"I'm a Vibe Sponge!"
After finishing the Task and his chat with Siavash, Halfwit hit the Bedroom for a bit of lie down. Glum face on, duvet pulled up, he didn't look like the happiest of bunnies. So when Bea came into the Bedroom, he couldn't miss the chance for a quick chat with the woman who's been avoiding him like swine flu. But broaching the subject as to the reason for her wide berth of him, he possibly wasn't prepared for the answer.
"I find you draining," said Bea, after telling him that it was his late-night confession that he wasn't convinced by Noirin and Siavash that was the reason she'd not been talking to him. "You take on a lot of other people's problems."
"I'm glad you said something as I think you are off the mark," smiled Halfwit. "When I take on people's problems I find it... energising." Job at The Samaritans for you when you leave, then.
"I don't want to be massively harsh and critical," began Bea. "I pick up on stuff quite easily. I'm a vibe sponge."
A what?!
"I've been down so I'm not relying on anyone to bring me out of that. But I am trying to keep my resources cos I need them. So someone coming up and taking that... if I need them I'm going to hang on to them."
Aahhh, now we get it. At first read you might think Bea is referring to her time, her ears or her understanding. But twice today she's moaned to both Siavash and David about Halfwit nicking all her baccy, so really, maybe this is her coded mesage to Halfwit to stop smoking her fags.
"I haven't not wanted to talk to you," she told him. No, just stay away from her smokes, Halfwit.
"It's complimentary that you wanted to talk to me," continued Bea. "It's something I predicted. People like to confide in me. I'm a person people tell a lot of things to. But it's quite emotionally burdening. There's only so much you can take. If I wasn't experiencing my own stresses in here, I'd be well up for listening. But I'm going to have to be selfish with my resources."
Eager to please as ever, Halfwit kinda missed the point. "I want to be part of the relaxation rather than the stress. There are other people I can talk to. I'll keep it light," he said.
"I don't like the idea of a fake romance either," said Bea, getting back to their original topic of conversation, Noirin and Siavash. "Romance is dear to my heart. Doing it for money, that goes against my morals." She was about to go on - though not in a harsh or critical way, remember? - when Noirin came in.
"Noirin," said Bea, embarrassed. But Noirin wasn't even aware she was being talked about.
"Hmm? What?" she called over.
"Hmm. Nothing. Didn't say anything," said Bea sheepishly.
"You said Noirin," said Noirin, unconcerned.
"No it wasn't me. Must have been outside," said Bea.
It's a good job you're the only vibe sponge in the House Bea, otherwise Noirin might not be so unconcerned.
Ch4
