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[BtI] Date 1, Turn 1 (Active Player=Paul)
[OOC: As the first date begins, our Attraction is at 1, and there are no Compatibilities established.
That means, Rich, that you will have four possible dice to award initially, if I do my job right: 1 for Attraction (beginning the turn with something that might make the Active Player's character more attractive to the Guide's character); and 3 Bonus Dice.]
That means, Rich, that you will have four possible dice to award initially, if I do my job right: 1 for Attraction (beginning the turn with something that might make the Active Player's character more attractive to the Guide's character); and 3 Bonus Dice.]
Comments
It feels strange to be sitting here at the Commissary with Bonnie and Jim and no Lili. She's at a friend's for the day, a big birthday party that will certainly involve too much pizza and sugar. I'll be dealing with that later, though. It is nice to sit here and talk adult talk, have a mimosa while we're waiting for whoever else is joining us. I'm in my usual Sunday finery: a long flowy skirt with big flowers over hand-painted Chucks, simple white scoop-neck blouse and of course a hat (today's is a jaunty pink fedora) with big sunglasses perched on the brim. I jingle a bit as I talk, hands animated so that bracelets ring against each other. The mimosa is delicious.
That's when you walk in, Min, and though I hate to say it, my heart sinks a little when Bonnie waves you over. They've been trying to set me up for a few years now, since I came to Charleston. I'm guessing this is them raising their ninja game. Well, at least it'll be a double "date."
Skeptical as I am, you are beautiful. Tasteful, comfortable white dress showing off your shoulders, a cameo nestling in the hollow of your neck. And a hat! I smile when Bonnie introduces you. "Lovely hat, Min. It's nice to meet you."
Min, once you're seated and have a sip of your mimosa (Jim had it waiting for you), there is all of a minute of light conversation before Jim's phone rings. He steps away from the table to answer, and is gone for less than a minute. "Honey, that was the super. There's a water problem in the unit upstairs, she says we probably have some coming in to our place. I should go check, but you stay, enjoy brunch." Bonnie frowns, but I've known her long enough to see through this con. She replies, "No honey, one car, remember? I'm sure Alani and Min will have a lovely lunch without us. Besides if there's anything to clean up, I don't trust you to do it right." They give us both a kiss on the cheek and then they're gone, the conniving rascals.
Just as Bonnie and Jim pass through the door and I'm having that ohshit moment of being alone in a social situation with a new person, the music comes to my rescue. Carlos Gardel comes over the speaker and I silently bless whoever's Pandora station this is. "Oh," I say, "I love this song." As we make the smallest of small talk, you'll certainly notice how my spine straightens and my hand moves a little on the tablecloth, a tiny, unconscious simulation of the dance Primitivo and I choreographed for the last Charleston Tangueros showcase. Min, it's just the smallest motions and a matter of posture, but the dance, the song, fills me with sense memory and even these small things are sensuous if completely unselfconscious.
["El Dia que me Quieras" by Carlos Gardel is here.]
Min, we nibble on the little complimentary snack plate, with an interesting combination of sweet fruit and savory pickles side by side with soda bread. The waiter comes for our entree order and you ask what I recommend, telling me it's the first time you've been here. Before I can recommend the Green Eggs and Ham, you tell me you're looking for something light. There's a delicious salad, baby greens and slices of apples, a little crumble of pralined pecans and gorgonzola. I wonder if you smile when I point out that the raspberry vinaigrette is my favorite dressing.
Me? I order the Green Eggs and Ham. "It's really my one indulgence." Not apologetic or sheepish, just explaining. Smile when you tell me it's adorable.
We continue the light chat until our entrées arrive. This plate of food? I seriously think about this on Monday morning, looking forward to next Sunday and my usual "date" with Lili and Bonnie and Jim. Tradition, right? And tradition's all askew today. I'm usually the random element in a given situation.
"So... how do you know Jim and Bonnie?"
I wasn't at all prepared for this. At first, I'm wondering who you are. I check my LG G3 and yes, now I recall Bonnie mentioning you. I actually remember Lili, and that reminds me of you. You're much cuter in person, younger than I thought you'd be. Not complaining. Still, this feels weird. The two of them leaving, you staying. Did you ask them to do this?
"I met Jim at a local conference, and a group of us went out to dinner. Bonnie came by, and we just hit it off." I answer as I play at the pecans with my fork. These are really good. And yes, I smiled when you said the raspberry vinaigrette was your favorite, too.
Your green eggs and ham are a kind of omelette, really. Certainly green, though. "You're Lili's mom, right?" I want to snap a shot of those green eggs and ham, but I wonder if you'll find it rude. Some people are touchy, and I like to respect boundaries. Speaking of which, I slip my big demo phone into my purse.
My smile is radiant when I answer. "Yes. Lili's mine." I scoop up a bite of my cheesy, delicious ham and eggs and spinach and... chew. "How's your salad? Do you have kids?" Dammit, I went there. I can't help it, though. I pull out my iPhone. "Have you seen her?" Thumbing through pictures.
