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Characters of Parasite Eve
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This article details fictional characters of the Parasite Eve series of video games.
- 1 Main characters
- 2 Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures
- 3 The Twisted
- 4 Supporting characters of Parasite Eve
- 5 Supporting characters of Parasite Eve II
- 6 Supporting characters of The 3rd Birthday
- 7 References
Main characters[edit]
Mitochondria Eve is a fictional character who serves as the main villainess in both the Parasite Eve novel, film and game series. She is a homage to Mitochondrial Eve, an African woman or more likely a group of African woman, whose mitochondria genome was descended to all human beings today. All Mitochondria Eves are actually women who have been taken over by the consciousness of the mitochondria in their cells. All the Eve incarnations have many powers, but they all possess a single, common power: the ability to cause mitochondria of other living animals to produce excessive adenosine triphosphate to allow spontaneous combustion.
The first Eve was seen in the Japanese horror novel and film Parasite Eve. Cultured from liver cells of Dr. Toshiaki Nagashima's dead wife, the cells, labelled Eve 1, eventually form a new body and proceed with a plot to birth an organism that can change its genetic codes according to its own will, which she hope would drive eukaryotic life forms to extinction.
Maya Brea/Melissa Pearce/Second Eve[edit]
The second Eve was, in essence, two humans: Maya Brea and Melissa Pearce.[1] Like Kiyomi, Maya Brea was killed in a car accident. Her kidney was transplanted into an eleven-year-old girl named Melissa Pearce and her cornea was transplanted into her sister, Aya Brea. Maya's mitochondria spent eleven years in a dormant state within Melissa Pearce. During the time after Melissa's transplant, she fell constantly ill and was advised to take immuno suppressant drugs; This was done in order to prevent her internal systems from rejecting the new organ (Melissa believed this was why she was sick). However unknown to Melissa, it was Maya's mitochondria that caused her illness and the immuno suppressants Melissa took allowed Maya's mitochondria to gain a greater control over her (This persisted and worsened her sickness).
Melissa Pearce is the main antagonist working as an opera singer and living in New York City. On December 24, 1997, in order to star in an opera performance, Melissa who was feeling ill because of the kidney transplant years ago after being diagnosed with kidney failure, overdosed on the immuno suppressant drugs. This drug overdose collapsed Melissa's immune system allowing Maya's mitochondria to finally take full control of Melissa, revealing her true form, Eve. Melissa gets the lead role for a production though after the lead died in an apartment fire. During her performance at the opera people began to burst into flames, the only person not affected was Aya Brea. Aya gives chase, tracking Melissa down to a large room. Melissa is playing a Piano before she transforms into a more powerful form, Mitochondria Eve.
Over the next six days, Eve tried to birth an Ultimate Being, just like her predecessor. Aya Brea, who was immune to Eve's powers, challenged her at every turn, but in the end, Eve was successful, using specially-engineered sperm that contained no paternal mitochondria. Eve was killed by Aya, but not before she gave birth to the Ultimate Being and thus making it the final boss of the game. Fortunately, Aya Brea was able to kill the Ultimate Being by blowing up a ship similar to Ticonderoga Class cruiser with the Ultimate Being aboard.
Maya Brea is the true main antagonist of the game, And its revealed that Klamp cultivated the liver cells of the original Eve to analyze. So when Melissa was giving birth to the ultimate being, she created a nest at the 77th floor of Chrysler Building. In case Melissa and the ultimate being failed, the purebred would remain. Aya speaks with her sister, and they engage in battle against the purebred. After the purebred is defeated, the mitochondria inside Aya begin to rebel against her. The explanation is that Aya's mitochondria have now reached a higher evolutionary stage than Maya's, but Maya's personality has suddenly become dominant and begun to fight off the Eve persona. Maya eventually wins, purging the Eve persona from herself. Somehow, Maya protects Aya by preventing the original Eve from taking over her. Aya leaves the building by herself, although she apparently has gained some sort of connection with her dead sister.
Maya's body is not physically present in either scenario, only Eve is. What actually happens is arguable due to the scene's lack of camera angles for certain characters. From the dialogues it is assumed that the Maya Brea in the game was formed from cultured liver cells under the actions of Dr. Klamp.
Judith Siirila provided Melissa's singing voice.[1]
Eve Brea/Third Eve[edit]
- Voiced by: Rei Okamoto (JP) and Molly Quinn (ENG) in The 3rd Birthday
Voiced by Yumiko Morikawa in Parasite Eve II.
Eve Brea is the only benevolent Eve known to the series. She is a clone of Aya Brea born in a subterranean, shadow government facility known as the Neo Ark. Eve was brain-washed from a young age and used to control a race of ANMCs (Artificial Neo-Mitocondrion Creatures). Eventually, the US government was able to find and destroy the laboratory thanks to Kyle Madigan, who tipped them off. Aya managed to rescue Eve, adopting her and raising her as a sister. But not before defeating her after she had merged the large pupa ANMC whom Aya had already defeated. In this form, she possessed phenomenal speed and power that rivaled the second Eve, but lacked the intelligence both the previous Eves seemed to possess.
After Aya successfully defeated this form, in a stroke of desperation, the ANMC version of Eve grabbed Aya and tried to absorb Aya into herself. However, there was yet another rebellion. Just as Eve tried to fly out to Earth's surface and cause a pandemic on a planetary scale, Aya's cells fought against the organism trying to absorb her and caused the ANMC Eve to disintegrate, releasing both the real Eve and Aya. Eve then seemingly lost her mitochondrial powers as well as the memory of her past in the Neo Ark.[2]
Before the events of The 3rd Birthday, it's said that she went missing along with Kyle Madigan, and due to Aya's missing memories it is unknown why. In the 3rd Birthday, Eve Brea is the true protagonist, and it is revealed that she try to save Aya at Time Zero from a group of SWAT members, but accidentally develop Overdive into Aya's body causing Aya's soul to create the Twisted and Eve's body to create the High Ones. Eve later suffered an Amnesia, and was found by Hyde Bohr. for the next 3 years, Eve was known as Aya Brea, and joined the CTI in order to fight against the Twisted.
In the end of the game, Eve returns to Time Zero, back in her own body. Aya appears and tells Eve to shoot her. Aya and Eve Overdive and switch consciousnesses and Eve kills Aya to prevent the creation of the Twisted, thus saving humanity one last time.
In the secret ending, a blond woman (Most likely the Real Aya) wishes Eve a happy birthday before disappearing into thin air as Eve searches around.
Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures[edit]
Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures (sometimes called Neo-Mitochondrion Creatures) or NMCs for short are fictional enemies found in the Parasite Eve video games. NMCs serve as the series main antagonists and "cannon fodder", each providing different means of attack, defense and styles. NMCs are encountered by the player very frequently to assist in leveling up the protagonist's (Aya Brea) stats and provisions, and increase steadily in power and other offensive capabilities as the difficulty settings rise. At the beginning of the games, Aya is faced with more commonplace NMC's such as snakes and rats (see below), but encounters more complex organisms as the game nears its climax, such as reanimated dinosaurs.
Neo Mitochondrial Creatures were first created soon after Melissa Pearce's transformation to Mitochondria Eve. After escaping from Aya Brea and causing everyone in an Opera theater to ignite in flames, she wreaked havoc throughout the city of New York by transmogrifying every normal animal she came in contact with into NMCs. This in turn, caused an invasion of the City populated by numerous creatures, from mutated snakes to transformed Cerberus-like dog creatures. [1]
Regular type[edit]
Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures are mutated animals or otherwise normal life forms taken over and controlled by their Mitochondria. After the mitochondrion has been 'awakened', it generates extreme amounts of ATP energy, causing drastic changes in the cell nuclei, as well as the death of the host organism. This results in mutations such as growth, extra limbs and/or appendages, as well as a rather horrific "disfigured" look. They also exhibit increased hostility in their behavioral patterns. Most Creatures are driven by the most basic of needs, such as to feed on anything in the vicinity, which usually includes humans. They are alarmingly efficient in teamwork in most situations and will work together to attack a "normal" creature. However, if presented with no prey in the environment; they will not hesitate to attack and consume each other. During the New York Blockade incident these creatures included but were not limited to:[2]
- Monkeys - the result from Eve's manipulation of the monkey's genes bears no resemblance to its prior form. A bipedal creature standing as tall as a man, the NMC monkey is deadly at both long and short range with its left arm possessing an appendage that works as a sort of boomerang towards its prey.
- Frogs - the NMC frog which Aya encountered in the sewers of Manhattan is a man-sized creature with a prehensile tongue. Slow and dull-witted, the speed of its darting tongue more than make up for its weakness.
- Bats - though not powerful creatures, the NMC bat's sonic attack make it a monster to be wary of. Capable of disorienting creatures far bigger than itself, this attack effectively negates an opponent's ability to fight, making them easy prey.
- Rats - the first of the NMCs Aya encounters, their relative weakness make them easy to disregard, though their flaming tail attacks may be cause for concern in tight quarters such as hallways.
- Scorpions - the massive NMC scorpions that Aya first encounters in the American Museum of Natural History, are a well armored and dangerous foe. Capable of shrugging off large amounts of damage and dishing out the same with its pincer attacks, poison gas breath and tail, this NMC's only weakness is its slow speed.
- Snakes - the genetically altered snakes Aya first finds at the Zoo in Central Park improve upon all their previous strengths and eliminate all their weaknesses. Now capable of surviving in freezing temperatures, their lightning strikes and poisoning attacks make them formidable creatures.
