Chapter 8 - Preparing

             I think I was in a daze, because the walk home and really the whole rest of the evening were a blur. I didn’t even bother checking my bank account before bed, it was too surreal. Sunday morning, I got up and started my coffee, then opened the app on my phone. I wasn’t sure how much to expect, but I figured a few hundred would upgrade my equipment enough to get started. I realized I had better get used to these things and figure out how to ask questions and make requests, rather than just zoning out from overwhelm.

              “Well, shit!” I almost dropped my phone as the account loaded. “Twenty-five hundred??” I stared down at the green text of the deposit, sure enough, listed as having posted the Friday before, and blinked at the ‘$2,500.00’ received from “FT Inc.” That should definitely get me some decent equipment, and then some. I wondered if I should have given her an estimate, to avoid such a huge over-payment. I remembered the Crone had said that I would be getting documents in the mail for my records, I supposed it would be some kind of itemized statement of services, or even a paid invoice from my own software wasn’t out of the question. I realized I needed to broaden my expectations of what was possible, now that magic was involved.

              I set my phone aside and stared out the sliding glass door of my balcony as I sipped my coffee. Magic really was the thing, even though I hadn’t really thought of it in those terms yet. I was now involved in magical affairs. I upturned my mug, drained, and refilled it. I realized I was acting out shock at the magic to a degree that I didn’t really feel, because it felt like I should be more shocked. I stared down at my coffee, dark and swirling in the mug, then took another sip and shrugged. No point making myself act, I was in it already.

              I picked up my phone again, and shook my head again at the size of the deposit. I decided to keep track of these things myself as well, so that I could compare my accounting to the Crone’s. I grabbed a mini legal pad from the junk drawer in kitchen and jotted down the date and deposit amount, along with the “FT Inc.” name. I stared at it in my own handwriting for a moment before groaning aloud. “Fairy Tales Incorporated, of course.” I rolled my eyes.

              I tucked the pad of paper back in the drawer and drained the rest of my coffee. I had equipment to buy. I definitely needed a much better microphone. Actually, probably several microphones and mic stands, a digital audio interface, and a couple of very large portable hard drives, at minimum. I figured it might be better not to rely on cloud storage for this project, but I wanted to be able to have a backup. I could leave one hard drive in the office and keep the other on me. Even if I got top-tier equipment, it wasn’t likely to use up the whole of the stipend I had been given, so I figured I might as well upgrade my transcription software as well, and probably also get some audio editing software. Who knows what vocal characteristics some of the interviewees might have – probably better to have the ability to mix the levels to improve clarity for the sake of transcription.

              Since I would need them by the next evening, I decided against online ordering, and instead started searching local shops where I could pick things up in person. It would restrict my options a little bit, but not too much. I heated up a quick breakfast (leftover bratwurst and salt potatoes, sue me),  then cracked open my laptop and started searching available options and making a list. It didn’t take long to put together a plan, then I set out.

              I made it back home around 11:30, and hauled my new purchases up the stairs into my apartment. I had momentarily considered leaving them in the trunk, but it was likely to get well below freezing that night, and some of the equipment was sensitive. Plus, while I wasn’t really concerned about theft, they did sport a hefty price tag, so it wasn’t worth the risk. I supposed I could have dropped them off at the office, but I didn’t really feel like it.

              I heaped the bags on the futon and went to the kitchen to make a quick sandwich, and cracked open a can of soda. I stood at the counter to eat, as I often did, and scrolled halfheartedly on my phone. I saw a few cute animal videos, some funny clips, some news reels. Nothing really caught my attention, but it helped clear my head a little.

              I put the plate in the sink and dropped the can in the recycling bin, then headed back to the living room. I started unpackaging the new equipment, loading it into a file crate. I tucked the instruction booklets along the side, and snapped a picture of each proof of purchase and product ID before flattening the boxes for recycling. Out of the packages, it looked like such a small pile of things to have cost so much money. And the software was digital download, so that didn’t even take up any space at all.’

              I moved back to my laptop, and started searching for Cinderella stories from around the world. I found a few different translations of the Grimm Brother’s story, found the Cendrillon that the Fairy Godmother had mentioned (the French story that had been adapted for the Disney movie), and Yeh Shen, a similar story from China.

              I noted the differences and similarities, and decided to start making a list. I opened a spreadsheet and started charting the stories, noting the common factors and the variances. I had no idea if I was going to be expected to ask questions, or if the Crone would be conducting the whole interview, but I figured the more I understood the better.