It's Mr. K not Mr. T

Participants:

abby2_icon.gif kailin_icon.gif

Scene Title It's Mr. K not Mr. T
Synopsis Abby's coming in for some coffee and to eat, Kailin is coming in to take a break from his taxi driving and sight seeing. he strikes up conversation and learns more than he normally would about the city. Call him Mr. K.
Date May 17, 2009

The Nite Owl

The Nite Owl is a survivor from ages past - one of those ancient diners with huge plate glass windows, checkerboard linoleum floor, and a neon owl over the entrance that blinks at those entering. Inside, there's an L-shaped main counter, complete with vintage soda fountain and worn steel stools. All of the cooking is done on the ranges ranked against the rear wall. The outer wall is lined with booths upholstered in cracked scarlet vinyl, tables trimmed with polished chrome. Despite its age, it's been lovingly maintained. The air is redolent with the scent of fresh coffee, vanilla, and frying food.


Early dinner. Abigails restless, as she usually is when she's got things to do. No want or desire to cook for herself tonight, she decided to descend upon her old work place. The red head slides in, a wave and smile for Natasha, ye old red haired waitress who's a staple of the place as much as tom the owner is. A stool at the counter seems to be her destination, messenger bag dropped at the feet of her stool and up onto the red cracked pleather seat. The coffee cup overturned for when natasha makes her round, the healer looks around to judge how bad the day has been so far.

Stepping into the bar is Kailin Knight, shaking off a bit of dust from his jacket with a fluff of his jacket lapels. Moving in from the doorway, Kailin follows the woman who has entered before him, stepping towards the counter as he slides his shades off his head. Folding them up with a gentle push of his hand, Kailin sets them down on the countertop in front of an open seat and swings a leg over the stool as one hand hikes up the denim of his crisp jeans. Sitting down with a sigh, Kailin looks around for a menu somewhere, clearly unfamiliar with the place. He raises an index finger slightly to get the attention of anyone behind the counter and rests it again in front of him, cupping his shades. His brown eyes shift over to Abigail and he excuses himself. "Oh, sorry about that. You were here first. Go ahead."

"Don't worry. Natasha will come around. She'll get you. If I really want to I could …" In fact Natasha looks pretty busy. So off her stool slips the denim clad redhead in her black leather jacket with it's tan piping. "What do you want to drink?" As she makes her to behind the counter. A notepad brought from behind the counter and a pen with one hand, with the other she's fetching a coffee pot so she can fill up her own cup.

The left eyebrow on Kailin's face arches as Abby moves behind the counter. "They let people get pretty familiar with things around here, huh?" He gives a hesitant shake of his head and says, "Let me just get a Coke. No, make that a Sprite." He waves a hand dismissively, adding, "Or Sierra Mist, 7-Up, whatever it is they're making these days." He pauses again, a half smile creeping onto his face. Bright white teeth flash playfully and he asks, "That's definitely not a New York accent is it? I've been hearing plenty of those today and yours can't be one of them. Where are you from?"

"Just the ones who worked here for two years. I work at a bar now, but, Natasha doesn't evil eye me. Just so long as I pay for it" Coffee pot slides home back on it's burner. "They have Sprite here. I'll getcha glass" Which means she has to move a couple feet away, but there's a glass produced, a scoop of ice and then it's pushed under the soda fountain dispenser. "Louisiana Sir. though it's just almost 3 years that i've been here. You?"

Kailin chuckles and raises an arm, shaking it out lightly before pushing back his sleeve, checking an expensive silver watch. "Three… hours about. I just got into town. I've been riding around in cabs, just looking at the city." He shakes his head head and his smile disappears visibly for a moment. It comes back up, but to a much lesser degree. "I've never been here before. Even before the 'thing' happened. I've seen it on television, seen pictures and whatnot. But it is a lot… different being here in the city and seeing it."

"Go to central park, you get the best… view of the ruins from there. But skip the cabs. your better off hitting the park really and there's the little wagons that you get someone to jog while dragging, take that, or try the bus's. Your going to get ripped off on the Taxi's. Or just walking" The glass of ice cold sprite is slid in front of him, marked down on the pad and slid to the business side of the counter in preparation for Natasha to come along and take food orders. "Avoid Staten Island. Uhh ruins is pretty irradiated still. But a .. fair chunk of the touristy spots are still open" Abigail offers.

"Irradiated? Still?" Kailin seems surprised at that as he reaches forward and takes the pulls it towards him. He moves his shades aside just a bit and leaves his drink sitting in front of him while his eyes search the immediate vicinity for a straw. "Thanks for the advice. I don't think I'll be taking too many trips to Staten Island, then. I like my genes the way they are." He pauses at that and gives a chuckle, smiling a bit more. "The longer I stay, the more I'll learn. But not bad for just a few hours. I haven't even gotten over my jet lag yet. What brought you to the big city, all the way up from Louisiana? That had to be quite a contrasting experience. Not an easy thing to do for some people."

