The Station's Late Nite Princess -chapter 15

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Angela

"Trying to make it happen. I don't like that." Marty hissed as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I saw my wife. In a drawer. Is that what you want? For me to see Dawn. In a drawer?"

I do hope Angela finally gets the message with that line.

____________________________________________________________________________
The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

Nothing like a grandparnet

wolfjess7's picture

Nothing like a grandparents acceptance. The love of ones grandparents is more than the love and acceptance of ones parents. all i can say ride the wave Dawn. Keep your hopes up but beware the sludge of rednicks.

May the peace and happiness of the Goddess keep and protect you
as always your humble outlaw
Jessie Wolf

Another winner

Great chapter, thanks for sharing. LawMan on a stick ... a fitting period to that tale. :-)

Better

This story just keeps getting better and better. I am really enjoying these characters....they are wonderful. Thanks Snowfall for this series. Friday just doesn't come soon enough.

The readers of this story need to join the drive to get all week

The readers of this story need to join the drive to get all weekdays named Friday. The petitions are being printed now, and will be ready to sign soon. That way with five Fridays every week we will be able to follow Dawn more closely.
Great story
Hugs
Francesca

- Formerly Turnabout Girl

You got my vote!

I cannot wait to sign the "Every weekday is Friday"! since we get an episode on "Friday".
Great idea, Francesca.

One minor detail

Beoca's picture

There's one issue with getting daily updates: the story's not done yet. I've PMed Snowfall on the matter of the posting speed - we're not getting chapters any quicker as long as she's still writing them (and probably not after that). It's not week-to-week, but my guess would be that chapter 20 hasn't been finished yet. And I suspect this story will not be much shorter than Frills, so it's nowhere near done.

"so it's nowhere near done."

Patrick Malloy's picture

Thank goodness (as granma used to say)!

Patrick Malloy

At least I think not...

Beoca's picture

Don't quote that last sentence as being from Snowfall - that's my personal speculation from comparing this story to Frills and PomPom Fortress. Dawn isn't even publicly out yet, although there are people who know her only as Dawn and (presumably) don't know about Don. Dawn will be outed and things will get fairly interesting - hopefully Angela does no more damage than she already has. The rest of the people who know all seem supportive, including Ren.

Different stories, but similar enough to give me clues.

NOT FAIR!!!

I live on the other side of the date line. I don't get my fix until Saturday afternoon.

Reading from Samoa or

Beoca's picture

Reading from Samoa or Kiribati? I envy you - you wake up Saturday morning with a feeling of anticipation, while North American readers wake up knowing that we have to wait six and a half days to find out what comes next.

Also, be thankful you don't "get your fix" in the middle of the night like you would if you lived in Europe - Snowfall's releases are generally within an hour of 3 AM Central European Time (that's 9PM USEST, 1PM AEDT, for reference).

Didn't realize

I was aware that there were always bible-pounders out there that gave stations grief. I always thought of them like the streetcorner preachers, harmless and safe to ignore. I should have realized that Westboro wasn't an aberration. The success of the televangelists in separating the sheep from their money was bound to inspire others.

Oaky, what about the ass from the TV station? My impulse would be to turn it over to Blake. Surely he can deal with the situation. Dawn should stay as far away from it as possible.


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Ah but for our Dawn

Sammi's picture

it is a moral dilemma, Lucas Nelson may have been doing something less than legal, but it isn't her business and she has just slammed Angela over that.


"REMEMBER, No matter where you go, There you are."

Sammi xxx

Not the same!

Patrick Malloy's picture

Dawn is not involved in illegal activities, Lucas is. And I don't give a damn what anybody says, NO woman, no matter how she earns a living, should ever be abused - mentally, emotionally or physically.

Patrick Malloy

Less than legal

Less than legal? How about straight out illegal? Let's see: possession of Class A drugs - cocaine usually a felony charge, solicitation of prostitution likely a misdemeanor, assault and battery also likely a misdemeanor. The drug charge is obviously the most severe charge, but any one of the three would get him fired. The key here is that the police didn't see the incident so Dawn would have to accuse him directly with the video to back her up. Short of that, the vid could be used to direct the police in the right direction. Then the police would have to make a case against him. A prostitution sting would likely catch him with drugs in his possession.

And a crime committed in public makes it everybody's business. Angela, OTOH, is not committing a crime. Apples and oranges. There really is no moral dilemma. The concern here is Dawn's safety. If she is outed she is at risk.

Edited 12/01 to correct a wrong name.


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

I am sorry

Sammi's picture

if I gave the impression that I felt Lucas Nelson's actions were not serious, they are!!!

I was simply trying to get into Dawn's mind as to reasons that she wouldn't relish getting involved, we as people often justify our actions on how it would have an effect on ourselves.


