Participants:
| Scene Title | See Ya, Speedy Gonzalez |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Daphne scopes out the bookstore for more information on Corbin, but is unknowingly scoped out by Wendy instead. |
| Date | January 4, 2009 |
Nestled in the heart of the main street marketplace, the Ichihara Bookstore is an old and crooked structure pressed between two newer high-rise tenement buildings. The old glass windows and creaking wooden door on the shop's front give it a rustic and old-world feel. Catering to both antique books and newer prints, the narrow aisles and tall shelves are packed full of literature. A single shelf for periodicals lies near the front counter, while signage both out front by the register and in the back of the store indicates that tarot card reading is done on-site at request for ten dollars per reading.
Behind the old and weathered wooden counter that contains the register and a small stack of reserved books, a narrow wooden staircase leads upwards to a black wooden door with peeling paint, revealing red paint in narrow strips beneath, a rope crossing in front of that door hangs with a small sign that reads, "Private".
A real job in a real place that has a regular paycheck.
Though some would Argue wendy could have the same thing and does have the same thing just doesn't need to show up but every few weeks. But this is a mostly daily thing and keeps her hands busy. There's books down off the shelves in the Ichihara storefront as Wendy takes on the task or organizing things. Books in stacks around her feet, music not blasting but loud enough in the store to combat the quietness. A can of Monster at her feet to combat the lethargy from ill sleeping.
Daphne scoped the place out — she watched Corbin leave an hour or so ago, but waited to make sure he wasn't just coming back with sandwiches. Deeming it safe, she heads into the shop, looking around curiously, since she didn't really have the time to look in her hurried exit a couple of days prior. She's dressed for warmth today — a coat, a hat, a scarf, jeans and boots — as opposed to the last time as well. The hat covers most of her tell-tale white-blonde hair, the rest tucked up so that if Corbin happened to get a glimpse of her leaving, he might not recognize her. A pair of sunglasses helps as well, though these she pushes up on top of the tweed cap when she enters the shop.
Wendy can tell when this particular customer enters the store. Hell she felt her outside and lurking. So when Daphne actually enters into the store, it's without a turn of her head or a look in the womans directions that the ripped tight, short skirted, layered shirt employee just keeps putting away books in alphabetical order in this particular topic.
'Welcome to Ichihara Books. My name is Wendy. The clearance section is in the back, all christmas tomes are half off, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask" Up on her toes she goes alll elbows and knee's as another book slides into it's new home.
"Tomes? Really? Who uses that word?" Daphne says, with a shake of her head as she moves toward a shelf, stroking books lightly as she walks along. "I was curious, there was a help wanted sign a few days ago. You guys still hiring?" She'd noticed this store before; not because she wanted a job, of course, but because she had business nearby one day.
"Usually people who want to sound important or smart. I sure as hell don't use that word. Jobs though. Well, You'll have to fill out an application and I can give it to the guy who's running the place. I'm sure he'd be happy to have more people to hire but the hours will be crappy and not many fair warning, as I think there's a few of us who are working here now" She looks over her shoulder at the other woman, getting a good look now at her. "Sorry, just figured it might be something that you'd want to know ahead of time right?" Wendy slides the last book home and eases down off the stool and offers her hand. "Wendy"
Daphne drops her hand from the shelf she's touching but instead it goes into her pocket. She keeps her distance from the woman. "Thanks, that's good to know. What's he like? The guy who runs the place. You know, so I know if I should ask for an application or not. The last guy I worked for was a scumbag so I'm a little… wary, you know? Can't be too careful."
"Corbin? Bah, he's good. What I know of him. He doens't really own the place he's just pinch hitting for his friend who's the owner, that's about as much as I know" Not a hand shaker. That's fine. Wendy opts to instead head towards the counter. There's an attempt to accidentally trip and stumble, possibly into Daphne. She's hoping it'll work to get a read on what the girl can do. "Oh fuck me, shit"
Daphne reaches out to grip the girl by the upper arm, pushing her away a bit, so as to help her right herself. "You're as clumsy as I am," Daphne says with a roll of her eyes. Or as clumsy as she used to be. Gross exaggeration. "Corbin's the boss but not the boss then? Where's his owner?" she asks, once Wendy is no longer falling into a heap. Unfortunately she doesn't know Wendy got what she was seeking.
"My bad, sorry. It's what I get for wearing platform boots in a place with uneven floorboards" She steadies herself - pretends to steady herself - and recover from the rushing sensation that overhwlemed her. Speedster. Felix Ivanov rips through her mind, as do a few others that she's met along the road of life.
"dunno, he says she'll be around at some point again. I'm guessing she's on vacation or something" There's a shrug as she smooths her skirt with her hands.
"What's he do when he's not your boss?" Daphne says, heading to the counter to look at some of the small items on display there, fingering them casually as if she really cares what she's looking at. "I mean, I could use a job, but it sounds sort of sketchy… this place been in business long? I'd hate to get a job and have it closed down a week after."
Looking around, after she manages to make it back to the counter without another incident, wendy shrugs. "Reporter, I got that much out of him. This place closing, heck, from my understnading, it's been her a long time and if it hasn't closed by now after everything that's gone down, then i'm doubting that it'll ever close. I mean, no harm right in putting in an application" One of the first things she'd done when she got hired was to take back one of the blank applications with her and photocopy them at home so that there'd be more in case Corbin had more interested parties.
One of those blanks is passed over along with a pen. 'Realy, it's nice. It's quite, you get hte odd customer, I dunno how it stays afloat, but it must and from the getup in the back I think the real owner tells tarot cards"
"Interesting," Daphne says, picking up the application. "I don't have my references and stuff with me, so I'll fill it out at home, and bring it back. I do have something else in the works, so maybe won't need this gig, but thanks!" She smiles brightly, giving a wave of the paper. "See you around," she adds, heading toward the door.
'See ya Speedy gonzalez" Wendy offers up, not batting an eye when she opts to fill out the form at home. The pen is re-clicked shut and dumped back into a mug with it's mates. She gives a lopsided smile towards Daphne though, and a mental countdown. 5..4..3..2..
The petite woman turns and frowns at the other, giving her a curious, confused look. "Okay, Bugs Bunny," she says with a shrug, as if she doesn't know what the other woman is talking about. She simply shakes her head and heads to the door, opening it and disappearing outside.
The door closes, but that curious and confused look is exactly what she'd been looking for. "You, are going in my book" She whispers to no one in particular before coming out from behind the counter and head back to organizing books.