(( Caleb Diamond continued from Pizza Rats))
Caleb glided along the sidewalk at a leisurely pace, smoothly dismounting and flipping his skateboard into his hand. He landed at the front door of the Diamondback Ice Cream Parlor. He tucked the board under his arm and opened the door. A blast of cold air and a faintly sweet smell smacked him in the face.
He went over to the glass case and started looking down at the various flavors. He consulted a display that showed how big the different cone and cup sizes and then looked down at his pocket to check the time on his phone. Caleb pursed his lips and continued looking down at the glistening, bright containers of ice cream as if he were thinking very carefully about the decision.
Chilling
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2569
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
It was hot. That was Kimiko's main assessment of the day. She was out shopping for DVD's and other general things. So far though she had only managed to pick up the DVD's. Instead she had been distracted by the intense heat which was hot even by Arizona standards. Thankfully Kimiko had just put a tank top and some running shorts on anything else and she would have been melting.
Which was a good segue-way to the ice cream parlour. Kimiko had decided almost as soon as she had stepped outside that a visit to Diamondback would be needed. Not the best thing for her diet in anyway but she was happy enough that a small tub wouldn't set her back too much. If it did, then she would just go for a run in the evening to burn off the calories. In fact, she made a mental note to do that anyway, would be a nice change of pace from her morning runs.
Gently pushing a door open Kimiko stepped inside. The refreshing air-conditioned air greeted her. She had never really experienced proper air-conditioning like America had before moving but she had grown to love it. In a place like Kingman it was a gift.
The tall person standing at the counter was someone she knew. Someone she was good friends with actually. Caleb was someone who while he could be described as a grouchy old man sometimes was also a good friend of hers. Normally they hung out and talked comics but Caleb had earned her affection when he learned sign language. That was something not everyone did.
The awkwardness of being a mute though was that there was no polite way to greet someone who didn't know you were there. Instead Kimiko typed a message on her phone and sent it to him.
You chilling in here as well. ;P
Good thing terrible puns existed.
Which was a good segue-way to the ice cream parlour. Kimiko had decided almost as soon as she had stepped outside that a visit to Diamondback would be needed. Not the best thing for her diet in anyway but she was happy enough that a small tub wouldn't set her back too much. If it did, then she would just go for a run in the evening to burn off the calories. In fact, she made a mental note to do that anyway, would be a nice change of pace from her morning runs.
Gently pushing a door open Kimiko stepped inside. The refreshing air-conditioned air greeted her. She had never really experienced proper air-conditioning like America had before moving but she had grown to love it. In a place like Kingman it was a gift.
The tall person standing at the counter was someone she knew. Someone she was good friends with actually. Caleb was someone who while he could be described as a grouchy old man sometimes was also a good friend of hers. Normally they hung out and talked comics but Caleb had earned her affection when he learned sign language. That was something not everyone did.
The awkwardness of being a mute though was that there was no polite way to greet someone who didn't know you were there. Instead Kimiko typed a message on her phone and sent it to him.
You chilling in here as well. ;P
Good thing terrible puns existed.
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2569
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Caleb felt his phone shake slightly. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the message. It was dumb, but dumb in a way he appreciated. He looked around the shop for a moment and saw Kimiko. He made a show of looking at his own eye level while walking towards her, stopping a few feet in front of her. Caleb looked down and feigned surprise putting his hand over his mouth.
He signed hello and signed for the word "short" followed by a y.
<Hey shorty>
He wasn't any kind of sign language master, but he knew enough for daily conversation. It had taken a few years of study in his spare time, but it was kind of fun. He turned to the ice cream case, then turned back to Kimiko and raised an eyebrow. He folded his arms and looked at her.
He signed hello and signed for the word "short" followed by a y.
<Hey shorty>
He wasn't any kind of sign language master, but he knew enough for daily conversation. It had taken a few years of study in his spare time, but it was kind of fun. He turned to the ice cream case, then turned back to Kimiko and raised an eyebrow. He folded his arms and looked at her.
Caleb spoke broken sign language. It was kind of endearing. The thought was there though and that was what counted. That was another benefit of being mute, no one would ever hear her try to speak English while her Taiwanese accent destroyed certain words. She signed back purposefully imitating the way he had signed but adding in an exaggerated pause.
"Hey Big-y"
She had known Caleb since the start of high school. They'd met during an induction activity where you had to partner up and tell each other about yourself. It would have been a perfectly fine activity had the teachers remembered she couldn't speak. They still worked it out after some initial awkwardness and they found out they both liked comics which helped them bond.
Following Caleb's gaze to the ice cream selection that were practically sparkling. There were more flavors on offer than Kimiko knew what to do with and at least three of them were dedicated to various Oreo mixtures. She didn't know why so many flavors were needed but it was a good thing. She enjoyed the freedom of choice that existed in America, the feeling of walking into a place and being overwhelmed by the amount of stuff. It was a weird feeling but an exciting one.
