Why would anyone want to leave this place? I mean, really! It just feels like home now after all these years.
Maybe that's the theme for the grand re-opening? Home again? Something like that?
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annsmac |
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[I take a deep breath and a harder hold on Ralph as we walk in. Of course, we knew we'd see friends inside -- and we do.
Paul's there, of course, busy behind the bar, chatting people up. Kathy's laughing at a table with Sophie and Maximus. Her smile and laughter are a
bright jolt of normality to me. Just as Ralph and I settle into a table in the far corner, I reach across and cup his cheek.]
Why would anyone want to leave this place? I mean, really! It just feels like home now after all these years. Maybe that's the theme for the grand re-opening? Home again? Something like that?
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RalphAtTheFarm |
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Home again? Jesus, that's a sucky theme. Way too tame. We can do better ... And I want some really cool literary stuff -- like around
the clock poetry slamming or something ....
In the depths of winter, I finally learned that there was in me
an invincible summer. ~~~Albert Camus |
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annsmac |
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You think anyone notices? Maybe it's just you --- most
people don't notice little things like haircuts.
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RalphAtTheFarm |
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Well, I mentioned it to Richard and he said he'd write a poem just for us. And... he said he'd even come perform it.
In the depths of winter, I finally learned that there was in me
an invincible summer. ~~~Albert Camus |
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annsmac |
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Richard? As in Richard LeBrok? He likes the idea? He'll do a poem? And read it?
Well ... hmmm. Interesting.
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paulogallagher |
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Annie, Annie, Annie - and the gorgeous Ralph....care for a glass of pink champagne? Ripped off from Skinner's private collection...you have to
approve....What's new? Haven't seen you two for ages....
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clarity34 |
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Hello
everybody! Sorry for being late. Hey, what a nice gathering! Paul!!! You crazy! What are you doing with this bottle? Oh mon Dieu, you know that Max
kept it for a special occasion... [She winks]… and there's not even a glass for me?
What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.
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sophielesaint |
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<Max? Maximus? Sophie looks
as he comes closer to their table and removes her handbag from the chair beside her to make room for him. He has his own glass and by the look of it, he's
on the hard stuff already. A shitty day maybe? He looks rough and edgy... Still remembering her confidence to the lawyer, she thinks she might be somewhat the
cause of his withdrawn mood. And it appeared she had now the confirmation by Paul that Uma was indeed not dating Maximus. Just what he had told her…and Sophie
had doubted his honesty. This man is confusing her: he is driven by no scheme and was apparently always telling the blunt truth, even if the person in front of
him was not ready to hear it. Decided to cheer him up, she turns toward him and smiles broadly:>
<She raises her glass to show the transparent bubbling liquid> To do so, you have to dip your finger in it and then leave some drops of it on the parts the gods require to be moistened. Are you in? <Before she can hear Maximus give his answer, she notices a few new arrivals: Ralph and his sister and "the crazy" Clarity…. Now this girl was going to have a stroke when she'll learn the news... It was so refreshing to share a glass with a bunch of so different people. Good even. Very good…> |
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Orange Tabby Cat 2 |
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Kathy waves to Ann and Ralph, blows a kiss to Ralph and then laughs.
Just then Clarity enters the bar. She hasn't seen her since she's moved in with John Biebe and she is almost bursting with curiosity. She so wants to know how these roommate arrangements turned out. How can any woman live with that man and not snuggle up to him at night? "Hey Clarity! How is the cat? Have you met Sophie?" ![]()
"...and leaves me still in love with you. (My hand, my heart)"
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Max180 |
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[Maximus takes the seat next to Sophie but still seems edgy, as if he regrets his decision to join the ever-growing group. But Sophie's comment gives
him a lead in...]
So, this custom. Perhaps we should not waste time, for you would not wish these gods of the woods to be offended....Might I suggest we take a bottle of wine from my reserve, grown in the very same soil as these woods, and appease the deities now? I happen to have a few cases in my vehicle....Let's waste not time...and then we can discuss where best to sprinkle this libation for maximu effect...? [his face is serious, his voice low and soft, but there is a certain fire in his eyes that leaves Sophie with little doubt that his intention ton ight was to find a way to get her alone...] Now we are free...
