Steaks And Fortune Telling

Participants:

ash_icon.gif tzigane_icon.gif

Scene Title Steaks and Fortune Telling
Synopsis Ash goes for a run on the beach and encounters a very strange young woman.
Date 09/14/09

[[Montauk Point]]]

Montauk Point is all about the ocean. Tall stone bluffs rise from sandy beaches, sometimes more successfully than others; there are points at which erosion has caused the bluffs to collapse, the waves slowly leaching the stone away. One hundred feet back from this border sits the Montauk Point Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in the state of New York; operated by the Montauk Historical Society, it houses a museum which is open to the public during summer months. There is also a restaurant, an outdoor picnic area, and a playground — not to mention a gift shop. Other attractions of the point include five miles of hiking trails, picturesque views of the ocean and nearby islands, birdwatching, seal-watching, and — perhaps above all else — world-renowned surf-fishing and surfing.


The little woman takes no notice of the man approaching, bouncing around happily as she hauls a bag of charcoal out of the vehicle almost as big as she is.. staggering with it and actually laughing a bit as she manhandles the thing near the grill. Instead of pouring the briquettes in as most would, she carefully lays them in the bottom of the kettle-shaped apperatus, forming an almost perfect cone. This process takes quite a while, but she seems in no great hurry.

Ash can't pass up the spectacle that's going on, so as he nears the van he stops and just peers over at her and her antics with the charcoal and the grill, a light smirk on his features. He's not standing right there. He's a little bit away, leaning back against the fence that separates the parking lot from the sand, just off from the walkway that leads down to the beach. He his his arms crossed over his stomach as he watches, relaxing and getting quite a bit of amusement out of this.

And to the amusement of spectators, she finishes her little ritual with the briquettes, and, taking just a -touch- of lighter fluid to the pile, nods to herself in satisfaction. Then, with great ceremony (though she seems unaware of her audience), she produces a box of matches from a pocket of her skirt. One is struck, and with a flourish worthy of a conjurer of great magics, she hurls the match into the cone.. producing a respectable -whoosh- of flame. She laughs, and retreats into the van once again, emerging with towelettes and cleaning her hands before she turns and pulls out a rather large Igloo cooler.. opening it to pull out foodstuffs. An ear of corn is anointed with butter, sprinkled with salt, a strip of bacon laid along the ear, before it is carefully wrapped in tin-foil. A pot is produced, and filled with water from a gallon jug. These are set aside, as she produces one of the prettiest rib-eyes one might ever see from the cooler.

Ash leans a bit more against the fence, his arms falling down to his sides, hands gripping the wood of it, bracing his weight on his hands. The large man just watches the woman, as she makes a little show of lighting the fire and pulling out her food. Ash chuckles lightly, a noise that shouldn't be audible, but just might be carried on the wind. The sight of the rib eye gets a bit of attention to him, and he makes a mental note to get himself a steak at Biddy's later. For the moment though he just stands there and watches the showy ritual of cooking this tiny woman seems to be putting on.

Oh it's not over yet. The little lady proceeds to clean her hands carefully, as she opens the steak and begins massaging the meat. Yes. massaging. A small knife is produced, as well as a small bit of garlic, and tiny bits of this are shaved off to imbed in the muscle, before she returns to rubbing down the dead stuff with herbs and butter. The wind does carry the sound of the laughter, and she looks up. "You can stand there hungry, or you can join me, if you wish. There is another in the cooler and I can cook for one as well as for two." And yes, she makes a habit of inviting strangers to share her meals. It is … customary, to offer the hospitality of the fire to those standing outside of it's warmth. She is not so far removed from the old ways as all of that. And she seems confident enough of her ability to evade harm.

Ash watches the continued treatment of the meat with a curiosity to his features and eyes. He pushes off from the fence and is about to leave her to her doings and her meal when she pipes up and calls out to him. He looks over at her, the man's head tilting to the side a little bit. He stands there for a good little bit, not sure whether to accept or just continue on his way, but in the end he moves forwards, his eyes regarding the little… well gypsy woman. "You'd offer an absolute stranger food?" He asks her cautiously as he stops a few feet from her van and her little setup.