- Velociraptors - by manipulating the fossilized remains of certain dinosaurs, Eve was able to bring some of these long extinct creatures back to life. With their speed and strength, the Velociraptors are among the deadliest NMCs Aya encounters in the New York Blockade Incident.
- The Ultimate Being (U.B. for short) was a NMC birthed by Eve near the end of the events of the First Parasite Eve game. She was able to conceive the atrocity after gaining and modifying the sperm of a human engineered without paternal trace mitochondria. After birth, the creature showcased its power by destroying a nearby Navy force by inducing Self-combustion in them all. It also was extremely resistant to conventional weaponry and grew at an exceptional rate; it matured from a baby to adolescent, then on to an adult and a final "merman"-esque form in all but a few minutes, although Aya's attacks upon the creature may have functioned as a catalyst. Fortunately for all mankind, Aya was able to kill the Ultimate Being by using bullets that had been laced with her own DNA; although nothing is directly stated, the game implies that introducing foreign mitochondria, particularly Aya's, would induce a mitochondrial rebellion in the target NMC.
Artificial type[edit]
Artificial Neo-Mitochondrial Creature or ANMCs were introduced in the Parasite Eve II. They are mutants transmogrified by human and/or chemical procedures (Otherwise impossible without a catalyst such as Eve). They exhibit the same ecology behavior as "regular" NMCs but are often fitted with cybernetic armaments in their physiology (such as flamethrowers, energy swords and prosthetic limbs). They came into existence via a shadow government named Neo-Ark. The classifications of these ANMCs included but were not limited to:[3]
- Strangers - Also called "Chicken walkers" in the cast of credits. Initially meant for a rain forest environment, these are the first ANMCs ever made. Vestigial hands and powerful legs give all Stranger breeds an ostrich-like silhouette. Strangers also possess the ability to mimic their original human form via "apoptosis"—cell suicide. However, the physical strain limits it to a few minutes at best. Those test subjects who dislike the traditional ANMC form often choose this breed. Aya first fights these ANMCs at the Akropolis Tower.
- Stalkers - A camouflaged ANMC. Designed for a woodland environment, Stalkers take a lesson from monkeys. Their feet are fully prehensile, like those of the tree monkey. Additionally, their control of skin pigmentation is far superior to that of the chameleon. Its enhanced pigment cells can alter color and pattern to instantly match any background. If the shadow government had succeeded in carrying out its plans, the combination of the traits would make the Stalker "king of the jungle." When they are camouflaged they would appear as a shift in space. Aya meets a large form of these at the shelter entrance, and in underground of Dryfield town.
- Sucklers - One of the breeds intended for savannah environments, Sucklers are mature in a neotenized state, looking much like infants. People who would enjoy "always being in their mothers arms, always being loved," often choose this form for that reason. Sucklers are different from AMNCs in both shape and ecology, but are too similar on the genetic level to be different. In the developmental stage classified as the "Bonesuckler," they crawl in packs in search of prey. When prey is found, a Suckler will rapidly divert blood to its head, causing a cranial explosion. The resulting shower of bone shards pulverizes prey for the rest of the pack to feed upon. After pupating, the Suckler leaves its larval state and becomes the winged adult "Mindsuckler." From the air, the Mindsuckler finds prey and uses its ovipositor to fire larva into the prey's head region. The larva parasitizes the host's cranium, leading the host to the larval Bonesuckler nest. After the host is consumed, the larva exits the safety of the cranium, now a full-grown Bonesuckler (not actually demonstrated in the game). This kind of complete metamorphosis and altruistic behavior is sometimes seen in higher insects such as ants. Due to their delicate skin, Sucklers only move around at night and in shaded areas.
- Scavengers - Bouncing ANMCs with big ears also intended for woodland environments. Though small, they have big appetites and can eat carrion. While they form packs to hunt weaker prey, they are not effective fighters. Since they are largely nocturnal, they will only appear out in the open at night. Aya's most unfortunate encounter with the Scavengers happens when they strip her Sedan.
- Chasers - Intended for the savannah environment. After leaving the forests, humanity's ancestors lived in the savannah. What if our ancestors stayed in the savannah, discarded their tools, and walked on all fours? The Chaser is intended to be the answer to that question. Chasers have hoof like feet for fast movement across the plains. Their mentality is geared to support an organized herd social structure. Their unequaled success as hunters is largely due to refined teamwork. Aya's most notable encounter with the Chasers is when they ambushed the truck Kyle and her took to the mines leading to the Neo-Ark shelter. The Chasers have head-butting charges capable of breaking bulletproof glass.
- Fatties - Also called "Dumpty Brutes" in the cast of credits. Intended for the ocean environment. It has been theorized that human evolution began at the water's edge. The subcutaneous layer of fat may be a relic from that time. What if humans had never left their watery environment? That question seemingly inspired the design of the Fatty ANMC. Though it restricts land movement, their thick fatty layer provides protection from cold and enemies. The Fatty's well-developed arms also help in food acquisition. The fatty can dislocate its arms for improved reach, and grab prey from the safety of the water. One powerful blow from this skilled hunter knocks prey out cold (though not a technique demonstrated well in the game).
- Divers - Another ANMC intended for the ocean environment. It has been said that humans began as ocean-dwelling creatures. The slight webbing between our fingers and our light body hair are both relics from that time. This theory also holds that we first learned to walk upright in the water. The Divers are intended to be the concept of humanity's ultimate form...If we had never left the water. Their smooth, hairless skin, flipper feet, and great lung capacity make them "kings of the deep." They are of course great swimmers and are capable of staying submerged for up to 40 minutes. In exchange for losing walking legs, Divers have a light-emitting organ to draw prey to them. This special organ can also be used to paralyze prey remotely. This breed of ANMC was apparently one of the most successful in the Neo-Ark facility. [4]
- Burner - One of the boss characters the player faces, the ANMC Burner is an immense, bloated organism that has a wide mouth extremity as well as large arms for crushing its prey. Its mouth also contains an immense flamethrower for expelling fire (hence the name). Aya defeated it with heavy long range weaponry standing atop of the Dryfield motel (although it's possible for the player to force it to retreat by using weaker weapons such as the P08 handgun, this would however result in the death of Douglas' dog, Flint).
The Twisted[edit]
The Twisted are creatures spawned from the Babel that appears in New York during The 3rd Birthday. Each Twisted is different in both looks and attacks but they all have a weakness Aya Brea can find to make the battle easier. Aya originally is the only one to attack the Twisted, her allies will attack if she focuses her gun on the enemy for a short period of time. In exchange, they let her know in advance what kind of Twisted is waiting around the corner and will attempt to get themselves in a battle position for her aid. While the Twisted are known to be spawn of the Babel, it can also be seen that normal humans could be transformed into the Twisted. Particularly the Twisted "Mudflap" which steals SWAT members and transforms them to "Slackers". Another example is the former CTI Member, Augustus Vassel; which according to his CTI log, was abducted by a Slacker and when he returned, was already a Slacker as well. He was the Slacker used during Battle Simulations in the CTI Headquarters. At the end of the game, Hyde Borh reveals to Eve (who was in Aya's body) that the Twisted were born from the shattered fragments of the real Aya Brea's consciousness, which was destroyed during "Time Zero". The Twisted can be interpreted as an unstable yet "evil" incarnations of Aya's lost consciousness in time space.
The High Ones[edit]
The High Ones are an enemy from The 3rd Birthday; they are different from the Twisted in the fact that they are far more intelligent and can originally appear as normal. The High Ones also attack anything in their path, no matter what they are, while the Twisted focus solely on humans. Once a High One is revealed their bodies mutate into an exceptionally large creature and they begin to attack anything in sight.
Although the High Ones all are exceptionally powerful they can be unconsciously controlled by the few more powerful than them. Once they are defeated they disappear just like the Twisted but their soul is taken to another place; anyone's memories of who the High Ones live inside is erased.
After Eve's creation of Overdive she unconsciously planted Twisted into the bodies of four people that both she and Aya knew, these people became the High Ones. Unlike the regular Twisted, these came directly from her (she becomes known as "Mother" to them) and not the standard way the Twisted are usually made. As such, they have the ability to change the person they're living inside into a massive creature, but will not even make the person aware of their existence until that time. Because this is the beginning of it all it is known as Time Zero, even though the people involved don't remember the name still rings a bell when it's mentioned. The High Ones do not actually know what they are, except for two-Emily Jefferson and Hyde Bohr.
Because of this it's possible the High Ones could become even stronger than Eve if they knew how, but three of the four are friends with her and more than likely wouldn't attempt it.
Supporting characters of Parasite Eve[edit]
Daniel Dollis[edit]
Daniel Dollis is a veteran detective with 20 years of experience and a longtime colleague of Aya Brea. He is 42 years old and operates in the 17th Precinct of the NYPD. He has a very single-minded nature towards his profession, making him sometimes gruff and predisposed to spending time away from his family. Because of this, his wife Lorraine divorces him nearly a year before the events of the game, leaving him with the custody of their son Ben Dollis.
During the events of Parasite Eve, Daniel plays a supporting role for Aya, encouraging her with words of experience while he attempts to function with the terms of his divorce and the eventual death of his ex-wife. During Aya's confrontation with the Ultimate Being, he nearly sacrifices himself in order to deliver special mitochondria-laced bullets to assist her in the battle. He also finally reconsiders the effects of his neglect of his family in place of his profession and is shown spending time with his son. In the events of the second game, he is presumed to be still working at the NYPD police district. Though he doesn't make an actual appearance, he's briefly mentioned by Aya as being a terrible cook, comparable to Gary Douglas; Aya considered both men were "stubborn, but with a heart of gold".
