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jackbabewang · 5 years

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At first sight...

Pairing: Jaehyun x Reader Genre: College au, Fluff, That library crush theme Word Count: 2,554

It can be hard to seduce someone in total silence.

Final exams are approaching, so now you are spending a great deal of time in one corner of your room at a clustered study desk, constantly reviewing notes, and grumbling. There are just too many distractions to interrupt you at the dormitory. The residents above are deliberately harassing you by stomping on the floor, classical music blasted from the room next to yours making your unit feel like some strange musical theater of the absurd and then there is your bed. So so inviting. You have enough points going into the exams to pass easily, but the pressure has not lifted because you are keen to scoring the highest possible marks. Well, that is just you being you. To pry yourself away from disturbance, the university’s library seems to be the ideal place for better concentration. And so, your routine begins.

Day 1

Unknowingly excited. Your nerdy self got a seating in a booth that offers the most privacy. Though the library is crowded with students studying frantically, it is still quiet. Your body sinking into the cushioned padding, laptop opened, bookmarks orphaned on tables, highlighters and pens began their labour.

Day 3

Still going strong. Probably. You need some fresh air and a break from your studies. After a couple of hours sitting hunched over books, you are worried that you can even try out for the role of a hunchback. You decide to take a walk outside on the campus park. You miss warmth, the heat of the sun on your skin, needing the light for some kind of photosynthesis.

By the time you return to the library, there sits a paper cup on top of your table with a square note beside it written, ‘Hey little fighter, soon things will be brighter!’ There is no name, no initial that gives away the identity of the alleged person who left it there. A small smiled etches on your lips as you reach for the source of warmth, the tip of your fingers have turned icy cold the second after you walked in. A string of white steam escapes through the small opening, turns into vapour around your nose, kinda dumb of you to take a sip without hesitation. The intense heat burns your upper lip and you wince in reaction. “Fuck!”

Day 5

Your enthusiasm surely died down. Two days away from the first paper, you are feeling the tension in your shoulders, in the air, when you come across topics that you are unsure of. The ink runs out in your flimsy pen, the cheapest in Target, and your writing fades away into almost invincible marks on the paper, until you reluctantly switch for another. Consequently, you are feeling numbness in your head after reading, with pressure in temples. Faintness and migraine give you a ready-made and honest reason to excuse yourself from the books momentarily. A short walk to the water fountain or the upper floor toilet will do.

It seems like deja vu all over again when you come back to the same paper cup but with a different note this time, ‘Wish you luck for whatever you’re struggling with :)’ Kinda creepy… not going to lie. The idea of someone watching you has the hair on your neck prickles. However the ever encouraging words compensate for your terror.

Fifteen minutes prior to closing time, the librarian makes an announcement and requesting patrons to leave. The sun has already set, and the moon is slowly peeking in the darkened sky. That is when you realize you have been staying in for approximately eight hours.

You make your way out immediately, the drink from an anonymous individual in your hand left untouched and disappointingly you have to throw it away.

“Hey!”

Your hand stops in mid air, head turns to the rippling voice. A guy in gold rimmed glasses jogs over. With a closer look, he has a strikingly handsome face and you are left wondering what exactly did you associate with a fine man like him.

“Glad I caught you,” he says, panting slightly. His eyes flitting nervously back and forth between you and the paper cup. “Do you… Do you not like hot drinks? I’ve got you hot chocolate this time since you weren’t drinking the coffee…”

“Oh.” So he is the secret delivery guy.

There is an uneasy silence in the air. He rubs his collarbone and then the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed. “I guess you don’t.”

“No, no! That’s not it. I just- Don’t get me wrong. I don’t wish to catch myself heart attack cause I had two shots of coffee earlier.” Well, the pounding of your heart should be stopped by now but it does not seem to. Weird. “And this… hot chocolate?” You pause for confirmation and is rewarded with a nod. “Is kinda too sweet to my liking and it’s not such a great idea to get jazzed when I’m wracking my brain.”

He chuckles, mumbling coherently to himself that he has understood girls wrongly. Little did he know, you are no ordinary girl. You are a girl of determination; a girl of the new millennium. Sugary-sweet desserts work no effect, and you do not fawn upon pick up lines and impassioned gestures. You are too, too difficult to please.

“So…” You look everywhere except in his eyes, feeling awkward in the presence of this stranger, a hot stranger to be frank.

“I- I was asking if you wanna have… dinner with me?” Gulping so loudly he can hear himself, enough for you to hear it too, and you can see his Adam’s apple moving rapidly.

“Sorry… I’m going back now, though…” And have yourself a bowl of bland oatmeal with fresh-cut fruits. Now, however, your stomach grumbles on cue, reminding you that you have not been eating since morning.

He chuckles again, a pleasant throaty sound, and humiliation nips your skin like sand fleas. “Let’s go. I believe it can’t wait.”

This is just odd. What has gotten into you to come into agreement with someone you have known for less than an hour. Anyone else will figure you are a pair of couple just by walking together shoulder to shoulder, and if anyone among your circle of friends were to find out, they are definitely going to be nosy about it.

“Hey, I may be strange, but not weird! There’s a difference.” Jaehyun is his name, and he sure has the balls of steel. Let us put it that way. That is cause the guys in your classes are incomparable, they get intimidated by you while he does not even flinch in the face of the wolf (for some reason they gave you the nickname).

As much as you hate to admit it, the more time you spend with him, the more you enjoy his company, his wit, and his willingness to discuss anything—whether it be politics, Ironman versus Captain America, or Joji’s latest track. He is courteous, ambitious, and attractive, and he can dance with the best of them. Most of all, he does not seem to mind your independent ways of thinking.

“Are you going now?” He is probably pushing his luck, since he certainly does not want you to leave just yet, but he has to ask.

“I am.” You can swear you see disappointment flickers in his eyes and if you are not mistaken, his bottom lip sticking out slightly in a pout. But it is gone so fast when, “I can stay for… a bit longer.”

“Great. Follow me.”

Without another word, he turns and stalks up the stairs. On the third floor landing, he stops and looks back to make sure you are still following closely behind. An amused smile emerges as he watches you panting breaths, and a blush blooms like hothouse roses in your cheeks. Past the hall and into the narrow passage, thence leading to what you assume is the back door which he has already broke open with a flexible plastic ruler. Flipping the light switch, turning on the lights, illuminating the space, and you come to realize it is the abandoned classroom where you attended tutorials for Business Communication last semester.

“We could’ve taken the elevator!”

“It won’t be fun then.”

“You mean, it won’t be fun if you don’t have me to laugh at.”

“Besides, nobody saw us. We can’t be seen in here.”

He proceeds to scramble around like he has done it before, maybe not a lot, but a few times at least. He connects his phone to the stereo system and soft, soothing music drifts lazily on the air from hidden speakers. He then joins you at the table, sitting beside you, closer than your very first meeting.

“I didn’t know this was possible until now.”

