Interview with Lana from The Last Legacy
Taylor: Let’s get started real quickly with your name, age, a little bit of background to set the mood.
Lana: Uh, sure. Well, you know my name. It’s Lana Greyson. I’m twenty-four and am a secretary. I live here, in, uh, Hartford. I think that’s about it.
Taylor: Do you live alone or with roommates? Are you married?
Lana: I live alone.
Taylor: Want to start on the game?
Lana: Sure. I mean, I don’t know what this has to do with my job. But I can’t lose it. So, yeah. Ask away.
Taylor: I’ll start easy. #1 where would you like to live?
Lana: Ideally, probably somewhere up north, maybe Vermont. I like the cold and staying inside and not feeling guilt over being inside. Snow is pretty. I don’t much like the heat, especially humid, wet heat. So, somewhere is snows in a small cabin.
Taylor: What is your favorite quality in a man?
Lana: Loyalty. I’ve never met a man who could be. But in a perfect world, it’s the trait I’d crave most in a partner. It’s important to me, over anything else.
Taylor: Number 3. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
Lana: Lizzie Bennett changed my life. She’s from the book, Pride & Prejudice. She showed me that I could be strong and maybe I’d be like her if I just stayed true to myself. She changed my life at a time when I needed strength and hope.
Taylor: What is your most treasured possession?
Lana: Wow, that’s hard. I don’t have a lot to my name that I care deeply about. I have an expensive watch one of my foster parents gave to me for my eighth grade graduation. I guess that.
Taylor: What do you most value in your friends?
Lana: I don’t have friends. (Taylor glares at Lana.) Really. I don’t like making attachments with people. I have a neighbor, Jean. She’s all right, but her dog doesn’t shut the hell up. I guess she’s a friend. If I did have friends, it’d still be loyalty. Or a sense of belonging.
Taylor: Do you lie? And why would you?
Lana: Everyone lies. And if you say you don’t, you’re lying. Truly, any occasion can warrant a lie. To make someone feel better, boost their ego or not hurt their feelings, to get out of a situation, to further yourself. Lying is a part of life. I’d never lie to hurt someone though.
Taylor: Question seven. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Lana: Getting my foster-sister out of the system and then myself. I was sixteen. I had to stick out a really shitty situation to save us both, but in the end we both escaped mostly unscathed. She’s married now.
Taylor: I’m curious, what would you consider the idea of perfect happiness to be like?
Lana: A nice sized house with a steady job. No fear of being on the street or being controlled. Maybe a family, but I don’t know if motherhood is for me. I don’t even know what a mom looks like let alone how to be one. A dog, for sure. I don’t think happiness can be defined by things, but that would get me pretty close.
Taylor: When and where were you happiest?
Lana: My thirteenth birthday, Illinois. In the system, birthdays don’t matter other than remembering your age so you could tell the next family. They passed like a whisper. But my foster mother threw me a party. I had real friends from school that came to celebrate. We had ice cream cake with these purple balloons in frosting since that was my favorite color. I cried I was so happy.
Taylor: Number ten. What word do you overuse most?
Lana: I like this one. Not so deep. (Lana smiles to herself, blushing.) My boss tells me I ask too many questions so maybe what. I don’t really talk a lot so it could be hi, too, since that’s about as far as most conversations I have go.
Taylor: What’s a talent you wish you had?
Lana: I’d love to be able to draw. I’m not creative at all so any outlet that involved drawing or writing, I suck at. But I love to watch people and I think drawing or sketching would be cool. To be able to draw something from inside your head is just amazing to me.
Taylor: What is your greatest fear?
Lana: I’m scared of a lot of things. (Lana chuckles.) I like being alone, but at the same time, I hate it. Letting people in scares the crap out of me. But blocking people out scares me too since I don’t know if I’ll ever find someone I can trust and I don’t want to be alone. It’s a double edged fear since both sides scare the shit out of me.
Taylor: Question thirteen. What is your current state of mind?
Lana: I’m not sure I know what that means. I’m tired, too busy, the work never ends. I’m kind of drawn out. I don’t know. I want to go on vacation to let my mind relax, but I don’t have the money or time. Exhausted might be a better word. Pure exhaustion.
