ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ sᴇᴇ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏɴᴇ's ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

[interpersonally]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK

USERNAME:
IL SANGRE

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Comments

[interpersonally]

After your uncle Damon's graduation from university, he needed medical attention. Dr. Strange saved his eyesight. He knew our family, but declined your grandfather when he offered for Stephen to be on our payroll.

He became renowned, but a tragic accident cut his career short. He hasn't operated since.

And, I suppose he's here for the summer.

You really feel like he was making an attempt for you?

[holyposition]

That just makes it weirder. They know each other. There's a lot of bitterness. idk if he respects you more than he hates Harry.

no offense. they just REALLY hate each other.

[interpersonally]

I was a teenager when he knew our family. Our paths have only rarely crossed. I've read more about him than spoken to him in person.

It sounds like there is mutual loathing there.

[holyposition]

He probably just wants to get under his skin.

[interpersonally]

Or, he was inebriated.

[holyposition]

So he hit up a stranger? In that case, it's sadder if he ISN'T looking for a hookup.

[interpersonally]

He knows the family. There are degrees of being strangers. You could've met him at the funeral, or at Christmas. Instead, he sent you a message.

[holyposition]

To berate me. Which is worse than trying to fuck me.

Did you or mom put him up to it?

1/2

[interpersonally]

Yes. After making a great deal of progress and feeling like I understand you better, I went behind your back to someone I haven't spoken to in years and asked him to badmouth another doctor I had recently made amends with. And apologized to. In costume, so, you know what I thought of that. And yet, still he persisted.

[interpersonally]

As far as I know, your mother is also staying out of it but I haven't had her under thumb in a decade. She tends to do what she wants.

My guess. A friend of the family reached out, out of nowhere, and caught you off guard. He and Dr. Goodsir have a torrid history, he drank a little too much, and he couldn't help himself.

But, again. That is my guess.

[holyposition]

Okay, okay, I get it.

He's really arrogant, though.

[interpersonally]

Well, he was a neurosurgeon. Tack on a disgraced asterisk.

[holyposition]

Well, he should have let it humble him.

[interpersonally]

I sense a correlation here, but please tell me if I'm off base.

[holyposition]

Well, yeah. If he'd let it humble him maybe he wouldn't feel like he's important enough to comment on other people's dating lives.

[interpersonally]

The last thing I would ever tell you to do is humble yourself. And I'd hope the last thing you'd want me to do is humble myself. ( Within reason. ) We are what we're made of. We're the sum of our parts. He was involved in an accident and it changed his life. But, he still has a sharp mind. And accolades. And, apparently, opinions. Just because you don't share in them, that doesn't mean he should stifle them for yours or my comfort.

He said what he said.

And he didn't say it because of his deep self-importance.

You of all people understand conviction.

[holyposition]

And his medical accolades have anything to do with me or who I’m seeing because...?

Are you really comparing that to what I do?

Conviction is doing the right thing, even when it’s dangerous, or you’re afraid. It’s not sticking your nose into a strictly personal situation you’re not involved with while choking down bourbon.

[interpersonally]

Conviction is about having a take. It's standing up for what you believe in. A broad definition of what you believe in. You stand by your own code. Or morals. Or thought processes. Conviction isn't merely taking a political or environmental stand.

Conviction can be personal. It can be professional. It can be political.

You can't have it one way.

There's nothing wrong with it getting under your skin. And maybe that makes you morally superior. But there are better things.

And, if he was truly attempting something, then, it was in poor form and he probably should have left your doctor out of it.

[holyposition]

You think he was taking a moral stand out of principle when he texted me out of the blue to tell me I had shit taste? Please. He's trolling with one hand on his dick.

[interpersonally]

I highly doubt that.

But, at least you have the one hand accounted for. Messaging you.

[holyposition]

I guess. I'll get him a sippy cup so next time he can bother me, get drunk, and jerk off at the same time.

[interpersonally]

That's an unpleasant visual image.

[holyposition]

Exactly.

[interpersonally]

What's Hawkins Fuller up to? Why not use all of this energy to be wined and dined? Or at least not question your shit taste.

[holyposition]

How should I know? I'm not his babysitter, he's not my boyfriend.

[ So much easier to play it cool over text. ]