Ben Dollis[edit]
The eight year-old son of Daniel and Lorraine Dollis, he is an inquisitive and perky young child who finds himself disappointed with his father's obsession with work. He frequently attempts to unite his family, and is devastated with the mutation/death of his mother by Eve. In the finale of the game, he is shown finally spending quality time with his father as they attend a concert.
Hans Klamp[edit]
A 37-year-old scientist that achieved a master's degree in scientific studies and resides at the American Museum of Natural History Laboratory in New York. Sometime during his studies he became obsessed with the study of Mitochondria and its ATP energy, though it is not clear when his motivation changed from studying mitochondria to actively helping Eve.
He is unfriendly and unhelpful when questioned by Aya, and his behavior progresses from merely asocial to actively hostile throughout the course of the game. It is revealed that he was involved in a project to create the modified sperm, free of mitochondria, which was necessary for Eve to birth the Ultimate Being, though it is unclear if this was directly related to Eve's plans or not. Ultimately he combusts into flames after asking Eve to 'take him', in an attempt to kill Aya and her companions.
Capt. Douglas Baker[edit]
The current chief of the NYPD's 17th Precinct. He is 41 years old and a good friend of Daniel who started his career with him. As the two continued their professions, however, they developed different viewpoints on how to handle crime. This resulted in Baker shifting towards desk and overseer work, gaining him chief status, whilst Daniel went towards more active police positions and investigations. Despite their differences, Daniel and Baker later reconcile.
Kunihiko Maeda[edit]
- Voiced by: Hiroaki Hirata (JP) and Joe J. Thomas (ENG) in The 3rd Birthday
A Japanese scientist that shows interest in the science of Mitochondria and the original Eve. He is 35-year graduate that is knowledgeable on a broad range of subjects and is slightly superstitious. He develops mitochondrial bullets laced with Aya's DNA that assist her in defeating the Ultimate Being. In the ending of the game, it is hinted he has feelings for Aya, but his shy and reclused nature prevents him from saying anything. He is also referenced in the second game, more prominently in the ".44 Maeda sp" bullets for the Mongoose magnum, which is some of the most powerful ammo available for Aya.
Following the events of the New York Blockade Incident from the first Parasite Eve, he returned to Japan, but made the trip back to New York after the Twisted outbreak. In The 3rd Birthday, Maeda has a special shelter that he's converted out of an old storage house. A specialist in Mitochondria research and an old friend from her past, he has earned great trust from Aya.
Lorraine Dollis[edit]
Lorraine Dollis is the ex-wife of Daniel Dollis and the mother of Ben. She previously divorced Daniel to the amount of time he spent away from his family. However, in her comments it is revealed she really desires to spend time with him and is elated at the prospect of the family being reunited. She is transformed into a NMC by Eve later in the game while attending a concert with Ben, who wasn't affected due to his being away from the area. She later is consumed completely by her Mitochondria and Eve's birth of the Ultimate Being, which convinced Daniel to reconsider his time spent at his occupation and with his family.
Supporting characters of Parasite Eve II[edit]
Rupert Broderick[edit]
Voiced by Duncan Hamilton. In Parasite Eve II, Aya departed the NYPD police out of respect for her comrades due to the awakening of her mitochondrial powers and joined the FBI's "MIST" (Mitochondrion Investigation and Suppression Team). Somewhat replacing Daniel Dollis as the supporting character, Rupert is Aya's new partner and provides back-up, saving her from a surprise attack from an ANMC stranger in the beginning of the game. According to his back-story, he fights along with MIST because of an NMC attack on his family, slaughtering his wife and child.
Eric Baldwin[edit]
Eric Baldwin is the commanding supervisor of the MIST organization. Baldwin is fifty years old and has a strict and straightforward nature, commanding the MIST team with efficiency. His subordinates nickname him "Hal", though he apparently doesn't know it. It is later revealed in the game that he is actually working in part for the Neo Ark government, which is later discovered by Aya and her colleagues. It is presumed Hal was later given to the authorities.
Kyle Madigan[edit]
- Voiced by: Kouichi Yamadera (JP) and Jensen Ackles (ENG) in The 3rd Birthday
Voiced by Alexander O. Smith in Parasite Eve II.
A 29 year old man born in Texas who claims to be a P.I from Los Angeles and is initially shown as a man with mysterious motives, he is originally found by Aya in Dryfield hiding from the NMCs; however he later forms a team with her to fight the Neo-Mitochondrial Creatures produced by the Shadow government Neo Ark. Towards the end of the game is revealed that Kyle is in fact a U.S Government Special Agent who works directly with the President of the U.S; he played both sides (Neo Ark's and Aya's) to get information and act accordingly. He loses his leg from the concussion blast caused by the orbiting SDI Hypervelocity Railgun directed at the Pupa ANMC. After the events of Dryfield, he disappears, but meets later with Aya, and the new Eve, in New York City.
The aftermath of the events in Parasite Eve 2 implied that Kyle started a relationship with Aya. He and Aya are shown to be married. However, he and Eve have gone missing for reasons unknown in The 3rd Birthday. Aya has been shown to see him in recent trailers, but doesn't know who he is. It is revealed that Kyle was assault by a group of SWAT members, and was turned into a High One. Aya killed Kyle in the present, but later remembers her love for him and mourns him. At the end of the game, Kyle is later alive at Time Zero but recognize Eve in Aya's Body and leaves the church to find Aya.
Gary Douglas[edit]
Gary is a weapons specialist that currently resides in the fictional town of Dryfield (located in the Mojave Desert) and was the only remaining survivor after a massive ANMC infestation wiped out most of the population. He apparently is a war veteran and assists Aya in her investigation while she explores the area. He owns a bloodhound named Flint, who appears to be very intelligent and befriends Aya during the course of the game. After the instances in Dryfield, he was seriously injured from the SDI attack, though later recovered and started rebuilding Dryfield.
Pierce Carradine[edit]
Pierce is a 25-year-old computer specialist who manages data collection and informative updates for MIST. He is a lean, tall individual who speaks little and consistently dons sunglasses and a vest. During his various conversations with the player (i.e. Aya) it is hinted he has feelings for her, but he never fully acts on them. According to the PE HQ, his habit of wearing glasses has often led to accidents while driving. In the canonical ending of the game, he meets up with Aya's friend Kunihiko Maeda and they hit it off well while Maeda himself is studying what he calls a "Superhuman Theory", after hearing about the instances in the game. He also goes to the trouble of giving two tickets to the American Museum of Natural History at the end of the game, to Aya and Eve where they are reunited with Kyle Madigan.
No. 9 Golem[edit]
Voiced by John Hulaton. A golem-type ANMC encountered by Aya three times during the game. No. 9 was previously a human who requested Neo Ark to transform him into a NMC, but unlike other test subjects, he paid the scientists to retain most of his human intelligence and memories. The transformation still leaves him slightly mad, however, evidenced by his insane laughter and actions.
No. 9 claims to be a "Hunter" like Aya for Neo Ark and uses two types of blades, a Machete that he occasionally ignites via mitochondrial combustion, and a Gunblade (which can be gained by the player). He also wears two different kinds of outfits, one with a black kevlar vest and the other with a yellow tactical vest. He rides a large motorcycle 1600ccs or larger. He encounters Aya first in the Akropolis Tower, in which he is defeated and causes the tower to explode in a kamikaze attempt. He then engages Aya in the town of Dryfield, only to be combusted by Aya's awakening powers. His final attempt causes him to encounter Aya and Kyle Madigan as they traverse the Neo Ark facility in which Kyle shoots him in an act of betrayal, killing him for good (after he was sucked into the Pupa NMC in place of Eve at the time).
Jodie Bouquet[edit]
Jodie is a 24-year-old weapon expert and distributor for the MIST agency. She commonly sells weapons and various objects to the player throughout the game in exchange for points accumulated through the battle system. She is also very adept at customizations and remodeling. She criticizes Pierce a lot (mainly because of Pierce's poor gun knowledge), but is hinted that she has feelings for him.
Supporting characters of The 3rd Birthday[edit]
Hyde Bohr[edit]
- Voiced by: Takashi Taniguchi (JP) and James M. Connor (ENG)
Hyde is the Head of CTI's Overdive division and the main antagonist. Originally emigrated to America after Graduation, Hyde devoted himself to research in the field of quantum mechanics. In 1999 he was invited to become a project manager for the Defense Sciences Office at DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), a unit of the US Department of Defense that was researching and developing new technologies for the nation's military. In 2005 he entered the FBI's research center, where he led his own forensics team before becoming the Director of Counterterrorism/Counterintelligence.
On Christmas Eve 2010, he found Aya Brea unconscious in the snow outside Manhattan's St. Thomas Cathedral and took her in. Around the same time, he became the head of the newly formed Counterproliferation Strategy Support Division of the CTD, forerunner to the CTI. As the chief researcher of the CTI, his duties included revamping it, loading the development team as senior engineer, and heading up the Overdive Investigation Unit. Hyde had planned the entire thing on what happened during 3rd Birthday. Hyde had planned on making Aya kill the High Ones so that once enough "blood" is needed Hyde would create the Grand Babel.
Hyde himself was a High One due to him being in the church with Aya and Eve at the time of the raid. Hyde still had his memories and Eve deteriorating body led the creation of the High Ones. Hyde's killing of the other High Ones was used so that only he could go to Time Zero and see the Mother to create advanced lifeforms. Hyde and Aya fought at Overdive Time on Rockafeller Center for a grueling battle.
