Participants:
| Scene Title | An Old Friend |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Paul takes Simon out for lunch to catch up on things. |
| Date | October 15, 2008 |
Everything about Piccoli's is welcoming. There's a large, cheerful neon sign mounted on the roof, the interior is brightly lit and spotlessly clean, and the old-fashioned decor is more reminiscent of mother's kitchen than a successful business. Since the doors opened in 1946, Piccoli's has been best known for pastrami, hot dogs, corned beef, and salami. The wait can sometimes be a little long, but the prices are reasonable and the food is always worth it.
It's a nice afternoon. A little bit chilly but a clear sky. Paul is taking one of his friend’s kids out to lunch, and generally enjoying the nice weather.
is glad to have looked up Paul upon returning to the city. Ever since the bomb took his parents he’s been trying to find shreds of his old life to hold onto. Paul would be one of them. As the two near the delicatessen, Simon can feel his stomach growl. “Man, I’m so hungry. Mallory packed my lunch this morning.” Mallory being his sister. “Did you know she went vegetarian?”
Paul says, "Why in the world would she do that?" He shakes his head, "What are animals here for, if not to be eaten."
”I think it was because of Moby or something.” Simon shrugs and reaches out to grab the door to the establishment and pull it open. He holds it open for Paul. “This place rocks, thanks for lunch.” When the two get inside, a table actually happens to be open, which Simon launches himself.
Paul says, "Moby? Moby Dick? Did she fall in love with the whale or something?" He smiles and follows Simon to the table.
Simon laughs as he flops into his seat. “Yeah, I guess.” He grabs one of those cheap laminated bookmark-menus that are held up between the condiment shakers and tubes already on the table and looks it over briefly. “I think I’m going to have pastrami on rye. You know I’ve never actually ordered one before?”
Paul barely looks at his own menu, "Club sandwich for me, I just can't choose one I guess." he grins a little, "So how is school?”
Now that he’s got the sandwiches down, Simon looks up to grab the attention of a waitress, and actually does a good job of it as one starts to come over without looking angry and the kid waving at her. He gives her the order quickly and simply and then turns to Paul. “School’s fine. I aced my calculus exam yesterday, so that made me happy. How’s work? I hear you’ve changed your practice?”
Paul says, "I'm still doing the same stuff, I've just expanded it a little." He shrugs a little leaning back in his seat with a little smile on his face."
Simon starts to play distractedly with a salt shaker as he talks and waits for his food. “Mmm. Well, I think it’s cool what you’re doing. Someone has to back up the evolved, right?” He speaks softly on that last sentence, just in case someone around him strongly disagrees.
Paul says, "We are people, like anyone else. If it's not right to discriminate based on race, or religion, or sexual preference how could it be right to do so based on your genetic code?"
”Exactly! And it’s also not right to try and kill them, because apparently people like to do that around here.” Simon looks particularly unhappy about that. “Leave it to good ol’ Mr. Heart to set things right, though.” At that he strikes a grin.
Paul chuckles softly, "Maybe I should put you in my commercials." He shakes his head, "Things like that library thing recently are inexcusable."
Simon cringes at that just a bit. “Seriously? In front of cameras and everything? I mean I guess I can, but aren’t law commercials boring and badly edited?”
Paul chuckles softly, "Depends on who is making them. I was kidding, unless that’s something your seriously interested in."
“Right, of course you were. And no, I’m not.” Simon looks relieved at the joke and is happy to see the sandwiches as they’re brought and set down on the table. “So do you have any crazy cases going on?”
Paul shakes his head, "Not currently, a few minor employment grievances but nothing special."
”Those can be special.” After all that’s what made him so close to Simon’s own family. “What about a girlfriend? Did you get one, yet?” Simon reaches out to grab half of his sandwich and takes a big bite out of it.
Paul chuckles and shakes his head taking a bit of his turkey-ham-roast beef-and bacon sandwich. "No Mom, not yet" he gives Simon a wink.
”Mom? I said *girlfriend*. Wake up, old man.” Simon grins and takes another hungry bite of his sandwich, which he washes down with some water. “I don’t have one, either, so don’t worry about it.”
