Zephyr DeCastle and Reginald Ertz are engineers in this bit of serialized
fiction. There aren't any superheroes or fantasy elements, but have
no fear - life is never boring. Follow their adventures as Reg struggles
with mysticism and multiplicity, Zephyr struggles with, well, everything,
and the people in their lives inadvertently keep things interesting.
The setting is MARZ, Inc., a company that designs and manufactures custom
living-assistance equipment for the disabled. The cast includes the following:
Zephyr Decastle has worked hard to overcome some daunting obstacles in his life, including a hellish childhood. Now he's living the American Dream: financial success, a thriving relationship, a house of his own and a small business. But with success, the things he's neglected become all the more obvious. Zephyr would be generous and kind by nature if only he could deal with people. He'd be adventurous and fun-loving if only he didn't depend on routine. Now he struggles to come to terms with those longtime fears and failings and learn to accept the friendship of the people around him.
Reginald Ertz loves to work. Engineering is a series of puzzles to solve and he tackles each project with skill and confidence. It's the only thing he's truly sure of. A multiple and a mystic; regarded variously as a madman, a specialized genius, or an autistic savant, Reg fails to relate to the external world - but not as badly as the world fails to relate to him. Thus, he spends his life in an intricately constructed psychic realm of his own making, and relies on Zephyr to handle the everyday tasks that are beyond him.
Marshall Dykstra lived his life by the books. He got an engineering degree, married a beautiful woman, worked hard to provide for his family, went to church, and by his thirties was a senior partner in his firm. When the company was sold out from under him and his wife subsequently left him, everything Marsh took for granted evaporated; his faith shattered. Starting a new company with three former employees seemed like a way to keep his head above water. But his partners are irreverent, quirky, and require him to do things he never thought he had the strength to do. Clinging to his faith in God is no longer a simple task as Marsh is forced to question his moral foundation, his decision-making process, and the attitudes of the world around him.
Oscar Alvarez wears his sense of humor like a suit of armor. It's a man's world and men are tough, in his philosophy. Never mind that he works with sick children and victims of horrific accidents for a living - the world does not forgive weakness and softness in a true man. Besides, his incessant joking makes him popular and fun to be around. His solid, stocky build matches his persona - it's plain to him that the role of the dependable clown is his only option. And nobody else around can fill those particular shoes. So he wears it with pride.
Together these four engineers form the core of MARZ, Inc. (Marshall Alvarez Reginald Zephyr). They're still struggling to make ends meet, but business improves with time and all four pour their hearts and souls into making it work. The following are their employees:
Connor Flynn, as Zephyr's personal assistant, has to read minds and anticipate problems in addition to his usual duties as chauffeur, note-taker, heavy lifter, etc. At 21 he's smarter and more mature than most of his peers, even if everyone keeps stereotyping him as a big dumb football-player type. Popular opinion is too strong to beat, so instead, Connor is going to stop trying to prove himself and just live his life the way he wants it.
Shauna Richards is primarily a computer technician, but she's been learning some mechanical engineering skills since being hired. That's okay, though. Shauna likes to learn new things. She's already learned a great deal about art and music and health and holistic medicine and philosophy and numerous other things. And this diverse background, she feels, makes her indispensable - nobody else at MARZ seems to know much beyond engineering.
Mariluz Reyes is the colorful receptionist with seemingly boundless energy. She knows she has no choice - MARZ needs her. English is her second language and engineering is pure gibberish, but somebody has to talk to the general public, and it's her. Plus she keeps wanting to go all maternal on her poor employers.
And a few more supporting characters:
Tracy Finneran, a young X-ray technician who's trying her best to avoid being the spoiled rich kid type, is working her way into MARZ. First she was Marsh's friend; then he introduced her to Zephyr. She is intrigued by Zephyr's shy intensity and Reg's inaccessibility.
Portia Mueller, Zephyr's half-sister, was also his ally and co-conspirator growing up. In adolescence she was part of the local punk scene, but now she and husband Dan have their own gang: Brit, Tammy, Dan Jr., and Bryce Asel. She's a devoted Mom, but threads of her tough-girl persona still show through.