Finally in one last battle, Hyde and Aya fought each other's psyche and in the end Hyde lost and vanished and allowing Aya to go to Time Zero to fully restore her memories and to see the events that unfolded of the creations of the Twisted and the High Ones. Ultimately Hyde died within Time Zero being shot by Aya countless times.
Thelonious Cray[edit]
- Voiced by: Hisao Egawa (JP) and Chris Jai Alex (ENG)
Cray is a former army special forces agent and now a special investigator operating in CTI's Overdive investigation division. When CTI was formed, he was called upon due to his knowledge of combat strategy. He serves as Aya's trainer and will also apparently teach you the game's controls.
Before coming to work in the CTI, he had been part of the elite Delta Force unit of the US Army, specializing in counterterroism. Cray was enlisted in Captain Russo's squad, one that undertook only the trickiest and most dangerous missions. Although he's ably equipped for counterterrorism missions, Cray is distinguished by skill in close-quarters combat, which is truly second to none. Cray ran a hostage rescue mission in the Grand Pacific Airlines hijacking, taking command of the Red Squad as they subdued the hijackers and secured the hostages, bringing the event to its conclusion with no casualties. It was this feat that got him assigned to Russo's squad. As they racked up more and more victories, Russo's squad became known far and wide as the pride of the Delta Force and the terrorists' biggest threat. All that came to an end with the failure of Operation Red Fog in 2012, Delta Force was annihilated and all squad members were killed in action. Cray was the only survivor of Russo's squad, he hadn't been part of the fatal mission, instead assuming his new post at the CTI.
In the spring of 2002, he married Sandra Smith, an exchange student nurse he had met while in the hospital. Their daughter Isabella was born the following year, her doll-like features of black eyes and blond hair making her one of his biggest weakness. He always takes her for ice cream at the Harvest Town food stall in Chinatown because she won't eat it anywhere else. When he found out the ice cream maker was a pastry chef at a famous Seattle hotel, he began to realize she was a young gourmet at her age and began to worry about her future.
Hyde Bohr says that Cray died in the Spanish Harlem 3 days ago, and it was Aya's mission to save him. After Aya destroyed the Babel on the Harlem, Cray is safe and still alive. It is shown that Cray was annoyed as to why Aya had to go on the mission on her own and storms out of the CTI Overdive room. As Aya progresses and finally meets Russo, it is shown that Cray killed Russo and the rest of the team to get to "Isabella", he however along with Aya dove into the Big Orb. Cray is shown to disappear and before he disappeared he said to find the thing that mattered most. He later appeared to a dying Aya Brea in her battle against Hyde. He asked Aya to dive into Aya and supporting her to defeat Hyde
In the ending, Cray is still alive due to the Twisted not being created as well as his wife and Isabella not being in the car accident. Cray is the only character not to be fought against or shown his High One form as revealed in the Unfolded Story magazine that Aya killed him via Overdive when his awakening was incomplete.
Dr. Blank[edit]
- Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura (JP) and Patrick Cavanaugh (ENG)
Blank is a researcher in CTI's Overdive division and head of computer systems for CTI as a whole. Blank was born in Jangseong, South Korea. At the age of 14, Blank was arrested for stealing NSA data which he got by using a new version of the Trojan virus, which he developed himself. His sentence was reduced as a bargain of him working for the government, by hacking and taking down many terrorist servers. Due to death threats in his sister cell, Blank erased his name and all records of his past and only now goes by the name of Dr. Blank.
Blank was requested to join the CTI by his boss and longtime colleague, Hyde Bohr in order to help develop and control the Overdive machine. He is often the main person on the radio nagivating Aya through Manhattan, seeing as Blank made the machine and knows the most about it. In the third episode, he attempts to stop Cray from disappearing, but when he gets on the rooftop, he sees Cray vanish only to not remember why he was there thanks to Aya's Overdive.He witnesses the Great Babel being constructed shortly after Cray's death. On Christmas Day in 2013, he is killed by Kyle Madigan during the CTI members. It is mentioned through his bio at the end of the game after you pass episode six, he was suspicious of Hyde's new personality, but figured it was stress that changed Hyde.
In the end of the game, time is reverted and Blank still lives. He is the only human character to appear in the final battle against Hyde Bohr.
Karud/Hunter "Boss" Owen[edit]
- Voiced by: Wataru Yokojima (JP) and Joe Smith (ENG)
Owen is the Head of CTI. While he was originally on a path to head up the FBI, he was temporarily placed as CTI's head following the Twisted invasion. He was "discovered" by the director, distinguished himself as an agent, and was promoted to deputy director in 2008.
In the same month CTI was created as a counter-Twisted investigatory agency, the President appointed him its chief. He has a resentment, however, as he still wants to be a high-ranked FBI member. As such he makes his hate for the team (except Gabrielle who has proven herself capable) and the work they do known. Hunter also hates Aya the most, he considers her a Twisted and isn't afraid to tell her so or keep her in a cell instead of giving her a room like Bohr suggested.
Because of his position and hatred of the work, he chooses to spend his time with the FBI and manipulating his role into effecting his FBI standing. Originally he died in the Decenmber 2013 attack on FBI headquarters. In the end shown in some of the character files after finishing the game, it is shown that he was arrested for leaking secrets to the Russians.
Gabrielle Monsigny[edit]
- Voiced by: Yuko Kaida (JP) and Melinda Hill (ENG)
Gabrielle is a special investigator with CTI's Overdive Division. She's particularly skilled as a sniper, and trains Aya in this area. Gabrielle first appears in episode 2, asking Aya to use her body when she uses Overdive 4 days ago to stop the Twisted. 4 days ago on December 21, 2013, Gabrielle is overlooking the attack from a helicopter and spots Aya and several SWAT officers trapped and being killed by a large Twisted. Gabrielle saves Aya by shooting the Twisted's beam. Aya then takes over Gabrielle's body and kills the Twisted from the helicopter that Gabrielle is in. Throughout the episode, Gabrielle goes on the radio numerous times and praises and cheers Aya along, also commenting on her skills of dealing with the Twisted. At one point while talking with Aya however, Gabrielle starts crying out in pain and asks for help, and Aya rushes to save her friend.
Meanwhile, on December 25, Hunter Owen sets off some sleeping gas in the Overdive room, knocking everyone, including Gabrielle, unconscious. Hunter contacts Aya and beckons her farewell.
Aya reaches a street where Gabrielle's coordinates said she was, but she finds the place to be completely abandoned. A large Twisted then appears and attacks Aya. After a long fight, Aya Overdives into the creature and discovers that the Twisted was in fact Gabrielle. The Twisted then begins to attack Aya again while Gabrielle begs Aya to stop her and she keeps saying "Sorry, I'm sorry". The Twisted is defeated and Aya pleads to Gabrielle to come with her but Gabrielle apologizes to Aya, knowing that her time has come. Gabrielle then disintegrates in front of a distraught Aya. Gabrielle wakes up on the 25th and points her gun at Hunter, and he simply laughs and bemuses her. Gabrielle then disappears and fades away from existence as she has now, in fact, died 4 days earlier.
However, as time reverted, Gabrielle still lives.
Emily Jefferson[edit]
- Voiced by: Narumi Takahira (JP) and Natalie Lander (ENG)
Emily is Eve's best friend. A quirky, friendly and likeable girl. After two years, Emily missed her best friend who mysteriously disappeared after the wedding. At some point, she also managed to work out Eve's "secret". The happiness and excitement of working it out along with her connection with Eve and Aya made her become a High One, a very powerful Twisted that stayed human until activated.
On December 24, 2012, Emily attended the Sacrifice concert and because of the tower of Babel appearing along with mass Twisted she was completely taken over. Aya later found Emily walking down a corridor but before she could do anything Emily walked off. Later on Aya confronted her and Emily started to transform into a large Twisted who then attacked Aya while often calling her "sister" and asking her why she was attacking her. Emily was defeated and disintegrated before Aya could learn her name.
Since time later reverted itself and the Twisted were never created, Emily is still alive.
Ginger (Real Name: Kristina Ruskin) is a minor character and the lead singer of the band called Time for Truth. She's the daughter of violinist Erhard Ruskin, who was a strict father that directed the German Symphony Orchestra. At age 13 she rebelled against him by starting her rock band. They had then caught the attention of a major British record label that lead her to a professional debut at age 15. Her first album, "Killing Hour", sold over two million copies, an unprecedented performance for a debut album.
Soon after she moved the United States, but disbanded Time for Truth at age 20 to take a break. Her and her former band mates still continued to play concerts whenever they felt like it, causing the media and her fan base to still follow her closely.
It's thought Ginger died during the Sacrifice Incident, a handwritten will was found in her room stating all her financial assets were to be given to disadvantaged children.
Alternately as a result of Eve Brea being removed from the timeline completely at the end of the 3rd Birthday, Ginger's history changes. in 2009 she was fatally stabbed by a crazed fan in Central Park. It was revealed after her death she had been traveling to disaster-stricken areas and working on behalf of many aid providers and relief efforts, all anonymously. Once this news was revealed, a group of young people in England commemorated Ginger's inspirational life by establishing the Ginger Skimbleshanks Fund to help children around the world who are suffering from hunger, poverty, disaster, and war. (The fund takes its name from Ginger's favorite character in the famous musical Cats.)
- ^ N/A (2005). "PE HQ". N/A. Retrieved 2006-03-29.[dead link]
- ^ "Parasite Eve 2 official website". Square Enix. Retrieved 2006-03-29.
- ^ Kroeti (2002-04-24). "Enemy FAQ". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
- ^ ChandooG (2004-10-10). "FAQ". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-10-08.
