On a Bench at the Park, Sunday Afternoon

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff sits on a sunny bench in the park -- the same one, in fact, as yesterday. He's people-watching, but it almost looks as though he's watching for someone in particular.

Comments

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky smiles as she spots Geoff waiting on the bench. She approaches from behind, until she's right behind him, and softly says, "Hey there."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff starts just a bit and turns to look over his shoulder. With a bright smile, he stands.

"My lady Becky! I'm so pleased you remembered."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"'Course I remembered!" Becky exclaims, grinning and coming around to sit on the bench. "How're you?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff kisses her hand and waits for to sit. Seating himself next to her, he answers, "I've had an uneventful day. It's better now, though."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky smiles, and her cheeks darken. "Really? That's...sweet. My day was kinda boring, too. 'Til now, I mean."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'm glad I could help enliven it then. Would you like to take a walk?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky nods. "Sure."

She shoves her hands in her pockets, and feels her pack of cigarettes there. She considers lighting up, and decides not to, out of courtesy to Geoff.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff stands and offers his arm. "Would you tell me more about what brought you here?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky awkwardly accepts his arm. "You mean here as in town, or here as in the park?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"Either, both. Whichever you'd prefer." He smiles as he leads her toward the walking path that circles the park.

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky smiles as they stroll along. "Well, like I said yesterday, my previous employer sent me and my friend here to work...and that didn't work out as expected. But we like it here, and Gail wants us to stay, so..." she shrugs.

"And as for why I'm here today...I'd think that'd be obvious. To see you, of course."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff chuckles at her last remark. "Thank you, my lady. And where were you employed before coming here?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

"Um...it wasn't exactly a place of business. And I suppose to call Gail my employer is misleading. She was really just the one we all came to with our problems with customers, and stuff. But she wasn't the one who paid me. I was more of an...independant business of my own, I guess," Becky replies, deliberately being oblique.

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff's nod and smile tell Becky that he may very well understand more about her situation than he's let on.

"I have an independent business myself. I've opened a shop here, but before I arrived I'd mainly conducted my business as I traveled."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky wonders exactly how much he's caught on, and tries to remember if she was as careful about telling him yesterday.

"You've traveled? Why did you decide to, y'know...stop here?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"Well, to be honest, because I'm not sure how I wound up here. And, because I like it here. It's fascinating, and it's full of interesting people." He smiles at Becky. "I'm something of a student of human nature."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky tilts her head. "Interesting. So you, what, just study people? Do you tell them?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

"Do I tell them that I'm studying them? No, not usually. It's not...it's a hobby, something I do because people interest me. I write about it sometimes, though."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky arches a brow. "That's cool...do you just, like, watch behavior? Mannerisms? Or do you look for specific stuff?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff laughs. "I don't make a science of it, if that's what you mean. I suppose I do watch behavior and mannerisms. Work out in my mind how people's characters have been shaped by their lives, watch for their virtues and their foibles... Nothing specific, no. But I think most writers have an interest in people."

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky grins. "Not just writers. I think...most artists are like that. I have a friend back home who's a photographer who talks about stuff like that a lot. Noticing how people interact when no one's watching, that kind of thing."

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff gives her a wry smile. "Would you mind very much, Becky, if I asked you to explain what a 'photographer' does?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky slaps her forehead. "I forgot that you wouldn't know. Um...like a painter, sort of. A photographer captures images of people with a camera. Haven't you seen a photograph since you've been here?"

[geoff-chaucer.livejournal.com]

Geoff shakes his head. "No, I don't believe I have. Or else, I didn't know what it was at the time." He smile at Becky. "Perhaps you'll show me sometime?"

[lesssexthanmiho.livejournal.com]

Becky grins. "I can show you now." She reaches into her back pocket, and pulls out her wallet.

She tugs out a small sleeve of photos - all black-and-white - of her friends and family in Sin City, and hands them to Geoff. "See? My friend Dwight took these."