"I'm thinking something like melon so I can pretend I'm being healthy." She grinned up at him as she did so. The height difference between the two of them was ridiculous.
"What about you?"
"Hey Big-y"
She had known Caleb since the start of high school. They'd met during an induction activity where you had to partner up and tell each other about yourself. It would have been a perfectly fine activity had the teachers remembered she couldn't speak. They still worked it out after some initial awkwardness and they found out they both liked comics which helped them bond.
Following Caleb's gaze to the ice cream selection that were practically sparkling. There were more flavors on offer than Kimiko knew what to do with and at least three of them were dedicated to various Oreo mixtures. She didn't know why so many flavors were needed but it was a good thing. She enjoyed the freedom of choice that existed in America, the feeling of walking into a place and being overwhelmed by the amount of stuff. It was a weird feeling but an exciting one.
"I'm thinking something like melon so I can pretend I'm being healthy." She grinned up at him as she did so. The height difference between the two of them was ridiculous.
"What about you?"
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Dannyrulx*
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:42 am
((Maria Cucinotta, continued from Morning Dew))
Ah Diamondback. Possibly one of the nicest ice-cream parlours she'd had the pleasure of visiting outside of Italy. It was strange, she reflected, how an Italian girl like her ended up loving American ice cream like Ben and Jerry's, moreso than her countries' traditional gelato. She giggled at the thought, knowing that her dad would probably kill her if he knew of her little guilty pleasure.
Well, not literally. It would be pretty crazy to kill your only daughter for a little cultural preference, far, far crazier than Pa was. The door of the parlour opened with a little jingle as the bell above the door rang out. She'd always found that cute actually, and it was another thing that separated Italy from America. Back when she was a kid, you'd never find bells above doors. Still didn't in most places.
The air conditioning was the first thing to hit her, as it was when entering most places in Arizona. Everything had air conditioning. The school had it, the stores had it, the houses had it, hell, even the trailers had freakin' air con. You'd be crazy not to have if what with how hot it was. And boy was today hot.
The second thing to hit her was the two students in here. Kimoko, the Taiwanese chick who she knew for two reasons, them being she was Taiwanese, and she couldn't talk. Something about an accident after she was born or something. In a way, they shared that, although it was debatable if losing the ability to speak was worse or better than losing your mother.
The other student was... Caleb. Goddamit that would be awkward. Why did she always bump into him when she'd put zero effort into her appearence? I mean, it wasn't like she put lots of makeup on, normally a bit of eyeshadow and some lipstick was enough, sometimes a little concealer if the zits had been coming out, which was rare nowadays, but still. Was bumping into the dude when she'd run a straightener through hair hair recently and had put some lipstick on too much? The guy was stupid cute!
I mean sure, he was hunched over constantly, but the bleached blond hairdo with the classic Californian tanned skin and blue eyes... Goddamn if that guy didn't have a lot going for him. If he worked a bit on the muscles he'd be making every freakin' girl in the school drippy, no doubt. As it was though, he did a very good job of almost making her that anyway.
They hadn't noticed her yet, as they were signing to each other, something which always made her embarrassed for some reason. Three languages she could speak, but sign wasn't one of 'em. To be honest, she'd never really put any effort into learning it; the only time she'd ever had someone who communicated in sign was a hearing-impaired kid back in England. She'd learned precisely one word from him, that being hello. Then again, a wave could do that far better than anything else, so even that was useless.
Aaand Caleb had seen her. Speak of the devil and all that she guessed, because there was no their way to justify the sudden glance upwards in her position, unless perhaps Kimiko had noticed her walking the same direction as her and told him. Or the bell had alerted him to the fact someone had walked in. Quite possibly the latter. She waved.
Ah Diamondback. Possibly one of the nicest ice-cream parlours she'd had the pleasure of visiting outside of Italy. It was strange, she reflected, how an Italian girl like her ended up loving American ice cream like Ben and Jerry's, moreso than her countries' traditional gelato. She giggled at the thought, knowing that her dad would probably kill her if he knew of her little guilty pleasure.
Well, not literally. It would be pretty crazy to kill your only daughter for a little cultural preference, far, far crazier than Pa was. The door of the parlour opened with a little jingle as the bell above the door rang out. She'd always found that cute actually, and it was another thing that separated Italy from America. Back when she was a kid, you'd never find bells above doors. Still didn't in most places.
The air conditioning was the first thing to hit her, as it was when entering most places in Arizona. Everything had air conditioning. The school had it, the stores had it, the houses had it, hell, even the trailers had freakin' air con. You'd be crazy not to have if what with how hot it was. And boy was today hot.
The second thing to hit her was the two students in here. Kimoko, the Taiwanese chick who she knew for two reasons, them being she was Taiwanese, and she couldn't talk. Something about an accident after she was born or something. In a way, they shared that, although it was debatable if losing the ability to speak was worse or better than losing your mother.