- ^ Aki (2006-03-30). "ign Parasite Eve II walkthrough". IGN. Retrieved 2006-03-30.
- ^ Phan Nguyen Khanh Dan "Mysticcat" (2002-02-14). "Story FAQ". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-10-08.


text:
Date: Oct. 11, 2014 Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Place: Jackson Fairgrounds Website: www.starkidsfest.com
About the Star Center
For over 25 years Star Center has been changing the lives of people in West Tennessee. From humble beginnings in the back of a school room to becoming a center that comprises assistive technology, therapy, training and personal assistance in one place, Star Center continues growing to serve West Tennessee.
Please visit our website at star-center.org to read more about our life-changing services.
Directions to KidsFest from I-40
Take exit 82A for US-45 S toward Jackson. Continue heading south on US-45 S (Highland Avenue) for 5.0 miles past downtown Jackson. The Fairgrounds will be on the left.
The street address is: 800 S Highland Ave, Jackson, TN 38301.
Directions from I-40 on Google Maps.
Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions concerning Star Center's KidsFest? Please contact us!
Kevin Adelsberger, Manager of Marketing and Events
(731) 554-5153 /firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Brief History
Trade Unions in Kenya started forming in the 1940s after the 2nd World War.
This was as a result of the discrimination of Africans during the 2nd World War through unequal treatment during and after the War like on Land allocation.
In late 1940s, a number of Trade Unions had been formed.
In 1952, the existing trade union came together and formed the Kenya Federation of Registered Trade Unions, KFRTU with Aggrey Minya as the Secretary General.
In the same year, several trade union leaders were arrested and detained following the declaration of a state of emergency for allegedly associating with MAU MAU.
In 1953, Tom Joseph Mboya took over from Aggrey Minya as the Secretary General for the Kenya Federation of Registered Trade Unions, KFRTU.
In 1955, the KFRTU was changed to Kenya Federation of Labour, KFL at a Conference held at Akamba Hall in Ziwani.
At this time, most of the politicians had been detained and the trade unionists were the only voice calling for political independence.
The agitation for political independence by trade unions was occasioned by discrimination and unequal treatment by the colonialists.
It is then that trade unionist like Tom Mboya found themselves with the dual role of fighting for political independence and improvement of the welfare of Workers.
In the late 1950s, trade unionists as part of the campaign for political independence demanded the release of all political de
tainees. This was eventually granted when Jomo Kenyatta and others were released in 1961.
At this time, most trade unionist went ahead to form and join various political parties and eventually joined the government at independence in 1963.
Here, trade unionists were instrumental in influencing the government's policies like the much publicized Sessional Paper no. 10 on African Socialism and its application to planning in Kenya of 1965.
At the same time, some trade unionists formed a rival Federation, the Kenya Trade Unions Congress.
The government in effort to resolve the rivalry between the two trade union centres dissolved both of them and appointed a ministerial committee under the Chairmanship of the Late Dr. Julius Gikonyo Kiano which went ahead and recommended the establishment of only one National Trade Union Centre, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions, COTU(K) in 1965.
From then, trade unions have continued to be strong institutions influencing various government policies through Social Dialogue.
As agents of Social Justice, COTU(K) continued to champion for the rights of not only workers but Kenyans as a whole and this was evident when COTU(K) was part and parcel of the change process that ushered in the NARC Coalition Government in 2002.
COTU(K) through the support from the Fredrich Ebert Stiftung, FES went throughout the country in 2000 calling for change towards good governance and for democratic process and this saw a great change in the labour movement as it continued to clamour for change.
In August 2001, a new leadership under Bro. Francis Atwoli took over COTU(K) and passed a resolution that the Labour Movement must continue to support and initiate other organs clamouring for a change in government from KANU to a new regime.
These nationwide campaigns had a massive impact in the country and eventually saw the election of President Mwai Kibaki and his running mate the late Hon. Wamalwa Kijana to take over the reigns of leadership of Kenya form a KANU regime that had led for over 40 years.
When the clamour for a new Constitution started, COTU(K) was one of the 1st pressure groups to champion for a new constitution and was part of the organisations that constituted Bomas of Kenya that eventually came up with the Bomas Draft.
COTU(K) has remained steadfast and straightforward in the fight for a new Constitutional dispensation in Kenya. We were the first organisation in 2007 to warn the government that Kenyans were not prepared to go for an election under the present constitution.
COTU(K) foresaw and warned the government that there would skirmishes and violence if Kenyans went to elections under the existing laws. This came to pass.
Today the little support COTU(K) is getting from DAI through a grant from USAID for transport and logistics for the few meetings so far held, the Labour movement is determined to sprearhead change in Kenya.
Already we have held meetings in Mombasa on 18th October 2009, Machakos on 24th October 2009, Embu on 25th October, 2009 Meru on 31st October, 2009 and Thika on 1st November, 2009 which have created a nationwide impact on clamour for Constitutional reforms and the implementation of Agenda item 4 on long term issues and solutions.
The Media coverage particularly the live transmission by Citizen TV has created a significant impact and we propose to extend to other Television Stations so that the change that the ordinary Kenyans have been yarning for years can be realized through these efforts together with other-like minded organisations like LSK, AMWIK, FIDA, ActionAID and other human rights bodies.
These efforts are aimed at creating a departure from the existing arrangement of governance.


text:
Nov. 5, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
ODU faculty Andrey Kasparov and Oksana Lutsyshyn perform with the Norfolk Chamber Consort in Chandler Recital Hall. The program, entitled "Nostalgie," will include a recently composed work of the same title for two harpsichords by Christopher Cook as performed by Les Deux Clavecins (Allen Shaffer & Thomas Marshall), who commissioned the piece. Other composers on the program will include Isaac Albéniz, François Couperin, Darius Milhaud, Maurice Ohana and Astor Piazzolla. Also featuring ODU faculty Stephen Coxe, piano and David Walker, percussion as well as Peter Greydanus, cello and Susan Wells, clarinet. A pre-concert lecture starting @ 7:15 PM.
Tickets: $22 general, $9 student
Light refreshments to follow the concert. For tickets call 852-9072 or go to http://www.ncconsort.org
Date: Mon, 11/5/2012 7:30pm - 10:00pm
Fee: Students $9 General $22
Type: Music
Location: Diehn Fine and Perf. Arts Center
Room: Chandler Recital Hall
Website: http://www.ncconsort.org


text:
Death notices, 6/12
SAN ANGELO — Juan Ubaldo Santana, 68, died Monday, June 11, 2012, in a local hospital. Rosary is at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Johnson's Funeral Home chapel. Service is at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church with burial in Calvary Catholic Cemetery.
Survivors include his wife, Olga Santana; sisters Christina Magdaleno and Carmen Faustino; brothers Jose Luis Santana, Celso Santana and Everado Santana; daughters Olga M. Jennings and Lisandra Martinez; and sons Juan U. Santana Jr. and Alejandra Santana.
BIG SPRING — Dimas Young, 70, died Friday, June 8, 2012, in a local care center. Service is at 11 a.m. today at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with burial in Mount Olive Memorial Park. Arrangements are by Myers & Smith Funeral Home.
Survivors include her son, Bonifacio Young Sr. of Big Spring; and brother Frank Gonzalez of Big Spring.
SONORA — Lila Mae St. Clair, 81, died Sunday, June 10, 2012, in Houston. Graveside service is at 10 a.m. today in Sonora Cemetery. Arrangements are by Kerbow Funeral Home.
Survivors include her daughter, Jan Markee of Houston.
SAN ANGELO — Carl Wayne Best, 90, died Monday, June 11, 2012, in a local nursing home. Services are pending with Shaffer Funeral Home/Sherwood Way.
JUNCTION — Joe Raymond Dominguez, 88, died Monday, June 11, 2012, in a Kerrville hospital. Services are pending with Kimble Funeral Home.
BALLINGER — Brandon Cochran, 32, of San Angelo, died Sunday, June 10, 2012, in a San Angelo hospital. Services are pending with Lange Funeral Home.
Subscribe to the San Angelo Standard-Times
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-304-7763.
Monday-Friday: 6am-8pm / Saturday: 6am-12pm / Sunday: 6am-1pm


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|Capt. George Ricks / GET-AWAY CHARTERS
Hopedale/Delacroix, LA USA
SPRING BREAK TROUT!! Yesterday, Dr. David Rueff, of Nashville, Tennessee brought along his Grandson, Joseph for a spring break trout trip. Young Joseph loves to fish, but had never caught a Speckled trout before, but he proved to be quite a trout slayer!! His Grandpa was amazed at this young man's trout catching prowess, as he swung trout after trout in the boat. We were in the Lake Campo area, and we were using HYBRID FLURRIES, and live "boogie" minnows under a cork. The trout were all nice 14 to 18 inch trout, and they ended the day with 29. Dr. Rueff and his sons are frequent clients and real nice folks and will be back soon.
Friday, March 16, 2012 @ 11:11:00 AM
|Marsh/Coastal Fishing Report


text:
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text:
Joey Barton: Fine and punishment
THE important thing to remember about Joey Barton, the only thing to remember about Joey Barton, is that he is a convicted thug.
As news programmes broadcast their reports of the player's 12-match ban and £75,000 fine for his antics at the QPR/Man City match they repeated footage of the incidents, or rather incidents, that led to the FA decision.
There's a football saying. Not the one about football being a game of two halves.
But one I've just made up about football, in Barton's eyes, being a game of one-third headbutting, one-third elbowing, and one-third kneeing.
Vincent Kompany, Carlos Tevez, and Sergio Aguero, respectively, know what that means.