A wide smile graces her features as she looks up at the man, and nods. "It is the custom of my people, so yes.'" she says, "As my grandfather was fond of saying, before he passed,…" she clears her throat, puts on a very serious expression, and speaks in a deep, accent-inflected voice, 'We are too often the strangers, outside the fire. It behooves us to treat others as we would be treated.'. She then grins again, "To which my mother often responded, 'hogwash', though never where he could hear it." she shrugs, "I find it one of the more pleasant customs of my people, so yes. If you are hungry, and if you wish, you are welcome to the warmth of the fire, and the food, and the company."

Well, it's hard to argue with generations of teachings and tradition, so he doesn't bother. After the whole explanation he simply tilts his head forwards in an acknowledging nod of his head. He moves forwards the last few steps then, stopping in the heat of the fire from the grill and peering at her. For once Ash doesn't have a whole lot to say, just bewildered by this strange little woman and her strange little ways, not to say they're not pleasant but still… strange. He looks to her then. "Can I help?" His voice somewhat hushed as he asks the question, watching her with her food and then flicking his gaze over to the grill and back, looking a bit lost, not sure what he should do.

Tzigane looks to the fire, and nods to herself before she waves off the offer, "No, no.. you are my guest, and as such you are to sit and relax." An appraising look, and she makes short work of wrapping two ears of corn, and a potato as well, before treating another steak to the same careful ministrations as the first. "I am called Tzigane… you may call me Z, if you like, or hey you. I answer to either. And you are?"

Ash looks around for somewhere to sit, and finding no where, at least no where he would not be in the way he ends up leaning his large frame up against the wall of the van and crossing his legs at the ankle, listening to her tell him of her name. "Tzigane…" He hmmms, his head tilting to either side a moment. "Very interesting name Z." Yep, he goes for the short version of her name. "Ash." he gives a simple straightforwards reply, not seeing any problem with sharing his name with the very harmless seeming little thing, though if he's learned anything since the eclipse and especially the bomb, you cannot judge people by their appearance. (Oh. I need to update his desc, but he's got a set of claw mark scars on the left side of his face, and the right side is still healing up, it's red and raw with a few remaining scabs from being skinned pretty good.)

Tzigane nods, seeming to ignore the wounds to his face, and as the fire has burned to appropriately glowing embers, places the steaks, corn and pot on the fire before placing the lid on. "Thank you.'" she says, before moving into the van and producing a plastic lawn chair, offering it to him as she sits in the open door of the van. "It was my great-grand-aunt's..She was killed in the Devouring, but I often feel her spirit with me. Ash is a very telling name, as well. From the ashes a phoenix is born.'

Ash looks down at the lawn chair, then back up with an incredulously arched brow for the chairs ability to hold his weight. "How about I take the seat on the edge of the van and you take the chair? I"ll probably break it trying to sit in it." It's a simple statement, but a pretty truthful one. He doesn't want to wreck her chair. He remains where he's at till she makes a decision on that, and his head nods slightly, just a quick dip of it. "I see, so named after family. It's a very interesting name. What does it mean?" He chuckles a little bit. "MY actual name is Ashley…" He blinks a couple times, not sure why he's telling her this, but in the end it's been told so he shrugs his broad shoulders and lets it go.

Tzigane hops up, though she ducks inside before she emerges, bringing with her a small harp. "It is, as guest, your choice." she places her bottom in the chair and begins tuning the harp. "Ashley is your given name, but the one you chose is Ash, therefore, that is your name." She smiles as she tests the tune of the strings. "Names, at least among our people, are fluid things. We are given names, but.. it may not be the one we are buried with." A simple little tune is plucked out, once the strings are sufficiently tightened. She thinks about the question, and shrugs, "Do you know, I never asked!" she laughs. "And so, I truly don't know. It is the name my father gave me, though, and I suppose, as such, it means family."

Ash settles onto the edge of the van when the little gypsy woman plants herself into the chair, the heavy guy making the van sink a couple inches on it's shocks. He lifts his eyes to look over at the grill, watching the food cook before his head turns back to regard her. He laughs softly when she mentions not knowing what her name means. "Well, I don't know what my own name means either, so I guess I'm no better off huh?" He leans forwards, bracing his elbows on his knees as he relaxes. "Well, the name I was born with is probably the name I'll be buried with, even if it brings me trouble, it's what my mother gave me, and if nothing else I'll keep it to honor her."

