Hopeless Prisoner of Loneliness

Chapter Summary: Introduction of Teyla, Ford and some Interesting Truths.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted: Monday, March 24th 2014 Author: GlassesG33k
Chapter Rating: PG
Word Count:2,545
Cross-posted: http://glassesg33k.livejournal.com/ http://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassesG33k/works
Special Thanks: TT, or TactlessTruth for all of her help. :-)
A/N: I should probably say that I did very little research into the state of Colorado itself, Colorado's new Pot Laws, and the whole political debate over it. And I my knowledge of Cancer … I couldn't use what I know, so I just made that up for my own sanity's sake. Sorry for this.
Opps ;-D! *Smirk!*
Don't worry, if I continue I'll probably have to do some kind of research along the way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a dark evening lit studio shaded in colors of rouge and navy blue a man in the nicest khakis and blouse walked on stage the lights coming up from black spotlighting him.
“I'm Dan Saucey and thank you for tuning in to the late night edition of channel four news. We're hoping to make this a new part of our coverage and bring up topics of interest in the local community.” The blonde haired anchor turned toward the camera and gave it a big toothy grin. “During this hour we hope to present topics that will enlighten, make you think and even encourage you to talk to your family,” he paused waving his hand, “your neighbors,” the broad man walked over to a high posh leather and chrome bar stool, “and maybe even your local representatives.” He eased onto the seat in front of a large backdrop, his pasture looking over relaxed and a bit hokey. “We're hoping to encourage new ideas and solutions, and maybe even solve problems that have been plaguing our streets for years now.”
The screen behind him lit up with images of the first topic for that night. “But overall we hope to open conversations, bring people together and find answers that will fit everyone. ”
The camera angle changed and he turned with it, “and to start our first episode,” Dan folded his hands on his leg and smiled tilting his head down in a coy manner, “the story we'd like to present to you is one we've spent quite a bit of time researching lately. It begins with a young man...”
~~
“Hey I'm on!” Ford jumped up onto the counter in the front guest area of Farmacy. Ever since he'd been contacted by the local news station he'd been telling everyone he was going to be a star. Initially he'd gone to California for stardom but had quickly gotten involved in the 420 items and debates then gone entirely political fighting to change local laws and make things better.
“And for our first story ...”
One thing led to another and he soon moved out to Colorado seeing that his acting career was going no where and that he was far more politically minded than he had realized. He had a knack for being a politician and he was currently in law school working full time and going to school full time hoping to become a lawyer. He was nearing his bachelors currently and more then proud of it, he'd be the first in his immediate family to earn a degree of any kind.
If Ford could help it he'd get his family and friends rights and even educate them, putting his own family members through school in the process. He wasn't as young and naive as he used to be but he still had big dreams, HUGE if you knew him.
“Hey come on it's on!” he called over his shoulder swinging his legs. The large plate glass windows that made up the front wall of the Farmacy were covered in paintings and pieces of cardboard that advertised items to sell. In every way the Farmacy looked like any other drug store, hawking magazines, candy, toiletries, make-up, cheap clothing and the latest “as shown on T.V.” items. The place was sterile with everything having a place and everything in it's place. The only difference that could be seen were the counters. There were at least two long wide counters their bottoms made out of glass displaying all manner of items just like a bakery would. On top, splitting both counters in half were counter top display cases showing off the latest creations, holding cookies, brownies, muffins and other ”homemade” goods. Behind the counters were long finely crafted shelves, each and everyone holding medical merchandise in pills and other such forms.
Overall you wouldn't really be able to tell this drug store from any other, yes it was a bit more homey and cozy and staked to the rafters with merchandise but it still was like any other store.
The only difference was that most of the items being sold were “Freindly's” or made with pot, hemp or other such natural items in one way or another. Still the inside was sterile and perfectly set up, being like a true Pharmacy.
