Conversations With Basil

Basil: Drive.

Me: …Drive… James and Kailyn. This is different. Okay. I’m listening.

Basil: And Wicked.

Me: Oh lord. Where could this possibly go.

Basil: Combine them.

Me: Combine the—WHY. And HOW.

Basil: Layers.

Me: What does that even mean?

Basil: It’ll add so much depth.

Me: On a calendar the whole of Drive takes place at the tail end of Wicked. What purpose would it serve to combine them? And how would those two stories even connect?

Basil: James and Sam have that little brother they barely know.

Me: And?

Basil: What if it’s Benji?

Me: Benji is an only child.

Basil: But what if he’s James and Sam’s little brother?

Me: So…Jesus…where do you come up with this stuff. That changes everything about the relationship between Benji and his parents. His dad would now be his stepdad. That whole arc of his story would have to be rewritten.

Basil: You’ve barely written anything on that part anyway.

Me: THAT’S NOT THE POINT.

Basil: It would add some drama to things.

Me: Wicked already has more drama than everything else I’ve ever written combined. It doesn’t need more drama.

Basil: Giving Benji more intrigue will balance out all of Ryan’s bullshit.

Me: I don’t think intrigue is the word you’re looking for.

Basil: It adds layers.

Me: Okay Shrek. But no.

Basil: It would give more material for bonding points between Benji and Hallie.

Me: I don’t see how. But that would make Stephen and Adam look even more like wallpaper. Also you still haven’t explained where the connection point to Drive is.

Basil: Benji has been suspecting James is possibly his brother he’s never met. He points it out to Emery. Emery gets Will Jenkins involved. Connections are made.

Me: Does that mean James and Sam change their name to Hale? Or is Benji now Russo? Or does Benji have his stepdad’s last name? How does he pinpoint James in the first place?

Basil: The Internet. Also, they’re all Hales. There’s too many Russos.

Me: Since when do YOU think there’s too many of ANYTHING?

Basil: Just this one specific instance.

Me: WHEN in Wicked does this happen?

Basil: The first year or so. Benji is free from his parents to look into the mystery of who his brothers are.

Me: Because the first couple of years of that story need MORE to happen. What about that dead zone when nothing else is going on before Ryan gets back on his bullshit?

Basil: MTV needs to still be playing music videos.

Me: Suddenly you’re worried about anachronisms? Besides all of that would also throw Drive off the rails too. The relationship with James and his brothers would be in a completely different place by the time he meets Kailyn because the Benji part would have to take place a whole decade earlier. He’s not going to still be barely on speaking terms with Sam after that much time.

Basil: You weren’t planning on going back to Drive anyway.

Me: (A.) Not the point. (2.) Drive is one of the few James and Kailyn plots that could still go somewhere. (D.) You don’t know me as well as you think you do.

Basil: …*blink*…*blink*…I…am…y…I’m in your…You know what? You’re right. I don’t know you at all.

—

Basil: You know what, you were right.

Me: That sounds dangerous. Right about what?

Basil: Drive Meets Wicked should happen later in the timeline.

Me: It shouldn’t happen at all.

Basil: Right after Hallie takes her job back, Benji plays a radio show and Gavin Kincaide is also playing.

Me: …And?

Basil: James is part of Gavin’s band at that point. Benji spots James and decides to ask the obvious question.

Me: Why do you never age, you fucking vampire?

Basil: Valid inquiry, but no. Are you my brother?

Me: He just walks up to him and asks that question? Like some off-brand Dr. Seuss book?

Basil: More like, are you James Hale? And then, do you have a younger brother? Or a MUCH younger brother?

Me: Because James is older than everybody, yes, on-going joke.

Basil: Incredulity ensues.

Me: Incredulity Ensues: Conversations With an Imaginary Gremlin, a Memoir.

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Yeah Whatever Splender