If it had happened in the street, or a nightclub, Barton would have ended up in court again.
QPR are said to want rid of the troublesome captain (Captain? How did that happen?) and are looking for clubs daft enough to take him or even take him back.
The Toon would not be so stupid to take on such a massive pain in the backside having got shot of him once, would they, but it's a funny old game and anything is possible.
Watching the footage of why it's a bad idea to have anything to do with Barton should be compulsory viewing for football managers and chairmen.
Barton has a history of violent conduct and was jailed in 2008 for assault.
He has no place on a football pitch where, by virtue (there's a word you don't often hear in the same sentence as the player) of his position he is looked up to by fans.
« Making a meal of the Great British Menu | Andy Murray and Wallander - two peas in a pod »


text:
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"How are you going to go after people next year using the IRS to punish them if the thing you're forcing them to buy isn't available for them to buy because the website is not working," Rubio asked during an appearance on Fox & Friends on Tuesday.
One of the key Republicans behind the Senate's immigration reform bill is warning his fellow party members that if Congress doesn't pass an immigration bill, President Obama might take unilateral action.


text:
join me on sunday 8th june from 10am – 1pm for a one off humourology workshop as part of the crouch end festival…come, laugh, drink tea, eat biscuits and unlock your inner funny xx
So, Monday night is the new Saturday night and therefore Sunday is the new Friday. Or at least, it was this week. After a stonking night last night at the divine new ArtHouse in Crouch End which has finally opened with it's funky upcycled stools, groovy hanging lights, highly fashionable shiny tiling and farrow and ball coloured walls. (not capital F or B)
With a proper painted stage framed with theatrical blacks; a full lighting rig and a working microphone it was a delight to perform to the wonderful SOLD OUT auditorium with it's gorgeous old original shabby chic cinema seating occupied by the bottoms of delightfully enthusiastic and energetic comedy goers (and one or two very cool rock stars) all totally up for a top night out full of laughs, revelations, some possible over-sharing and a slab or two of delicious rhubarb cake. What's not to love?
Nice work Tom Barrie (heart you); magnificently headlined by the irresistibly lovable Patrick Monahan who was joined on stage (and trust me, with those new fire regulation doors getting on stage was no mean feat) by the hilarious Tom Price and clever, sophisticated and slightly surreal character comedy from the bold and brassy Shirley and Shirley. Bloody brilliant.
Course, Sunday is all about the roastie. But at the Clissold Arms in Muswell Hill (see, I'm possibly overjoyed at these two new comedy nights not just because they are brilliant and on customarily un-busy nights of the week but because they are both walking distance from my house…) the comedy comes with a roast dinner for a tenner!!! Yes, a huge great plate of Sunday Roast before you take your seat in a bamboo encased tiki room; festooned with fairy lights; furnished with statuettes and random art from no century in particular and carpeted with astro turf.
Now the comedy night at the Clissold did something quite brave and daring this week. They put on an all male bill. Controversial. Would they all talk about their penises and masturbating? No. Very much not. They talked about being dads, and sharing baths, and going ski-ing. And they were bloody hilarious. After I'd finished harrumphing about the lack of a female comic on the bill I realised that my cheeks were aching from laughter.
It's a winning night, MC'd by Mark Maier and we were lucky enough to share the evening in the company of Paul Tonkinson, Alan Francis and Luke Toulson. Favourites of mine and actually real boys. Blimey. What's happening to me?
And it's only Tuesday.
a bit like maxine
Of course on finally stammering out the words to my mum that I thought I might be "a bit like Maxine" I thought my message was clear. Maxine had come out as a lesbian to the whole family and was openly in a relationship with another woman.
My mum's reaction though, was: "oh don't be so silly."
After all that? After weeks, months of planning when and how I was going to tell her, my mum's sole retort is "don't be so silly"?? After countless weekends of returning to my new girlfriend with my tail between my legs and the admission that I hadn't come out, again. That there just hadn't been the right moment. That she wouldn't be coming to Sunday lunch anytime soon. That was all the riposte I got? "Oh, don't be so silly."?
Then I realised why.
Maxine was also a heroin addict.
I wouldn't usually mention it. It's long time ago now. Ten years ago to be exact. I know this because I just spent the day with Maxine, with her lovely girlfriend and with my auntie, celebrating the anniversary of the day that Maxine became sober. The day she became clean. The day, in her words, she "chose freedom and chose life." Ten years ago. I was living in Camden at the time and we joked about the fact that last time we spent time together in London is when I visited her in prison.
"Yeah, and you didn't even bring me any drugs," she complained. I wasn't even allowed to give her a pen or the mix tape I'd prepared for her incase I'd secreted some narcotic or other inside. Not a great time. But ten years later and here she was. Looking healthy and glowing and happier than ever. When I asked her what her secret was she told me that she finally decided to accept herself and love herself and that meant she didn't need the drugs any more. She didn't need to be someone else. She could just be herself.
Like I said. I wouldn't usually mention it. It's private. But I know Maxine won't mind because she is a survivor. And because she's posted it on facebook. Anyway, it also gives me the chance to mention how proud I am of her. What an inspiration she is. A brave, beautiful, strong and passionate woman with a soft, kind heart and a nerve of steel.
And while I joke and make futile attempts to popularise the euphemism "a bit like Maxine" to suggest that someone may be a lesbian, I would be proud and delighted to be, to any degree and under any classification, just a teeny "bit like Maxine".
Growing up I always suspected my youngest cousin to be…to be….well, to be, er…you know…"on the other bus". "Batting for the other team". Or as a favourite comedienne of mine says, "she licks t'other side of t'stamp". You know who you are Julie Jepson. But you're right, it is a stupid expression because stamps do come already sticky these days.
Fact is. there isn't really a good euphemism for someone being a lesbian. Not that I know of. So, I've decided to create my own, fabulous, new saying – based on my own coming out story. Like I said, I had always suspected my cousin, Maxine was probably a lesbian. She was (and still is) a couple of years younger than me so when she came to visit she was frequently the unfortunate recipient of my expeditiously outgrown hand-me-downs. These were usually garments that my older brother had already inhabited before handing them down to me so were often worn and torn at the bum and knees; with ripped belt loops and missing buttons; scuffed trainers with odd laces, and jumpers with patches on the elbows. That was all fine though. Maxine and I both had an unusually keen fancy for boy's clothes. And some items had been kicking around so long they were enjoying a return to fashion. It was all fine.
Until the day I finally outgrew my pink ballet cardigan. Oh the joy I felt at never having to wrap it's pink satin ribbons around my rapidly expanding waist ever again. Oh how elated I was to see it folded amongst the beige, threadbare, flared cords and the patterned wing-collared shirts on the pile of clothes reserved for my cousins. It was a sight that bordered on consolation for the sad fact that I had also outgrown the petrol blue and white striped adidas trainers that had been pinching my toes all summer.
As I punched the air with my chubby little fist at the removal of the one remaining item of pink clothing from my wardrobe, a five year old Maxine stood immobilised; her face frozen into an expression that exclaimed "When the fuck am I ever going to have the inclination to wear that?"
See. Lesbian. I knew it.
Having detected it at such an early age the similarities in our sexuality remained unacknowledged until well into our teens. As our older cousins got engaged and married, Maxine and I either attended such family affairs solo or accompanied by a 'friend' in sensible shoes and a lumberjack shirt.
Once I was absolutely sure that Maxine was indeed "licking t'other side of t'stamp" (It was actually something else I caught her licking in the toilets of a gay bar under the promenade in Brighton, but we don't talk about that) I realised that as the older cousin I had a mission to perform. It was up to me to pave the way. There was a subject that demanded broaching and I was the elder. I had to be a role model. The pioneer of the family. I had a responsibility. A duty. An accountability. It was up to me to act.
So I waited for Maxine to come out and then when the family didn't disown her I did the same. Well, within a decade anyway.
I was folding laundry with my mum and I had decided this was the perfect moment.
"Er, I think….I think…er, I think I might be…" Oh no. I'd started. I'd got this far but there wasn't a 'nice' way to say it. I couldn't use the word lesbian in front of my mum. Or say the word 'gay'. What could I say? How could I say it?
"You might be what, love?" mum asked as she balled a pair of socks.
"I think I might be…a bit like Maxine."
don't dig too deep
I can remember as a child singing the song "English Country Garden" with the altered lyrics of "What do you do when you need to do a poo? In an English Country Garden". I recall that you "pull down your pants and suffocate the ants…" but I don't think I realised at the time just quite what a dilemma this might actually turn out to be later in life.
As now, here I was, the english country garden being my allotment and I did in fact, very much need a poo. I thought if I just carried on digging and planting and keeping myself busy it would 'go back up', but then I made the mistake of joining my allotment partner, Becky, for a cup of (freshly picked) spearmint tea.
We were laughing about the fact that we had stayed up at the allotment quite late the night before with some other friends and at the end of a hard day of cultivation we had enjoyed a few G and T's. As we often do, we took it to the extremes, imagining that we would get a reputation on the allotments as the 'party plot.' We giggled, imagining the scenarios – staggering drunk around the sheds; trampling over everyone else's prized produce; wandering into a random green house and picking the plants. Oh how we laughed.
"Imagine…imagine, like, the other allotment owners always coming in and finding us face down in a different plot each weekend…"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…
"Imagine…imagine, we keep leaving the gates open and all the cats and dogs from the neighbourhood come in. And all the local tramps…"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…
"Imagine…imagine, one of us takes an actual human dump on someone's plot."
An actual human dump. Yes.
What to do? I stood up.
"I just need a wee. Don't come into the shed for a minute."