“Oh, they’re a lot I haven’t shown you yet,” he says, wriggling his eyebrows lasciviously and giving you a cocky grin. You just have to have a pep talk with yourself that if Jaehyun is not hinting something else—you can imagine.

“Do you always bring people here?”

“What do you mean?”

You shrug your shoulders, turning sideways and lean against the chair back with him mirroring your posture. “You know… Girls… Is this how you impress them with your lockpicking skills?”

“Are you, perhaps, a wee bit jealous?”

You scoff at such a ridiculous prospect. In fact, you might get salty if you figure you are just one of the chicks he brought over this place. You are not going to fall for him and his antiques like the stupid bitch they are.

“No. I never bring women here. I don’t bring anyone here. You’re a first.”

Your interested gaze transfers to him. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head.

“But… why?”

“Policy.” He glances at you, sees you frowning and says, “Don’t worry about it, okay?”

Yet for long the study session is either neglected or long been buried and forgotten, the mood of the times is a very different one. You continue to talk, and really got to know each other well, not romantically but just as good friends. Suddenly your conversation is broken with the sound of keys jingling, followed by a quick turn of the knob coming from the far side of the corridor.

It is the security guard patrol.

Immediately you scutter about the classroom, switching off all the lights, locking the door while he runs to unplug his phone, making sure to return the place to its original state. You find yourselves under the table and stealing glances out of the small window and the crack beneath the door until it passes.

Though the guard has already left, it does not seem as if Jaehyun has any intention of moving an inch. He is too close—so close you can smell the musk of his cologne, and he smells so damn good. He is too close—so close you can feel the heat of him, and your backside is all but paralyzed from the uncomfortable position. It is dark, but you can still make out the twinkle in his eyes. The tall guy seems fascinated by you, looking you up and down, then openly studying your face.

The thought must have form in both your minds at the same time because your eyes flutter shut as he leans forward, kissing you gently on the lips. A deep, lingering kiss that have you wanting more. This kiss is so soft that it’s like a memory of a kiss, so careful on your lips that it is like someone running his fingers along them. Slowly, gently, the tip of his tongue traces your mouth, outlining your lips with exquisite, excruciating care. A growl of pleasure escapes him when you part your lips in welcoming at the first prod of his tongue. The lemon drop he had before adding flavor to a kiss that is already the sweetest of your life.

One of his hands settle at your waist, the other cups the side of your throat. His thumb slides beneath the neckline of your jacket to stroke the hollow beneath your collarbone. On a soft moan, you plunge into the mindless whirl of your senses and allow yourself to feel. Just feel. For the first time in your life, you finally understand that one kiss can helplessly seduce. And if your heart has not been racing earlier, it now goes into overdrive, hammering against your chest.

Jaehyun knows he should not be kissing you. He has told himself he cannot let it happen so soon. But something about you calls to him. Every rational thought vanishes as he gives in to the sensations rampaging out of control. He holds you close, relishing the feel of your breasts crushed against his chest. Sliding his hand down your back to where your skirt has ridden up, pushing his hand beneath the fabric, gliding it up your thigh. A firm squeeze on the curve of your flesh making you yelp and jolt. The loud collision when you banged your head against the desk above bringing you both to your senses.

“Shit, sorry.” He is breathing hard, his eyes fierce with arousal, his lips red and moist and a little swollen from that hard kiss. You believe yours appear just the same as well.

Deep in the foggy recesses of your mind, Jaehyun has crawled from under the table and turned away with downcast eyes as he seemingly adjusting the sudden tightness in his pants.

What just happened?

“Are you coming out, or not?” He offers his hand, you blink before sliding your shaking one around his.

Talk about awkward. His shirt is a wrinkled mass from your gripping fingers, your hair swept to the side still you can feel his delicate touch on your skin, both your faces flushed a luscious crimson from the passionate moment.

“I- I should get going…” You nervously clear your throat. Actually, you are ashamed of yourself about it all. You have never thought of yourself as needy, thereto committing to the blind decision of having a hookup with an incredibly gorgeous man. God must have sent a guardian angel to knock out your head before it takes on another level.

However all these thoughts are gone when he says, “May I see you again?”

“… Sure.”

“Tomorrow?” Boy, he sure is eager.

“Patience.”

“Right, that’s why I said tomorrow. I want to see you again in another hour. But I’m willing to wait.”

Has he always been this sweet and smooth? His words, eye contact, and all body gestures operate in the fashion of sweet talking and alluring you, to really basically falling for his suave, smooth ways. This has never been you.

Unfortunately, the following days should not be possible because you have to keep your mind active and your sanity intact.

“After finals?”

He lets out a deep guttural groan. On a second thought, he wants to take back his words, he is not willing to wait for a week, let alone a day. He wants to greet you with a kiss on the back of your hand and a bouquet of fresh flowers, he wants to take you out for a proper date at an exclusive cafe, he wants to pay for the meals— The list goes on.

“Right. After finals.”

#nct jaehyun #jung jaehyun #nct scenarios #nct fluff #nct imagines #nct stories #jaehyun fluff

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ggungabyfish · 4 years

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The Library of Congress Turns 220

In 1800, as part of an act of Congress providing for the removal of the new national government from Philadelphia to Washington, President John Adams approved an act of Congress providing $5,000 for books for the use of Congress—the beginning of the Library of Congress.

Since that beginning 220 years ago, the Library has grown to become the largest library in the world with a collection of more than 170 million items that document human creativity and achievement across the centuries and around the globe.

Collecting and providing access to these collections takes on a new meaning and significance in our current world. With social distancing as the norm, and more time spent at home, we want to continue to highlight ways to connect with our content, our knowledgeable staff, and each other during these times. From April 24 to 30, you can celebrate the Library’s 220th birthday by participating in online programs from across the Library, reading themed posts on our blogs and social media channels, and downloading our brand new app to explore the Library’s digital collections from home.

The Library of Congress buildings remain closed to the public, with all public events currently canceled through July 1. Visit our web site for full, up-to-date information about our response to COVID-19. In the meantime, we invite you to our virtual birthday celebration and to continue to engage with us through some of the resources listed below. We look forward to continuing to serve you during this season and beyond.

Sincerely, Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

SPECIAL 220th BIRTHDAY VIDEO EVENTS

Citizen DJ Premiere & Virtual Masterclass Friday, April 24, 3 p.m. ET

Preview the new Citizen DJ app from Innovator-in-Residence Brian Foo, and discover how to make Hip Hop using the Library’s music collection. Presented by LC Labs.

America's Greatest Library: History of the Library of Congress Saturday, April 25, 1 p.m. ET

Write. Right. Rite. A "Grab the Mic: Tell Your Story" video series with Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Tuesday, April 28, 10:30 a.m. ET

Awareness to Action: Innovate for a Green Future Wednesday, April 29, 11 a.m. ET

Join the U.S. Copyright Office for their next Copyright Matters lecture that will explore how creators—who through the copyright system can earn a living from their work—can play a key role in creating a vision of a green future and its untold benefits. Registration required.