"Staten is not irradiated just.. it's a pretty vicious place, but Midtown is" Abigail murmurs. She starts doctoring her coffee, equal parts coffee with milk, some sugar. "Uhh, the.. bomb. Really. Try and help" Abigail looks over at him with a one sided smile. "Help with fixing people, doing what I could and I stuck around ever since. I like it, living here. A lot of people in need of help"

Kailin looks Abby over for a moment, his smile brightening a bit. He seems to not make much note about Staten Island being a vicious place and instead focuses on her. "Really? You came here after the bomb to help? I respect that. I really do." He raises his glass and takes a very small sip of soda before setting it down again. "It isn't in a lot of people to come all the way up here just to help people. But that was a very difficult time for the country and I think this city could have used just about all the help it could get." His smooth baritone drops just a bit as he talks about helping. "I was stuck at a job on the West Coast when I heard about the incident, but if I could have come help then, I would have. But better late than never right?" He chuckles lightly and asks, "What is it you do? Anything specialized or were you just part of the volunteer corps helping out wherever was needed?"

"Better late than never. Even these days the city still needs help with all the stuff that's happened of late" A spoon dips into her cup, giving it a stir to dissolve the sugar that doesn't on it's own. "I uh.. I heal" She lifts a hand up, wriggling her fingers a little. The rate of Anti-evolved she's met of late, she's ready for him to bolt. "Like, touch a person and you know, not long after, all their hurts are gone"

"Oh." Kailin doesn't bolt, but he seems to be a little uncomfortable at the mention of it. "I see. Well, you know, there's definitely something to ebing able to help someone. That's an ability that I don't think anyone can really have a problem with." He pauses and tilts his head just slightly. "I take that back - some people can find fault in anything. But for the most part, I'm sure people are grateful to be able to have someone like you around to take care of them." He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't like to judge people before I meet them, but the bomb is certainly still fresh in people's mind. The whole issue of Evolved seems to be all that anyone talks about anymore. Its all over the news. Its all over the web. Its almost like there isn't anything else for the world to worry about. In some ways its brought people closer together while its pushed others very far apart."

"A little too reliant on me sometimeS" Abigail murmurs. "But it is. You'll see, when your here long enough. That everyone you meet seems to be evolved" Abigail offers up. The same crooked smile is there on her face even though he looks uncomfortable. "Don't worry, I won't touch you and go all.. healy on you. I try not to on people. Kinda .. makes them freak out and some people just get.. well. They get all scared. Like I grew a second head or something" A heady sip of her coffee is taken, grimacing at it. "Ugh, bottom of the pot. There is no healing that"

Shaking his head, Kailin apologizes. "I'm sorry, no, I didn't mean any offense. I'm not worried. Its just… a difficult thing for me to try to process. I mean, like you said, New York City, despite all the horrible that has happened here is full of Evolved. Maybe there is something about this place that seems to draw them back like a magnet." Kailin rests his forearms on the bar, leaning forward. "Evolved used to hide out and pretend to be normal humans for some time before that. But then in a moment, it was like the door came off the closet. Everyone knew about Evolved. And suddenly keeping what you were was no longer a matter of personal choice, it became a matter of national security. And it all started here. Its like Mecca. For good or for ill, this is holy ground for Evolved." He smiles again to Abby and extends a hand. "You know, I never got your name. My firends call me K. Its short and sweet."

"Abby. Or the Nun, at work" A gesture to the little simple gold cross at her throat. The hand though. Why does everyone always want to shake hands. "No.. offense, nothing against you just, I don't like.. to touch hands, the whole.." She holds up a palm. "the Good Lord didn't always see fit to give me the control that I have right now so.."

Kailin takes back his hand and shakes his head. "No problem. No problem. Its just polite sometimes. But I know what you mean. I sometimes prefer not to either." He sets his right elbow on the counter top and cradles his chin in that hand. "So you're very religious then? You don't look like a nun - not that I've met too many nuns. I was raised Baptist… or Methodist… depending on which parent I was with at the time. Or is it one of those names like Tiny for short guys and Curly for bald guys?"