The other student was... Caleb. Goddamit that would be awkward. Why did she always bump into him when she'd put zero effort into her appearence? I mean, it wasn't like she put lots of makeup on, normally a bit of eyeshadow and some lipstick was enough, sometimes a little concealer if the zits had been coming out, which was rare nowadays, but still. Was bumping into the dude when she'd run a straightener through hair hair recently and had put some lipstick on too much? The guy was stupid cute!
I mean sure, he was hunched over constantly, but the bleached blond hairdo with the classic Californian tanned skin and blue eyes... Goddamn if that guy didn't have a lot going for him. If he worked a bit on the muscles he'd be making every freakin' girl in the school drippy, no doubt. As it was though, he did a very good job of almost making her that anyway.
They hadn't noticed her yet, as they were signing to each other, something which always made her embarrassed for some reason. Three languages she could speak, but sign wasn't one of 'em. To be honest, she'd never really put any effort into learning it; the only time she'd ever had someone who communicated in sign was a hearing-impaired kid back in England. She'd learned precisely one word from him, that being hello. Then again, a wave could do that far better than anything else, so even that was useless.
Aaand Caleb had seen her. Speak of the devil and all that she guessed, because there was no their way to justify the sudden glance upwards in her position, unless perhaps Kimiko had noticed her walking the same direction as her and told him. Or the bell had alerted him to the fact someone had walked in. Quite possibly the latter. She waved.
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2569
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
"If you're eating ice cream, you've pretty clearly given up the illusion of health. Go all the way," he said out loud.
He looked at the flavors for a moment while considering Kimiko's question.
He sighed. He was still recovering from a bit of a mood. Johnny's cracks about his brother were tolerable some days, but it had soured him today. The door jingled again like it had when he walked in and when Kimiko followed after. He bit the edge of his thumb in a way he often did when preoccupied.
<Chocolate. Maybe > he signed.
<Make [it] interesting? Rock, paper, scissors. Loser buys.>
Some simple tune was playing faintly in the background of the store. He noticed some movement coming towards them and turned to look. It was Maria, a girl from school. He didn't know her very well. Caleb dimly remembered she talked about cooking once while he was nearby maybe. She waved at them. He looked at Kimiko as if asking if this girl was waving at her or him.
He turned back to Maria and gave a short wave in response with a neutral expression on his face.
He looked at the flavors for a moment while considering Kimiko's question.
He sighed. He was still recovering from a bit of a mood. Johnny's cracks about his brother were tolerable some days, but it had soured him today. The door jingled again like it had when he walked in and when Kimiko followed after. He bit the edge of his thumb in a way he often did when preoccupied.
<Chocolate. Maybe > he signed.
<Make [it] interesting? Rock, paper, scissors. Loser buys.>
Some simple tune was playing faintly in the background of the store. He noticed some movement coming towards them and turned to look. It was Maria, a girl from school. He didn't know her very well. Caleb dimly remembered she talked about cooking once while he was nearby maybe. She waved at them. He looked at Kimiko as if asking if this girl was waving at her or him.
He turned back to Maria and gave a short wave in response with a neutral expression on his face.
"You're on."
When the bell at the entrance to the store rang Kimiko turned a second after Caleb did to see who it was who had entered. She didn't really know Maria very well at all. She knew that the other girl had also moved to America from another country, England, but aside from that they hadn't interacted much.
After politely waving in greeting to the new arrival Kimiko turned back to Caleb.
"Ready to buy me ice cream?" She signed with a grin before setting her hands ready for Rock, Paper, Scissors.
She and Caleb both did the three bounces before shooting.
He had paper, she had scissors.
One to nothing for her. She looked up at Caleb with an eyebrow raised and a grin.
Round two, it was a tense moment. Free ice cream was on the line.
She had rock, he had scissors.
"Aw yeah. Free ice cream for me!"
Kimiko raised her arms slightly in victory and did a small pirouette.
"Still want to me to go all the way? I could always go for another scoop."
Resting her index finger on her chin Kimiko pantomimed thinking the idea over as she waited for Caleb's response.
When the bell at the entrance to the store rang Kimiko turned a second after Caleb did to see who it was who had entered. She didn't really know Maria very well at all. She knew that the other girl had also moved to America from another country, England, but aside from that they hadn't interacted much.
After politely waving in greeting to the new arrival Kimiko turned back to Caleb.
"Ready to buy me ice cream?" She signed with a grin before setting her hands ready for Rock, Paper, Scissors.
She and Caleb both did the three bounces before shooting.
He had paper, she had scissors.
One to nothing for her. She looked up at Caleb with an eyebrow raised and a grin.
Round two, it was a tense moment. Free ice cream was on the line.
She had rock, he had scissors.
"Aw yeah. Free ice cream for me!"
Kimiko raised her arms slightly in victory and did a small pirouette.
"Still want to me to go all the way? I could always go for another scoop."