Social Movement Changing America: The Legacies of the 19th Amendment Thursday, April 30, 3:30 p.m. ET

A Law Day 2020 event presented by the Law Library of Congress and the American Bar Association. Registration required, space is limited.

Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m. ET

Prize-winning science writer David Quammen discusses his book "Spillover," in which he tracks the animal origins of human diseases through the centuries, with National Book Festival Co-Chairman David Rubenstein.

Discover more ways to engage with the Library during our birthday week and beyond: https://www.loc.gov/engage/

Celebrate National Poetry Month with 50 Newly Available Audio Recordings

The Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature at the Library of Congress dates back to 1943 and contains nearly two thousand recordings of poets and prose writers participating in literary events at the Library’s Capitol Hill campus as well as sessions at the Library’s Recording Laboratory. New recordings added for 2020 include a 1978 reunion reading featuring 13 of our Consultants in Poetry, and Gwendolyn Brooks reading poems (including the iconic “We Real Cool”) in the Jefferson Recording Laboratory in 1961.

Visit the archive site. Discover more on this blog post.

Try Activity Kits for the Whole Family

Encourage kids of all ages to use their creativity to complete activities inspired by the Library’s collections. With simple items found around the house and items from our website, kids can Cook Up History, Make a Mini-Book, Color Our Collections, and so much more. Visit the Resources for Family Engagement page to download activity kits and get started today.

https://www.loc.gov/families/

Join the Effort: By the People

We are grateful to all those who transcribe and review pages on the Library's virtual volunteering project By the People launched in 2018. As of the Library’s 220th birthday today, volunteers have transcribed over 125,000 pages from the papers of suffragists including Mary Church Terrell, Lucy Stone, and Susan B Anthony, civil rights activist Rosa Parks, poet Walt Whitman, President Abraham Lincoln, and many others. Once a whole item such as a journal or letter is complete, it is brought back to loc.gov where it radically improves search and discovery for patrons, and accessibility those who use screen readers.

https://crowd.loc.gov/

Preservation Week

National Preservation Week is April 26 – May 2. Preservation of the world's largest collection is accomplished through a broad range of activities distributed across the Library. Learn more about these preservation activities and the work to keep the collections available for the next 220 years and beyond.

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/

Coronavirus Updates from the Copyright Office

The Copyright Office has announced updated flexibility surrounding registration deposits and timing provisions for those affected by COVID-19 as outlined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Visit the Copyright Office COVID-19 page for more info.

https://www.copyright.gov/coronavirus/

Support the Library

We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future.

If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

Read more on https://loc.gov

#Library of Congress #IFTTT #history

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lizabethstucker · 6 years

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Ex Libris: Stories of Librarians, Libraries & Lore

Edited by Paula Guran

Twenty-three tales of fantasy and science fiction that contain libraries and librarians as well as the magic of books. An absolutely wonderful collection, only one disappointment. And that was more about style of writing than the premise of the story itself. 4 out of 5.

“In the House of the Seven Librarians” by Ellen Klages

When the old Carnegie library was closed and much of its newer content moved to a brand-new library across town, seven librarians remained behind, moving into the library to stay. Their lives are changed when a baby is left as payment for an overdue book. A suspension of disbelief leads to a strange yet satisfying read. 4.5 out of 5.

“The Books” by Kage Baker

The Show traveled around the badly decimated U.S., providing entertainment and trade. In one larger city, three kids explore, stumbling on a library. All of them are determined to take books back with them, but it might not be that easy. This was almost like a section of a longer story, one that I'd love to read. Very intense. Baker does a marvelous job with atmosphere. 3.5 out of 5.

“Death and the Librarian” by Esther M. Friesner

Death has come at last for Miss Louisa Foster. Yet even Death can be surprised. This one came close to tearing my heart out, slamming it on the floor, and stomping on it repeatedly. 5 out of 5.

“In Libres” by Elizabeth Bear

Despite her thesis being complete, Euclavia is directed to the Library Special Collections to read another source. Accompanied reluctantly by her centaur friend Bucephalus, they dare to visit the dangerous place. Definitely dangerous! There’s a chill tap-dancing along your spine, especially for those readers who have been deep in the bowels of huge, older libraries. 4 out of 5.

“The King of the Big Night Hours” by Richard Bowes

Memories and suicides in the library. I’m not certain how I feel about this one. The writing is exquisite, the plot is intriguing, but the emotions invoked are not comfortable. If that was the author’s intent, mission accomplished. 3.5 out of 5.

“Those Who Watch” by Ruthanna Emrys

The library marks Elaine on her third day of work. Already dealing with various health and emotional issues, she must find a way to adapt or leave. Unusual and intriguing. Definitely deserves further exploration. 3.5 out of 5.

“Special Collections” by Norman Partridge

He went to work at the library as suggested by his court-appointed therapist. He started taking Library Science classes as suggested by the college archivist where he met Daphne. But there are secrets, deadly secrets swirling around the library and the narrator. More horror than fantasy, not one of my favorites. Despite ticking off some loved trope boxes, I struggled to finish. 3 out of 5.

“Exchange” by Ray Bradbury

Working in the library for forty some years is getting to Miss Adams. Too many children, too many books, too much noise. Then a former patron arrives after hours looking for a final goodbye before shipping out. There is no finer writer of fantasy on this planet. Or maybe it is more accurate to call him a weaver of magic. 5 out of 5.

“Paper Cuts Scissors” by Holly Black

Justin struggles to find a way to rescue his girlfriend Linda from the book she put herself into after they had a fight. His best hope is Mr. Sandlin, a man who can bring characters out of books. Thanks to another, as well as Sandlin, Justin finds answers and a possible solution. An intriguing premise handled with a delicate touch. Lovely. 4 out of 5.

“Summer Reading” by Ken Liu

When mankind left Earth for the stars, the planet was turned into a museum overseen by robots. CN-344315 was the robot docent of the library. It had been five thousand years since he last had human visitors. The servers are gone, but CN-344315 had a tiny room filled with his favorite treasures: a selection of books protected behind an airtight glass. A visitor reminds CN-344315 of why books are important. Wow! I’ve come across Liu’s work in my SF magazines over the years and have always enjoyed his stories. I do believe this might be one of my favorites. Short, sweet, and wonderful. 5 out of 5.

“Magic for Beginners” by Kelly Link

I’m not certain how to explain what this story is about. There’s a TV series and the characters in this story watch the series yet are also an episode of the same series. Gave me a bloody headache. There was so much potential, but it twists around itself until I finally gave up trying to understand it as a bad deal and just slogged through. Weird beginning, no real ending. Just a mess. 2.8 out of 5.