"REMEMBER, No matter where you go, There you are."

Sammi xxx

I Can't Believe...

waif's picture

...that Dawn witnessed an assault and didn't report it to the police. Something tells me the Channel 9 creep guy either killed her or hurt her pretty bad.

Be kind to those who are unkind, tolerant toward those who treat you with intolerance, loving to those who withhold their love, and always smile through the pains of life.

Reporting crime

The police have to have a signed complaint since they didn't see it. The video is evidence, but the DA can't prosecute based on an anonymous video. The circumstances under which the video was taken have to be attested to. Even though Dawn is a minor the defendant has a right to confront his accuser. The footage could have been faked, only Dawn can explain firsthand how she got the video.

Prostitutes and pimps seldom if ever make assault complaints. They have to admit that they were breaking the law when the assault happened. Now, if the girl was hurt badly enough somebody might have a talk with him. A little marking up the face would cause all sorts of problems for an on air personality. Since he can't tell them what happened he would be in a bit of a bind.


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

WRONG

TheCropredyKid's picture

The DA most certainly can prosecute based on an anonymous video. Most probably WON'T, but whether he does so is strictly a judgment call.

Also, submitting anonymous evidence to police/prosecutors - and i mean evidence that they could not use if THEY had discovered it - is worth while, because so long as THEY didn't illegally obtain the evidence, they can use it, or at least base an investigation off it.

I.e.: if an officer of the Gotham City PD breaks into the Penguin's lair, cracks his safe, and takes incriminating papers, the cops can't use that evidence, and any evidence they later discover based on that evidence can't be used, either ("Fruit of the Poison Tree")

But, guess what? If Batman does exactly the same thing and hands the evidence over to the cops anonymously ... they CAN use it, and/or anything they discover based on it.

 
 
 
x

Sorry

I must politely disagree with you. I used to be in law enforcement, and anonymous information can be used to develop information that can be used in court, but itself can't be used. Such a video as this can be faked, and that is what a decent defense attorney would argue while getting the case thrown out. The source for the video would have to be introduced in court to testify how the video was obtained.

Life was so much simpler before the advent of computers and programs like Photoshop. Photographic evidence wasn't easily faked. In the case of stills the negative could be introduced as evidence, along with expert testimony that the negative had not been tampered with. Just a day or so ago I happened to see a WIP done on a home computer that showed a UFO flying around London, passing behind and in front of notable landmarks. It even flew under the Tower Bridge. Perspective and scale was spot on, it looks real. And this was an amateur at work. Fabricating a video to embarrass or frame the news man would be child's play.


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

In reporting a crime...

wolfjess7's picture

to the police through 911 or for our European readers 999 there is no provision for anonymity. The first thing that happens at the 911 call center is they log the incoming phone number. Unlike movies where someone calls in and gives an anonymous tip that cannot happen through those call centers. Even the so called anonymous tip lines like Crime Stoppers, End Rape, and others along those lines have to record the phone number AND time of the call. The main reason for this is the rights of the accused to face their accuser in a court of law. The anonymous tip is in truth a DA’s biggest nightmare as they involve breaking a fundamental trust with the public AND showing a Judge more than enough cause for warrants.

May the peace and happiness of the Goddess keep and protect you
as always your humble outlaw
Jessie Wolf

And the reality sets in ...

I don't know where this will go. Use some fantasy if you wish. This could get really dangerous for Dawn really fast. The sad thing is that the radical Christian right is hard to shut up. Everything is about them and their imaginary masochism.

Nice episode.

Gwen

Great Chapter

Bobbie Sue's picture

You're doing great, Snow.

Can't wait until next week.

And the new threads help.

everyday a friday?

sugar_britches63's picture

The days snowfall publishes is a great distraction from the four Mondays proceeding it. Thank you Snowfall for the wonderful story. I am surprised that no one twigged when Blake said that Lux had been there since day one doing charlies job. They had to have known that Don was doing it. I am also happy that Grandpa Dale came around right after meeting Dawn and basically seeing his adopted daughter/daughter in law. Again thank you Snowfall and I will be there to read when you publish.

opinor ergo sum

Charlotte Van Goethem

Not necessarily

The only ones the saw Don were Blake, Lyle, Brett, and LawMan not the entire station. One of the perks of working the odd night shift, very few coworkers.

Angela

Beoca's picture

What will it take to get Angela to save herself? Hopefully what Marty said will do it, but I am no longer optimistic. Regarding Lucas Nelson, I suspect that there is more than meets the eye. Hopefully nobody will go after Dawn to keep it a secret.

Good to see that the station is supportive all around. I don't know how we readers are supposed to keep all these new names straight, though.