"SOme folks I know call me crazy and Fanatic, but, yes, I'm fairly religious. Born and bred fire and brimstone Baptist, sorta. I'm called the nun at work cause of my cross, and that I don't get up on the bar and dance with the rest of em and don't let all my lady bits hang out. They mean it in a nice way so, I go with it." She's not touching the topic about how polite it is to shake hands. She knows, she's been there, but very few understand why she doesn't. "Short for Abigail, the crazy holy fruitcake. Cause I have to give the good lord his due before I can do my thing, so.. it tends to put off people. Another reason why they call me the Nun"

Laughing with an amused grin Kailin nods to himself and says, "Yeah, I've heard you white Southern Baptists have a reputation for getting pretty intense - just don't hit me with any bibles to beat the sin out of me. Us black Baptists are mostly known for our choirs and music and dancing in the aisles." He shrugs and says, "So I understand it. I'm not exactly the 'wild' type. Most people would call me pretty boring in my social life. But having faith in something higher than ourselves is important. It keeps you humble. I think some Evolved have confused themselves into thinking they are something more than they really are. A bit of religion would do them some good."

"I only ever hit one person with a bible and he deserved it" Is she kidding? There is a smile on her face. "There's a Baptist Church that just opened up a month, almost two now, not far from here. If your looking for service. I can give you the address. It's a very.. comforting place. no screaming and yelling out of Amen, well not that often. It's still finding it's place in the city and Pastor Sumter is a good man." and boy does Kailin hit the nail on the head. She has met a few who think they're like god if not better, because of what they can do. "Those that do Mr. K, soon learn that they're not God and how wrong it is to think they are"

Kailin's smile shifts from one side to the other. "I think that last part is definitely going to be more apparent in the near future. If God has much to do with the Evolved, it was a gift not for glory, but for service." He nods to Abby and says, "I'll keep that place in mind, but I don't know if I can go to a church that doesn't have a good music program. I'm just wired that way." He shakes his head, turning back to his drink and taking another tiny sip. "You know I never would have guessed that the first person I met in New York City would be someone I'd talk to about church. That's got to be one of the most unexpected things I've experienced." He pauses then adds quickly, "But in a good way. You seem very nice. You'll have to introduce me to some of your friends sometime. Who knows what kind of people I'll meet in this city. Some direction towards those who are stable and sane would be a great help."

"Oh well then you don't want to meet my friends. I work in a bar that's like Coyote ugly, and the ladies there are just crazy. And I don't have many friends outside of that. Most are just cops. I'm a good girl who just goes to school, heals, church and works then comes home to sleep. But if your good at singing then you should visit, Raquelle is going to be working on the music program and I'm gong to lend my voice to the choir when it's up and running." There's a wide grin on her face at the mention of her friends.

Kailin waves a hand widely and quickly at the mention of signing. "No… no, no, no. I don't sing at all. But I loved listening to good music when I was at church. But by no means would I want to join anyone's choir." He nods towards Abby and asks, "So how did you end up working at a bar like that, a good church girl like yourself. You mentioned before that you worked at a pretty crazy bar. Seems a bit at odd with… everything, you know? Not only do you work with these crazy types, but their your friends - dancing on the bar with their 'lady bits' hanging out." He grins and uses his fingers to do 'air quotes' when he mentions that last part.

"By lady bits I mean, Brenda wears impossibly short skirts that barely covers her rear, and Natalie chest is almost always about two milimeters from falling out of her undergarments. Isabelle always dresses like, well, she dresses for her personality, which is interesting. Her personality that is. I met her while I was looking for a second job. She mentioned she was opening a bar and was looking for people. I'm not old enough to drink in one, but i'm old enough to work in one and the hours were the same as here, but for better pay. So I left. There's also a bar between me and customers, whereas here you got the odd one who wants to slap and grab. She doesn't complain about the way I dress, and I keep serving drinks while the others do their dance every hour. It works for all of us"

Abby takes another scowly sip of her coffee. "And your work?"

Kailin nods as he listens, a discerning ear dedicated to the details. "Sounds interesting. I'll have to go by your place sometime and pay you a visit. I don't drink, but I like going out to bars and sipping sodas all night." He picks up his own glass and smiles towards Abby. "I'm in recovery, so nothing hard for me." He shrugs and doesn't seem to be ashamed of saying that. "What do I do? I am an acquisitions contract specialist for the government. We procure goods and services in support of the government's different departments. Here in New York City we have the third largest procurement budget in the US and it keeps getting bigger, so its a very vital position. Definitely challenging work. It can be stressful, so its good for me to find something relaxing outside of work to hold onto."

"So you work for the Government" Interesting. "Must take you many places then. Where have you been? I mean, you know, what your allowed to tell me. You order like desks, and chairs and two thousand dollar ashtrays?" The last is a joke really, by the smile on her face.