“The Inheritance of Barnabas Wilcox” by Sarah Monette

Booth is surprised to hear from Barnabas Wilcox, a former classmate and bully. Wilcox needs someone to catalog his late uncle’s library. Booth senses something twisted at Hollyhill, the uncle’s estate. Creepy, horror of the emotions rather than blood and guts. In other words, my kind of horror tale. 4 out of 5.

“The Midbury Lake Incident” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

When the Midbury Lake Public Library burned to the ground, librarian Mary Beth Wilkins was upset, not only because of the fire, but that she wasn’t notified. Grief would come later, once Mary Beth has left for a new life. Very nice, just enough backstory to intrigue the reader. I do wish there had been more. 3.5 out of 5.

“With Tales in Their Teeth, from the Mountain They Came” by A. C. Wise

After she loses her lover in the War, she goes to the Library on the Mountain, becoming an acolyte now named Alba. She stries to find solace in the quiet, but mostly struggles. Then she meets a novice named Eleuthere who hides secrets beneath his robes. Very magical, almost dreamlike. 4 out of 5.

“What Books Survive” by Tansy Rayner Roberts

When the Invaders came, every electronic device died immediately, even battery-run ones. Katie Scarlett Marsden was almost halfway through Wuthering Heights when her Kindle died. Once the town built a barricade, she was separated from the school library. Wanting more to read, Katie slips past the barricade one night, finding more than she expected. A very weird dystopian story, enthralling and filled with twists. 4.5 out of 5.

“The Librarian’s Dilemma” by E. Saxey

Jas was hired to bring libraries into the 21st Century. Saint Simon’s librarian Moira doesn’t mind the security measures he can provide, but she isn’t interested in sharing the contents of their Special Collection outside the library’s walls. I understand the dilemma in this story and, frankly, I’m not certain which side I would support in regards to the sharing of dangerous material. 4 out of 5.

“The Green Book” by Amal El-Mohtar

There is little that I can tell you about the story without spoiling it, so I’ll live it with that it is a story about a mysterious green book and its contents. I mostly liked it. I think. Yet it felt like it was more a rough sketch than a complete story. 3 out of 5.

“In the Stacks” by Scott Lynch

Magical student Laszlo Jazera discovers the dangers of the final assignment for Fifth Year, one he must pass to make it to Sixth Year. It seemed simple enough, return a book to the Living Library. The task will be more frightening and intense than he could ever have expected. There is a tragic sadness throughout this story, but the universe created is horrifyingly compelling. 4.5 out of 5.

“A Woman’s Best Friend” by Robert Reed

On Christmas Eve, Mary sees a stranger stumbling through the snowy streets of her town. George is confused and frightened, soaked from head to toe. Mary impulsively takes him back to her home in the library. A strange retelling of a classic Christmas film, a mixture of fantasy and science fiction. Interesting, a bit strange at the end. 3.5 out of 5.

“If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler” by Xia Jia

A lonely librarian discovers a book of poetry that might expand his world. There is magic about this tale that touches the reader’s soul. I loved how the people who wanted the poetry read and appreciated on its own merits, not for the possible backstory of the author. 4 out of 5.

“The Sigma Structure Symphony” by Gregory Benford

Ruth is one of many librarians mining for useful information in recordings from the SETI project. After the death of a fellow librarian, Ruth is asked to take over his task, mining the Sigma Structures. Math and music, language and love. Are they simply human-based? Weird. Confusing. Engrossing at the time yet left a sour aftertaste. 3 out of 5.

“The Fort Moxie Branch” by Jack McDevitt

Mr. Wickham, in the process of disposing of his privately published novel, is caught in a blackout. During that darkness, he sees a strange glow in a long empty house. I love the idea of this story. A fascinating premise from start to finish. 4 out of 5.

“The Last Librarian” by Edoardo Albert

Books, actual physical books, have been ignored in favor of uploaded versions or neural inputs. The librarian at the British Library finagles a way to direct traffic physically into the building. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go well. In today’s world, I fear this could happen. Maybe not now, but very soon. I was surprised that the narrator remained at the end. 4 out of 5.

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phoenix-k-scriven-fiction · 6 years

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Mermaids, Macking, and a Little Thing Called Murder

At the age of twenty-three, Ana has all the freedom of youth, and a goal to match: she wants to chronicle the facts and fictions of unsolved crimes that happen to be surrounded by rumors of something beyond the natural. Whether kidnappings mired in faerie tales or property destruction explained away as ghosts, there’s always both a mundane story and a magical one behind every mystery, and splicing the two together spoke to the local culture in a way that made Ana downright giddy.

Unfortunately for Ana, the research trip to Grandmarch Bay unveils something entirely unexpected: an actual mermaid. Even as her research into a death from over twenty years ago starts to turn up startling elements that just don’t fit, she finds herself circling closer and closer to the girl with the gorgeous laugh.

Ana’s still unraveling the story for her book, but those eyes and that voice and that pretty, pretty face may prove to be more of a distraction than she can afford.

Welcome to the first chapter of my original story and the first publicly-available installment of my “Fae Horizons” universe. Chapters will be released to tumblr a week after Patreon for those who can’t afford to pledge. For early access, become a patron now!

Chapter One

Ana lifted a hand to her head to keep her hat in place, squinting against the wind that tore down the coast. It didn’t take more than a moment’s thought to decide that the temperature was low enough to warrant her bomber jacket. She ducked back inside, pulled on the brown leather, and left. A glance at the skies as she stepped out of the Bed and Breakfast showed her only pale clouds and a handful of seagulls.

At least it wasn’t raining.

Sturdy heels thudded quietly against the cobblestone of the side road, just as grey and mottled as the sky. The scuffed brown toes of her boots peeked out from under swishing blue skirts with every step, and she felt a tiny bit of tension bleed out from her shoulders as she made it to the flatter asphalt of the main road. Cobblestone was nice, of course, but it was so much easier to trip on than a flat surface.

Ana aimed for the bakery, a small part of her perking up like a child when she heard the bell over the door tinkle as she stepped through. The small building was warm, and the smells that drifted over from the display case were comforting. There wasn’t anyone in sight, so she tucked her hands behind her back and strode up and down past the glass for a few minutes, taking the time to make her decision for breakfast.

“Oh!”

Ana looked up and saw a woman stepping out of the backroom and into the store proper. Early thirties, maybe, probably Latina, and clearly one of the bakers, if the flour she was wiping off of her hands and forearms was any sign. Ana smiled and gave the woman a small wave. “Hi.”

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in,” the woman said. “I’m Janice. What can I get for you?”

“Can I get a chocolate croissant and two squares of the banana bread?”

“Coming right up!”

Ana waited at the cash register, credit card in hand. She passed it over when Janice came.

“Sorry, but I’m going to need ID if you want to use a card,” Janice said, giving her an apologetic smile. “I know everyone here by name, so I don’t need an ID most of the time, but for strangers like yourself…”

“Not a problem,” Ana said, digging out her license. “By the way, I don’t suppose you could tell me where I could go about getting information on the town’s recent history and urban legends, could you?”