Tzigane nods gravely, "Yes, it is good to honor one's roots." she steps up to the grill after setting aside her harp, to lift the lid and turn the steaks.. poking at the softly sizzling corn-ears. and turning them as well. The water is boiling, and so she heads back to the van, "Excuse me.. I hope you don't mind frozen peas.." The cooler is inside the door, you see, to your left. 'Well, they're not frozen now, but still good, I promise." The interior of the van is interesting, many small colorful objects hanging on the dark-paneled walls. A bed is built into the back, with a drawer beneath it. Narrow cabinets line the lower section and over the bed the upper as well, shut with hook-and-eye closures. And above the cooler, a horseshoe is nailed, points up. Curtains in red and green and orange and blue clash with the lime green shag carpeting on the floor.

Ash looks inside of the van when he turns to reach to the cooler, pulling it open to pull out the peas and hand them over to the tiny thing. He glances around the van as he leans in, but he doesn't intrude upon her personal space by looking around too much and prying. He turns his head back as he hands over the peas, his large hand dumping them into her own small ones. "It is good to honor your roots, though half of mine I'd rather forget I belong to.." He goes quiet, simply relaxing in the surprisingly pleasant, if a bit random company. His hands settle on his thighs, the man leaning against the doorway of the van.

Tzigane accepts the peas with a nod of gratitude, before hustling away to add them, as well as salt, a bit of bacon, and other things sprinkled in from little jars. "It is only part of who you are, and that can be changed, as you wish.'" she places the lid back on the grill to complete the cooking. "Perhaps, if it would amuse you, I'll read the cards for you. Tell your fortune, after dinner. Sometimes, if the stars are right, and the moon is favorable, they can offer insights you don't normally find on your own."

Ash pulls in a long breath, the man's chest swelling out before he lets it out in a long and heavy sigh. He watches the woman prepare the peas, not just the peas, but additives and spices and stuff to flavor them. "Just like my mother. She used to put bits of ham that she'd use a cheese shredder on, and butter and garlic for the peas.." He chuckles softly, listening then as she speaks. "Tarot? Kind of reinforcing the stereotype of a gypsy story teller aren't yah?" He lets an eyebrow crawl up his forhead, but his shoulders lift upwards in a shrug. "I wouldn't mind it, not that I really believe in it."

The little gypsy returns to her seat, picking up the harp again while the food grills. '"How do you like your steaks, Ash? .." she asks, then pauses a bit, "Either rare, or well done, i would say. You are not a man of medium anything." Tzigane's fingers pluck out an old tune on the harp, not singing along, just letting the music drift on the wind. At your words, she laughs merrily, "Don't you -love- stereotypes?" Her eyes actually dance in the fading sunlight. "Makes things -so- very easy!" she tilts her head, "Especially when they're true. My grandmother was a genuine gypsy witch.. I once saw her curse cause a new tire to flatten like -that-!" she snaps her fingers. "And she taught me the cards.. they do not tell the future, though.." she cautions.. 'only what you need to see. THAT part of the stereotype, seeing death in the future with much drama and ooooos.. and 'i dare not say what I see!'…. that is a falicy.' she grins wickedly. "though i can do that.."

Ash looks up a little bit when asked about his steak, and the mention of medium he chuckles to. "Actually, medium rare… rare is too cold, don't like my steaks cold, but well done cooks all the flavor out, medium rare leaves it hot and yummy,. full of flavor." He smiles a touch again and remains leaning against the doorway of the van, listening. "It does. Though they don't always apply. I'm large, muscular, and people assume stupid, but despite people's assumptions, I'm pretty smart. Graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA…" He smiles and pulls in another breath, settling himself down as the smell of cooking food begins to drift through the air. "Well, I'll listen to your reading, but can't promise I'll believe a word of it. Never been much of one to believe in things beyond what I'm capable of and what others are capable of, just easier that way."

Tzigane laughs at that, 'Well, I am small, so I must be smart!" she shakes her head, "I never went to school. My Aunt Magda taught me how to read, and to do some math, but that's the most I ever got of formal learning. So, perhaps the stereotype is true in reverse?" she isn't taking offense at that, simply making a small joke at her own expense. "I still say you do not do anything in a medium way, though.. I prefer mine rare, so we will leave them on a bit longer than I usually would, which will have everything done about the same time.." she sniffs the air, "Except the corn.. another minute or two, and that should be done." A small shrug, "What is to believe? it will either be a fair reading, or not. If it is fair, then you will know it. If it is not, you will know that too." Her fingers continue to pluck strings, as she studies you for a moment. 'Though, for some things, I do not need the cards, we will wait on the reading.. it's easier to blame -them-!" Another few moments pass, and she looks to you, "You did not go to college?"

