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Post by Mattie Williams on Oct 24, 2011 19:10:01 GMT -5
It was a Tuesday. Mattie wasn’t sure how he felt about Tuesdays. Of course… he wasn’t really sure how he felt about all the days except that he knew he enjoyed Thursdays – Thursday, he usually let someone else handle breakfast. Usually. Which was to say almost never. He was rather fond of making pancakes breakfast. And he enjoyed when Gilbert came in for pancakes, and when other customers he knew by name came in. Some people called him a work-a-holic… he wasn’t entirely sure what they meant by that.
Work kept him busy. And therefore he didn’t think too much. Because thinking made Mattie sad. Remembering made it worse. “… what’s that, Kuma?” He murmured, never raising his voice above a whisper. “… oh. Right… we should probably hurry… we wouldn’t want someone to be outside waiting.”
Thankfully, no one was – and there was only one person that might ever… but Gilbert came on Mondays, and today was Tuesday… unless somehow he’d blinked and a week had gone by. So it was that Mattie unlocked the door to Al’s, and went about the daily opening routine. He lit the gas lights – electricity was expensive for everything, opened the shutters, flipped the ‘closed’ sign around, and only then did he sit Kumajiro down. “… right… I know… I should set the chairs out so that no one else has to… We’re here early enough…” Mattie spoke to the bear, who watched him (as always) with unblinking button eyes. For as old as the stuffed animal was, it really was in very good condition. Perhaps that was because it had never been dragged on the floor or through the dirt, and rarely ever sat down. Just when Mattie was cooking, serving, or, as now, pulling the chairs off the tables and flipping them right side up.
He’d go light the fire in the cooking stove in the kitchen soon. Really, he wasn’t even sure if anyone else was coming in to work this morning; the serving staff and the other cook generally made their own schedules. Mattie let them do it; he just paid them as they worked. And they got tips, too… tips that he’d seen them all split evenly among themselves once the shift had ended and they were all going home. He was fond of his workers. They knew how to keep things fair. And he didn’t feel like he had to watch them. They knew how to do their jobs, and do them well.
Eventually, he made his way to the back. There was a bell over the door; he’d hear if someone came in. Of course Kumajiro came along… Mattie rarely went anywhere without his friend.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Oct 24, 2011 19:48:19 GMT -5
It was unusually early for Arthur to be on the streets. During the night was usually his thing. But he was on business and the taker he'd been meeting would only meet him in broad daylight. Arthur couldn't possibly imagine why!
But since it was daylight and most bars were closed, he opted just to rest his feet for a small while in a nearby cafe or restauraunt. He saw one and didn't even look towards the name, just entering it. He sat himself on the stool, and was dressed in plain clothes. He looks at the menu, a little bit on edge due to no one actually being in the place, for several reasons.
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Post by Mattie Williams on Oct 24, 2011 19:58:38 GMT -5
Hearing the bell chime, Mattie looked at Kumajiro. "... looks like we've got our first customer, Kuma. You stay here... make sure nothing happens. I'll go see if it's one of our regulars..." His voice, as ever, was quiet. The bear remained silent, as it would do, but Mattie nodded as though something had passed between them, smiled lightly, and walked out to the front of the restaurant.
... nope. Not a regular. "...Good morning. Welcome to Al's restaurant... I'm Mathieu... can I get you anything to drink...? The coffee is fresh..." He'd actually just finished brewing a pot. "... and I do have hot water and a selection of teas if you prefer tea..." Some of his regulars did. He didn't get it. Of course, they didn't get his tendency to drink coffee, black with maple syrup, either. No one did.
Even though Mattie was not a people person, he would do well in one on one situations such as this. He was also glad that someone had come in to start the morning. At first, he'd been worried that no one would come in... and then he'd be alone with his thoughts and Kumajiro... well. At least he had Kuma. Kuma kept him company when no one else was around.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Oct 24, 2011 20:16:00 GMT -5
Arthur pulled a face at first, but smiled, feigning his rather polite, almost nobleish expression.
"Ah, tea for me, if you please." He remarks, nodding and smiling sweetly at the other. For now, he was good at feigning the slight loss of composure when he'd mentioned the world 'Al'.
He looks about, absent-mindedly.