Kailin laughs lightly and says, "A lot of work in the middle east. I've spent most of the last ten years out of the country somewhere. The government has so many different needs that most people really don't think about." He motions towards Abby and nods, "But yes, we buy furniture, supplies, services. I mean, when you have as many employees as the government, it really doesn't make sense to buy your toilet paper at the grocery store does it? Someone's got to buy those things and someone's got to find someone to ship it all over the world. Considering the United States has consulates and embassies and military bases pretty much everywhere, getting all those places all the things they need is quite a chore." He shrugs and says, "But I'm back here in the states now, so hopefully things will go a lot smoother." He smiles again, his white smile stretching a bit further. "Have I put you to sleep yet? Its not all that exciting, but its something. And it pays well. Speaking of sleep, do you have any idea where I might be able to find a good apartment in this city? I'm currently on an extended stay at a hotel and I've got to put down somewhere more permanent."

"Nope, You haven't put me to sleep. Everyone's job is interesting. Even a garbage man's job is interesting. I'm sure they have many stories about what they've seen and had to throw out. But, places to stay" There's a wrinkle of her nose at the thought of the guy apartment hunting. She knows the horrors that is. "Everything's at a premium here. Depends where you want to live and how much room you want really"

"Well, that's very nice of you," Kailin replies at the mention of everyone's job being interesting. It is probably obvious that he might not necessarily agree. "Well, I'm not afraid to drop a pretty penny. I like nice things. I've been around the city and there isn't nearly as much of an upscale neighborhood anymore. I used to think I had a general idea of what New York was like. But apparently the bomb has changed all that. I didn't know how different everything was. I didn't know how bad it still was around here." He shoots a thumb towards the door. "I went to the upper west side and it looked like crap. That's where all the richest people in New York used to live in extremely overpriced aparments and condos. Now its average at best. And Harlem. I went to Harlem and could barely figure out where it was. It used to be a black neighborhood that was shaping up well. When I was a kid growing up, I used to dream of playing some of the basketball legends down at Rucker Park. I went by there right after I got to the city and the place was practically destroyed. And there was some techno club running there." He shakes his head sorrowfully. "What has the world come to when there's a techno club in the middle of Harlem? So clearly, I need help cause this city is far from what I expected."

"Greenwich is where I tend to stick to. My work home and church all in the same place. You could try morning side heights, it's a little calmer, and that's where the university is. There's always the boroughs. But there's a new building well, renovated, with good security, which is a must here, in Greenwich. Or there's uhh… Dorchester Towers. I know a few people who pay a pretty penny to live there and it's fairly.. upper middle class, if you get my drift. I know a lawyer who lives there, lived there. Swanky" Abigail whips out a little pad of paper, some scribbled drink names and recipes flip by on pages till she comes to a blank one and starts writing down the various places that she knows and then rips them off the pad and passes them over. "You can always get yourself a Realtor, they can hunt down places to rent"

Kailin takes the paper with a nod. "Thanks. I do have a realtor. And you seem to be great at it so far. Why would I switch?" He chuckles as his brown eyes flock over the names that have been written down, remembering which place has what. "Besides, why pay all that money for someone else to find me a place to live. That's just less money for me to leave for tips when I come visit. So far I've got my own spiritual connection, my own Realtor, and my own favorite bartender - all in under four hours in the city. I'd say I'm doing pretty good." He slips the pieces of paper into his inside jacket pocket. "So now that I've pretty much milked you dry of information for my own personal benefit, I'm gonna run out on you and get back to seeing the city." He stands up and takes his wallet out of his back pocket, slipping out a crisp ten dollar bill and placing it on the counter. "What's the name of the bar you work at so I can come see you again? Oh and where is it because I doubt I could find anything in this city."

"Old Lucy's." there's gesture to have the paper back, and she scrawls the address, basic instructions on how to get there, and the phone number of the bar. "I doubt that a guy who buys tables in bulk for the government needs it but.. if you get hurt, feel free to call. I mean like, you know, seriously hurt. Most folks don't come to me for a scratch" It's a general blanket offer and she doesn't really expect to frankly see 'K' again. But she scribbles it all down regardless and passes it back over. "I'm just an angel at a way point, showing you a path. I hope though, that your stay in the city is good Mr. K"

The paper is handed back over and received again, keeping the new information and old information straight before it goes back into his pocket. "Well thank you. And don't worry, I'll see you again. At the moment you're my best friend in this city." He smiles as he straightens his jacket and picks up his shades from the counter, holding the gently between two fingers. "You talk like it'll be the last time. You seem like such a sweet girl. And helpful to boot. I'd be a fool not to look you up again." He starts forward and pauses. "Well, I'd give you a hug for all the help, but… you know…" He gives Abby a playful wink before his eyes are hidden behind his shades, sliding them on with a push of his index finger. "I'll just see you later. We'll have fun. Promise."

"You take care Mr. K" Yup, cause she doens't like physical contact. Some day maybe, she'll get over it. For now though, Abigail returns to her bottom of the pot coffee and smiles as natasha comes sauntering up. "He left you a really good tip for his soda" To which Natasha just rolls her eyes. "I give him two days till a cabbie rips him off" and that's being optimistic.


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