Ash glances over to the food a few moments, letting his eyes linger on the burning coals before his attention moves back over to the little gypsy once again. "Do anything in a medium way? NO, not usually. Unless I get paid to." He winks at her with a light chuckle escaping him and just relaxes and listens as she speaks. He folds his hands over his stomach as he sits there and waits. The last question earns another shrugging of the man's broad shoulders. "No, I didn't. Life didn't really allow for it, and hasn't still. Honestly doubt I'll be able to go to college really at this point, so have pretty much let the idea of it fade yah know? Dreams that will never come true."

Tzigane smiles a bit at that, and nods, "I understand.. many things change as we get older, our dreams as well. And sometimes," she gives a light shrug, as her fingers continue to work the strings deftly, "Sometimes, what we want is not what is best for us. My grandmother would say that some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." she giggles a bit at that. "She didn't think we knew she got that from Garth Brooks.. so we let her be sage when she said it."

Ash snickers softly at the last little line, the mention of her grandmother trying to pass off an artist's comment. "She tries to pass of… a Garth Brooks line…" He shakes his head with a hefty chuckle and sighs a little bit. "Yes, but life often takes from you what is best for you and leaves you with what it wants." He snorts and his head shakes, a hand lifting up to run his fingers back through his short hair. "My life has not at all been what I planned for it, that's for sure."

Tzigane shrugs, "Neither is mine, but it is a good life nonetheless." she leans in, and confides, "If my mother had not put her foot down so firmly my father's back cracked, I would have been betrothed at nine, and married at twelve!" she laughs and shakes her head, "My father was the traditional one, and while my grandfather was alive, we kept the old ways. He passed when I was eight." she shrugs, "I was meant to be part of a family, whether my own or my husband's.. yet… " she spreads her hands, "I am alone. Life decided otherwise for me. Yet it is a good life."

Ash nods his head slowly as she speaks of her life and her being alone. He's silent for a long little while as he mulls over his own life. "I'm used to being alone as well. Been alone my whole life, and probably will be alone the rest of it. Easier that way, people don't get hurt and neither do I. I live my life and stay out of other people's for the most part." He shrugs his big shoulders a little bit, a heavy sigh escaping him. "Such are the cards that life deals you sometimes, and you have to work with whats in your hand. Cause hitting might very well dump you with a worse hand."

Tzigane puts the harp on the ground beside the chair, propping it up. "Now I beg your indulgence, but scoot over so I can get the plates and utensils.' she smiles as she stands up. She laughs as she passes you, "Ash, you sound as if you give up! I haven't.. I am alone by - choice-, as well as by fate. You have the choice, you simply have to have the courage to take the gamble. Roll the dice.. take the hit.. you may be surprised. But a self-defeating attitude is not going to help anyone." she goes to the cabinets, gathering up two mismatched dishes, and pint mason jars for glasses. Knives and forks are gathered as she heads back out. "The one thing you can't ever do is give up. Retire from the game a while, regroup, but don't give up."

Ash hefts his big ole self up out of the van, taking a couple steps to clear it so the little gypsy can get into her home and get whatever it is she's getting out of there. He ends up reluctantly slipping down into the lawn chair, only to jump back up when it creaks under his weight and he shakes his head, choosing to stand instead. "Not a self defeating attitude, a self accepting one. I've accepted it, and moved on. Had to do that quite a few times in life, get over it, and move on." He smiles and shrugs a single shoulder, head tilting towards it ti make up for the lack of motion from the other shoulder. "Food smells great by the way."

Tzigane snorts inelegantly, "My father would smack you upside the head for that attitude of yours!" she scolds good-naturedly. "You accept what you -cannot change-.. You can change this if you wish. You simply do not wish it, because right now it hurts too much to consider jumping in again." She shakes her head. "Retire from the game, regroup, but do not ever say you give up." she sets the plates down atop the igloo cooler, with the glasses and such, and takes one out to the grill. "I love to cook, and I hope you like it."

Ash smiles a touch at the scolding, but it obviously doesn't seem to affect him at all. "I cannot change who and what I am, what I have done and where I've been. I shouldn't have jumped in in the first place. I knew better but I let passion get the best of me, won't happen again. I keep to myself, take care of myself, and that's it." He shrugs a little bit, a smaller one than the several in this conversation. "I'm sure I will. I love to eat, even though I suck at cooking. I can make Ramen…" he flashes a quick smile, then sighs and looks at the plates and then the grill.