“The library might be a good place to start. Or, well, the librarian, I guess,” Janice said. “I’d also give the pub a shot, in the evening. Some of the retired fishermen have a whole host of stories, you know?”

“I figured, yeah,” Ana said, smiling in what she hoped was a flattering manner. “So… can I have my card back?”

“Sure, Miss Ga…” Janice’s smile fell as she tried to read the name. “Um. Ga—”

“Ljiljana Gavrilović,” Ana cut her off, holding back a sigh. Every time. Wasn’t Janice’s fault, though, so she didn’t really deserve the bitching. “Don’t bother trying to say it; American ears can’t pick up some of the sounds properly. Call me Ana.”

“Can’t say I’ve seen a name like that in a while,” Janice said, handing the license over and moving to swipe the credit card through. “Russian?”

“Serbian,” Ana said, pulling the smile back up. “Still Slavic, but further south.”

“Serbia…” Janice made a face like she was trying to remember something. “Like the whole Kosovo thing?”

“…yeah,” Ana said, her voice almost as flat as her expression. “Like the whole Kosovo thing. Where’s the library?”

“Down the street and take a left into Hudson Court,” Janice said, passing over the card and bag of baked goods. “Are you o—”

“Thanks,” Ana said, turning and heading for the door as she slipped the card back into her purse. It swung open with a tinkle of bells that Ana did her best to ignore as she stepped back out onto the street and headed in the direction of the library.

Of course the one thing the woman knew about Serbia was the freaking Kosovo conflict. Of course it was. Why had she expected anything else?

She slowed down after a few buildings and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. The woman hadn’t known how much of a pet peeve this was. She hadn’t deserved the rudeness. And—

Ana looked down at her hands and, with conscious effort, unclenched the one that didn’t have a paper bag of goodies hanging from it. Her nails, short as they were, had dug into her skin and left deep indentations. There wasn’t any blood or ripped skin, though, so it didn’t seem like she’d damaged herself, at least.

She took another deep breath and turned, heading for the library.

o.o.o.o.o

“The Higgins drowning?”

“Yeah,” Ana said, leaning forward and trying on a smile. “I’m a journalist, but recently I’ve been trying to do a book on deaths that had supernatural stories attached to them. Gathering basic facts on the case is first, then local legends for context, and then the actual story.”

“Hm…” the woman tapped her pen against her lips. “I can help you find the newspapers, though they’ll be on microfiche. We’ve only got the last twelve years digitized, and this was… twenty-three years ago? It’ll be hardcopy, and I can’t let you take it out of the building since you don’t have a card with us.”

“I can work with that,” Ana said.

“You might be able to get some information from the police, if you drop by,” she continued. “There’s only about two dozen people there, and they don’t get much activity in a town this small. They’ll probably have time for you.”

“Only?” Ana asked.

“We’re not quite that small,” the librarian said with a wry smile. She shifted just enough for Ana to see the nametag on her chest. Laura. Huh. “But yes, I think I can make this work. You may want to stop by the pub on the waterfront. The retirees like to talk about this sort of thing, so you’ll be able to get the local legends out of them, for your background research.”

“I figured,” Ana said with a nod. “Are there any other possibilities, or can I start with the papers immediately?”

“I think that’s a good base for now,” Laura said, getting up. “I’ll show you the newspapers you’ll want, and once you’re done with those, I can point you in the right direction for the rest.”

“Thank you.”

“Adam! Come take over the desk for a minute!”

The microfiches weren’t in the best condition, but they were still more than workable. They gave Ana minimal information, but enough that she’d be able to turn what she’d found into the bulk of the introduction for the chapter on the Higgins drowning. She jotted down the names of the people involved, from the officers to the reporters, and made a note to stop by the newspaper’s main office and see if they had some more information.

As the clock struck noon, she reluctantly finished up what she could and moved back to her computer. Much as she loved working on the book, she did still have a day job, and while she was allowed to choose her own hours, to work from home, and to travel as she wished… she nonetheless did need to actually work. She did still have articles to write for the site.

Right. So. Today’s assignment was… compiling opinions on some new brand of lipstick. It had been out for two days already, and was from a popular enough company that there were probably reviews from makeup vloggers and on the company’s own site already.

Shouldn’t be too hard, she thought, and got to work.

o.o.o.o.o

On a sunny day in late August, 1995, twenty-seven-year-old William Higgins was found dead on the beach by a family out to enjoy the weather.1 Just a few hundred feet beyond the town limits of Grandmarch Bay, the death fell into the town’s jurisdiction, and was investigated by a detective from the local police department.2 The body was severely bruised, in a manner that suggested there had been a struggle with an attacker, and covered in scratches that forensics suggested occurred around the time of death. The scratches occurred in patterns that appeared to be made by either human or animal, rather than being caused by the rocks underwater after the drowning occurred.3

Higgins’ family and friends had related to the police and reporters that he had been drawing away from them recently, and visiting a set of caves north of the town. His truck was found near the caves, but the only prints found in the area matched his shoes. The case was declared a murder, but never solved, and all suspects were released due to a lack of motive and evidence.

o.o.o.o.o

“Hey.”

Ana looked up from her computer, though it took a few moments for the last wisps of ‘chemical compositions liable to cause allergic reactions in those with peanut sensitivities’ to clear from the front of her mind. She blinked at the man in front of her. “Er… hi?”

“I’m Adam,” he said, leaning over the table and holding out one hand.

“Ana,” she said, reaching out to shake the hand. “What’s up?”

“I’m one of the librarians here,” he told her. “It’s a bit slow here right now, so I have some free time and figured I’d check in on how you were handling the microfiches. I was wondering if you needed some help with that project you were telling Laura about?”

“Not at the moment,” Ana said. “I shifted into doing some articles for my day job a few hours ago, so right now I’m working on that. I can come find you once I go back to the research project, if you’re still game to help.”

“Ah. Any idea when that’ll be?” Adam asked.

Ana looked down at her computer and tried to gauge the word count. “Hour and a half, maybe?”

“My shift’s over in two hours, so if you still need help and I’m still around then, feel free to call me over,” Adam said, nodding. “You’re not the first person to come through looking for information on that case, but I think you’re the first that’s trying to put together both the mundane facts and the stories.”

“I like fusing the two,” Ana said. “There’s a level of intrigue there, I think. Why twist the facts when presenting them as they are and then showing the stories alongside is just as interesting? It’s… I’d say it’s more of a cultural study than anything. I’m not trying to solve the mysteries, or declare that there were supernatural forces involved. I just want to know what the stories were.”

“Seems interesting.”

“It is, but I really do have to get back to work, so…” Ana gestured at her computer again, and smiled as Adam excused himself.

Ana went back to reading the health report.

o.o.o.o.o

And here I was, Ana thought as she jumped around the video from one of the beauty vloggers and tried to find the quote she’d wanted to pull, doing her best to make sure she had it word-for-word, Almost forgetting how incredibly gay I am.