This would be fine. I could do this. I've had to do it a thousand times. Well, twenty six times. Camping, road trips, festivals, pic-nics and that rather unfortunate incident when I wandered into the woods and thought I was alone only to be suddenly descended upon by a troupe of stalking birdwatchers.
This would be easy. I had a bucket. I filled it with steaming hot water from my flask. Then I filled it with, well, you know. Done. Simple. But now what? What to do with my actual human dump?
Well, we're on an allotment, surrounded by organic matter. Surely just 'dig it in'? There's a huge tub of mud next to the shed. We don't know what it is. Compost? Mulch? Good, helpful stuff or just wet mud? Dunno. But this was the perfect place for the burial. I just had to get out there. Carrying a bucket full of poo. I stepped out of the shed. Becky was chatting to the guy on the next plot. I'll call him Dennis because it will make it easier to tell the story. And because it's his name.
"Yeah, well. Come and have a look," I heard Becky say. I swung on my heel and surreptitiously placed the bucket behind the shed door with a planter over the top of it.
"Nah, it's no good really." I heard Dennis proclaim. "It's just wood chip that's rotted down. Shove a vine in there – a vine'll grow in anything." Then he dug his bare hands into the wet mud where mere moments ago I was about to dispose of my poo and broke it down with his bare fingers. Pausing to hold some up to his nose before declaring it unusable. Timing, Dennis. Luck and timing.
I had escaped a very messy – literally – situation. But my poo still sat in the bucket. As Becky and Dennis moved around the allotment. Her asking more questions, him giving more advice, I followed behind, displacing the bucket until I could finally find somewhere to bury it.
Offering to demonstrate how to build a cane teepee for our beans to grow up, Dennis bent down to pick up some bamboo, his face literally centimetres away from the bucket, his cane almost catching it and toppling it over until I could bear it no more.
"Mind that bucket Dennis," I jumped to grab it. "There's erm, there's some liquid in there…" Back round behind the shed. But if I left the bucket there it would be obvious. So I just put it right in the middle of our seating area. No one would suspect then. Right in between us as we discussed pea nets and the value of a petrol strimmer.
It was a good ten minutes before Dennis finally returned to his own plot and I was able to dispose of the 'material'. I shant reveal where it found it's final resting place, incase anyone ever visits me at my allotment. Or incase someone on the committee reads this. But as I said, it's all organic matter. Good for the soil. Taken care of.
I rinsed out the bucket and carried on with my digging. Lighter. Relieved. Satisfied. Becky stepped out of the shed.
"Woah," she exclaimed. "It stinks in there. Did you take a dump?"
"Me?" I replied innocently, "course not. Dennis must have farted."
livin' it up
This time of year is all about life innit? New life, the creation of life, germination. It's a time for seeds to be planted and lambs to be born. It's a time for buds to shrug off the green sheaths that have housed them and burst forth with colour; it's a time for chicks to batter their little beaks against the inside of their shell until they see the light of day; it's when Jesus woke up after his nasty ordeal.
This Easter I'm even more aware of it all – as the proud new owner of an allotment and the unsuspecting new owner of a two year old cat called Kajagoogoo. The allotment has always been a dream of mine. The cat just appeared one weekend. I'm a dog person me, but you can't turn an animal away can you? And you can't seem to rename one either, no matter how hard you try. It's a girl cat but surely 'Limahl' would have been preferable to Kajagoogoo whilst retaining the connection which I assume is something to do with the fact that she's quite a timid little cat – ergo, "Too shy shy, hush hush, eye to eye." Of course I don't often use her full name. Except yesterday morning when I was greeted by an elephant sized poo in the middle of the dining room floor. Where did it all come from? At first I wondered if it was a little Easter prank. A little chocolate treat. Then I breathed in.
She only seems to do it when we are in the house alone. In other words when I'm the only mug around to scoop it up with my t shirt pulled over my nose and carry it at arms length out to the garden, screwing my nose up and muttering how disgusting it is and how if she was my cat she would never do that. She's not my cat though. I don't own a pet (except for the imaginary dog that comes everywhere with me.) No, I don't own a pet and yet this Easter weekend I seem to be responsible for the little lives of two cats and two goldfish. It's actually quite satisfying. I feel all nurturing and maternal. Not so much for the goldfish but it was nice having a cuddle with my neighbour's cat, Mittens this morning. (They call him 'Mittens', his street name is 'The Nailer'.)
And now with my allotment I am also responsible for the lives of 64 red onions, 58 musselburgh leeks, a cherry tree, a pear tree, a gooseberry bush, a strawberry patch, a raspberry bush and more beans, potatoes, and squash I could possibly consume between now and the next harvest. That doesn't matter. I shall gift organic produce to my neighbours, my friends, my postman. Of course, I'll save a fortune on fruit and veg…and on tea bags (lemon balm or spearmint – just clip off the top leaves and dunk.)
Ah yes, spring is in the air and I'm feeling all earthy. Don't stuff your faces with chocolate – get out there and get your hands in the soil. Dig. Plant. Grow. Nurture. It's good and natural and life affirming.
Oh, no…don't dig there. That's where I buried the cat poo.
he ain't heavy
The doctor frowned a bit when I said that I saw it as a relief that I'd spent the last 25 years 'caning it.' I took note of her precision symmetrical bob, her perfect nails, her bright eyes and the framed pictures of the two beautiful young clones perched on the windowsill and wondered that perhaps she didn't know what 'caning it' was.
"Do you know what I mean?" I asked.
"I think I do," she offered.
"Like, the fact that I've been so debauched up until now means I've just got to be less debauched from now on."
"That's right," she smiled. "You are going to need to make a few lifestyle changes. And I suppose the first of those would be…" she paused and looked at the computer screen, "I suggest you…"
"Stop caning it?"
"Stop caning it, yes. Or at least cut down a bit."
So, the bad news is, less partying until the early hours; less booze; less pies; less burning the candle at both ends then scraping up the wax to form another candle and setting light to that as well.
The good news is, the fact that I have been doing all that stuff, consistently, over a prolonged period of time means that less is just…less. Not none at all. And at least I have stuff to give up. Some people end up in this condition through no fault of their own. Just bad luck. Or bad genes.
This condition, thanks for asking, is a condition of dangerously high blood pressure, high cholesterol and low functioning thyroid. I had gone to the doctor's to request a couple of regular standard blood tests for a project I'm working on and came out with a request for half a dozen blood tests, two urine samples and an ECG.
Now, I have to admit I'd have to be a complete idiot not to have known I wasn't going to skip out of the doctor's surgery having been told "Everything is fine. Just keep eating the way you eat and drinking the amount you drink and you'll live to a ripe old age. In fact, you could snack in front of daytime TV more often – it'll do you good…" And If I'm honest I was kind of hoping for some sort of 'diagnosis' – some sort of a something wrong. Not just as a kick up the arse to encourage me to make changes, but I was desperate to be given a reason for this sudden massive weight gain I seemed to have suffered recently. Please, tell me there's something wrong, doctor. Then it won't be all my fault. It won't just be because of all the pies.
Of course, I couldn't hide my delight when the doctor mentioned 'under active thyroid'. That was the condition I was hoping for. Bullseye. Now I could look concerned, turn my eyes to the ceiling and say, "Hmmm, yes, I thought there must be a reason for this sudden rapid weight gain. Right, so what shall we do about it doc?" Now I could say to people, "Yes, I have gained a few pounds. Under active thyroid. Not my fault. Terrible condition. Awful." Of course, it would sound more like "Yesfh. Hmmf nnd few pounds. Unnd acc roid hmf. S'terrible. Hmfawf." Because I'd have a mouth full of pie.
"It's all reversible," my doctor smiled. Sensing I had become a bit upset. Even if it's what you hoped for it's still a bit of a worry to find out there is actually something wrong.
"I'll give you some pamphlets. Cut back all you can in the next few months, then we'll do all the tests again and see where we're at. And as you say, the good news is, you can make those changes."
She made it sound so easy. I thought of my brother and whether he might have similar issues, what with us both sharing the same genes and all. Last time I told him I might have high cholesterol he suggested I try eating granola. But it's not a gene related issue. And granola is full of sugar isn't it? I thought about him anyway and that made me tearful. That and the fact that I'd have to stop caning it for a while.
"So, let's just get you weighed before you go shall we?"
"Er, no. Let's not."
There are few places, no, strike that, there are no places that weighing oneself as an overweight person is an enjoyable experience. At the gym (in between hefty workouts); in the bathroom (after squeezing out every last drop of liquid and every last ounce of solids); at a weigh-in (after lying about what you've had to eat all week). But the worst, the absolute worst has to be in a doctors surgery. Especially when the doctor is slim and blonde and glowing and healthy looking and really nice and likely to ask me to 'just pop myself on the scales'. No. Please don't.
"Just pop yourself on to the scales."
I go for the knee jerk natural action of kicking off my shoes.
"Don't worry about your shoes, I'll make an allowance for those," she smiles.
I close my eyes and step on the scales. I don't want to see the dial. I open my eyes. I can't see the dial. My tummy is in the way.
"What does it say doc?" I don't actually call her 'doc'. That's for comedic purposes. Or it would be, if it were funny.
"Well, what did you weigh last time you weighed yourself?" she asks brightly.
I tell her. I don't even lie. Then I ask…"has it gone up? Do I weigh more than that now?"
"Well," she sits back down and starts typing the data in to her computer. "Not unless your shoes weigh two stone."