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clarity34 |
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Kathy!
[When she's going to answer to Kathy, she notices Maximus talking softly to Sophie. Uh-ho, another victim about to fall into the heartless wi… em, the sophisticated French woman's clutches?]
The cat? Oh, the cat! He's fine… I think. I must confess that I haven't seen much of him lately… we've not been much home. But last time I've seen him, he was sleeping on the coach, his belly full, so I guess he likes his new place.
[More
coldly] Sophie? Yes, we've met already. [But, before she can say anything mean, she
kicks her butt mentally. Okay, they've had a bad start… followed by several unpleasant meetings, but… what does she really know about this woman… except
the fact that she's everything that she will never be herself, and, if she's honest with herself, must admit that she admires, in a way. She gets all
men's attention, so what? She has herself got one man's attention lately, THE man for her, and has been floating on a fluffy cloud of happiness since
then. So, why not giving Mademoiselle LeSaint another chance? She hopes that the smiles she directs at her looks sincere enough. But the woman's attention
is obviously more focused on what Maximus is whispering to her. Who could blame her?
What about you? How is life treating you these days? And where did you hide that charming professor of yours today? What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.
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sophielesaint |
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<As he speaks, blowing soft and hot air into her ear, Sophie feels some parts of her body definitely warming. A second later, she places her hand on his
thigh and whispers back, unaware of the attention they have brought from the others>
Got a better idea. I'm buying a house, you know. We could make a detour to get the key from the real estate agent he lives 15 minutes from here. Tell him a few lies about the emergency to have a better look with the evening like, something like that. There are 5 rooms that desperately need to be baptized plus a garage. Do you think it will be rude to leave now? Oh....but I don't care...meet me on the parking in 5 minutes. We'll take your car... <Finishing her champagne glass in one gulp, she says louder, trying (but failing) to sound convincing> Excuse me for a second, I need to use the bathroom...too much champagne...
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Orange Tabby Cat 2 |
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"I'm good! I've started to make some jewelry that I can maybe sell when the Library opens again. Well, they are open but with the workers Ann
and Ralph could not keep the usual hours and then there's dust all over the place. John's working. He said he is this close to get a breaktrough in
some...some... ah... thing. He tried to explain it to me but this time I don't even get what it's about. There are not many numbers in his jottings
anymore - only letters and signs. How can it be about maths when there are not even numbers involved? He doesn't stop working when he's home, forgets
to eat and sleep.. But we've had situations like this in the past year - I will only watch that long until I bump him over the head and make him come back
to real life again." Kathy has noticed that Clarity said 'we' when she talked about the cat. She moves a bit closer to her and whispers, "
what's much more important - how is living with John Biebe? Come on, spill your beans, have you had the pleasure of bumping into him half nude in the
bathroom or something like that?"
"She's just decided to buy a house here", Kathy tells Clarity. "It's gorgeous and not at all what you would suspect an elegant woman
like her would like. It's more like a cabin, very down to earth."
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"...and leaves me still in love with you. (My hand, my heart)"
Last Edited By: Orange Tabby Cat 2
08/24/08 10:41:56.
Edited 3 times.
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clarity34 |
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She's buying a house here? You mean… she's staying here? Forever?
Ah.
[She prefers to
change the subject.] So that poor man of yours is working too hard? I suppose we can't
distract him to come with us on our whales tour? Next weekend will be perfect! Have you contacted that old man you said Captain Aubrey told you about? Oh,
I'm all excited about it already!
I would love to have that dinner with Professor Nash and you, after, but… I'm not sure, I might have to work on the evening, you know. I doubt Paul will close the Phoenix another weekend, Max would kill us if he finds that out.
[Kathy is looking at her, obviously waiting for something else from her. A question she hasn't answered yet.]
Oh, John Biebe? [The way she smiles and blushes when she says his name probably already tells Kathy all she needs to know.] Let's say that… sharing the same house had some unexpected and pleasant consequences.
So, next weekend? I can't wait, I can't wait!!! I've never seen whales for real. But of course, you'll have to show me those jewelries you're creating before. If they look half nice as your jams and cookies are good, then they must be something! What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.