Tzigane eyes you, one brow raising.. and shakes her head. "My mother taught me to cook when I was very small." she permits the subject to completely change, for now, and begins dishing up.. first the corn and peas while the steaks get a few seconds more on the fire. One steak she cuts in half, placing it aside before bringing the plates over.. handing you the one with the full steak, and keeping the second with the half for her. "There is only water to drink, I'm afraid. I'd offer you milk, but what little I had went off yesterday. It's in a dumpster somewhere between here and the last town I passed. I forget the name.. not that it matters."

Ash shakes his head a little bit. "I only really drink water or beer anyway, so don't worry about it." He smiles a little bit, his eyes smiling with his lips, the corners crinkling up before he looks down at the food that's set in his lap and he inhales the scent. "Smells fantastic." he offers you before lifting the utensils up to cut into the stake, cutting a cross into it to let it breath for a few moments, scooping a mouthful of peas up and into his mouth, chewing slowly. He swallows and then glances to her. "And it looks as good as it smells."

Tzigane smiles as she hands him a mason pint of water, taking one to her chair to sit and eat as well. "I'm happy you like it. I'm glad you stopped to laugh at a strange girl making fire." she tucks into her own plate, eating slowly but deliberately through what is there, pausing to add, "There is enough for seconds, if you wish. And there are apples for dessert." she smiles a bit, "One day, I shall find a dutch oven. Then I can make fruit crisps like my mother would."

Ash finishes up his peas before he moves on to the meat. The corn sits warmed in it's tinfoil still, Ash beginning to cut chunks out of the steak, cutting half of it up before he puts a piece in his mouth, chewing slowly, a deep mmmm escaping him before he lookis back up at her, swallowing before washing it down with a drink of water. "Oh, I won't be able to eat seconds, thank you though. A dutch oven?" He seems a bit lost on that one, so he returns to the juicy tender steaks on his plate, eating slowly, enjoying it.

Tzigane nods, swallowing the tiny bites she takes, one out of each serving on her plate.. in no order, really. "Yes. A large, deep cast-iron pot, which has a lid. My mother would bake things, deep fry chicken.. they are very handy. I haven't been able to find one to match hers yet, but I have confidence I will when the time is right." she finishes most of what is on her plate, though her servings were much smaller than yours, and sets it aside. "And I think the first thing I shall do, once I find one, is to bake a cake."

Ash finishes his meal in relative silence, not speaking much other than a few aside comments to her as she talks about baking a cake and getting that oven and why she wants it. When he's done with his food, the corn, the peas and the steak, he sets it aside and turns his eyes towards the gypsy. "I'm sure you could get something modern that would be the equivalent and not take much space in your wagon, as that is what it's supposed to represent yes? The wagons your people used to travel in?"

Tzigane laughs at that. "Represent? No, gajo.." she says teasingly, "You sit in the door of a genuine, one-hundred-percent authentic gypsy vardo. We haven't used draft animals for years! Not since they invented the car." she winks. "My family's vardo was a Winnebago! And it isn't 'used to', it -is-.. some of us settled, yes, some of us only travel sporadically, but some .. their life is the road.. And I like ole Chester.." she reaches out and pats the side of the van. "It's home. As far as taking up space, there is only me. I am accustomed to pots, pans, dishes… brothers and sisters and cousins and grandparents.. all in a Winnebago."

Ash lofts a lone eyebrow at her statement. "I did say that it was supposed to represent the wagons your people -used- to travel in." He points it out with a bit of a smirk on his lips, but he doesn't press it beyond that point, not going to argue the woman's culture with her, that's just dumb to do. He looks around a bit, then back up to her. "Yes, well, was just a suggestion. You can get mini appliances pretty cheap these days. So if money -were- a problem, then it wouldn't be too bad."

Tzigane grins, 'I make my living with harp and guitar on the streets, singing for my supper, as my parents did before me. Though they at least had paying gigs!" She shakes her head, "-WHAT- money? I have enough for what I need, and that is all I need. Chester's a little lacking in electrical wiring to run said appliances, besides. I get along fine with grilling, and sandwiches when that's not possible."