“I am here.” Teyla the diminutive Ph.D. who was the overall manager of the place came out front taking her glasses off. She'd had a hard and long day dealing with inspecting their latest product. There were local quality control and inspection companies she could go to but she always needed to make sure that what they said was correct. Thankfully so far there had been no need to worry, everything had been clean of all debris, fungus, mold and pesticides as usual. She settled down and watched the interview pondering on growing their own and how much easier, faster and safer it would make things.
Teyla got lost in her musing when Ford nudged her, “lookit.”
“Pot is not about getting high, not at all,” Milessia Ethridge said laughing.
“Wow...” Ford said watching the large T.V. in the corner. The T.V. had come with the shop and had been one of the main selling points when the strip mall had been put up. Teyla had gone in with the co-owner deciding that the place as perfect, it was big enough to expand if they needed to do so, but still small enough so that their current situation wouldn't appear lacking. Usually the T.V. was quietly playing in the background, the Weather Channel informing the patrons of the local weather, tonight though it was being used to inform the current employees of recent political events.
Teyla looked over at the young man, his mouth was wide open in shock.
“When you take chemo-therapy it literally wipes all your-the dividing cells out of your body. This is why your hair falls out, your nails fall out, and it won't grow back until the end of your treatment.” Mrs. Ethridge spoke to the interviewer just off camera.
“Pot, pot gives you your appetite back and takes away the pain and swelling. The treatment takes the taste out of your tastebuds-so everything, I mean everything tastes BAD.” She made a waving wiping kind of motion, “so nothing tastes good. And then on top of that your horribly nauseous when your not vomiting so you don't want to eat, so overall the treatment is very very harsh on your body-these chemicals make you very very ill,” She shook her head. “It takes away your appetite and makes it so you don't want to eat. But pot, pot took away the pain all over my being” she waved her hand over her body, “it took away all my pain and it made me hungry-I got hungry for the first time in my treatment. I was hungry and wanted to eat. So to anyone about to go through this very harsh treatment, or going through it, I strongly suggest despite their moral obligations try it. Just try it when your on this treatment and see if it helps because it can, it really really can.”
The announcer said a few more things and it went to commercial, Ford muting the large flat panel in the corner.
“I had no idea!” Ford turned to Teyla.
“Me either,” Teyla sat up adjusting her back, being bent over a microscope most of the day then the front counter now was not doing wonders for her. “I did not know she had become ill-infact until this moment I was not sure who or what she was, other then a country singer.”
“Yeah I think she is, but I usually listen to somethin' else.” Ford turned back to the T.V. waiting for his chance in the spot light again. He'd already been shown once but of course he was hoping that wasn't the end of it.
“Mm..” Teyla said.
The two sat in companionable silence each lost in their own thoughts …
“Hey,” Ford said.
“Yes,” Teyla looked up at him.
“Do you think I should go back into acting.”
Teyla leaned back feeling her brows arch, she looked the young man up and down he was now getting on in years no longer as young as he used to be but in Teyla's eyes he'd always be a young boy.
“Well I do not know...” She tapped the counter, “I do not know much about the acting business, would it mean you would stop being my courier?”
“No not unless I get a part,” Ford shrugged at her, “I mean, I might be gone for like two three days at most and then back again. Unless I get a cameo in somethin' like a weekly T.V. show, then I might be gone for a week or at most, two weeks but I'd be back.”
Teyla nodded, “well, is there anyone you could recommend to take your place if-”
“I'm back on!”
They both stared as Ford's “big moment” was once again being broad cast.
~
Ford sat in his car, a stylish economic hybrid vehicle. The image jiggled as he turned corners and weaved slowly around then in and out of the traffic. His ever present phone in one hand and blue tooth ear piece on.
“Hey yeah-sorry customer,” Ford mumbled to the reporter, “yeah I-nice to hear from you too-you want your regular?”
The interview went on and soon Ford turned the sound up, “Oh! This is-watch!”
“I donno” Ford looked both ways before turning out, “I donno man I never really thought of it.” He was quiet, contemplative for a few seconds then, “couriers-we're the middle man-couriers-we don't ever really get caught,” he waved at himself and the car indicating, “we never get pulled over or anything, we carry so little around the cops just don't bother, we can't get arrested on such small amounts so...” he shrugged arching his neck to check traffic then turning so he could parallel park.