It really wasn’t a good idea to get distracted by how cute the vloggers were when she was supposed to be working. That was one of the job hazards, though. Obviously.

She dropped her head onto her arms and groaned.

Holy shit, I am so gay.

“Miss?”

Ana raised her head, and met the eyes of a little girl who couldn’t have been more than nine. “Hi?”

“Are you okay?” the little girl asked.

“I’m fine,” Ana said. “I’m just a little tired. My job is taking a while to do.”

“Okay!” The little girl said, waving as she left.

Ana pushed herself up straight and tilted her head to work out the kinks. Her neck crackled, an ugly sound that was loud enough to draw the attention of the girl from earlier, but Ana put a finger to her lips and winked at the girl, who covered her own mouth with her hands and ran off, giggling. Ana hunkered down and focused as best she could, finally finding the quote and finishing off her article. With a few minutes taken to make sure her links and references were in order, she sent it off to the editor.

Leaning back in her chair, Ana stretched and groaned. Her head fell back with a heavy sigh, and she tried to reorient her mindset towards the case she’d been researching. One glance at the microfiches was enough to have her sighing yet again, and she pulled the reader towards herself to hook it up to her computer again, and moved to reo—

Her stomach growled.

Oh. She’d skipped lunch, hadn’t she? Damn. It was almost three o’clock, and the library closed at seven…

Ana sent another look at the microfiches, biting her lip. She had the time… but she didn’t really want to put lunch off any longer, now that she’d remembered to be hungry, and she didn’t want to bother Laura to get it out again later, and she didn’t always want to rely on just the PDFs she’d saved…

Biting her lip, she got to her feet and headed for the front desk. Her things were visible from there, so it wasn’t much of a risk to leave them there for a moment or two.

“Well, hello there!” Adam said as she approached, grinning. “Something come up?”

“I was wondering if you guys had a printer on hand? I need to go to lunch, but I’m not done with the microfiches, and I don’t want to bother you for them again later. I’d like hardcopies to look over later anyway, so getting them printed would be best,” Ana explained.

“I have about fifteen minutes left,” Adam said, “Which should be just enough to help you out with that. Laura! I’m gonna go help the outta-stater!”

Laura, in the middle of checking out a book for a middle-aged man, lifted a hand in acknowledgement, but didn’t look over.

“So,” Adam said as he led the way over to the printers. “Where are you headed after your lunch?”

“Newspaper office, then police station, depending on how long the first takes,” Ana said. “After that, probably tomorrow… I’ll see about visiting people of interest, especially if the officers or reporters aren’t employed anymore, and then I’ll go down to the tavern that’s apparently on the waterfront to see if any of the older fellas have the mermaid stories I came here to find in the first place.”

“Organized,” Adam said. “Do you have those microfiche files saved anywhere?”

“I got them as PDFs on my computer,” Ana confirmed. “Can I print from there?”

“No, sorry. It needs to be from a library computer, so I was hoping for a USB,” Adam admitted. “Well, I guess we can bring the microfiches and the reader over and go from there.”

“You’re the specialist here, so sure,” Ana said.

Printing out the paper copies did indeed take the full fifteen minutes, and Ana packed away her bag with a sense of satisfaction. She’d actually gotten a lot done today.

“So.”

Ana yelped, scrambling not to drop her bag and turning around.

Adam stared at her, wide-eyed. “Uh. I promise I wasn’t trying to scare you?”

Ana put a hand to her chest, willing her heart to slow down. “Holy smokes. Okay. Hi. I kinda thought you left already.”

“Sorry,” Adam said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I figured that if you’re from out of town, then you probably don’t know any of the good places to eat. If you’re okay with eating with a stranger, I could show you someplace before you head for the police station.”

Ana squinted at him. “Like… a date?”

“Uh, no.”

“Oh, thank god,” she muttered.

“…should I be offended?” Adam asked.

“Dating while on a research trip is just a level of complicated that I really don’t feel like navigating right now,” Ana admitted. “Also… lesbian.”

“Ah.” Adam nodded for a few moments, and then said, “Trans.”

“I didn’t want to assume.”

“I’ve been on T for long enough that I don’t think most people realize it,” he said. “So…”

“I hang out in a lot of queer circles back in New York, and after a while there’s just a feel for who happens to be which shade of the rainbow,” Ana said.

“So what you’re saying is that you’ve got gaydar?” Adam said with a grin.

“And I saw the trans flag pin on your shoulder strap,” Ana admitted, nodding at Adam’s bag and laughing when she saw his mouth open and close in surprise. “So… lunch?”

“How do you feel about clam chowder?”

o.o.o.o.o

“So... small town, trans kid. It’s safe here?” Ana asked as they walked down the street, hands hanging off the strap to her messenger bag.

“Well,” Adam hedged, drawing the word out. “I grew up here, so there wasn’t really much of a choice in both being myself and being in the closet. Either I didn’t transition, or I got out of the closet. Or left, but I do like it here, so...”

“I think I can get that,” Ana said, nodding. “So everyone’s okay with it?”

“I think they just got used to it, honestly,” Adam admitted. “I left town for a few years when I was getting my degree, and I looked different enough when I got back that I just... I don’t know. College was good to me. Going away for that long means that I went through the in-between stages of transitioning in a safer environment.”

“But home is home?” Ana guessed.

“Yeah.”

Ana bit her lip, mulling over what the best question to ask now would be. “So... what did you study?’

“Informational sciences,” Adam said. “You?”

“Double major in journalism and anthropology,” Ana said. “I like writing and I like studying culture, so... yeah. Minors?”

“Hebrew, believe it or not,” Adam said, and then grinned when Ana raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“As someone who knows another language due to growing up with it,” Ana said. “I’m always weirdly impressed by people who learn one later in life.”

“I mean, I did know some growing up. Learned some from my parents and at the synagogue. This was just refining and expanding it and whatnot,” Adam said. “You?”

“Serbian.”

“No, no,” Adam laughed. “I mean, like, your minors.”

“Oh! Uh, didn’t have any room in my schedule since I was double-majoring, honestly,” Ana admitted. “I did do volleyball, though? Club, instead of division, but it was definitely enough to keep me in shape.”

“You could probably bench me, huh?”

Ana snorted. “Hardly. I could probably bench a kid, but not most adults.”

“Most?”

“Some people are smaller or skinnier than others, and I’ve got shoulder muscles for days,” Ana said, stopping to turn to Adam and flex, holding the pose for just long enough that the joke of her jacket blocking the actual view managed to soak in. She chuckled and dropped her arms, setting back off down the sidewalk. “You?”

“Track,” Adam confirmed, and then slowed down and veered to the side, holding open the door of a restaurant off to the side. “After you, milady.”

Ana blinked at him. “Really.”

“Can’t have a little fun playing with the idea of old-fashioned chivalry?’ Adam asked.