Marlone (Decastle) and Jack Gregory are Zephyr's and Portia's recently married mother and stepfather. After decades of substance abuse problems, Marlone finally cleaned up her act and made something out of herself that she can be proud of. Coming to terms with her painful past is a long struggle, but she's doing her sincere best.
The Other Voice isn't really a character on its own; it's the other half of Reginald. Constructed around a memory from childhood, it is permanently seven years old and uses red sneakers as an identifying trait. The lord of order and language and the guardian of the map and memory files in Reg's mind, it plays many essential roles in Reg's functionality but cannot interact with the external world.
Leave a comment on the MARZ message board.
1. Flashback to Reg's adolescence
A peek into Reginald Ertz's home life as a teenager to get us started.
It's really only first because it was the first thing I wrote
in true episode form.
2. 3 joins the household
Reginald makes a new friend, someone he can understand much better
than he understands most people.
3. Monologue- the Datsun
Zephyr reminisces fondly about their first car and the circumstances
surrounding it.
4. Marsh and Zephyr
They're friends and business partners, but they have a tendency to get into some
spectacular misunderstandings.
5. Monologue - Zephyr reminisces about
his childhood, part I
6. Monologue - Zephyr reminisces about
his childhood, part II
Zephyr skims over his background history. It's not very thorough,
but gives some idea of where he's coming from.
7. The will power of Marlone
Zephyr gets a phone call from his mother and tries not to let it ruin
his day.
8. The intern
Cheerful, young Connor is determined to do everything right... even
if some of those things involve interacting with Reg.
9. Marlone's wedding, part I
Marlone DeCastle is getting married to Jack Gregory, and she's going
to make everything perfect, no matter what Zephyr or anyone else thinks.
10. Marlone's wedding, part II
Zephyr is giving away the bride. Be very afraid.
11. Marlone's wedding, part III
At the reception, Zephyr and Jack say some things that need saying.
12. Marlone's wedding, part IV
Thank goodness for Portia.
13. Reg tries playing chess
It's difficult to get a game going here at MARZ, Inc... but not for
the reasons one might think.
14. Reg's wisdom
A master of the physics metaphor, if you catch him at the right moment.
15. Marlone comes to visit, part I
On their way home from the honeymoon, Marlone and Jack invite themselves
over.
16. Marlone comes to visit, part II
Marlone and Reg do some... bonding? Or maybe it's just rewiring.
17. Marlone comes to visit, part III
Zephyr has a heart-to-heart talk with his mother and reveals his drug
problem.
18. Inside the mind of Reginald
Reg experiences the communication gap.
19. The Beach Evangelist
I never went anywhere with this. It's a shame. It's Zephyr's
first introduction to the concept of bulldozing those obnoxious Jesus
freaks.
20. Deely-boppers and Melody Brandes
Zephyr shows Connor one of his special tools of the trade when they meet with a shy young client.
21. The Thanksgiving Episode
Not an episode, ironically, but a summary. I'd like to turn
it into an episode one of these days, but for the sake of continuity,
I'll just include it here. Reg's Other Voice has taken a new
form and is only trying to do its job. So why is everyone else
getting bent out of shape?
24. Post-Thanksgiving
The two Regs agree on one thing - the job is all-important. Anything
else can be sacrificed for the sake of the job. Fortunately,
their friends are there to help prevent too much damage from being
done.
25. Marsh and Zephyr release some stress
Sometimes a light-hearted moment is all you can manage. But
there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
26. Zephyr's conflicts
Hey, it's not easy being Zephyr.
27. Childhood Tales
Zephyr and Connor tell each other stories from their pasts and discover
a couple of common threads. This is the episode in which Connor
first mentions his five brothers.
28. Secret Santa Plans
Zephyr is expected to get Connor a gift in the MARZ, Inc. Secret Santa pool. There's only one problem...
29. Christmas Monologue
Zephyr reminisces about what Christmas was like when he and Portia
were little. Reg shares a memory, as well.
