θ 35 [Say Goodbye]

[it's not the slight change in the cut of his suit, the change from cotton blend to wool gabardine, nor how his suit is now a black and white double breasted pinstripe with thin filaments of gold running through every stripe that draws the Doctor's attention. no, it's the dove grey fedora set at a jaunty angle upon his slicked back, oiled hair and the shiny wingtip shoes now covering his feet. he has to admit the hat amuses him the most; how long has it been since he's worn a hat of any kind, or has bothered to blend in at all?]

[walking along a busy Chicago street, the Doctor tips his hat in greeting to all passers-by, but doing so earns him several responses. some gibber nervous replies, clutching whatever they've got with them to their chests. others run up to him to shake his hand--passing off a money to him in doing so--or hand him flowers, or fresh fruit from their shops. he's just finishing up a particularly tasty apple when someone runs into him, but before he can even apologise, the young man's eyes go wider than dinner plates and he bolts in the opposite direction. this wouldn't bother him so much if it isn't for what the young man's shouting:]

The Doc's back! The Doc's back!

[not really sure what he thinks about that--he's fairly certain he didn't do anything to warrant such a reaction the last time he visited Chicago--he looks at the Sphere, an almost hurt expression on his puzzled face.]

Has anyone else encountered this? Free gifts and cries of bloody murder? I haven't even given them my name and yet they fear my face... [mumbles under his breath] I don't think I've even visited Chicago in this regenerative cycle...

[suddenly, a group of men yank and push him down an alley and through a side door to a nearby theatre (which is actually the Goodman Theatre, but he doesn't know that yet.)] Oi! What're you--?!

( And then things take a turn for the weird )