I grin when you ask about the salad, about to answer. But then you throw in the "kid question" and the answer seems much less important. sort of a one-two punch of questions. Not worrying about the jab there, since the right cross is the real reason for it. What? My uncle was a boxer. I can make those analogies.
I shake my head no about kids, not really my thing. I like kids, don't get me wrong. Just, you know, having one? Big deal. And then you're pulling out your iPhone, a 5S, not bad, and of course I'm looking at pics of her. "She's so adorable!" I'm not lying, she is, really.
Reflexively, I notice there's no wedding ring. I don't ask, of course, serious minefield there, but the idea of being a single parent is scary. I'm looking for pictures of other adults with her in the pics, is there a father? An uncle? I don't see any. That's depressing, a little.
I'm beating myself up for asking about kids, forcing pictures of Lili on you. I need to decide now if this is a date or not, stop acting like a spaz. Then you smile and seem so sincere when you say my little queen is adorable. What the hell, I'll give this a chance, damn that pair of conniving manipulators.
"I know we're not even through with our lunch yet, but I have to warn you that you are going to try the bread pudding, even if it's just a bite of mine. I can be very bossy and I'm hell on wheels when I'm denied."
As you politely flip through the pictures, this slides onto the screen.
"Well, you do like raspberry vinaigrette and these pickles," I nod to the little plate. "But you also eat green eggs and ham." I make a face like I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of this offer.
I keep sliding across the pics. You're using the default Gallery and there are three better aps for photo viewing, one is free, in fact. But I keep my mouth shut as I'm looking at allll the pics. "I will try a bite of bread pudding. At least..." I stop at the wicked looking woman. This is so out there I just stop, look up at you.
"What's this?" I flip the phone around to show you. Do you play MMOs? Is this from an anime? Some odd little French movie? I need to know what this incongruous piece of information is.
"Oh. That's a sketch, for Santa Fe Opera. Do you like it? They're doing a new Turandot in 2016, and the director likes my work." I stop. "Umm, that may not have made any sense. I'm a costume designer. Theater and such. This is my first big opera commission. It's pretty exciting."
"What do you do, Min? You have such confidence and presence, I want to say you're on TV, but I'd remember if I'd seen you on TV."
Opera? You seem so down to earth, weird. Most opera folks are so stuck up about it, but you're passionate and excited. It's infectious. I like theater, though. Don't get to see many shows, so I keep mum about it, not wanting to sound like a philistine.
Oh, the work question. Here's where we come to a point. I wonder how this will go. Surprised you've seen me, I don't imagine you surf on CNET, The Verge, Mashable or Engadget. "I'm a technology journalist. I review gadgets, mostly. Maybe you saw me on CNN, they have me on sometimes as a talking head for the next big thing. Not me, I mean. You know, the next big phone, or the new VR headset du jour, that kind of stuff."
I'm trying really hard to keep it light, here. I do not want to tell you how good or bad your phone is, and I do not want to fix your computer. Please don't ask me that, Alani.
"Oh. That sounds really great, always something new, right? I always love my gadgets the most when they're just out of the box and I get to figure things out."
I bet Scott, my tech guy, reads your reviews. I want to babble about how exciting my new Cintiq Pen Display is, how it lets me make such subtle, detailed renderings of what's in my head, but I don't. At least for now.
Min, there's something about the tilt of your head as you listen, the curve and subtle geometry of your neck, that sends a little shiver down my spine. I meet your eye and smile.
"Do you travel much? I imagine you must."
Wow, I pegged you wrong then. That fresh out of the box excitement still gets me. too! "I love pilfering with the new whats-it and feeling it in my hand. That's cool."
That's a nice little moment, when you look at me and smile, Alani. You have such an easy way of making me feel comfortable. I am so glad I came out today.
"Do you use a Wacom or something similar for your design work?" I ask, leaning in, fascinated to see tech at work.
Goodness, that look. Please do take a Bonus Die. I feel quite pretty right now.
Attraction: (Rolled: 1d6. Rolls: 6. Total: 6) (from the beginning of the turn)
Bonus: (Rolled: 3d6. Rolls: 6, 5, 1. Total: 12)
Complication: (Rolled: 3d6. Rolls: 6, 3, 6. Total: 15) (forcing Lili pics on Min, so soon)
Min, When you ask whether I use a Wacom, I light up. Were you reading my mind? "I just got a new Cintiq 24HD a few weeks ago. It's amazing!" I talk about some of the really cool things it lets me do, going on for a while as you prompt me with the right questions, my hands flying around in my enthusiasm.
I'm feeling a touch of that old excitement, dammit. This wasn't in my calendar for today, talking to you, feeling this, but as disconcerting as it is, I'm starting to feel okay with the surprise.
[OOC: Your turn, Rich! Attraction will start at 2.]