Ash looks over at the van, then back, a light shrug of the man's shoulders. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cellphone. "Can I get your number? I'm going to text you the location of a pub I frequent quite a bit. My boss owns it. I want to return the favor of hospitality, and since I cannot cook I will pay for your meal there." waits for her to give him her number, if she has one that is, she might not have a cellphone. He leans back, then forwards as he realizes there's nothing behind him to lean against.

Tzigane shakes her head, and looks at him regretfully, "I am sorry, but.. no money, no phone!" she spreads her hands and shrugs. "And that is not necessary. Hospitality is not given to be returned, but to be enjoyed while it is here!" she smiles, and gestures behind him. "if you will bring down the cooler, and the little bundle in the black cloth, we'll do your reading before I begin the dishes."

Ash shakes his head a little bit to her refusal to his gesture of return. "I understand. But you invited me to share your food, and now I'm inviting you to share some with me. I'm not one to let a kindness go unrequited, there's little enough of it in this world." He sighs a bit and then he blinks and reaches into his back pocket to pull out his wallet. He fishes around in there till he finds a set of matches for Biddy's. He puts the wallet back and tosses the matchbox over to Tzigane. "That's the pub, and keep the matches." He smiles and then turns, reaching around inside of her van for the bundle and the cooler, bringing them both out and setting them down next to her chair.

Tzigane smiles brightly, "Thank you. But kindness is there, if you know where to look and don't let such a cynical and bad attitude keep you from seeing it!" yea, she's still going to fuss about that a little. As the cooler comes out, she rubs her hands together and pulls the lawn chair over to the chest. 'Alright.. here we go!" she seems rather excited about this. "I'll spare you the buildup.. ' she wrinkles her nose, "I doubt you'd be impressed with it anyway.. so..' she unwraps the deck, and spreads them out in a practiced maneuver.. "For you, the knight of swords.. not the usual thing for a man of your coloring, but a warrior. Honorable, but expediant.." she places the card in the center of the black cloth, and picks the rest up, riffling them easily. "Your significator.. your representation in the universe of the cards.. " She fans the remaining ones out, 'We shall do quick and simple.. pick four cards, with your left hand. Place them face down, in any order you wish, around the card on the table." she instructs.

Ash amuses the little gypsy as she scolds him about his attitude again and begins to start the reading, picking out cards and all. He reaches out, his thick fingers plucking four cards at random from the deck and putting them face down on the cooler before his eyes lift up to meet her own, a light sigh escaping him. He leans back in his seat a little bit, his eyes curious as to what she's going to do next with the cards, turn them over or predict them ahead of time. He settles his hands into his lap and purses his lips as he waits.

Tzigane taps the card nearest you.. "Your past.." she says, and flips the card over.. her eyes go wide, and she blurts out' 'Damn! That was -some- breakup.. no wonder you're fighting me on the whole don't give up thing.." The Tower is revealed.. "Major Arcana right off the bat.. Dude, you're going to need some time to get your feet under you. The pedestal you had her on shattered and fell on -you-..That hurts. I'm so sorry."

Ash looks over and his head gives a slow shaking motion to the reading of the first card. "It wasn't though. Not really. The relationship was rocky, but the breakup was… hard, but it was simple. I left and that was that, there was no massive fight, though there had been a few before then. But it hurt, a lot." He swallows and sighs a little bit. The pedestal comment doesn't seem to make any sense to him, so he just shrugs a touch.

Tzigane nods and reaches out to pat your hand comfortingly.. then taps the next card.. 'your present.." And she flips it over. "hmm.. interesting. You're hurt, yes, but you'll survive it, in the end.. with hope. A cup card.. Not the precise meaning, but the one that fits.' she looks to you. "You're a survivor. No matter what, you'll make it through.. " A small smirk, "How very Romany of you. You got any gypsy in your lineage?" she teases, before tapping a card.. "not the future, but … perhaps what may help you through to get there." she pauses before she flips it over. "Do you want to see?"

Ash listens to her speak, to her tell him what the cards are saying. "You're as much reading me as the cards though aren't you little gypsy?" He arches a brow at her, leaning forwards a little bit. "Reading my body language, little signs, and using them to help you interpret the meaning of the cards Z?" He leans back, a light smile on his lips. "Mmmm, is there any real reason to see it? Will seeing it help me? Or will it happen regardless of whether I know it's coming or not?"