“We’re not exactly at a Ren Faire,” Ana said, but gave a shallow curtsy anyway, skirt swishing as she lifted it. She walked past him and through the open door. “Now show me this clam chowder you claimed is the best in town.”

“Damn straight I will,” Adam said with a grin, following her in.

#Queer #Lesbian #Trans #Mermaids #Mystery #Murder #Modern Fantasy #Fae Horizons #Mermaids Macking and a Little Thing Called Murder #Phoenix Files

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gkknowledge · 4 years

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The Library of Congress Turns 220 In 1800, as part of an act of Congress providing for the removal of the new national government from Philadelphia to Washington, President John Adams approved an act of Congress providing $5,000 for books for the use of Congress—the beginning of the Library of Congress. Since that beginning 220 years ago, the Library has grown to become the largest library in the world with a collection of more than 170 million items that document human creativity and achievement across the centuries and around the globe. Collecting and providing access to these collections takes on a new meaning and significance in our current world. With social distancing as the norm, and more time spent at home, we want to continue to highlight ways to connect with our content, our knowledgeable staff, and each other during these times. From April 24 to 30, you can celebrate the Library’s 220th birthday by participating in online programs from across the Library, reading themed posts on our blogs and social media channels, and downloading our brand new app to explore the Library’s digital collections from home. The Library of Congress buildings remain closed to the public, with all public events currently canceled through July 1. Visit our web site for full, up-to-date information about our response to COVID-19. In the meantime, we invite you to our virtual birthday celebration and to continue to engage with us through some of the resources listed below. We look forward to continuing to serve you during this season and beyond. Sincerely, Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress SPECIAL 220th BIRTHDAY VIDEO EVENTS Citizen DJ Premiere & Virtual MasterclassFriday, April 24, 3 p.m. ET Preview the new Citizen DJ app from Innovator-in-Residence Brian Foo, and discover how to make Hip Hop using the Library’s music collection. Presented by LC Labs. America's Greatest Library: History of the Library of CongressSaturday, April 25, 1 p.m. ET Write. Right. Rite. A "Grab the Mic: Tell Your Story" video series with Jason Reynolds, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.Tuesday, April 28, 10:30 a.m. ET Awareness to Action: Innovate for a Green FutureWednesday, April 29, 11 a.m. ET Join the U.S. Copyright Office for their next Copyright Matters lecture that will explore how creators—who through the copyright system can earn a living from their work—can play a key role in creating a vision of a green future and its untold benefits. Registration required. Social Movement Changing America: The Legacies of the 19th AmendmentThursday, April 30, 3:30 p.m. ET A Law Day 2020 event presented by the Law Library of Congress and the American Bar Association. Registration required, space is limited. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human PandemicThursday, April 30, 7 p.m. ET Prize-winning science writer David Quammen discusses his book "Spillover," in which he tracks the animal origins of human diseases through the centuries, with National Book Festival Co-Chairman David Rubenstein. Discover more ways to engage with the Library during our birthday week and beyond: https://ift.tt/2S244By Celebrate National Poetry Month with 50 Newly Available Audio Recordings The Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature at the Library of Congress dates back to 1943 and contains nearly two thousand recordings of poets and prose writers participating in literary events at the Library’s Capitol Hill campus as well as sessions at the Library’s Recording Laboratory. New recordings added for 2020 include a 1978 reunion reading featuring 13 of our Consultants in Poetry, and Gwendolyn Brooks reading poems (including the iconic “We Real Cool”) in the Jefferson Recording Laboratory in 1961. Visit the archive site. Discover more on this blog post. Try Activity Kits for the Whole Family Encourage kids of all ages to use their creativity to complete activities inspired by the Library’s collections. With simple items found around the house and items from our website, kids can Cook Up History, Make a Mini-Book, Color Our Collections, and so much more. Visit the Resources for Family Engagement page to download activity kits and get started today. https://ift.tt/3bzflB7 Join the Effort: By the People We are grateful to all those who transcribe and review pages on the Library's virtual volunteering project By the People launched in 2018. As of the Library’s 220th birthday today, volunteers have transcribed over 125,000 pages from the papers of suffragists including Mary Church Terrell, Lucy Stone, and Susan B Anthony, civil rights activist Rosa Parks, poet Walt Whitman, President Abraham Lincoln, and many others. Once a whole item such as a journal or letter is complete, it is brought back to loc.gov where it radically improves search and discovery for patrons, and accessibility those who use screen readers. https://crowd.loc.gov/ Preservation Week National Preservation Week is April 26 – May 2. Preservation of the world's largest collection is accomplished through a broad range of activities distributed across the Library. Learn more about these preservation activities and the work to keep the collections available for the next 220 years and beyond. https://ift.tt/2lmGNHy Coronavirus Updates from the Copyright Office The Copyright Office has announced updated flexibility surrounding registration deposits and timing provisions for those affected by COVID-19 as outlined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Visit the Copyright Office COVID-19 page for more info. https://ift.tt/2VAPfbv Support the Library We are more grateful than ever for all that you do to keep us strong. Whether you support the Library with a gift or simply by spreading the word about what we do, you help us in our mission to connect millions of people around the world with the stories of our collective past, present, and future. If you haven't yet had a chance to give and you're in a position to donate, please consider making a gift at loc.gov/donate/.

#TodayInHistory #GKOnly

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papermoonloveslucy · 7 years

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LUCY, THE AMERICAN MOTHER

S3;E7 ~ October 26, 1970

Directed by Jack Donohue ~ Written by Lou Derman and Larry Rhine

Synopsis

For a class project, Craig is doing a documentary film about Lucy. When Kim's boyfriend wins a $100 cash prize at school, Lucy frantically tracks it down to the local library where Craig and Harry are filming her every move.

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Desi Arnaz Jr. (Craig Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)

Guest Cast

Mary Jane Croft (Mary Jane) makes her fifth series appearance as Mary Jane. Croft played Betty Ramsey during season six of “I Love Lucy. ” She also played Cynthia Harcourt in “Lucy is Envious” (ILL S3;E23) and Evelyn Bigsby in “Return Home from Europe” (ILL S5;E26). She played Audrey Simmons on “The Lucy Show” but when Lucy Carmichael moved to California, she played Mary Jane Lewis, the actor’s married name and the same one she uses on all 31 of her episodes of “Here’s Lucy. Her final acting credit was playing Midge Bowser on “Lucy Calls the President” (1977). She died in 1999 at the age of 83.

Don Crichton (Steve Bailey) makes his third and final appearances on “Here’s Lucy.” He was an Emmy nominated choreographer who worked on “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Love Boat,” among others.

Olive Dunbar (Librarian) played a high school biology teacher in “Lucy Gets Her Diploma” (TLS S6;E5). This is her last appearances on a “Lucy” sitcom. Dunbar passed away in February 2017 at age 91.

Richard Collier (Library Assistant) was a character actor who played small roles in the musical films Bells Are Ringing (1960) and Hello, Dolly (1970). He did two episodes of “Dennis the Menace” (1963) with Gale Gordon. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Sid Gould (Man in Library #1) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” and nearly as many on “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.