30. Connor's Gift
Hey! Guess what Zephyr did for Secret Santa! As a friend
of mine pointed out, he's being a mensch. Twice. Thrice, even.
31. Christmas at Portia's - Reginald
32. Christmas at Portia's - Marsh
33. Christmas at Portia's - Zephyr
The story takes on whole new dimensions when seen from three different
perspectives.
34. Christmas - Brit's spider
Nothing gets past Portia's oldest child, Brit. Especially not the
tradition of luring certain uncles under the mistletoe.
35. Christmas Eve
Guess where Marsh has to sleep! When things get this intimate,
he can't help learning a little more about Zephyr than he really wanted
to know.
36. Christmas Morning
Zephyr ends up telling Marsh far more than he's comfortable sharing,
again. And the gift-giving ritual offers milestones for several
people.
37. Reg's Flashback
In the middle of festivities, Reginald suddenly remembers how he became
a multiple.
38. Names
Portia talks about her kids. Marsh straightens some misunderstandings
out with Marlone - not necessarily the ones he'd have liked to correct,
but just being able to relate to Marlone is an accomplishment.
39. Home again
After spending the entire holiday together, Marsh and Zephyr have
worn each other's nerves thin. Reg, still recovering from his flashback,
isn't doing so well, either. Will they survive the trip home?
40. Christmas fallout
Zephyr has post-holiday letdown, and he never does anything like this
half-heartedly.
41. The restless Reginald weekend
When you gotta work, you gotta work... you gotta work... you gotta work...
you gotta work...
42. A little bit of Christmas aftermath
How is Zephyr not ready to go back to work? Let him count the ways.
43. Ringing in the New Year
Zephyr's friendship with Marsh takes another turn when he has to change
his New Year plans at the last minute - not that they were originally anything
special.
44. Happy Z-Day
Zephyr's not used to getting presents on his birthday. But it would be nice
if somebody cared.
45. Reg's new toy
The new plotter arrives, and Reginald has a serious case of hardware lust.
46. Connor's transcendence over internity
So what is Connor going to do now that he's an actual MARZ employee? And
how is his girlfriend, Lauralynn, going to deal with it?
47. The men from MARZ
MARZ Inc. experiences a milestone, and Connor gets to participate as a real
employee this time.
48. Reg and Marsh converse
Reginald has always had a difficult time with language, but now he has a
tool that might help.
50. How to make Reg talk
Apparently conversation is a big game... at least when Reg is involved.
51. Reg is honest
Reg discovers that choosing the right words isn't simply a matter of clicking
on what looks nice. And Zephyr breaks some, um, barriers.
52. The television dream
Zephyr's dream.
53. Connor's headache
No Nice Guy should ever have to go through this kind of relationship drama.
But they're the easiest targets.
54. Sharing the field
An important part of every relationship is sharing, right? Zephyr and Reginald
could both use a good sharing session.
55. Paranoia
Just a quickie.
56. Monologue - Zephyr tells a story from college
Connor's girlfriend's problem reminds Zephyr of a similar experience in
his younger days.
57. Zephyr's flashback
Apparently Zephyr gets stray memories, too. This one's multilayered, involving
someone he knew briefly in college and his mother.
58. No speech board
Zephyr is still shaken by the speech board conversation, and his solution
makes a few waves.
59. Reg dreams
And Zephyr wakes up feeling under the weather.
60. Zephyr's sick day
Zephyr tries to take a sick day. But because of his obligations to Reg,
he can't quite take a day off.
61. Reg is concerned
The speech synthesizer is gone, but Reg has an alternative means to voice
his thoughts on Zephyr's predicament. And Portia has an announcement to
make.
62. Girls, girls, girls (and a chair)
This one starts with an example of Reg's highly individual work techniques,
and moves on to the engineers discussing women as a general concept.
63. Connor's decision
Connor tries to solicit advice from his roommate, Keith.
64. Count Basie
Connor tries to help Zephyr deal with his moving-vehicle phobia as they
head out to see a client with a name that Zephyr thinks sounds familiar.