"Not many in now, eh?" He remarks, passing the time. He wouldn't hang around long. Too quiet for him. Unnerving. His fingers tap slightly on the counter.
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Post by Mattie Williams on Oct 25, 2011 14:41:01 GMT -5
"...Yes, sir." Mattie nodded, and turned to retrieve a tea cup. He'd have to go to the back for the hot water. "...Will you be having anything to eat this morning?" He paused, then glanced at Arthur over his shoulder with a hesitant, very faint smile. "...pancakes are the house specialty for breakfast... but there are other things on the menu..." Including breakfast sandwiches, omelettes, sweet breads, and so on. "... and if you prefer non-breakfast food... I can get you a menu for that, as well... it's no problem." He almost didn't catch the second thing the other said; but when he heard it, Mattie shook his head. "... No, not just yet. They'll come, though... the regulars always do."
He disappeared around the corner for a moment to pour the hot water, and since his guest hadn't specified a tea, he chose two containers - both breakfast blends, one with a deeper, stronger flavor and one lighter -, the sugar, and the cream in case, and returned to the bar. All this was presented carefully and without spilling a single drop (though it wasn't like Mattie would feel the scalding heat on his fingers... he'd grown accustomed to it).
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Oct 25, 2011 15:25:01 GMT -5
It was only as Matthew had returned to the back did Arthur frown, more out of a faint sadness and slight curiousity than annoyance, and sighed a little to himself. He feigned it upon the other returning, and noticed how similar his appearance was...
Shaking his head, Arthur smiled. "Ah no, no need for food, thank you. But I will have that tea." He nods at the stronger flavour, and leans back a little. He catches sight of the clock, and blinks. "Oh, is it that early? Must be practically dawn..."
He sits back, and smiles again. Innocent.
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Post by Mattie Williams on Oct 25, 2011 15:44:55 GMT -5
Mattie nodded. "... this tea it is." He sat the weaker tea on the counter behind him, then fixed the tea ball to let it steep to Arthur's taste. Hesitantly, the teen looked at the other. "... Have you been in town long...? I haven't seen you in here before..." He hoped he wasn't being rude... Kuma would usually fuss at him for it, but as of right now, the bear was still in the back, making sure nothing went awry back there. Mattie trusted him to keep things under control.
Practically dawn was a good way to put it; the sun was just barely rising when Mattie had made his way into Al's. Mattie didn't expect any of his regulars for a while yet; most of them would either be finishing their patrols, or just getting up. "... would you mind if I sat? ... It's been a while since anyone new has come in..." He'd wait for the other's answer before he made his next move.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Oct 25, 2011 16:10:50 GMT -5
Arthur presumes to shake his head. "Ah, no, I'm a traveler of sorts. I do come through this town frequently, but I never stay for long, and I'm usually in different parts of the city."
He points. "My man, you own this place, I believe. Do as you like." He couldn't quite get over the way the other man talked, considering how similar it probably sounded to how he did now... there were suspicions floating around his head, but no solid evidence to cement them. Not yet.
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Post by Mattie Williams on Oct 25, 2011 17:25:16 GMT -5
"... oh... a traveler..." Mattie paused, thinking for a moment, then smiled faintly. "... you must get to see lots of cool things... My brother -" But he stopped immediately, his eyes widening. He'd never mentioned his brother to anyone that was a first-timer before... not that he could remember. Why this man...? Immediately, he regretted the decision to leave Kuma in the back. He wanted his friend...
Do as he liked, then... well... that would give him the excuse to go get Kuma... and coffee... and come back. And he did so, settling to a seat behind the bar; that way, he could get the other refills as he desired. The stuffed bear was in his lap, held tightly, even as he poured a good amount of maple syrup into his coffee. For the moment, he didn't talk, still too disconcerted by his slip.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Oct 25, 2011 17:46:30 GMT -5
Arthur simply pretended he hadn't noticed the slip, and continued on. Something else to add to his bank of suspicion.
"Hm, yes, I suppose I do. Though sometimes you see things that you wish no person to have to see in their life..." He remarks, reaching forward and taking a sip of his tea, in a refined manner. He nods. "Hm, delicious tea. Who's the fellow you have there?" He remarks, trying to bring him into talking again. "He's rather adorable. And you probably must get a lot of travelers in here, I imagine. With all sorts of stories."
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