One thing I really like to do in stories is to have some geeky nods to stuff, but not by blatantly saying what that geeky thing is, but describing it. This way, if readers get it they (hopefully) get a good laugh, and if readers don’t it doesn’t pull away from the story too much. Also, I don’t like directly naming things, because I feel like it dates the story? Like if I say, “he sat down and played Super Mario Brothers for the first time” you think, “It must be the 80s,” depending on which Mario it is of course. Instead, I like to say, “he took control of a brave little plumber who could, with the touch of a flower, feel the fire between his fingertips,” or something like that.
I’m working on some things for an anthology that I hope gets chosen that has a lot of this. I like to call it, “How many fandoms can I name without directly naming them.”
***
Story 1. Troy thinks that, maybe — once upon a time — he thought that Aimee would grow out of this play at costuming.
Cosplay she always corrects him with an exasperated sigh.
It started too many years ago with Aimee making a thrown together costume of a girl who carried around a basket of flowers, only to be stabbed by some silver-haired jackass. He’s misunderstood, Troy she had said and you would look great as the blond who fights him in the end.
And being the good friend that he is, he had agreed. At least the sword had been cool even if the hair made absolutely no sense.
Back then she had cared deeply about the negative comments about her skill and size, so much so that Troy perfected glaring at the mean-spirited folks they would run across. And, like a good friend, he encouraged her to keep doing what she loved.
Had he known that he’d be dragged along for the ride… no, he thinks he would still encourage her… maybe.
Now she dresses up as so many characters that sometimes he forgets what she actually looks like. Of course, she’s come a long way since grabbing whatever she could at the local thrift store. From the video game princesses who get kidnapped too many times to the colorful fairies who collect children’s teeth — ugh, why is Aimee so girly? — she’s put so much work into the costumes she makes that she has made a bit of a name for herself, a big name actually, one that allows her to do this for a living.
It’s not her skills he protests to. It’s the crowd that comes along with it.
Troy doesn’t like to brag — and actually, he never does — but he is pleasant to look at. He likes to lift weights and likes his piercings, always keeping one in his nose and a couple of hoops in his ears. He also likes his tattoos, both arms decorated in wisps of black ink that look like physical representations of the wind. For some reason, his appearance never catches the eye of the right person. It’s never the cute guy who approaches him at these… conventions… but the swarm of girls — some underaged — who want to, quote, “Oh Em Gee” hug him. He’s also not a huge fan of the geeky world Aimee immerses herself in. Sure, he’ll watch a movie with a hot guy who carries around a hammer from time to time, but hell if he knows the name of the team he’s a part of.
Story 2. There’s a look on Wally’s face, a mix of shock peppered with anger, as he looks over at Mitchel. Mitchel deflects the look, not seeming to realize — or care — about his damning words of not worrying about the wi-fi situation. Jayson sighs and lays back on the bed, cap falling off of his head and resting against the pillow. He had borrowed it from Wally, not having been awake enough this morning to attempt to apply the necessary amount of hair-gel to get his hair slicked back in the way he likes it. There’s a circular logo on it along with a company name. He knows that Wally has explained it before — something about science and combustible lemons — but the details escape him at the moment. He should probably try to remember, Wally likes it when he remembers gaming details and it’s much better than listening to the inevitable argument that’s about to start between the guy he use to play in the sandbox with twenty some years ago and the guy he likes to see naked.
“Wi-fi is important. I told ya, when ya booked the trip, to make sure the place has wi-fi.”
“And that’s not important right now. We’re on vacation.”
“Not import-… n-not important?!”
Something about portal guns, Jayson thinks, and a bitchy robot lady and cake.
I’m writing some things. Random nonsensical geeky things. That hopefully turn into things. Also check out my writing blog thing. Things!