65. Diane Morey
Zephyr finds things getting a little too personal, but he swallows it for
the sake of the job. And Connor does his best to be a 300-pound fly on the
proverbial wall. Which is no small feat, let me tell you.
66. Reg is hungry
Reginald makes a small stride in self-awareness, but not quite enough to
transcend the need for the kilocalories speech (which is included here).
67. Reg shuts down
The speech board repercussions continue to develop, and Reg has to take
certain measures to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
68. Something's bothering Reg
And, not surprisingly, he can't communicate to Zephyr what it is. Zeph will
have to figure it out by himself.
69. Connor's breakup
Connor has to face one of the toughest tasks of his life so far - breaking
up with Lauralynn.
70. Zephyr's voice
Reginald can fix many electronic devices, although using some of them is
beyond his comprehension. But when the need arises, even while he's in an
altered state of mind, he can still sometimes do what he needs to do.
71. Monologue - Luck
Zephyr's philosophy on the part luck plays in his and Reg's life together.
72. Reg is not sick
Something may be up with Reg, but it's Zephyr who goes off the edge. Connor
really shines in this one, even though he's sitting under a desk.
73. Monologue - The morning after
Zephyr makes leaps and bounds in his ability to be candid about his relationship
with Reginald.
74. Reg is artistic
He doesn't actually make anything in this episode, but his imagination gets
to run wild.
75. Reginald remaps
As a side effect of Reg's new brain wiring, most of his maps have been deleted.
Now he has to rewrite them, or he'll have a difficult time finding his way
around.
76. Reginald remembers
Reg's well-forgotten past is starting to leak into his consciousness. As
surprising as that is, a bigger surprise is that Zephyr can't see the images.
77. Zephyr's friends
Zephyr can deal with Reg going all weird on him. But how is he going to
explain all this to Marsh and Oscar?
78. Tracy's apartment
Tracy bends over backwards to be Zephyr's friend. Why can't he reciprocate?
He can't even figure it out himself. It's not for lack of trying.
79. Twenty-one
It's Connor's twenty-first birthday! And business as usual. He does, however,
end up with an unexpected gift.
80. On the boardwalk
It's difficult for Zephyr and Reginald to take a romantic stroll in public,
even when they take precautions. This episode also features one of their
word games.
81. The boy at Holy Name
While touring a Catholic school for a new assignment, Zephyr experiences
echoes of his past - not all of them bad.
82. Connor in church
To keep Reg out of sight until the work begins, Connor hides out with him
in the adjoining Holy Name church. He's comfortable enough in a Catholic
church, but will Reg be?
83. The gilded cave
The fabled "sex in church" episode! In this, my personal favorite
and a favorite of the fans, Reginald... well, read for yourself what Reginald
does. It defies explanation.
84. Tracy is lonely
Maybe trying to jump-start her lagging social life by hanging out with Zephyr
and Reginald wasn't the brightest idea.
85. The Mueller Children
Portia and her three oldest kids talk about the baby on the way.
86. Shauna's party
Shauna invites the guys to her benefit concert, and Zephyr feels threatened
by his co-workers' casual attitudes regarding some very personal topics.
87. Shauna's party, part II
Reginald doesn't particularly like music, especially live music, but he finds
a way to keep himself entertained.
88. Shauna's party, part III
Connor is not interested in another clingy, needy girlfriend. Tracy is not
interested in a childish, immature boyfriend. Can they both get over themselves
long enough to get to know each other?
89. Almost epiphany
Zephyr has a long road of healing ahead of him. Sometimes it's a bumpy road.
But those bumps are necessary.
90. Driving Zephyr over the edge
Marsh's friendship with Zephyr is strained. His marriage - and entire personal
life - is falling apart. On top of it all, Reg is acting weird again and
Marsh can't help him. Now is a really bad time for Zephyr to dump one of
his stupid phobias on him.