Tzigane laughs in delight, "Congratulations, I name you honorary Rom!" she claps her hands. "And yes, that is ninety percent of the tarot. I can tell, for example, that you are lonely. The wounds on your face tell me that you work around evolved persons, and you're not someone to mess with. I don't say this to …. upset you, just that it is evident. if you wish to hide it, I can help you do that too. I can make educated guesses from there, but…' she shrugs. 'That you are lonely is also evident. I'm glad you stayed to talk, so was I."

Ash blinks a few times as the woman seems delighted about something and names him honorary Rom. He seems utterly bewildered as to what he did for her to name him that, but he doesn't argue with it. He also doesn't respond to the talk of him working with evolved. Not denying, nor confirming what she says. He simply sits there, hsi hands on his thighs. His head tilts at her final comment about being lonely, but he doesn't speak in regards to that. "I'm glad I decided to stay as well."

Tzigane gathers up the cards, looking at the last two and tucking them away.. she keeps her own council about what they were. She did notice the confusion and smiles, "You noticed .. you got the trick. I really haven't met anyone else who wanted to see the truth behind the 'magic'." she crooks her fingers in the air to put the word into quotes. "No one except another Rom, anyway.. so. Honorary Romany.. Can't make you a true Rom, but… " she smiles and wraps the cards up to put them away. "Now, one more favor, if you would? Please put the cooler back in the vardo for me? It's kinda heavy." Not really, but it is to her!

Ash watches her gathering up the cards, his eyes amused as he looks at where she tucks them away. His eyes lift back up to her face, the large man leaning back a little bit, planting his hands onto the green shag carpet of her van to brace himself. "The trick? Nah, it's not a trick, it's just lack of observation from other people. Easy to pull the wool over someone's eyes when they've already got them covered from not looking for themselves." He smirks lightly and sits back up straight, nodding his head a little bit to the request to put the cooler away. He hops up from his spot, reaching down and scooping that cooler up with ease before he turns and gently deposits it inside on that carpet. He turns back around when he's done, smiling down at the gypsy. "Been awhile since I was able to sit about and enjoy the company of another."

Tzigane nods, "Human beings need one another.. evolved or not." she smiles, "We are social animals, after all." She turns and gathers up the dishes to take to the shower-stall, holding them under the running water to wash them with a cloth soaked in dish washing soap. She calls over to Ash, "Could you please bring me the pot? I forgot to grab it.. be careful! It's hot!"

Ash slips his hand up into the sleeve of his sweat shirt, using it like a pot holder as he scoops up the hot metal pot and begins to make his way over to the little gypsy woman using the beach shower as a dish washer. A light chuckle rumbles from him as he watches her, but then simply holds the pot out under the water to let it cool, swirling the water around in it before dumping it and adding more, gradually cooling the whole thing. "Humans are social creatures for teh most part. Some of us though… really don't like people and shit. Some of us like to be alone most of the time."

Tzigane cuts the man a glance from the corner of her eye, still smiling, "And yet, here you are, sharing a fire and a meal with a stranger. You may not like them, Ash, but you need them. And they need you. if you truly wished to be alone, you would be." she stacks the dishes carefully out of harm's way, and reaches for the pot to wash it with the soapy cloth. "it is necessary for your soul.. for your mental well being. You did say you enjoyed the company, did you not? Yet, here I am, a person, one of those you profess not to like and … stuff..'" she finishes mischieviously, gathering up to cart things back to the van.

Ash helps her gather everything up to head back to the van, helping her rinse it all out and off and such. "This was an exception." he states simply in response to her words, and nothing more on that subject from him it seems. He simply turns, carrying back what's in his arms to the van and setting it inside on the cooler, then he turns back to her and his head nods. "Take care of yourself Tzigane. Hope to see you around sometime." Apparently something she said is not at all sitting well with him.

Tzigane nods and smiles. She isn't going to try to stop him, sometimes the truth needs the solitude of time to settle into a comfortable spot. Until then, it's … best to let things lie. 'I am sure you will, Ash.." She raises a hand, "Fair roads, until then. Perhaps you will come back to share food with me again, sometime."

Ash makes sure she's all packed up before he leaves, but once he makes sure everything is in her van where she can move it and sort it as she wishes he gives her a simple nod of farewell, his lips pressed tight together as he turns and makes his way through the parking lot, heading towards a beat up old Camry that has seen better days. He opens the driver door and plops into it, turns it on, and backs out of his parking stall, before he turns and moves away into the city of New York.


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