Vee: Being a calm, rational man, James thinks this habit is hilarious, and takes every opportunity to trigger it. He'll say things like "I'm sure we'll have a LONG, HAPPY life together where neither of us loses a limb", which provokes me to desperately seek out something made of lumber and tap out a frantic rhythm of hope.
Believing that I can protect us from the world by doing these things brings me a comfort that is otherwise impossible for my mind to conjure. I think that the soothing effect would be ten times greater if I really, truly believed that they worked.
Sometimes, I wish I was highly suggestible.
But then I remember the advantage sanity gives a person in situations like promotions, relationships, and not being thrown into a sanatorium.
And yet, I continue to do it because some part of me is scared that it IS helping.
What if I neglect to tell Jaime VIGILANCE before he leaves, and then he gets hit by a bus?
I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THAT.
Even though, logically, I totally couldn't have.
If something is going to happen, it will happen, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it- ESPECIALLY when it involves another person.
Some may say this is just a manifestation of intense anxiety, and if I didn't worry over every little thing, it wouldn't be a problem.
To those people I say: ABSOLUTELY.
one two three.
one two.
one.
Phew.
Escaped death for another day.
Jaime: Despite being raised by scientists in a remote and experimental lab, Vee has a strange tendency to attach sentimental importance to inanimate objects and to believe in various strange superstitions.
This is completely at odds with her skeptical nature, which she displays in all other aspects of her life (usually referring to outlandish beliefs as 'hippie bullshit').
So, if I start going on about how everything is perfect and always will be, she'll start frantically beating me about the head while tapping wood with her other hand.