Resting her index finger on her chin Kimiko pantomimed thinking the idea over as she waited for Caleb's response.
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Dannyrulx*
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:42 am
Rock Paper Scissors? Payment, right? It was always for payment. Or they were debating flavours, either would be a reasonable assumption. Since both of them had acknowledged her, she supposed she could talk to them, or she could get ice cream and then talk to them. The sweat dripping down her neck said ice cream, so that was what she went for.
She walked up to the counter, the bored looking server barley dignifying her with a glance. As per usual, the choice temporarily paralysed her. She would have to look up why this was. Did it only happen to her? Was it a general thing? Were humans naturally overloaded by choice?
Or was it that she was going to get chocolate fudge and vanilla as she did litterally every single time she came into this store? It was the latter of course. The other questions could be saved for Google, but this was urgent. "Gimmie a medium tub with choco-fudge and vanilla." The teen nodded and reached down, just as she did to grab her purse.
She flicked through her purse. One single dollar bill and a fifty. Plus random change... The ice cream was $4.40, which she'd always found a bit pricy, but as it was she couldn't afford it without handing over big cash. Sighing, she gave the sign to give her a sec to the server and walked over to Kimko and Caleb. "Guys, really sorry to bother you, but do you have any small notes? I've only got a fifty and the ice cream's like, five dollars."
She walked up to the counter, the bored looking server barley dignifying her with a glance. As per usual, the choice temporarily paralysed her. She would have to look up why this was. Did it only happen to her? Was it a general thing? Were humans naturally overloaded by choice?
Or was it that she was going to get chocolate fudge and vanilla as she did litterally every single time she came into this store? It was the latter of course. The other questions could be saved for Google, but this was urgent. "Gimmie a medium tub with choco-fudge and vanilla." The teen nodded and reached down, just as she did to grab her purse.
She flicked through her purse. One single dollar bill and a fifty. Plus random change... The ice cream was $4.40, which she'd always found a bit pricy, but as it was she couldn't afford it without handing over big cash. Sighing, she gave the sign to give her a sec to the server and walked over to Kimko and Caleb. "Guys, really sorry to bother you, but do you have any small notes? I've only got a fifty and the ice cream's like, five dollars."
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2569
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Caleb winced at the first loss. That was ok. He could still pull this out.
Then he lost again.
"Mother fucker" he mumbled.
"Alright, alright, alright" he said with arms crossed, rolling his eyes as Kimiko did her victory moves. "No way am I doubling down. You fuckin' cheat. You used mind control or hypnosis or whatever to make me lose. Go pick your flavors."
Maria came up to them and asked if they had change for a $50. Caleb pulled a face of disbelief.
What do I look like, a drug dealer? Who the fuck has change for a $50? Who the fuck has a $50?
Seeing as he did not know this girl well and she seemed somewhat pretty, he managed to keep those thoughts just as thoughts for once. He looked in his wallet. He had a $5 bill and 82 cents in loose change. Normally he didn't even have that on him. He paid for pretty much everything with a debit card, as did everyone in his family what with his father working at Bank of America. He only had cash because he wanted to go to the news stand and get a paper later, so he asked for $5 back at CVS the other day. He intended to pay for his (and now Kimiko's) ice cream with the debit card.
"Uh...no?" he said, looking up from his wallet.
He was frankly taken aback by being spoken to by this girl. It wasn't a common occurrence for people to randomly speak to him. He scratched his head through his beanie and looked to Kimiko.
Then he lost again.
"Mother fucker" he mumbled.
"Alright, alright, alright" he said with arms crossed, rolling his eyes as Kimiko did her victory moves. "No way am I doubling down. You fuckin' cheat. You used mind control or hypnosis or whatever to make me lose. Go pick your flavors."
Maria came up to them and asked if they had change for a $50. Caleb pulled a face of disbelief.
What do I look like, a drug dealer? Who the fuck has change for a $50? Who the fuck has a $50?
Seeing as he did not know this girl well and she seemed somewhat pretty, he managed to keep those thoughts just as thoughts for once. He looked in his wallet. He had a $5 bill and 82 cents in loose change. Normally he didn't even have that on him. He paid for pretty much everything with a debit card, as did everyone in his family what with his father working at Bank of America. He only had cash because he wanted to go to the news stand and get a paper later, so he asked for $5 back at CVS the other day. He intended to pay for his (and now Kimiko's) ice cream with the debit card.
"Uh...no?" he said, looking up from his wallet.
He was frankly taken aback by being spoken to by this girl. It wasn't a common occurrence for people to randomly speak to him. He scratched his head through his beanie and looked to Kimiko.
Sticking out her tongue Kimiko turned around and starting looking through the flavours. It didn't take her long to decide as she had already made up her mind when she walked in. It was strawberry and melon. That was her choice. When she turned back around Maria starting was asking them a question.
