising. I'd suggest he got into something more appropriate for his age but I don't think he could fork out the cash needed for MTG cards or the patience to learn something like D&D.

I don't think MTG cards are colorful and cheerful enough to appeal to his autistic mind. (I mean this in the nicest way possible; the aesthetics are a large part of why I haven't been able to get into the game myself, haha.)

The Pokemon TCG would be great for him to get back into, and contrary to what you may think it actually attracts far more 20-somethings than grade schoolers. Typical tournaments I've gone to have had between 6-12 Juniors (age 12 and under), 4-10 Seniors (ages 12 to 16), and between 20 and 40 Masters (over age 16). All the leagues and tournaments I've been to have also been very friendly and understanding of all the autistics the game attracts.

He just needs to find a League with the right culture. There don't seem to be many within reasonable distance from him, though...

 

[Kosher Dill]

He just needs to find a League with the right culture. There don't seem to be many within reasonable distance from him, though...

There are two in C-Ville, and since the GAMe PLACe doesn't host it anymore, he can go back anytime. He just doesn't.
https://sites.google.com/site/virginiapokemon/home

I have been emotionally comforting to my mom and keeping her straight

I assume he did this by giving her a poster.

On a more serious note: it's interesting to see him actually believing in his dream encounters. I always assumed that was self-serving nonsense he made up ("God says you have to agree with me"), but some of it, at least, is sincere it seems.