91. The things men do for love
Connor isn't smitten. Really, he isn't. But Tracy is so cute and petite
and sexy, and if she ever did show an interest in him, it might help matters
if he weren't quite so, y'know, big.
92. Self-contained conflict
Watching Zephyr come to terms with himself is a lot like watching grass
grow, but it's all part of the human experience. And, hey, we all know what
happens when grass grows! It gets greener. And, you know, healthier and
more alive.
93. Marlone's new job
And her new support group.
94. The new Marsh
Marsh shaves off his mustache.
95. Phobia
In this episode, Zephyr learns something. But it's inconvenient timing,
because he's simultaneously being forced into the compromising position
he knew was coming.
96. DC's birthday present
Zephyr and Reg brave the megamart to buy a gift for their nephew.
97. Monologue - Zephyr defends his relationship
Zephyr and Reginald are two oddballs, and neither seems like most people's
idea of a tolerable partner. How do they stay together? Zephyr offers his
take on the matter.
98. Zephyr returns the favor
Zephyr decides to repay Marsh for helping him deal with his phobia. So,
he wonders, how does one go about showing gratitude?
99. Divorce party plans
Zephyr's idea - the one he thought was so stupid - quickly becomes a reality
once it falls into the hands of the other associates. Now they just have
to keep the surprise from Marsh and try to plan something that won't annoy
him.
100. Marsh's divorce party
The best-laid plans are sometimes doomed from the start. Marsh, as it turns out, is not a party person. Neither is Reg.
101. Zephyr gets morbid
Planning for your own death is never easy, although this episode would be a whole lot more somber if Portia weren't in it.
102. Internal dangers
Reginald experiences a very painful bump in the road to self-improvement.
103. Diane's new wheels
Diane Morey has trouble showing enthusiasm for her new wheelchair. But she's
not too proud to focus on Zephyr.
104. Diane gets curious
Paralysis gives Diane a lot of time to sit and think. And lately she's been
thinking about the new Zephyr Decastle, the man that the young social outcast
she grew up with has become.
105. Strange truths and lies
The lycanthropy episode. This is loosely based on an actual experience of
a friend of mine. It just goes to show, I guess, that truth is stranger
than fiction.
106. The Diane dilemma
Connor can't bear to let Diane's speculating continue behind Zephyr's back,
although he's treading on very thin ice.
107. Marsh's comic book caper
Marsh sneaks into his estranged wife's attic to rescue his comic book collection.
108. Comics for Connor
Comic books at the office!
109. Connor and Diane face off
In her ample free time, Diane has been thinking. About Zephyr. And that's
never good.
110. Kids' Day
Portia's kids pose that perennial question: if there's a Mothers' Day and
a Fathers' Day, why isn't there a Kids' Day?
111. More mail
Zephyr doesn't usually get anything interesting in the mail, but this one
marks a momentous occasion.
112. What Connor wanted most
What does he want most, other than getting off the hook with his boss? And
does this mean he gets it?
113. Monologue - Doctor and dentist
Zephyr rambles on... and on and on... about the particular challenges he
and Reg face.
114. Nobody's a superhero
Zephyr gives Connor the TMI speech. That would be the speech about not sharing
personal information with the clients, and what might happen if he does.
115. First date
Connor takes Tracy out.
116. Neighborhood meeting
Zephyr finds himself in his absolute least favorite place to be: among strangers.
117. Blindness training
Reginald's eyesight is deteriorating slowly. Here's what Zephyr plans to
do about it.
118. What Reg meant to say
Zephyr gets introduced to the idea of Tai Chi. And Reginald attempts to
describe his eight senses.
119. TracyConnor
Reg has an identitification crisis.
120. TracyConnor part II
Reginald offers an explanation of 'people sense' to Zephyr.
121. Zephyr is afraid
Reginald tests some of his new ideas about people on the way to work. And
Zephyr attempts to rationalize his driving phobia.
122. Hexadecimal
Zephyr has trouble explaining why he's reluctant to try Shauna's exercise
tapes. Fortunately, Reg helps - but his contribution only ends up requiring
more explanation.