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Orange Tabby Cat 2 |
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"Oh thanks about my jams and cookies. I still have some jars at home, I'll give you and John some. And if you like some of my bracelets and necklaces, you can have one. We'll see about dinner on Saturday. Maybe you can take a break for a bit. And maybe John Biebe wants to join us for dinenr? Or do you want him to come along to see the whales? That would be fine too, you know. Hey, did you know about Uma and Skinner? Paul has just told us. Man who would have thought?" ![]()
"...and leaves me still in love with you. (My hand, my heart)"
Last Edited By: Orange Tabby Cat 2
08/24/08 13:44:09.
Edited 1 times.
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annsmac |
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paulogallagher wrote: Nothing new. Much. Ben Wade's gone. Vamoosed, I guess they'd say in his time. Decided he didn't like it here so much anymore. No big loss though. Right? Hey, by the way. Has Colin O'Brien been around lately? I wanted to talk with him. Do you think my haircut is butt ugly or just a little butch? I was going for butch but Ralph seems to think I may have goon too far toward the butt ugly side of the spectrum. I need a drink. Champagne sounds good -- especially if it's from Skinner's private stock. Can I leave him a note telling him how very much I enjoyed it? [I chug the glass of champagne. Paul's mouth is hanging open -- probably trying to decide which of my rambles to jump in on. He looks at Ralph; Ralph shrugs his shoulders.] Okay, I'm ready for another glass. Don't be stingy. [Paul giggles and I chug that glass, too.] Hit me again, sweetie. You know, that's the thing, isn't it? It's always the men you least expect who are total cowards. So about Colin?
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RalphAtTheFarm |
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Wait ... back up. Ben Wade is gone? Since when?
Oh, crap. Now things're starting to fall into place. In the depths of winter, I finally learned that there was in me
an invincible summer. ~~~Albert Camus |
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annsmac |
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[I flip a hand up and give them both a smile.]
Good riddance, I say! Wheweee. This place is gonna be so much nicer without him and his tired old face around. Yesterday's news ... Now let's talk Colin ... he been around, Paul? I guess I could call him at the garage. Maybe he'd come over and have a drink with us tonight? Oh, by the way, we're planning the grand re-opening of the Library. Now that's real news.
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clarity34 |
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You're such a kind person, Kathy! Thank you, but you'll never make a fortune, or even earn your living if you're offering your creations to all your friends, you have so many of them! If I like your bracelets and necklaces, which I know I will, I'll be happy to buy them. So there! [She laughs and hugs Kathy.]
No, John Biebe is also a busy man, even if differently from your John, better let the men work while we're having fun, don't you think?
Uma and Max? Unexpected, isn't it? [She doesn't answer Kathy's question about knowing about their relationship.] I'm so happy for them! I hope they will come back soon, I'm missing them already.
Well, as much as I'd like to spend the evening talking with you, Kathy, I think I have to go back to work now. Some customers seem to be very thirsty there, and I don't want to disturb Paul who's in deep conversation with Ann and Ralph. By the way…. what did Ann do with her beautiful hair? She looks... em... different.
See you on the deck on next weekend with Captain… em… Jimmy Bean, sailor. Or should I rather say, able seaman… or seawoman? What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.
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Orange Tabby Cat 2 |
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"Oh yes I can't wait for Uma to come back! I bet she took the chance to buy some new shoes. Can't wait to see them both again! I have to leave too, one more dog today. Lassie - a poodle, his owners have a twisted kind of humor." Kathy looks over to Ann, "hm, I wondered too why she had it cut. But it looks...actually she looks pretty cute. Maybe she could put some color in there? It'll grow back." "Okay then, I'll pick you up bright and early at seven at Biebe's house. Don't mind me if I'm a little grumpy at first, I'm not a morning person." On her way out she passes the table where Ann and Ralph sit. "Bye you two! Ann your look cute. Different but cute. I'll come by tomorrow and see if
there's anythng I can help you with. Even if it's just to get Buck out of your hair for a while.Bye. Bye Paul!"
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"...and leaves me still in love with you. (My hand, my heart)"
Last Edited By: Orange Tabby Cat 2
08/25/08 14:29:57.
Edited 1 times.
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