In the park ...

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

[ Early on Thursday morning. Very early. Very very early. ]

Manny emerges from the shop carrying a bag of bread, and carefully locks the door behind him. He walks down the road and into the park, and leans on the rail by the pond. He reaches into the bag and pulls out a slice of bread. The ducks swim over. He tears off a small piece of bread and throws it onto the water. The ducks rush forward, but pause suddenly while still several inches away. There is some brief quacking. One of them approaches cautiously and sniffs at the bread, and returns to the group. There is further quacking, and the ducks swim carefully away.

*sighs*

Manny clearly has something on his mind.

Comments

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

*Fast asleep, Callisto is leaning back against the closed door of Nifty Gifty, until Manny shutting Black Books door wakes her up*

Buh...

*looks around*

Frak!

*sees Manny*

Mornin'

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Oh, morning. I sold those comic books to toomanylegs in the end. Sorry they weren't what you were looking for.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

*makes a mental note to avoid toomanylegs in the future*

That's alright. You have any idea what's happened to Fran? Came down here for my shift yesterday evening, and found the place closed.

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

I don't know. Sorry.

*is preoccupied with something*

*goes to the park*

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

*follows Manny*

You okay Manny, something the matter?

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Manny looks up from the pond and sees Callisto leaning on the rail alongside him.

Lots of things. *points over shoulder with thumb* It's him. He was really nice to me. For about two hours. It was wonderful. He even had a bath and put on a clean suit. And now look at him. Can you imagine what it's like living with that?

And there's Paige. I got her some work experience at the shop, Bernard said it would be okay. But now he's back to how he was, and I don't know what he'll be like when she turns up to work.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

*Callisto ponders what advice to give Manny, he doesn't really seem like the type who would accept the stabination of Bernard as a valid solution to his problem*

Manny, considering some of the crazies up at the school, I think the only person who should be worried if Bernard tries to give Paige trouble is Bernard.

*Well, at least she was trying...*

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Oh, Paige isn't like the other people at that school. She's nice, and sweet, and kind, and lovely. She wouldn't hurt a fly.

He hears Bernard's voice behind him, and twitches slightly.

I don't like the thought of him being rude to her.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

*death glares at Bernard for making Manny twitch*

Tell you what Manny, if mister Grumpypants over there is rude to Paige come and get me (http://www.livejournal.com/users/psycho_barbie/1635.html?mode=reply), and I WILL GIVE HIM A LESSON IN MANNERS HE WILL NEVER FORGET.

'Kay?

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Manny is suitably fortified by this offer

Thank you.

*turns round to look at Bernard.*

Well?

[grumpy-sod.livejournal.com]

ooc - sorry about delay. work exploded (thankfully not literally, of course). I see Paige has just entered the bookshop though - head back there?

Bernard flinches back from the crazy woman. God, today hasn't even *started* and he's being accosted and threatened by lunatics. He decides discretion is the better part of valour and makes an dignified retreat back to the shop, flipping his coat haughtily around him as he leaves.

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Bernard and Callisto look at each other, and she shrugs. Manny picks up the discarded empty bottle, and the two of them follow Bernard back to the shop at a distance, exchanging phone numbers as they go. When they get back to the shops, Manny discovers Bernard already asleep at the desk (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomtownies/30525.html). He scowls in frustration and heads into the kitchen.

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

OOC - Thinking Manny is cross because Bernard's been out all night, he doesn't call, he doesn't phone, an apology would be nice but noooo, I've been worried sick...

[grumpy-sod.livejournal.com]

There is the rustle of a brown paper bag and the sound of a body landing heavily on the park bench behind Manny.

Shortly after, there is the faint pop of a cork being pulled from the neck of a bottle, and a deeply despairing sigh. A lone jogger approaches, blanches slightly at the rigid grimace and frighteningly large pair of dark glasses currently adorning Bernard's face, and gives the bench a very wide berth.

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

Manny hears something behind him. He's about to look round, but he stops himself just in time. He sniffs the air experimentally, and his eyes narrow. Elaborately and ostentatiously, he refrains from noticing the arrival of the figure on the bench.

[grumpy-sod.livejournal.com]

The figure on the bench waits for a while, trying (unsuccessfully) to exude an aura of 'tortured artiste'. He throws an arm dramatically over his face for a bit to see if that helps. It doesn't, really, as the glasses get hooked in the weave of the coat and there's an undignified fumble to keep the still weak daylight from frying his red-rimmed eyes.

He takes another swig from the bottle, still mostly concealed inside the bag, and looks up, faking a double-take as if he's just then noticing Manny for the first time.

Oh.

It's you.

[grumpy-sod.livejournal.com]

ooc - didn't see your continued conversation with psycho_barbie

Bernard utterly ignores the strangely clad female talking to Manny, except to wonder if she's really not a bit chilly dressed like that at this time in the morning

[mannybianco.livejournal.com]

OOC - the dual narrative is working quite well

Manny flinches at the sound of Bernard's voice, but hides it well. He continues in conversation with the person leaning on the rail alongside him, and steadfastly refrains from turning round.