Taylor: Who is a living person you despise most?
Lana: Paul Ellingston. A foster dad I had who tortured the younger kids. I don’t want to say more.
Taylor: If you could have any occupation, what would it be?
Lana: I’ve always wanted to be a social worker for kids who grew up like I did.
Taylor: Why don’t you do that?
Lana: I don’t have the money for college. I did two years at the local community college and had to leave when I couldn’t pay my rent. It sucks. Eventually I’ll try to go back and hopefully get a degree or at least a certificate. But we’ll see.
Taylor: Number fifteen.
Lana: No, it’s sixteen. You asked me why I’d be a social worker. It counts. (Lana winks.)
Taylor: Fair enough. Number sixteen. How do you want to die?
Lana: Most people say peaceful. I think I’d want it to be some huge devastating death. It feels right to go out with a bang. My life has been so dull, death could at least brighten me. The pain would make me feel something, make it count. It may be morbid but I’d want it to be violent and jaw dropping.
Taylor: If you were to die and come back, what would you be?
Lana: Lioness. It’s not me at all, but it’s what I’d want to be. Nobody would try to eat me. I would rule everyone, be free, and have no fears lurking in the shadows. Lioness would be ideal. But in reality I’d probably be the flea on a lion’s back—insignificant and annoying.
Taylor: What is your life motto?
Lana: One step at a time. I don’t tend to look far into the future. Plans never work through, usually messed up by some otherworldly force. Instead only look as far as you can see, reach the goals, and then move up a step.
Taylor: If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
Lana: My drive. I wish I was a little stronger. More self-aware. I wish I fought more for what I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, I have fight in me. But it only comes out in the fourth quarter. I’d want it all the time.
Taylor: Last question. What is your greatest regret?
Lana: Not saving Flynn.
Taylor: Who’s Flynn.
Lana: That was twenty questions. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to talk about him. Thanks for interviewing me. I appreciate it and hope it helps.
Taylor: Thanks for hanging out with me and being so willing to answer. Best luck.
Lana: Uh, sure. Well, you know my name. It’s Lana Greyson. I’m twenty-four and am a secretary. I live here, in, uh, Hartford. I think that’s about it.
Taylor: Do you live alone or with roommates? Are you married?
Lana: I live alone.
Taylor: Want to start on the game?
Lana: Sure. I mean, I don’t know what this has to do with my job. But I can’t lose it. So, yeah. Ask away.
Taylor: I’ll start easy. #1 where would you like to live?
Lana: Ideally, probably somewhere up north, maybe Vermont. I like the cold and staying inside and not feeling guilt over being inside. Snow is pretty. I don’t much like the heat, especially humid, wet heat. So, somewhere is snows in a small cabin.
Taylor: What is your favorite quality in a man?
Lana: Loyalty. I’ve never met a man who could be. But in a perfect world, it’s the trait I’d crave most in a partner. It’s important to me, over anything else.
Taylor: Number 3. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
Lana: Lizzie Bennett changed my life. She’s from the book, Pride & Prejudice. She showed me that I could be strong and maybe I’d be like her if I just stayed true to myself. She changed my life at a time when I needed strength and hope.
Taylor: What is your most treasured possession?
Lana: Wow, that’s hard. I don’t have a lot to my name that I care deeply about. I have an expensive watch one of my foster parents gave to me for my eighth grade graduation. I guess that.
Taylor: What do you most value in your friends?
Lana: I don’t have friends. (Taylor glares at Lana.) Really. I don’t like making attachments with people. I have a neighbor, Jean. She’s all right, but her dog doesn’t shut the hell up. I guess she’s a friend. If I did have friends, it’d still be loyalty. Or a sense of belonging.
Taylor: Do you lie? And why would you?
Lana: Everyone lies. And if you say you don’t, you’re lying. Truly, any occasion can warrant a lie. To make someone feel better, boost their ego or not hurt their feelings, to get out of a situation, to further yourself. Lying is a part of life. I’d never lie to hurt someone though.