Oh, she was asking if they had a change for a fifty. That wasn't something Kimiko carried around. When Caleb looked at her she blinked a bit and then checked her purse. She didn't have much in there, about enough for a single serving. The other thing was why did Maria have a fifty? There was no reason to have a note that big. It wasn't practical unless she planned to buy either jewelry or furniture and Kimiko was guessing that Maria wasn't buying furniture. How much money did you have to have to leave the house with a fifty like it was no big deal?
She shook her head at Caleb and quickly signed a response.
"Got enough for a small."
Oh, she was asking if they had a change for a fifty. That wasn't something Kimiko carried around. When Caleb looked at her she blinked a bit and then checked her purse. She didn't have much in there, about enough for a single serving. The other thing was why did Maria have a fifty? There was no reason to have a note that big. It wasn't practical unless she planned to buy either jewelry or furniture and Kimiko was guessing that Maria wasn't buying furniture. How much money did you have to have to leave the house with a fifty like it was no big deal?
She shook her head at Caleb and quickly signed a response.
"Got enough for a small."
((Irene Djezari continued from I didn't know what I was supposed to say about that, so I just said Wow))
Irene blustered her way out of the notoriously cramped Diamondback bathroom with a spring in her step and a wallet in her jeans pocket. The wallet was pretty damn fat. Swole. Eating like it was on a Food Network special. She had that cash. Those greenbacks. That pork hollow, stuffed with wads of zeroes. Dinero. Moolah. Notes. Bills.
Can you pay my bills,
Can you pay my telephone bills,
Can you pay my automo-bills
Irene wasn't entirely sure how that particular jingle had intruded it's way into her thoughts. It had to have come from somewhere. Maybe she'd read it out of some François de La Rochefoucauld. Or as she liked to alternatively call him, François de La Rochambeau. At other times she pulled out the quality moniker François de La Rochefoulalalalalalala.
Anyways, she had money. She'd spent some of it on ice cream, at least she assumed that had probably happened at some point while she'd been busily gallivanting around an ice cream parlor. She scanned over the room, sniffed at the artificial scent of kinda-strawberry. Yep, her half melting cup was still on the table where she'd abandoned it. There was also a net increase of bodies in the shop from when she'd last taken stock. Took a moment to process that they were all familiar faces, bridged by that gloriously awkward pause where one just stared intently at someone else trying to assign a name to the aggregate population of dyed hair and beanies.
She realized that she did indeed recognize all of those faces!
And one of them had suddenly sidled up to the others and put out the call for small bills. Wait, wait, hold up. 'Bills'. Irene realized with a start that she had those, not two seconds after she'd last been idly mulling over them in verse.
"Maria, I gotcha." The money, as Irene had already been sure to remind herself, was in her pants pocket and that's where her hand went to dredge and wrestle. It was a literal hop skip and a jump's worth of effort to wop out the paper, with chains of all sorts creating a localized ruckus of keys and links, but Irene was willing to put in the effort. Even if she didn't know the girl too well. Just another one of those passing faces Irene could eagerly wave at before they melted back into the background, though Maria's face at least had a reputation that preceded it like a particularly oblong and unskippable YouTube advert. "Here." From her very colorfully sticker-decorated wallet she produced an accordion mass of tens, far more than necessary for the job. "I don't have anything smaller, just grab one and give me the change."
Even while she attended to Maria, Irene completely blew past the girl, leaving only an arm extending financial stimulus hanging in her wake. She had another girl to bear arms at. It all sort of happened at once, a violent mass of simultaneous mouth and hand action, which at least kept Irene from shoving one onto the other. Had to have at least been quad core, the way she was multitasking.
<Hey Kimiko [it's] been forever! Who's [your] friend here?>
Irene was way too close- saying Kimiko still had her personal space at the moment of impact was a generous claim- to sign the 'hey' the way she did it. Rudeness, albeit one served with a smile as obliviously thick as the cashier's over there. The 'forever' was too loose on the joints, she sort of wrist flopped around the word instead of tightly circling the elbow as was standard ASL. And she poorly angled the crossed fingers on 'friend', so Caleb was promptly Kimiko's 'boyfriend'. When Irene had learned how to sign- specifically because of the immigrant Taiwanese girl she was presently making an ass of herself at- her skills had grown... Hardly. It was messy, the transitions were only fluid if they could be called molasses.
She rapidly, repeatedly bounced glances between the familiar face and the not so familiar one half buried under the hat. Her arm continued to present Maria with the cash. In all of barely a second of exited flurry Irene had happily stretched herself along a triple axis, of the non-historical variety.
<If you want [a] larger I'll cover for both [of you].> She barely missed a beat on a conversation she'd only just hurled herself bodily into. Near miss on some of the words though.
Irene blustered her way out of the notoriously cramped Diamondback bathroom with a spring in her step and a wallet in her jeans pocket. The wallet was pretty damn fat. Swole. Eating like it was on a Food Network special. She had that cash. Those greenbacks. That pork hollow, stuffed with wads of zeroes. Dinero. Moolah. Notes. Bills.
