Lifeline Returns to the Pit

Log Title:

Characters: Clutch, Lifeline

Location: Motorpool - Offutt AFB

Date: March 04, 2013

Summary: Lifeline Returns to the Pit

''As logged by Clutch - Monday, March 04, 2013, 6:22 PM

Motorpool - Offutt AFB
Clutch is in the motorpool, smoking.

A humvee pulls into the motorpool, and out steps Lifeline. "Right, and...yes. And okay." He's having some sort of conversation on his cellphone, as he gathers his pack from another man in the humvee. "Thank you. -- Nonono, not *you*. I thanked someone else. ...No you can't. Don't walk on it. ....No. Not even a little bit."

Clutch perks up at the arrival, and puts his book down, facedown and open so as not to lose the page. He takes a draw of his cigarette and walks over to see who's returned.

"Right, and I'll see you next week. KEEP OFF THE LEG. ...please." Lifeline quietly curses the inventor of cell phones as he checks his pack to make sure he didn't leave anything in it, and he waves to the guys in the humvee as they make their way back toward the entrance. "Talk to you later." He ends the call, shaking his head, then smiles as he spots Clutch. "Hey, how've you been?"

Clutch grins, blowing smoke out of the side of his mouth. "Great! You? Good to see ya!" Clutch holds out an oil-soaked hand to shake Lifeline's. Clutch's beard is getting straggly, and his skin is dangerously oil-stained (being a known carcinogen), but otherwise he looks pretty good.

Lifeline has been in contact with things much, much worse than oil, so he doesn't mind a dirty handshake. He seems a bit dismayed that Clutch is still smoking, though -- Edwin tries to remember, did he or didn't he send some 'Dangers of Smoking' lit to Clutch? He'll need to check on that. "Good to see you, too! They still got you out here on long shifts? I seem to remember at one time, you slept on a cot in the corner..."

Clutch looks over at his corner cot, and shrugs. "Eh... a lot of the time it's my own fault. I'll get workin' on something, and not want to stop."

"Well..." Lifeline pauses for a moment, as if not being entirely sure where to begin. If he begins preaching, he sounds far too much like his father, and when he catches himself doing that he HATES it. "Listen, did you ever think about switching to e-cigs? I mean...with all the flammable stuff in here...?" He shrugs. E-Cigs, now that's not being TOO preachy.

Clutch pulls out the cigarette, and looks at it in surprise... he wasn't even thinking about the fact he was smoking -- it's really just part of his face. "Uh, I'm not sure, Lifer... are those things safe?"

"Not really," Lifeline admits. "They're not a whole lot better than the real thing, with the notable exception of not putting toxic fumes into the air. Basically, the e-cigs just deliver the toxins straight to your lungs, without the smoke. Of course, being a doctor, I'd be thrilled to pieces if you just quit altogether. But I know that's difficult to do, I understand that. I get a lot of pushback about it."

Clutch makes a face, scratching his beard in an exchange of oil.

"At least think about cutting back," Lifeline offers, trying to come to a compromise he can somehow live with.

Clutch grins broadly. "Sure, doc. I'll try."

Lifeline simply nods, putting on his best mild expression, but inside, he's hopping around like a happy little kid. He knows he'll never get the whole base smoke-free -- it's just a losing battle, much like prohibiting alcohol. A soldier needs the occasional vice! After all, if he quit his caffeine intake, he wouldn't be such a nice guy anymore. "I appreciate you trying. Just looking out for you, not trying to nitpick."

Clutch grins broadly. "I know, Lifer! You've never been a drag!" Clutch laughs at his own little pun Clutch says, "So, what brings you to the Pit? It's not time for physicals again, is it?" Clutch's face droops in distain.

Lifeline groans inwardly at the pun, but he is, all the same, glad to be back to his home-away-from-home. "Well, I've been on assignment in the Middle East for a while," he explained, "Filling in for a unit who lost their surgeon in an insurgent attack. But they got a new surgeon assigned to them this week, so I'm finally back here to tend to matters that have been pending for a while -- yeah, in fact, I think everyone's a little overdue for physicals."

Clutch groans outwardly at that news.

"Sorry!" Lifeline smiles. "They had to happen again sometime."

Clutch makes a face, and takes a long draw on his cigarette. "Well... you're probably right." Clutch says, "Need a hand with any gear?"

"No, I'm good. Just...glad to be out of the desert. Glad to not hear explosions. You know how it is." Edwin smiles in relief. Normally, the cigarette smoke would annoy him, but he really is relieved to be out of the war zone. "The work here in comparison is pretty easy."