The scene cut to him walking up to someone's house, “but yeah, we can't get caught on it. The cops, the cops, they never bother you cause we don't carry enough to get arrested on. They never have to worry or have trouble-I mean we're just the middle man,” Ford shrugged, “you know?”
The scene cut back to him driving his car again, “ahh, really most of our clients are part of the older generation.” He looked both ways then pulled out, “yeah, yeah,” he looked over his shoulder then changed lanes, “their older-the older clients. They don't want to go into the shops and be caught, a lot of them will be in a head shop and will end up like standing next to their like kids Kindergarden teacher or Daycare worker or something,” Ford looked sidelong at the interviewer and gave a big mischievous smile, “kinda awkward-embarrassing,” he gave a slight chuckle of embarrassment himself, “ so yeah, they'd rather call and get it delivered.”
The announcer went on and they showed a man in his early 40's who had had cancer. Ford did a delivery and brought him his order along with offering him the option to also buy a brownie much to the man's delight.
“Yeah, yeah, what's that,” the man took the clear box from Ford, holding the item up, “who's shop?” He started reading the ingredients and labels on it.
“Oh it's-” the program bleeped it.
“Oah crap man! I told Shep. that he'd get free publicity!” Ford waved at the T.V.
“Yes well, if you haven't noticed,” Teyla nodded at him, “they have not allowed any names or even specific places to be revealed on here.”
“Yeah but they allowed the guy I delivered too, his name and his house to be filmed.”
Teyla nodded, “I worry about that.”
Ford looked at her, “you think he'll get arrested?”
“I do not know, but after tonight I worry that he will be bothered, even fired, his house raided-even crooks-”
“I don't think so man,” Ford said.
“Well we'll see,” Teyla said.
“So if he doesn't call then...”
Teyla nodded.
~~
Ford and Teyla watched the show till its end, “well whadidyeah think?” he beamed at her proud as ever.
“I think you did great,” she beamed right back just as proud and reached up and gave him a hug.
“You did good Ford you really did good,” she mumbled into his shoulder and then let go leaning back.
It was moments like these that motherly want and need to care for him overcame for a moment, but she shoved it away shaking herself. It wasn't like her to feel that way, to want those things, for her it was very out of the ordinary and very very strange. It was merely age and that darn biological clock she reassured, herself.
She looked him up and down then inhaled long and loud and patted him on the back, “well! I believe it is time to close up, we have an early day ahead of us tomorrow-”
“Yeah I know,” Ford moaned and slid down off the cashiering counter.
“We open at five a.m.”
“Oh God I know!” Ford stretched and then went about shutting the blinds and locking up. It was well past eleven already and they were both more then worn out.
Ford was going to have to be up and at the store before five the next morning if even one of their clients needed healing herbs before work began.
“Do you have an early delivery tomorrow,” Teyla said.
“Nah, thankfully old Mr. Nether is all stocked up and won't need another till next week.”
“Ah that is good,” Teyla smiled at the young man and went back to her business. Ford wouldn't have to be in till six, still that was early enough. For herself she would have to be here early at four thirty just to open up and get started on the day before customers came in. As of late they had begun holding new hours and had had to hire on many new workers.
They were a Farmacy and a Quality Assurance company all in one. The Quality Assurance part had just been added with in the last month and it had caused an overload of work for the poor manager. Teyla wondered at times what her life would have been like if she had not initially gone into politics and then chemistry. If she hadn't been so bent on changing the world she might have made the time to try dating a bit more and longer, and by now she might be married with a child of her own.
“Hey?”
Teyla was taken out of her reverie, “yes.”
“I'm done, I'll see you tomorrow okay,” Ford said.
“Yes, be well Ford I'll see you tomorrow,” She nodded at him then waved as he slipped out the back of the store.
Ten minutes later she had the place locked up and was heading home herself.
~~~~