They must do. That must be it. Heavy shoes. I hate these shoes. I'm going to throw them straight in to the bin. After I've been up Sainsbury's and bought myself a bag of granola.
mini tour
Very excited to announce my mini tour of the West Midlands next week courtesy of Laughing Cows…Tuesday – Leicester; Wednesday – Birmingham; Thursday – Coventry. Then I'll be joining the entire cast of The Short and Girlie Show on Friday for Funny Girls. Compering at a 50th Birthday bash on Saturday and Sunday the Short and Girlies will be at SheSoho on Old Compton Street. Fan bloody tastic!! I've downloaded everything ever written by David Sedaris for all the train journeys I'll be 'enjoying' – starting with Eurostar to Brussels in the morning for an improvisation workshop for Dramatic Resources. #livinthedream
See you along the way I hope, if you happen to be in Leicester on Tuesday, Birmingham on Wednesday, Coventry on Thursday, Brighton on Friday or London on Sunday….don't come to Brussels tomorrow though. That's private! xxx full deets on 'the gigs' page xxx
don't tell me when to be happy
This year, on the first day of spring, as well as singing "spring started last tuesday (when I met u)", the fabulous and classic, hitherto unreleased and unknown track from my fabulous and classic, hitherto unreleased and unknown debut album, 'fruition', I also developed an ear worm of Pharrell Williams' glorious song, "Happy". Due in large to the fact that it was playing in the background on the morning news when I was informed by two brightly dressed, smug, over made up presenters that today was 'National Happiness Day'. "So spread the smiles everyone and stay happy all day!!" Try suggesting that to someone who lives under Waterloo Bridge.
Can we manifest happiness? Can we just decide to be happy. One day. All day? I have to admit that I felt pretty good scrubbing in the shower and belting out…"clap along if you feel that happiness is the truth…" and it was a good day. Was that because I was near the sea? Was it because I spent it with friends and loved ones? Was it because it fell during the one week of the year that I don't suffer mood swings due to a hormone imbalance? Or was it because the smiley lady on the news told me it should?
Of course, I'm a great fan of happiness and very keen to promote a national day of happiness, but shouldn't we strive to be happy every day? Shouldn't that be the general aim. In the same way that every day should be a 'good knickers day'. To be happy and to do all we can to elevate others to the same state? But also, when we are sad, to allow ourselves to be sad. When our loved ones are sad, allow them to cry and just be there to hold their hand. It's kind of organic. Unavoidable. Unplannable.
A bit like, the following Sunday being told that we all need to love our mums. Treat her to lunch. Buy her some flowers. Visit her. Give her a hug. Shouldn't we just do this? Anyway? As a matter of course? A friend of mine, ages ago, refused to send her father a father's day card on these very grounds. As I sealed the envelope and stuck the stamp on a card to my own dad she staunchly refused to be instructed by society to show affection for her father on this one arbitrary day of the year. I sort of agreed with her. But I also knew that if I didn't send a card my dad would think I'd forgotten him. Damn. They've got me! "I'll send a card to my dad on another day of the year," said my friend, defiantly. "A day when I choose to send him a card to show him that I love him." She never actually did though. Turns out she didn't actually like him very much. Didn't even go to his funeral.
And then the clocks went forward! Another instruction from the management. How crazy is it that we suddenly all just….you know….change the time?? It's just decided – most of us forget until we are suddenly reminded by a radio announcement or a poster or by being an hour late or early for an appointment. I was reminded by an announcement made as I wandered round the Edible Garden Show in Alexandra Palace. I was completely unaware until that moment. Unaware that we would all just randomly lose an hour. Is that it? We lose an hour when they go forward? Gain an hour when they go back? I always think that's really dumb – surely it would be better to gain an hour in the spring when at least there's a chance of some nice weather to enjoy it? Spring forward, fall back, as my mum always says. Oh shit, my mum! If we lose an hour tonight then that means I have to leave an hour earlier on Mothering Sunday tomorrow for my three hour drive down to sussex to tell her that I love her.
sing when you're springing
Spring started last Thursday. That's not a song title. It's true. The song title is "spring started last tuesday" and as it was trendy in the 90's – when the song was composed – to have a bracketed suffix, there was a bracketed suffix of (when I met u). It was also trendy to use the letter "u" in place of the word "you" and this was before texting was even invented. Imagine. spring started last tuesday (when I met u) all lowercase, was the opening track on my album "fruition" (also lowercase).
It was written in the early throes of falling in love – less than a week into a budding romance - and speaks of how, in this heady period of an affair of the heart, the sky seems more blue; the grass seems more green; the birds seem to sing a happier song…you get the gist. How, when first in love our senses are heightened and we revel in the very joy of the simplest pleasures in life.
It was also, as the title would suggest, written in the spring. A time for new beginnings; where all life is springing forth; buds are appearing and the harsh, barren landscape of winter is suddenly bursting with vivid colour.
It was written by someone who was getting laid.
Once the premise for the song had been set, I was looking for a tag line. It didn't have a chorus as such but I wanted there to be a memorable line that repeated throughout the song and I just couldn't think of anything. I was visiting my parents for the weekend (obviously an arrangement that had been made previous to the onset of aforementioned amorous entanglement) and I was sitting having some lunch with my dad who was reading the paper. Distracted as I was, I munched on my ham and coleslaw sandwich and daydreamed about my new beau. The rhyming couplets of all things good and beautiful in the world swirling around in my overexcited, love addled, intensified songwriter's imagination.
"dawn is lighter the day is brighter
sea is deeper the ocean's wider
on sunny days the sun is warmer
la la la la la la corner – yeah…"
I was getting somewhere. But what was the tag? What's the hook? What's the memorable line?
Dad looked up from the paper. "Spring started last Tuesday", he said.
Boom. That's when we had met.
Did I dream that "spring started last tuesday (when I met u)" would become a huge hit. Yes. Yes, I did. Did I fantasise that "spring started last tuesday (when I met u)" would be played on radio stations throughout the country, nay, the world every spring from here until the end of all seasons? Yes. Yes, I did. Am I surprised now, twenty years later that it didn't happen? No. No I'm not.
But I am rather pleased that I got to express the manifestation of my emotions towards someone who was exceptionally special to me. And that my dear old dad made his contribution to my songwriting. (He likes to make a contribution to pretty much everything). And that I, if no one else, enjoy humming it away to myself on the first day of spring every year. Even if it is just me. Of course, if you'd like to join me in 'the song of spring future' then do feel free to purchase the track here: http://www.laraking.co.uk/?page_id=138#, or by contacting us here: firstname.lastname@example.com and we embrace your musical participation on the first day of spring every year until the end of all seasons. Hey, we might even get on the radio…
spring started last tuesday (when i met u)
words and music by lara A king
never tried to write a love song – no no
babe i never needed to
thought the world had enough love songs
then i met you
and now
the grass is greener – yeah yeah
there's a bridge over every stream and
birdsong's sweeter
i've met you
and the sky is more blue
or it's red and gold behind you
and the magpies all fly in twos
i've met you
dawn is lighter the day is brighter
sea is deeper the ocean's wider
on sunny days the sun is warmer
and love lies round each corner – yeah
and there's a new blue in my eyes
more stars shine in the night sky
and i'm closer to paradise
i've met you
i'm still loving you with each new day
tomorrow more than today
spring seemed to start last tuesday
when i met you
the breeze leads the grass in tango
and hills all wear sunshine halos
there's more colours in the rainbow
i've met you
talk of loving you know i'll listen
gonna show me what i've been missing
sugardoodle me – with your kissing
never tried to write a love song – no no
babe i never needed to
now i wanna fill the air with love songs
cos i've met you
i've met you
© lara A king. 1995


text:
Cotterrell gives Sagicor HPC early control
DHAKA, Bangladesh (CMC) — Sheldon Cotterrell led purposeful bowling from the West Indies Sagicor High Performance team to give them the early upper hand in their tour match against Bangladesh-A yesterday.
The burly Jamaican left-arm fast bowler grabbed 4-15 from 9.1 overs, as the A-Team, choosing to bat, were dismissed for 199 in their first innings just before the close on the opening day of the four-day match at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.
Jomel Warrican, a left-arm spinner from Barbados, supported with two for 32 from 17 overs and Guyanese Veerasammy Permaul, another left-arm spinner, took two for 57 from 28 overs, as several A-Team batsmen — led by Mominul Haque with 50 — got starts without carrying on.
Openers Andre Fletcher, not out 13, and Trevon Griffith, yet to score, then negotiated two tricky overs to carry the Sagicor HPC to 14 without loss before stumps were drawn.
Cotterrell and new-ball partner and captain, Carlos Brathwaite, kept things extremely tight very early, but Permaul made the initial breakthroughs when Imrul Kayes played back and across and was bowled for six, and fellow left-hander Nasiruddin Faroque was lbw for 16 offering no stroke, leaving the A-Team 27 for two.
The emerging West Indies players, however, failed to make any further inroads in the morning period, as Mominul and his captain Raqibul Hasan carried the score to 82 for two at lunch.
After the interval, Raqibul was run out for 32, following a third wicket partnership of 73 with Mominul, whose half-century soon followed from 79 balls with two runs off Warrican before he was caught behind off the same bowler from the next delivery. It ended an innings which contained seven fours and one six, leaving the A-Team 119 for four.
Following a long period of attrition, Warrican added the scalp of Anamul Haque, caught in the deep for 15 by Brathwaite from a skier, as the A-Team reached 153 for five at tea.
After the break, Jermaine Blackwood had Forhad Hossain lbw for 15, but Naeem Islam made 30, and was the glue that kept the lower order together before Cotterrell returned to wipe him and the tail away with a lethally accurate spell.