Taylor: Question seven. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Lana: Getting my foster-sister out of the system and then myself. I was sixteen. I had to stick out a really shitty situation to save us both, but in the end we both escaped mostly unscathed. She’s married now.
Taylor: I’m curious, what would you consider the idea of perfect happiness to be like?
Lana: A nice sized house with a steady job. No fear of being on the street or being controlled. Maybe a family, but I don’t know if motherhood is for me. I don’t even know what a mom looks like let alone how to be one. A dog, for sure. I don’t think happiness can be defined by things, but that would get me pretty close.
Taylor: When and where were you happiest?
Lana: My thirteenth birthday, Illinois. In the system, birthdays don’t matter other than remembering your age so you could tell the next family. They passed like a whisper. But my foster mother threw me a party. I had real friends from school that came to celebrate. We had ice cream cake with these purple balloons in frosting since that was my favorite color. I cried I was so happy.
Taylor: Number ten. What word do you overuse most?
Lana: I like this one. Not so deep. (Lana smiles to herself, blushing.) My boss tells me I ask too many questions so maybe what. I don’t really talk a lot so it could be hi, too, since that’s about as far as most conversations I have go.
Taylor: What’s a talent you wish you had?
Lana: I’d love to be able to draw. I’m not creative at all so any outlet that involved drawing or writing, I suck at. But I love to watch people and I think drawing or sketching would be cool. To be able to draw something from inside your head is just amazing to me.
Taylor: What is your greatest fear?
Lana: I’m scared of a lot of things. (Lana chuckles.) I like being alone, but at the same time, I hate it. Letting people in scares the crap out of me. But blocking people out scares me too since I don’t know if I’ll ever find someone I can trust and I don’t want to be alone. It’s a double edged fear since both sides scare the shit out of me.
Taylor: Question thirteen. What is your current state of mind?
Lana: I’m not sure I know what that means. I’m tired, too busy, the work never ends. I’m kind of drawn out. I don’t know. I want to go on vacation to let my mind relax, but I don’t have the money or time. Exhausted might be a better word. Pure exhaustion.
Taylor: Who is a living person you despise most?
Lana: Paul Ellingston. A foster dad I had who tortured the younger kids. I don’t want to say more.
Taylor: If you could have any occupation, what would it be?
Lana: I’ve always wanted to be a social worker for kids who grew up like I did.
Taylor: Why don’t you do that?
Lana: I don’t have the money for college. I did two years at the local community college and had to leave when I couldn’t pay my rent. It sucks. Eventually I’ll try to go back and hopefully get a degree or at least a certificate. But we’ll see.
Taylor: Number fifteen.
Lana: No, it’s sixteen. You asked me why I’d be a social worker. It counts. (Lana winks.)
Taylor: Fair enough. Number sixteen. How do you want to die?
Lana: Most people say peaceful. I think I’d want it to be some huge devastating death. It feels right to go out with a bang. My life has been so dull, death could at least brighten me. The pain would make me feel something, make it count. It may be morbid but I’d want it to be violent and jaw dropping.
Taylor: If you were to die and come back, what would you be?
Lana: Lioness. It’s not me at all, but it’s what I’d want to be. Nobody would try to eat me. I would rule everyone, be free, and have no fears lurking in the shadows. Lioness would be ideal. But in reality I’d probably be the flea on a lion’s back—insignificant and annoying.
Taylor: What is your life motto?
Lana: One step at a time. I don’t tend to look far into the future. Plans never work through, usually messed up by some otherworldly force. Instead only look as far as you can see, reach the goals, and then move up a step.
Taylor: If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
Lana: My drive. I wish I was a little stronger. More self-aware. I wish I fought more for what I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, I have fight in me. But it only comes out in the fourth quarter. I’d want it all the time.
Taylor: Last question. What is your greatest regret?
Lana: Not saving Flynn.
Taylor: Who’s Flynn.
Lana: That was twenty questions. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to talk about him. Thanks for interviewing me. I appreciate it and hope it helps.
Taylor: Thanks for hanging out with me and being so willing to answer. Best luck.