Boyd 'Red' Morgan (Man in Library #2) is an actor and stunt man who was seen in “Lucy and John Wayne” (TLS S5;E10), with whom he did eleven films. This is the second of his four episodes of “Here’s Lucy.”

Morgan, a veteran stunt performer, was cast because the character takes a fall off of his chair.

Alma Platt (Old Lady) was born in 1891, so was 79 years old at the time of this episode. Two weeks before this episode originally aired she was seen on “Marcus Welby M.D.” on ABC and four days after this episode originally aired she was seen on NBC's “Adam 12” - meaning Platt appeared on all three major networks in October 1970. She died in 1976.

The character is only caught on screen for a moment when the camera pans to the right during the final chase scene in the library. She has no lines or business – she just sits and reads.

The woman who loses her wig in the library scene is the only actor not credited in the show.

After directing all of season one, Jack Donohue returns to “Here's Lucy” and will direct four more season three installments before leaving again only to reappear for the last six episodes of the series in season six.

In his DVD introduction to this episode, Desi Arnaz Jr. says that his parents took hundreds of hours of home movies. In 1993 Lucie Arnaz collected some of them in “Lucy & Desi: A Home Movie.”

The title of Craig's movie will be “A Day in the Life of My Mother.”

When Kim hears Craig is making a documentary about Lucy, she 'auditions' to get into the act:

She first imitates Katharine Hepburn in the 1937 film Stage Door: “The calla lilies are in bloom again, such a strange flower.” Coincidentally, Lucille Ball was also in Stage Door. The now-iconic line was actually taken from the play The Lake, one of Hepburn's rare failures.

She next imitates Maurice Chevalier singing “Louise,” a song by Leo Robin and Richard H. Whiting from the 1929 film Innocents of Paris. The song became Chevalier's signature song.

Lastly, she mimics Bette Davis saying “Peetah! Peetah! You read the letter, didn't you?” Although attributed to Davis and often spoken by Bette Davis impersonators, this exact line is not found in any of her films. In 1941's The Great Lie she does say the line “I wish to leave Pete a letter marked personal” which may be the source for the oft-imitated quote.

Lucy tells Craig she doesn't want to be filmed first thing in the morning, when she looks like the Bride of Frankenstein. The Bride of Frankenstein was a 1935 sequel film to Universal's Frankenstein that starred Elsa Lanchester as the monster's bride. Lanchester made guest starring appearances on all three “Lucy” sitcoms and it was common to use the name “bride of Frankenstein” as a punchline for jokes in all three series.

Lucie talks about having breakfast with Steve Bailey (Don Crichton). They've been out together five times. Don Crichton also played Kim's boyfriend Don in “Lucy, the Conclusion Jumper” (S1;E5).

When Craig calls “cut” on a real argument between Kim and Lucy, he takes on an exaggerated German accent, feeding into the TV trope that all directors were temperamental Germans in the style of Erich Von Stroheim (1885-1957), who was actually Austrian.

When Lucy can't seem to act natural in front of Craig's camera, she suggests he get someone else to play his mother; someone like Raquel Welch, Carol Burnett, or Don Knotts. Movie star Raquel Welch seems to be the show's go-to name to drop when wanting to reference a young female sex symbol. Carol Burnett was a great friend of Lucille Ball and the two made numerous guest appearances on each other's television programs. Don Knotts, the nervous Deputy Fife from “The Andy Griffith Show” (which filmed on the Desilu back lot) will make a guest star appearances in a 1973 episode of “Here's Lucy.”

Instead of Gale Gordon ending the episode wet, he starts it that way when he walks through the front door splattered with water from Lucy's front lawn sprinkler system.

Harry says that Lucy's daily misadventures make “Laurel and Hardy look like Sears and Roebuck.” Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were a vaudeville and film comedy team. Lucille Ball and Gale Gordon briefly imitated them when under a hypnotic suggestion in “Lucy and Pat Collins” (TLS S5;E11). Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck founded one of the world's largest retailers (now simply known as Sears) in 1886.

Steve says that Spooky Brown and His Electric Goose Pimples is playing at the Rock and Roll Palace.

The book that Lucie puts the mended $100 bill into is titled Kiss Me Stranger. Daphne Du Maurier wrote a book titled Kiss Me Again, Stranger in 1951. This title was chosen to be provocative when spoken to the unsuspecting patrons of the library.

After the birth of Little Ricky, the Ricardos were also avid home movie enthusiasts. Things came to a boil in “Home Movies” (ILL S3;E20).

Kim imitates Katharine Hepburn saying “The calla lilies are in bloom again.” In “Lucy's Italian Movie” (ILL S5;E23) Lucy Ricardo also imitated Hepburn saying the line to impress movie director Vittorio Philippi.

Kim also imitates Maurice Chevalier singing “Louise,” something Lucy Ricardo (and the rest of the gang did) in “The French Revue” (ILL S3;E7). Chevalier eventually appeared as himself in “Lucy Goes to Mexico” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” In that episode Lucy once again does her Chevalier impersonation singing “Louise.”

Lucy is suspicious of Steve Bailey's motives and wants to meet her “future son-in-law.” Coincidentally, that is exactly what she thought of Kim's boyfriend Don (also played by Don Crichton) in “Lucy the Conclusion Jumper” (S1;E5).

Lucy Ricardo also tore a bill in half and went to great lengths to retrieve it in “Bonus Bucks” (ILL S3;E21). The second half of this “Here’s Lucy” episode is based on “Bonus Bucks.”

Lucy Carmichael went to great lengths to retrieve five $500 dollar bills she lost at a carnival in “Lucy Misplaces $2,000” (TLS S1;E4).

The red “SILENCE” sign on the librarian's desk is the same one seen in the dorm room in the previous episode “Lucy, the Co-Ed” (S3;E5). Because the prop is used as part of a joke here, and only serves as set decoration in the dorm room, this episode may have been filmed first and aired out of sequence.

Make-up! Although Lucy comes downstairs after rolling out of bed calling herself 'the bride of Frankenstein,' she is wearing full eye make-up!

Shut the door! Harry leaves the front door open when he comes in for the second time.

Fact Check! There is no need to have a cello-taped bill “set” by placing it in a book.

Sitcom Logic Alert! Why is there a laundry cart in a library? It is clear that “Bonus Bucks” (ILL S3;E21), which was set in a laundry and featured comic business with a laundry cart, was very much on Lucille Ball's mind when filming this episode.

“Lucy, the American Mother” rates 3 Paper Hearts out of 5

This is an odd episode that doesn't quite come together cohesively. Although a bit of an homage to “Bonus Bucks” on “I Love Lucy”, the home scenes seem disconnected to the library scene, which never pays off as big as it should. Also, Craig is written to act in a very uncharacteristic way in this episode.

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shohag6750 · 4 years