My weekend highlight

As I read this story on a Saturday (yes it's Saturday afternoon my time), this story is the highlight of my entire week. Loving this story.

Joanna

Two short comments......

D. Eden's picture

First, Angela is an ass of the first degree. Apparently she has no concept of what real friendship is, and no filter either.

Second, Dawn should have reported what she saw to the police immediately. Witnessing a crime and not doing something to prevent a repetition is criminal in itself. I know most people are afraid to get involved, it if we don't draw the line somewhere the animals will take over. As the saying goes, good people have to get up awfully early in the morning, 'cause evil never sleeps!

And lastly, I truly cannot wait to see more of this! You have outdone yourself Hon!

Dallas

D. Eden

Dum Vivimus, Vivamus

Grandpa took the surprise pretty well

gillian1968's picture

First meetings like that have to be a bit tense.

But it's great that Dawn has the whole family behind her!

Angela needs to sort out whatever is driving her to strike out at her friends. I hope she gets the message.

This story has gotten me interested in listening to local radio again. I tuned in a local college station and happened to catch the professors from the broadcast journalism department sharing their experiences with the station over the years. It was a treat and brought back some college memories of mine.

Gillian Cairns

This story gets better and

This story gets better and better, Can't wait to see how the video of the Channel 9 jerk fits in!

Karen

~giggling evilly~

Dawnfyre's picture

over the suggestion I just sent Snowfall in private.

Great chapter.

I can see Angela will be spending a lot of time at the Seniors Home in the very near future.


Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.

Wow

Angela really is a mess and outing Don/dawn like that to the Teacher, That's so underhanded I guess She was still p****d that Dawn called her on her bull and told about the shirt.
At Least Miss Colby is in Dawn's corner even though she doesn't know the whole story.
And There's Ren He sounds like a really good friend , And With both Her Grandparents being accepting She has a really great cadre of support surrounding her.
I have a feeling that the video that Dawn took of the incident may just be a help in the future, Yes I think she should have reported it but there again she would have had to sign a statement and could have faced exposure sooner,
as to the rest of the chapter sounds like Blake has a good crew at the station.

Reallly looking forwards to seeing where this goes Hmmmm can I time travel forwards to next Friday and get the next chapter quickly.

Matt

Pushing Angela

My concern is that, being forced to 'girly up', Angela might take the step to 'prove herself' to her mother.....as in joining a nice church. What would happen if the church were the same as the one targeting the station?

Dance the dream you're in

What a wicked idea!

Let's hope not.

I'd lover for her to meet the weekend receptionist who got the job she tried for and be inspired by her.

Or by the mentor lady Dawn met at the auction.

Boy, Angela has some truly

Boy, Angela has some truly pressing issues about she treats others around her. Hopefully her mom, with the help of the teacher, and now with Dawn making the two suggestions while come to the decision that she needs help and fast. Pretty good solutions Dawn came up with for Angela's transgression(s).
Though I do not want to see anyone being killed or even badly injured; I am rather glad that "lawman" is finally and for good out of the picture.
It looks like Dawn's secret is becoming closer and closer to being fully revealed to everyone. It seems like the more she tries to keep it up wraps, then more someone else reveals information about her.

All That Is Required

joannebarbarella's picture

For evil to flourish is for good "people" to do nothing. Dawn has to do something.

Yes, that really bothered me.

i'm sure it will come up again. Maybe Dawn will learn that no man is an island!

About the A/V Class scene (NOT about the Charlie/Angela thing)

TheCropredyKid's picture

Producing PSAs can be really interesting, and using celebrities can, indeed, give them some punch - but some of the best and hardest-hitting PSAs i have ever seen didn't go that way.

(I will say here that my mother spent most of her working life in advertising as a writer/producer, and had her own small agency up to her retirement - both before her own agency and during that period, she won several national awards or citations - one for a campaign that i helped design. So i have some experience around the subject...)

{Warning - though these are actual PSAs that have run on TV, in theatres and on DVDs, they are both pretty intense ... they WILL get your attention}

One of THE most brilliant and hard-hitting PSAs EVER was this one: https://youtu.be/YOi5FclEh_Q

And then there's THIS beauty: https://youtu.be/1XzQP4wqsvE

But probably the BEST PSA i ever saw was one my mother and i happened to catch back in the 60s on TV.- i wish it was on YouTube. It showed a guy at a hot-dog cart making a hot dog - and when it was finished, he stuck a little sign on it that said "by John Doe". Then a series of other everyday incidents, with, in each case, someone signing their work (a window-washer, i think, and i wish i could recall more). The VA kicked in, saying something along the lines of "If everyone signed their work, we'd all take more pride in ourselves."

