I used to chat a lot on IRC. Remember that, IRC? You know, it was before all this instant messaging crap where you're forced to be on someone's list and have to have one-on-one conversations with people when you don't really feel like it. We didn't have "chat rooms" on IRC, we had "channels." And we had scripts. We could execute all sorts of automatic behaviours. I loved to be a channel op too, banning users, kicking them, and so on... I met my girlfriend on IRC, you know. We're an Internet couple success story, way before online dating ever existed.

Anyway, I observed on various IRC channels there were usually four types of people you could meet: the well-balanced, nice, normal guy; the happy, super-friendly, almost maternal girl; the bizarre, cynical guy; and the moron. I figured Petey would be a shoo-in, adding emphasis to his social inadequacies. I wanted to give the impression that he does hang out there a lot and people do seem to like him and know different things about him; things he would never do in reality. No matter what, it always seemed that people on IRC were always aware of other people's lives and interests really closely. Because if it is easy to tell strangers about your problems, it's even easier when you can't see them.