Can you pay my bills,
Can you pay my telephone bills,
Can you pay my automo-bills
Irene wasn't entirely sure how that particular jingle had intruded it's way into her thoughts. It had to have come from somewhere. Maybe she'd read it out of some François de La Rochefoucauld. Or as she liked to alternatively call him, François de La Rochambeau. At other times she pulled out the quality moniker François de La Rochefoulalalalalalala.
Anyways, she had money. She'd spent some of it on ice cream, at least she assumed that had probably happened at some point while she'd been busily gallivanting around an ice cream parlor. She scanned over the room, sniffed at the artificial scent of kinda-strawberry. Yep, her half melting cup was still on the table where she'd abandoned it. There was also a net increase of bodies in the shop from when she'd last taken stock. Took a moment to process that they were all familiar faces, bridged by that gloriously awkward pause where one just stared intently at someone else trying to assign a name to the aggregate population of dyed hair and beanies.
She realized that she did indeed recognize all of those faces!
And one of them had suddenly sidled up to the others and put out the call for small bills. Wait, wait, hold up. 'Bills'. Irene realized with a start that she had those, not two seconds after she'd last been idly mulling over them in verse.
"Maria, I gotcha." The money, as Irene had already been sure to remind herself, was in her pants pocket and that's where her hand went to dredge and wrestle. It was a literal hop skip and a jump's worth of effort to wop out the paper, with chains of all sorts creating a localized ruckus of keys and links, but Irene was willing to put in the effort. Even if she didn't know the girl too well. Just another one of those passing faces Irene could eagerly wave at before they melted back into the background, though Maria's face at least had a reputation that preceded it like a particularly oblong and unskippable YouTube advert. "Here." From her very colorfully sticker-decorated wallet she produced an accordion mass of tens, far more than necessary for the job. "I don't have anything smaller, just grab one and give me the change."
Even while she attended to Maria, Irene completely blew past the girl, leaving only an arm extending financial stimulus hanging in her wake. She had another girl to bear arms at. It all sort of happened at once, a violent mass of simultaneous mouth and hand action, which at least kept Irene from shoving one onto the other. Had to have at least been quad core, the way she was multitasking.
<Hey Kimiko [it's] been forever! Who's [your] friend here?>
Irene was way too close- saying Kimiko still had her personal space at the moment of impact was a generous claim- to sign the 'hey' the way she did it. Rudeness, albeit one served with a smile as obliviously thick as the cashier's over there. The 'forever' was too loose on the joints, she sort of wrist flopped around the word instead of tightly circling the elbow as was standard ASL. And she poorly angled the crossed fingers on 'friend', so Caleb was promptly Kimiko's 'boyfriend'. When Irene had learned how to sign- specifically because of the immigrant Taiwanese girl she was presently making an ass of herself at- her skills had grown... Hardly. It was messy, the transitions were only fluid if they could be called molasses.
She rapidly, repeatedly bounced glances between the familiar face and the not so familiar one half buried under the hat. Her arm continued to present Maria with the cash. In all of barely a second of exited flurry Irene had happily stretched herself along a triple axis, of the non-historical variety.
<If you want [a] larger I'll cover for both [of you].> She barely missed a beat on a conversation she'd only just hurled herself bodily into. Near miss on some of the words though.
like runaway horses (v9)
Character Relationships Tracker!
Clarissa Shoemaker, race to the bottom
Pregame - 1
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Mona Marroquín, we're cooked chat
Character Relationships Tracker!
Clarissa Shoemaker, race to the bottom
Pregame - 1
Ray Janeczek, bricked hand
Mona Marroquín, we're cooked chat
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Dannyrulx*
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:42 am
Good god Irene was like a wirlwind of hyperactivity and ice cream. And small change. She swiped the cash, let the fifty tumble from her fingers and into Irene's... Interestingly coloured wallet. She grinned at the clerk, a cross between "Happy now?" And "Gimmie the 'cream before I murder you," and picked up the tub, stabbing the brightly coloured plastic spoon into the mess of brown, black and white, and spooned rich, sugary deliciousness into her mouth.
Now that her concentration wasn't on the ice cream, she turned to Hurricane Irene. Already babbling away in sign, she was... Butting into the conversation in a much less subtle way that Maria had managed to achieve. "Irene... How do you have that many small bills in your wallet? That was a fifty, and there was change to spare.... Are you insane?!"
Sure, it might be a bit hypocritical since she had had a fiftty, but she had had a fifty and nothing else. Irene had had loads of cash. Still did actually. Jesus she must be loaded. Like, incredibly wealthy. Maybe as wealthy as that prick Rea that she had bumped into on the weekend.
Now that her concentration wasn't on the ice cream, she turned to Hurricane Irene. Already babbling away in sign, she was... Butting into the conversation in a much less subtle way that Maria had managed to achieve. "Irene... How do you have that many small bills in your wallet? That was a fifty, and there was change to spare.... Are you insane?!"
