Contextual note: I will be writing the dates in the European or "Everyone-but-America does it" style. That means the day first, then the month, then the year. So, for example:
4/11/80
That would mean 4th of November 2280 (this is fallout, hence the year)
Unless I get too many people saying they are used to the American style (another way of saying if I happen to get America followers) I will keep them like this.
My O.C is NOT the courier, but he may meet them.
4/11/80
I have never written a Diary before.
My name is George Blair.
I am writing this in my shack in Goodsprings, in the Northwest of the town where I have lived for the last year. Town isn't the word for it. More like loosely collected houses, except for the fancily named saloon.
In truth I think lowly of it but were it not for here id be wandering and Christ knows im not well enough for that. I just get tired of speaking to people here. Nothing happens. And the couriers are always chronically late or even arrive on the wrong days. And that's just the ones that don't end up dead. I do try to keep an eye out for travellers, though. I-15 is quite lively right now. Plus Trudy knows I like to keep notes and record things. It would not surprise her to know I was keeping this diary. Nice of her to send the more interesting travellers to me. There are also a few couriers I know who visit on occasion.
I grow my own crops, but not enough to live on. Various fruits that I make trail-mixes out of. I generally take a mentat if I need to not eat for a while. It helps. Probably not my health though.
I was on the road til last year in December. At first it was because of the battle for Hoover Dam. I was working in Boulder and got flushed out when they bombed the damn place. Goddamn NCR. One would think they would rebuild it, but then I doubt they'd have the resources or time to do so, then or now.
After that, I drifted for a while. Might mention places I visited later on. This notebook was given to me by Ulysses. He insists on the name Ulysses but I tell him its dogroll. Says it is his way of "Understanding history" and he seemed to think that by writing a diary, I would be recording some. Out of respect for his choice of name, I will not record his old one.
Maybe he's right. If nothing else it will give me things to do between 10 and 11 pm. Provided the Gecko's leave me be.
Shot one yesterday. I'm not sure I hit it. They tend to stay out of the town itself, like there is some invisible line that prevents them from doing so. If they all attacked us one night this place would fall. But its quite clear they don't communicate much with each other. They stay in groups but don't seem keen on breaking away from family units. While I could take a hit or two, in my current state of health I would easily die if one really needed me dead. Thankfully, im having better days. But the heat here is not helping.
Perhaps i should explain my health.
Whoever the bastard was that shot me in the throat, he must be laughing now. Got all the money for my corpse without the corpse. My voice was unaffected at the time (This was about one and a half years ago) but my trachea was apparently rattled and parts of it broke off. How they kept me alive I do not know. I was told that over time my breathing may go through bad bouts. They recommended that when the air does get thin or toxic that I take a stimpak to keep me going. They were not wrong. But my voice has a slight rasp these days and I can only guess it will get worse. I will write about that some other time.
I have been talking about myself here because I suppose outside of the minds and memories of others, I don't really exist outside myself. I think ill stick to just recording things for now.
Today, Mitch said the next delivery of stims would be delayed by a week due to the Jackals. NCR, probably. They could watch those roads for a thousand years and let raiders through every hour because they were inspecting their shoes for Legion raiders.
Jackals? The reprobates the NCR supposedly wiped out back west? They are opportunists. Always were. I recall hearing from caravaner's in California say that they would sometimes look right at them, but if they were carrying decent artillery (assault rifles or submachine guns) they would let them past.
If the Jackals have somehow become more organised on the southerly route of I-15 then they must have got lucky or are being supplied elsewhere. Mitch as usual just brushed it off and said to be patient.
Trudy and I disagreed over the price of Whiskey again. These cap rates are extortionate.
Checked the Banana Yucca outside and it looked ok. Saw a Gecko near it some days back but it wasn't that keen.
Need to get new lenses for my binoculars.
Revolver cylinder keeps getting stiff, especially in the morning. Test fired it last week and noted it took more than 6 seconds to empty down range. Not good enough. Will ask Chet about weapon repair kits. Much rather have the tools the NCR sell in their territory. They can repair multiple weapons before they need to be oiled or treated. The ones we get here barely get through one weapon, even simple 9mm pistols.
Must somehow get hold of an auto pistol. The lack of ammo here means any guns for them are useless and it must have been months since ive see a trader or traveller wielding one. Apparently they used to be available from New Canaan but then they suddenly stopped some time ago. Probably Legion or Raiders. According to Trudy, one of the NCR rangers on leave who stopped in last month mentioned that a bunch of guns from New Canaan were sold straight to the rangers, mostly to the guards on NCR territory. Typical. The frontline troops never get the best tech or weapons, even armour. Much more important to look impressive at home to the NCR.
I still have my seven shots plus the one in the chamber for my colt. Keeping it in my safe for now. The revolver is adequate for pests.
Resources:
500 caps. Keeping most of it for buying needed luxuries, however.
Sixty 357. Rounds
The revolver
More stims and Mentats than I should really have
Wheelbarrow filled with scavenged (mostly scavenged) books
Contents of the shack which I wont bother to list here.
Food I am growing
Flare gun
Double Barrell that doesn't fire
Lets hope this diary idea gets somewhere. Will enter when I next feel up to it. Hope I see Ulysses again.
This is an idea I have been playing with for a while. We all know what happens in New Vegas. The politics, the factions etc, so I thought what about having it experienced and opinionated by an outsider, a loner? I will develop George Blair, whose name is quite deliberate. If anything, it is at least an exercise for me in writing in a different style and perspective.
I will make the entries in such a way as to get across that this diary is hand-written by George. If it is annoying or anything, I will change that.
Let me know what you think of this Idea. Thank you.