And then it cut to three people sitting in director's chairs, with their backs to the camera. One said "Jack Blank, Producer" (obviously, fifty years later i don't recall the names, but they were obviously the people's real names. The next said "Mary Something, Writer" and the third said "Jim Wossname, Director" ... and then they all looked around and smiled hopefully like "Did you like our ad?"

I only saw that spot once, more than fifty years ago, but i remember it quite clearly...

 
 
 
x

Slightly Astray

I'm sure most remember the PSA that did the "This is your brain" with the egg. I saw a brilliant sendup of that, might havw been on SNL but I'm thinking maybe one of the late night shows. It started like the PSA: "This is your brain" and showed the egg. Then it switched to a fried egg on a plate with all the goodies like IHOP, "This is your brain with a side of bacon, hash browns and pancakes." I laughed and laughed!


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Question, Snowfall

If the everybody else was in the meeting why was Brett excluded?


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Good question...

I wondered about Brett's absence as well. Was he excluded for a reason related to his 'status' at the station or something else?

PB

simple answer

Alecia Snowfall's picture

simple answer: somebody had to be on the air.

quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall

LOL!

And the simple answer strangled all sorts of conspiracy theories in the crib :)

Simple, yes .. but

I thought it might be that simple, but ... why couldn't he just program a block of music for say 40min.? Another question would be, if Brett was on the air, wouldn't his engineer also have to be with him - particularly since one to the things Blake addressed was having all calls screened by the engineer to avoid any more of those calls to 're-program the air play'? No conspiracy theories, just wondering.

Only good thing about Friday update's is that, for now, we know another is coming ...

PB

Turn in the Video !

Loving this series ! One of the highlights of week when a new chapter is released!

Now as to the video of the TV News anchor, there is no reason that Dawn needs to report it, while DON can! Remember DON sill is a high school student, and DON can stand up against bully’s too!

Sapphire

fantastic chapter Snowfall

sugar_britches63's picture

This is a fantastic chapter in my opinion. lots of things going on, and as usual Dawn is the center of it all. I loved the way she let Cindy know what happened to her brother without beating her up for it. the fact she still wants to help Charlie is wonderful. The fact that she found time to reach out to another soul in conflict. The conflict with Angela and the images she painted for dear sweet Angela I hope will get through to her and help her come to terms with what ever is eating at her. I loved how she trapped Cindy into being a Vortex babe. As I said at the beginning just a fantastic chapter with lots of room to grow the story.

Charolotte Van Goethem

opinor ergo sum

Charlotte Van Goethem

Angela's Fear?

I think we have found the reason Angela is the way she is:

With that she broke and went to the floor sobbing. Her mind filled with the image of a little boy beating on a casket screaming for his mother to get out of it, while adults hurried to leave the room to give privacy for a father and child. It was something she never wanted to see again, but would never forget. It was for that reason she refused to go to any funerals.

Seeing her friend so upset at such a young age, they are the same age after all, who knows what effect that had on a young girl. Is she deep down over protective towards her friend Don. Is that why she wants to know everything he does? To somehow protect him?

She needs counselling just as much as Dawn and Marty. It will be interesting to see how Snowfall deals with this as such a revelation can not just be cast a side.

Really?

If she is being protective of Don she has a funny way of showing it.


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Got her attention

Jamie Lee's picture

Both Dawn and Marty had to be very nervous going to see Marty's parents. What may have actually broken the ice was how Dawn looked so like Jen. But it was great that both parents accepted their granddaughter without any angry drama.

Dawn's idea of having Renee take all of Angela's comfort clothes away and make her dress up, sure got her attention. As did her doing volunteer work at a retirement center.

Dawn showing her the tragedies effecting other TG people really hit her hard. Especially when she remembered the funeral for Dawn's mom. And she saw the look on Marty's face.

Renee needs to find Angela a good counselor so they can get to the bottom of why she acts as she does. If the reason isn't discovered and worked through, Angela will find her life empty of any further friends; she's on the verge of losing two close friends right now.

Dawn being a witness to the actions of a TV station employee sort of puts her between a rock and a hard place. The guy is well known, his actions are on video, and he might lose his job if the video became public knowledge. What will Dawn do? What should she do? Will a situation arise which will take the decision out of her hands?

Blake having the impromptu meeting was a good idea. Every got to meet each other, but more than that he gave they all a heads up to be careful in case the guy wanting a change of music acted on his desire either against the station or its employees.

A station cannot cave in to the desires of a few people. They have to set their format and stick to it. As was said, numbers will tell them if the music they're playing is what's wanted. And if the listeners want other type music they can tune to another station.

LawMan's drug and alcohol abuse was bound to catch up with him eventually. The person with him at the time should have learned a very good lesson from the experience. If they live. But will they?

Others have feelings too.