Sure, it might be a bit hypocritical since she had had a fiftty, but she had had a fifty and nothing else. Irene had had loads of cash. Still did actually. Jesus she must be loaded. Like, incredibly wealthy. Maybe as wealthy as that prick Rea that she had bumped into on the weekend.
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Ruggahissy
- Posts: 2569
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm
Caleb had been standing for one moment with Kimiko and Maria. Suddenly they were joined by another body. He winced slightly just at the sound of her voice. He knew Irene from school the sort of hazy way you know a distantly mutual friend that you make a concentrated effort not to know better.
Irene had money for Maria, never mind that it was in a quantity and denomination that made him seriously think she may in fact be pushing on the side. Whatever, none of his business.
Maria left them, leaving Kimiko and Caleb alone with Irene. He scanned discreetly for an escape route. When he looked back Irene was so close to Kimiko he thought she might try to make out with her. Kimiko was a big girl, she could deal with that if Irene tried. However, she had now referenced him, though had not directly addressed him until the end when he was graciously included in with Kimiko as a possible ice cream recipient.
He didn't like this girl staring at the two of them with something approximating mania and her general demeanor made him feel like a headache was coming on.
Caleb slouched away, walking to the cash register where Maria was. "Two mediums. I'll have Cookies and cream and vanilla. Give the Asian one whatever she wants," he said, handing over his card.
Irene had money for Maria, never mind that it was in a quantity and denomination that made him seriously think she may in fact be pushing on the side. Whatever, none of his business.
Maria left them, leaving Kimiko and Caleb alone with Irene. He scanned discreetly for an escape route. When he looked back Irene was so close to Kimiko he thought she might try to make out with her. Kimiko was a big girl, she could deal with that if Irene tried. However, she had now referenced him, though had not directly addressed him until the end when he was graciously included in with Kimiko as a possible ice cream recipient.
He didn't like this girl staring at the two of them with something approximating mania and her general demeanor made him feel like a headache was coming on.
Caleb slouched away, walking to the cash register where Maria was. "Two mediums. I'll have Cookies and cream and vanilla. Give the Asian one whatever she wants," he said, handing over his card.
If there was one thing Kimiko hadn't been expecting it was the appearance of Irene. It was more than a little out of nowhere. Although it wasn't unwelcome, Kimiko had known Irene since middle school. Irene had forced her way into being Kimiko's friend. It hadn't been an elegant process in any sense but Kimiko could appreciate the effort. She was like Caleb in that she had learned sign language to be able to communicate easier with Kimiko. So like with Caleb that had earned Kimiko's affection. She was however standing way too close and Kimiko subtly moved back a pace to get some breathing room.
Like a lot of the others Irene's sign language was passable but could be stilted. She missed out the specific actions used to differentiate words a lot but Kimiko was able to work around it. She did however feel her cheeks go slightly red when Irene referred to Caleb as her boyfriend. That was an awkward mishap.
"This is Caleb. He's my friend." Kimiko quickly signed a response while choosing at the same time to make a deliberate effort to ignore what had just happened. She had never thought about Caleb, or anyone for that matter, like that. It was a weird feeling to consider. What it wasn't was something she needed to dwell on in public...in front of said person. She was sure the redness of her face was totally noticeable now and it wasn't due to the heat outside.
"I'm fine, pretending to try and be healthy. But thanks!" It was a rushed sentence she wanted to move on. As luck would have it Caleb was already moving to the counter to purchase their ice cream. Kimiko quickly trotted over and pointed out the two flavors she wanted when the cashier pointed at her expectantly. Strawberry and Melon. Kimiko was sure he rolled his eyes at the fact she didn't actually say anything but she ignored it and turned to Caleb.
"Thanks, next time I'll pay."
Like a lot of the others Irene's sign language was passable but could be stilted. She missed out the specific actions used to differentiate words a lot but Kimiko was able to work around it. She did however feel her cheeks go slightly red when Irene referred to Caleb as her boyfriend. That was an awkward mishap.
"This is Caleb. He's my friend." Kimiko quickly signed a response while choosing at the same time to make a deliberate effort to ignore what had just happened. She had never thought about Caleb, or anyone for that matter, like that. It was a weird feeling to consider. What it wasn't was something she needed to dwell on in public...in front of said person. She was sure the redness of her face was totally noticeable now and it wasn't due to the heat outside.
"I'm fine, pretending to try and be healthy. But thanks!" It was a rushed sentence she wanted to move on. As luck would have it Caleb was already moving to the counter to purchase their ice cream. Kimiko quickly trotted over and pointed out the two flavors she wanted when the cashier pointed at her expectantly. Strawberry and Melon. Kimiko was sure he rolled his eyes at the fact she didn't actually say anything but she ignored it and turned to Caleb.