123. Low-impact Zephyrobics
He does it! Sort of. Somewhat. Well... let's just say that although the
title of this episode is a redundancy, it's also an understatement.
124. Blindness training revisited
Zephyr irons some of the kinks out of the previous blindness training disaster
and convinces Reg to try again.
125. Zephyr the initiate
Fanfic by my friend Scribble. After reading about his experience with aerobics,
she decided to see if he'd have any more success with Tai Chi.
126. SuperMarsh
Marsh engages in some imaginative escapism. Engineers like fantasy, too!
127. Zephyr the bulldozer, part I
Zephyr has a very exceptional talent. And he pays an equally impressive
price this time. But the wound had to open sometime.
128. Zephyr the bulldozer, part II
Zephyr and Connor talk about Zephyr's weird reaction to Oscar's congratulations.
129. The kilocalories speech
Reginald emancipates himself from a dependency he's had for 12 years.
130. Monologue - Abuse
Zephyr tries to remember whether Marlone ever beat him when he was a child. It's very short.
131. Neighborly Sophie
Zephyr has an encounter with the uncompromisingly matronly next door neighbor.
132. Reg is independent
Reg gives himself a blindness training session without Zephyr's help.
133. Healing hurts
Zephyr's feeling sorry for himself. Yeah, yeah, what's new...
134. Elizabeth Jackman's grandson
Connor and Zephyr meet an endearing client and a teenager with a huge chip on his shoulder.
135. Morphine and coffee
Oscar struggles to come to terms with a horrible situation, and Zephyr loses a prized coping mechanism.
136. Reginald the explorer
He doesn't get very far, and he's forced to delete some of the new information, but it's a start.
137. Portia the monster hunter
Portia helps DC and Bryce Asel chase away those pesky childhood monsters. And has fun doing it.
138. Reginald the caregiver
It's the Gumout episode! 'Nuff said.
139. MARZ anniversary
After one year, the boys are still in business. And Marsh, in spite of his best efforts, still gets stuck in charge.
140. Zephyr the suburbanite
Zephyr and Connor try to solve the Yuppie puzzle, Marsh and Zephyr have a serious talk about things they're each not proud of, and Reg is the object of jealousy.
141. Rampant gifting
Steadfast Connor demonstrates one of his best strengths when Zephyr reacts badly to too much kindness at once. And there are double-handled coffee mugs.
142. Pictures
Reg's mind is spurting up long-forgotten
memories in the form of pictures. Processing it all is a lot of work. Unfortunately, everyone around him is trying to celebrate.
143. Caves and sanctuaries
They say that men like to cave. Zephyr's caving traditions are especially elaborate.
144. New maps of a bigger world
Reginald needs assistance with a complex task. So he does something risky: he maps Marsh.
145. MARZians
As Zephyr gets ready to take a vacation, he and Marsh speculate that all this bonding is creating something they've never belonged to before: a clique.
146. Reg's birthday party
Ironically, it's not the presence of guests that disrupts Reg's annual birthday ritual.
147. Never good enough
One of my favorite themes: parallel miscommunication! At least the guys realize it's happening this time. Somewhat.
148. Summer cottage
Zephyr and Reginald head out for a week at the cottage Portia and her family rented.
149. People sense at the resort
Uh oh. Drama sets in. Why can't Zephyr have a quiet, relaxing vacation? And what the hell is up with Reg?
150. Family buckles and ties
Fortunately for Zephyr, Portia is unwilling to put up with all the noise. But can she get rid of all these strong-willed relatives by herself?
151. Click and hum
Zephyr can't take it anymore. He's going home. Oh, yes, he is.
152. Portia's secret place
Portia and Zephyr were close when they were kids. But it's been a long, long time since then.
153. Nothing wrong with Reg
The relatives are gone, the cottage is a lot quieter, and it's finally the Fourth of July. Zephyr, Reginald, and Portia's gang can sit back and enjoy a nice, pleasant evening of fireworks. Right? Right? Please?
154. Mountain drive
Home again, and some purging problems.
