spiritpearls | ic contact;

... I see. Kahk-kahk-kahk. [oh boy]

Miss Fey...

[she paused for a second, she had to channel her inner-judge for this]

Miss Fey, what you've done is wrong. I'm not angry, but I do need you to listen so I can tell you why.

--Do you have a copy of my paper in front of you? I'd like you to flip to the section titled "Letters to the Editor" and read what's printed there.

All right.

[ And she does so. ]

Oh, dear, but I'm not harassing you by fixing a little mistake, am I? I'm sorry if it was an overreaction on my part-- but what would you do, if people were accusing people you love of doing something bad? And in a place where everyone could see and start thinking it was true?

I'm a journalist, Miss Fey. I print the truth, and even that gossip column has standards.

[just not much of them]

Needless to say, if you're right and they were breaking into Mr. Justice's apartment to find information, that means what is printed is not false. It's natural if you see people breaking into an apartment that isn't theirs to assume the people doing it are burglars. That means my columnist was not writing a lie, since they believed it to be true and had a basis for doing so.

Contacting me, that is the correct response. If I get it properly confirmed, I can issue a further statement next edition saying Mr. Wright and Miss Maya Fey was breaking into the apartment in the course of investigating the disappearance of a friend. --That's how a newspaper handles reporting facts when it has more information. With further reports, and clarifications.

[she took a pause to catch her breath, this was getting mentally taxing]

But what you cannot do is take a pen and cross out passages because you don't like them or think they're wrong. That's censorship. Miss Tattler put their time, effort, and energy into writing that column. And I, as editor, took time verifying it and making sure it fit standards. When you cross it out, you're taking away our freedom to print information we believe the public needs to know.

If it was just your own personal edition, that would be one thing, but you've done it with editions meant for others to read. And... newsprint costs money. This is something I can't easily fix, you know?

Kahk-kahk-kahk-kahk-kahk...

Yes, I understand. I won't do it again, I promise.

Though it doesn't sound like Miss Tattler took much time verifying that part of the column. But I suppose it's true other people could think that they were up to something wrong. Maybe in the future things shouldn't be so one-sided? Give people the chance to explain for themselves so people can make their own decisions.

[ pause ] If you want, I can try to find all the papers that haven't been taken and unfix them?

Very good! I knew you were a good person, someone who cared about their friends and relatives, Miss Pearl Fey. I can see why you did it, even if I don't agree and was wronged by it.

Yes, we make every effort to do that. It's not always possible but we make the effort.

[hm, getting her to run back and write the information back in wouldn't work, but...]

--No, that's all right. That won't be necessary. ...but if you would, I'd like you to do something else for me so we can resolve this and ensure someone else doesn't do something like it again. Y'know?

Edited 2015-05-29 05:38 (UTC)

[ well, she'd break into people's homes and unfix their copies but then she'd land herself in the next issue as that week's crazy person. ]

Sure! What would you like me to do, Miss Scuttlebutt?

[she tried to phrase it delicately, she really did seem like a nice girl, and bullying her would just make her the bad-guy]

Well... kahk-kahk. Again, you see that letter in the letters to the editor section by Mr. Rock Lee? I'd like you to write a letter like that, apologizing for altering the papers like you did.

We can put this all behind us, show the public how to properly seek corrections, clarify the story about Mr. Wright and Miss Maya Fey, and give an explanation to everyone who picked up an altered-paper, all at once. What do you think?

Hmm... all right! That sounds reasonable. I'll write you an apology letter.

Thank you, Pearl! I work down at the school supply store at [gives the name of it and location]. Just bring it by and hand it to me so I can be sure it's from you.

[PERFECT! Win-win for everyone]

Oh! By the way, while I've got you on the phone... you're a sort of fortune teller, correct? So sources have told me. Sss, sss, sss.

I'll deliver it as soon as possible!

Oh, yes, I am! Or I work as one, anyway. Do you want your fortune told? I've never done it over the phone before, though...

[that's what she wanted to hear] Sss, sss, sss!

Well, not for me, but I was thinking... do you ever do anything with horoscopes? How would you like your own column in my paper? Write a little blurb of advice or prediction for each zodiac sign each week. Western, Eastern, either one. I'm not picky!

[of course it never crossed Scuttlebutt's mind they weren't on Earth anymore and the actual pseudo-scientific methods the zodiac were based on wouldn't apply]

--Of course I'll gladly pay you for the work. How much do you usually charge for a fortune?

Really? Oh, I've love to! That sounds like such fun!

[ well either way, pearl is not exactly a "legitimate" astrologer anyway... ]

Oh, it depends... sometimes I just charge an ice cream cone or get paid in coupons... [ there's a fair chance that pearl is very really paid actual money for fortunes. ] What do you think is fair payment?

That sounds fair! I pay per article, so let's say every edition I'll owe you a sundae or some such thing. Whichever you want! Sss, sss, sss.

I print the paper every week. Next date will be January 17th. I put the paper to bed at 11:59 pm the previous day, so that's when I'd need the article by. Don't worry about formatting it, I take care of that. Sound good?

Alrighty, that sounds wonderful!

Yes, ma'am! Do you want me to bring it to you at the school store or text it or mail it...?

Whichever is easiest for you! The letter was different. This article you can submit any way you like.

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