Paul sighs, "No it's just the first thing my mom asks every time she calls." He takes another bite. "What about you, any boyfriend yet?"
Simon blinks and shakes his head. “Um, no, of course not. Come on, please.” Simon drinks some more water and eats a fry, which needs salt, so he goes about adding some liberally. “There is no love in my life.”
Paul chuckles softly, and shakes his head, "So what are your plans today?"
Simon shrugs as he puts the salt back where he got it from. “I don’t know. I have basketball practice at four, but that’s about it. I’m supposed to go in an interview for this internship, too, but they never got back to me. I guess I’ll call about that.”
Paul says, "What kid of internship?" He puts some salt on his own fries as he goes for a second quarter of his sandwich, pulling the cute little toothpick out of it."
”It’s for some security company. They have a math department doing…something. Encryption logarithms, I guess.” Simon grins and drinks a bit more water. “It should be fun and if I’m lucky they’ll pay me.” Not that he needs the money, but still.
Paul nods slowly. "Sounds like fun, have you thought about college any?"
Simon nods and chomps down another fry before answering. “Yeah, I started to apply to a few places. We need to get everything in by the end of the year. I was thinking Columbia. What do you think?”
Paul says, "It's a good school if you have the grades for it, what are you wanting to go into though, that should decide your school choices.""
”Well, I’ve always been good at math, so I was thinking of majoring in it. And maybe double majoring. Maybe in science or engineering or something.” Simon doesn’t look to sure, though, with all those maybes getting blurted out.
Paul nods, "you going for a scholarship?
”Uh, yeah. Scholarships are way too important *not* to think about. You know I could use some shining recommendations.” Simon waggles his brows before working on his sandwich some more.
Paul says, "I might be able to write a recommendation letter…but…you have to remember that it could do more harm then good these days."
”What do you mean? You’ve kind of got a great job, Mr. Heart. And you’re a hero. Don’t think I don’t watch the news.” Simon smirks and is, of course, referring to Paul’s heroics in the rubble caused by the bomb.
Paul nods, "I'm also evolved, and publicly known to be evolved, a lot of people are bigots, and will hold that against you."
Simon shakes his head. “I don’t care. I’m not ashamed of my evolved friend here. Besides I think the admissions board at Columbia will be smart enough to realize that bigotry is stupid.”
Paul nods, "Ok then, I'll write you a letter. Is Columbia the only one your thinking about then?"
Simon shakes his head. “Nope. I’m going to try for NYU, too. Ithaca, Harvard, and some others. I’d really like to stick around here, though. I know it’s not the best environment for anything right now, but it’s my home and the last time I left it things went to hell.”
Paul grins a little, "Harvard is nice, it's where I went. But if you really like New York, I suggest Columbia."
Simon nods and gives a grin. “Yeah, I think so, too. Right now, though, I’m just worried about surviving my way through senior year. Did you know I had a gun to my face *twice* in the past couple of weeks?”
Paul says, "Twice…when?" he looks a bit shocked at that.
Simon sighs and says, “Well, the library was the first time. I mean, the gun wasn’t in my face, but it may as well have been. Then the second time was in Harlem. Some guy saved me, but he was crazy so I ran.”
Paul looks confused. "You were at the Library? And what happened in Harlem?”
Simon nods and eats a fry before answering Paul. “Yeah, I was there. I had to work on this report for class when it happened. Scary stuff. Then in Harlem these guys tried to mug me, but too bad for them because that already happened a few days earlier in Chinatown. I’m like a magnet for terrible, bad events.”
Paul shakes his head, "You’re not a magnet. It's New York. If you don't get mugged once a month, you’re not doing it right."
Simon laughs a bit at that. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Still, I had never been mugged before, so I guess I’ve just been doing too much of the right thing, lately.” He looks at his watch and frowns. “I should get going soon. I need to do some homework before heading to practice.
Paul nods and smiles. "Go…you need to keep up on that stuff. You got money for the subway?
Simon grins and nods. “Yeah. I have a pass. Thanks, though. It was really good hanging out, Mr. Heart.” After saying this, he turns to flag down a waitress so that he can get a box.
 October 15th: One Must Ask |
 October 15th: As Safe A Place As Any |