155. Melody returns
And Reg sleeps when he's supposed to be working.
156. Reg forgets
More purging, unfortunately. This problem is starting to affect Reg's friends.
157. Marlone's mother
Marlone keeps her past a secret - even from her kids. But Portia gets her to open up a bit. And Zephyr clears the air with Reg.
158. Angels game
Reginald attends a baseball game with his three partners.
160. Zephyr's rights
Zephyr would have all the arrangements made for Reg's care if something unfortunate happened. Except for one thing - they're gay. So none of it counts.
161. Brit's birthday
Brit Mueller turns ten years old.
162. The arrival of Number 5
Portia announces the birth of Quintavia.
163. Small-time heroes
Zephyr and Marsh discuss their mixed feelings about the upcoming article interview. I love these two. They try so hard to get along.
164. Straight eye for the queer guy
Marsh fixes Zephyr up nice for a magazine article interview.
165. Monologue - Legacy
What Zephyr won't leave behind when he dies.
166. Waiting for Brit
While their neighbors throw a block party.
167. Monologue - How Reg thinks
Something a little different: Reg's attempt to explain his thought processes.
168. Brit's first night
Zephyr and Reginald adjust to living with a ten-year-old.
169. Broken fast
Living with a ten-year-old can be very disruptive.
170. Hula and Hermione
Brit Mueller meets Melody Brandes.
171. Googling Reg
Reg's long-forgotten past is coming back to haunt him.
172. The overpass
If Zephyr thinks that Brit is hard to handle, he ain't seen nothing yet.
173. The power of work
When reality's too troublesome to dwell on, engineering makes a good distraction.
174. Sub shop apology
Zephyr has a chance encounter with a childhood acquaintance in a fast-food restaurant.
175. Zephyr the cover model
Remember that magazine interview? It's been published.
176. Linguistic malfunctions
Some people lose their car keys or their TV remotes. Reg loses parts of speech.
177. Brit's silvery tongue
Brit can be charming when it's in her best interest.
178. Portia has been dreaming
And she confides in Zephyr.
179. Visions of Heather
Connor shows Brit his art collection.
180. Company meeting
Some things in life simply make you squirm.
181. Brit's first day of school
Brit finds herself thrust into
a new household with unfamiliar rules and norms.
182. Lucky break
It's about time Marsh got a lucky break! It's a gift of questionable value, and Marsh is sure to question it. But trust me; he needs it.
183. Monologue - Reginald and computers
Zephyr explains that genius doesn't always come naturally.
184. Fat-free salad dressing
A three-in-one episode: first, a brief gratuitous sex scene. Then it's Connor and Tracy at the supermarket. Lastly, Marsh confides in Reg.
185. David
Portia and Zephyr remember the little brother who wasn't.
186. Nobody's happy with Brit
Doing "the right thing" is hard enough for adults; for a child it can be even harder. And more costly.
187. The meeting with Mrs. Iverson
No good deed goes unpunished.
188. Always need another helping hand
The MARZians meet Eric, the new intern.
189. Laser checkers
Brit and Melody play laser checkers.
190. Monster tracks
The beach is quiet during the off-season - perfect for a nice stroll and some privacy.
191. Zephyr's redwood forest
Just when it seemed like everything was back under control... well, at least Zephyr gets some use out of his meditation techniques.
192. Being thought of
In case you were wondering what Reg was experiencing during the previous two episodes, this is it.
194. Long night
When you're ten years old and scared, liability issues are meaningless.
195. Work loads
Running a business just got a lot harder, and no one knows what Reg is capable of.
196. God and atheism
It may be an inopportune time to ask Zephyr the deep questions, but Marsh has mortality on his mind.
197. Mother and mother-in-law
Portia is like Santa Claus - she keeps lists of who is on her bad side and who is on her good side.
198. Scrabble in the face of disappointment
Connor and Tracy try to help Reg out, but it isn't easy.
199. Desperation
Mysticism operates primarily on faith, but often an element of desperation helps it along.
200. Phantom of normality
Zephyr comes home.