"Thanks, next time I'll pay."
Blah blah blah words... "That was a fifty, and there was change to spare.... Are you insane?!"
"Hey you're the one who saunters off to Vegas to do... Whatever it is you do, hang with Jamie Oliver or some famous food dude." Irene at least thought she'd made an ironclad point with that rebuttal. The back of her head remained stubbornly inclined Maria's way. "I'm not insane, I'm just rich or some such." Two states that weren't mutually exclusive. Irene's prepubescent disaster of a wallet returned to the abyss from whence it came. Pockets fattened up, with some indeterminate amount of cash and a definitely determinate amount of hands. Two hands, to be precise. Wait no, she needed those hands to speak to Kimiko. Put 'em where we can see 'em, missy.
So... Hold on, that was how you signed 'friend'? What had Irene actually said, then?
Kimiko looked a bit off, kinda frostbitten around the face. Maybe it was the wind shear from the zealous A/C they had running in here. Sure it was the bastion of ice cream, but emphasis wasn't that much on the 'ice' part. Kimiko and her boyfriend pushed past Irene, advanced onto the counter. She finally turned heel. Saw the dude was going to pay for it. Alrighty. She got it when people didn't want to accept charity. She solidly empathized, it was the same sorta bubbly pride in the chest feels she often entertained herself. The idea of making transactions on her own dime. Given to her by her parents. Anyways, everyone was over there and she was over here. How to counteract that, hm?
She joined the others and trotted up to the counter, or at leas-
No, no wait. She had forgotten something. Ice cream, the one that she'd already fussed over with small bills a few minutes earlier. Just pivot her ass right over to that table over there patiently waiting with the half melted cup of mint. Get that down the gullet. Reduce it to acidic suspension, save the colloidal elements which would have to wait for bile to properly emulsify. Shit as homo(geneous) as she liked to rep herself. Mmm. Tasted good going down. Her fingers twiddled and twirled with plastic spoon.
She joined the others and trotted up to the counter, or at least to the general vicinity thereof. The sort of amorphous space-time coordinates where everyone kind of existed at once. As an aside to Maria:
"Yo, give me the change back fam." That was a thing she'd probably want back, or some such.
Irene Djezari
V6 Pregame Concluded
((Irene Djezari continued in I Say You Kill Your Heroes And Fly, Fly, Baby Don't Cry))
"Hey you're the one who saunters off to Vegas to do... Whatever it is you do, hang with Jamie Oliver or some famous food dude." Irene at least thought she'd made an ironclad point with that rebuttal. The back of her head remained stubbornly inclined Maria's way. "I'm not insane, I'm just rich or some such." Two states that weren't mutually exclusive. Irene's prepubescent disaster of a wallet returned to the abyss from whence it came. Pockets fattened up, with some indeterminate amount of cash and a definitely determinate amount of hands. Two hands, to be precise. Wait no, she needed those hands to speak to Kimiko. Put 'em where we can see 'em, missy.
So... Hold on, that was how you signed 'friend'? What had Irene actually said, then?
Kimiko looked a bit off, kinda frostbitten around the face. Maybe it was the wind shear from the zealous A/C they had running in here. Sure it was the bastion of ice cream, but emphasis wasn't that much on the 'ice' part. Kimiko and her boyfriend pushed past Irene, advanced onto the counter. She finally turned heel. Saw the dude was going to pay for it. Alrighty. She got it when people didn't want to accept charity. She solidly empathized, it was the same sorta bubbly pride in the chest feels she often entertained herself. The idea of making transactions on her own dime. Given to her by her parents. Anyways, everyone was over there and she was over here. How to counteract that, hm?
She joined the others and trotted up to the counter, or at leas-
No, no wait. She had forgotten something. Ice cream, the one that she'd already fussed over with small bills a few minutes earlier. Just pivot her ass right over to that table over there patiently waiting with the half melted cup of mint. Get that down the gullet. Reduce it to acidic suspension, save the colloidal elements which would have to wait for bile to properly emulsify. Shit as homo(geneous) as she liked to rep herself. Mmm. Tasted good going down. Her fingers twiddled and twirled with plastic spoon.
She joined the others and trotted up to the counter, or at least to the general vicinity thereof. The sort of amorphous space-time coordinates where everyone kind of existed at once. As an aside to Maria:
"Yo, give me the change back fam." That was a thing she'd probably want back, or some such.
Irene Djezari
V6 Pregame Concluded
((Irene Djezari continued in I Say You Kill Your Heroes And Fly, Fly, Baby Don't Cry))
like runaway horses (v9)
Character Relationships Tracker!
Clarissa Shoemaker, race to the bottom
Pregame - 1
Ray Janeczek, bricked hand
Mona Marroquín, we're cooked chat
Character Relationships Tracker!
Clarissa Shoemaker, race to the bottom
Pregame - 1
Ray Janeczek, bricked hand
Mona Marroquín, we're cooked chat