201. Donna and the half-forgotten void
This has to do with MARZ Saga, trust me! You'll see how later.
202. The new engineer
Mariluz believes she has found the next new MARZ employee.
203. A night with Tracy
Tracy tries to be helpful, and Marsh gives Zephyr the proverbial clue-by-four.
204. Little things
A specialized genius like Reg may have trouble with certain basic tasks. But when Zephyr can't do them...
205. You belong to me
Connor waxes philosophical.
206. Czich
Whatever personal troubles the MARZians have, there are always clients whose problems are just as bad.
207. The blindness trap
Reg decides he can't wait for Zephyr to recover - he has to continue the blindness training, even if he does it by himself.
208. The hermit instinct
Zephyr is looking mortality in the face. Guess which one blinks first.
209. Zephyr's new sneakers
Marsh becomes snarky while trying to help Zephyr.
210. Connor's search for sanity
Is Connor the only normal one around here?!? Wait, don't answer that.
211. Who's in love with Reg?
Oh... Nina is so confused...
212. Monologue - Anger
Zephyr talks about getting over his childhood resentment.
213. At long last spiral
A sex scene, and something more intimate when Reg tells Zephyr the secret
name his first boyfriend used to call him.
214. Li's crooked leg
If Zephyr finds his own family's problems too daunting, at least helping
his clients is easy enough.
215. Nina gets hazed
Getting hired is just the first step. Nina still has to pass some tests
before she fits in.
216. The talk
Zephyr explains his heart surgery option to Reg. But his timing could be
better.
217. Home on the cliff
Zephyr, Marsh and Reg tour an assisted-living facility.
218. Checking
Reg's behavior has changed since the previous day's ordeal.
219. Victims
Oscar has troubles of his own.
220. Reginald is almost bad
And Marsh attempts to think of contingency plans to keep Reg out of the
institution.
221. Freak Hour
Zephyr and Reginald go grocery shopping late at night.
222. Email to Heather
Zephyr scrounges up the courage to write to Reg's long-lost cousin.
223. The ambidextrous engineer of MARZ
Zephyr isn't really upset about getting showered in attention. He's upset
about his owm mortality. He's just projecting.
224. Samantha Dykstra
Marsh's oldest child calls and updates him on her life.
225. Storytellers
Zephyr and Tracy tell each other stories about themselves.
226. Partial adactyly
Zephyr undergoes a pre-surgery interview.
227. Monologue - Slow kid
Zephyr talks about using stupidity as a coping mechanism.
228. 3 is worried
An episode from the cat's point of view.
229. Slim chance
Reg expects everything to be predictable and organized while Zephyr leaves
for the hospital. Or is that really Zephyr's expectation?
230. Zephyr's hairbrush
Reg can't confide in his friends the way other people can, but he can get
sentimental.
231. Anaesthetic dreams
Zephyr wakes up from surgery.
232. Saint Melody
Zephyr draws inspiration from his young client. And he meets his roommate,
an elderly Christian minister.
233. Five years clean and sober
Marlone is so worried about losing Zephyr that she begins to lose herself.
234. Hide, Zephyr, hide
Phil the Christian and Zephyr the atheist have it out from their respective
hospital beds.
235. Reunion
Reg visits Zephyr in the hospital.
236. The grand tour
Christmas is approaching, but it will be an awkard one this year.
237. Evangelists and home invaders
Reg and Zephyr each deal with breaches of their privacy.
238. A techno moment
Reg is deeply lonely, but Connor finds a way to reach out to him.
239. Blue-eyed boyfriend
Tracy struggles with the fact that she and Connor have an interracial relationship.
240. A phone call from Portia
Portia gets Zephyr talking about some of the thoughts he's been keeping
bottled up inside.
241. Foster home fever dreams
Marsh listens to Zephyr tell a story about his childhood foster home.
Author's note: I'm working on archiving all of my episodes, but it's slow going. This is only the first half. The rest are coming.
Visit our new Left-Handed Engineers From MARZ message board. Leave me a comment. Let me know what you think.