The Perk, Sunday Afternoon

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

THIS WAS NOT QUITE how Miss Elizabeth Bennet had anticipated spending her morning; the church had been nearly empty, and the coffee shop had supplied her with a mug, a saucer, a small pitcher of boiling water, and a paper bag. In place of milk, the young girl at the counter had handed her small plastic containers which had some mixture inside calling itself 'half-and-half.' She didn't dare ask which half was what. Did no one brew tea properly in the future?

She could only be grateful that Lady Atreides had lent her some of this strange-looking currency, and shown her how to count it properly. She had already been rather heavily indebted to Lady Atreides for allowing her room in her ladyship's suite, and for rescuing her from the carriage that would not arrive; she hated to impose further on the woman's kindness, but there had not seemed to be much of an alternative.

Eliza Bennet filled her mug with boiling water and dipped her tea ... bag into it, stirring cautiously and wondering how to explain her absence to her Aunt and Uncle, who must, by now, be quite worried indeed. Dear Aunt Gardiner, you have my sincerest apologies. I seem to have been waylaid nearly two hundred years. Will return when temporal forces allow.

The Perk was very open, and Miss Bennet was distractedly watching all who came and went.

(open!)

Comments

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

Roy was very well aware that it was Sunday, but he still decided to go in just for an hour or two to make sure everything was in order at the station. He made a detour past The Perk, deciding coffee was always a good thing.

He nodded at the woman sitting at one of the tables as he entered. Knowing what day it was yesterday, he could make a guess that she probably had to be a new teacher. "Good afternoon."

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

Coffee. It was likely Murdock couldn't live without it. He got himself a large mug of it and nodded politely, tipping his hat a little at the lady in the cafe.

"Afternoon."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff had just gotten a job, so it was time to treat himself to coffee. With date sugar, cinnamon and foam.

The barista had gotten used to his slightly weird request.

He smiled over at the unfamiliar face. Of course Biff knew all of the women on the island. This one he didn't recognize.

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Good afternoon," she said, dipping her head to him. "Forgive me, but -- would you happen to know whether one can obtain milk here? I don't believe this," she held up one of the plastic containers with a frown, "was ever intended as a reliable substitute."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

Roy halted near her table to see what she was holding up. "It's milk," he assured her. "It's kept in there because it preserves longer. You're new to the island?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Good afternoon," she said, bowing her head slightly in return. "Pardon me, but were you perhaps at the gathering yesterday, near the school?"

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

"Yah, I was," he smiled. "I'm one of the teachers. Murdock. Are you one of the new faculty?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Good afternoon," Eliza said, nodding to the gentleman at the counter.

This island seemed already to function with far less formality than proper society, so she felt it safe to continue.

"You will forgive me, I hope, for impertinence, but did you say 'foam'?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"I arrived here yesterday, unexpectedly," she admitted, "and quite against my own wishes. I have been told that such things occur, here."

She glance at the container, noting that a few of them did indeed say 'milk.' She breathed a sigh of relief and began pouring one into her mug.

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"I am a gentlewoman," she replied. To her, it was an answer as that functioned as both role and occupation in her society. "Though I shall be pawning brooches shortly if I do not find my return carriage, it seems."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"It happens," Roy agreed. "One of my staff got stuck here a while ago." He paused, deciding it was best not to worry her with the fact that said man had disappeared in thin air.

"I'm Sheriff Roy Mustang. If there is any way I can help," he offered.

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Okay." He wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a yes or no. "Carriage?" he asked with some confusion. "I don't believe I've seen one of those around here." He gave her a faint smile, "I don't think you'd have to resort to that, ma'am. There are plenty of other alternatives."

He thought for a few seconds, then offered, "You need any kind of assistance?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet," she smiled, bowing her head slightly. "I thank you, for your kindness, Sheriff Mustang."

She bit her lip. "There is one small matter which concerns me, if I may presume upon your time further."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

Biff smiled and nodded. "It's pretty much whipped milk," he said, tipping his mug so she could see. "The closest I can get to that 'right out of the goat' feeling."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Not at all, Miss Bennet," he motioned towards the empty seat. "May I?"

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Eliza Bennet smiled, dropping her eyes slightly. "This island leads one to believe strongly in the kindness of strangers," she said. "In all that I've encountered thus far, there have been no end to individuals offering me assistance however I should need it. I thank you kindly as well, Mr. Murdock."

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"That is far more reassuring than anything I had been imagining," Eliza smiled. "After seeing that tea comes in small bags and half-milk in plastic containers, I was not certain what might replace sugar. I hesitate to find out."

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

He grinned lightly, "Well, many folks 'round here do tend to be friendly like that. And the island is almost small enough that everyone knows practically everyone else. Besides which," he shrugged slightly, "a lot of people seem to just...wind up here rather unexpectedly. So the rest of us like to help out since it can be quite an adjustment."

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Please do," she nodded, taking another sip of her tea. "I do apologize for being forward. I hope you shan't be late where you're expected."

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"Sugar is still sugar," he assured her. "Just don't pick up those nasty packets of Splenda or Equal. Then sugar is an abomination."

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Were you similarly displaced?" Eliza asked. "I still have no notion how a carriage ride from Longbourn in to London could have crossed an ocean, much less such a span of time."

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

"Splenda and Equal," she nodded. "I shall endeavor to be vigilant. I suppose this method of brewing tea is more efficient, but it's no great improvement on taste."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Believe me, paperwork can wait. And helping people out is the most important part of my job," he pointed out as he sat down. "What can I help you with?"

[nojesusfreak.livejournal.com]

"You should try coffee. It's harder to screw up, especially for people in a coffee house. Around here, the tea is definitely an afterthought."

[crazypilotman.livejournal.com]

"Well...not quite. I did come of my accord, but I got a little 'displaced' in time as well. I'm off by about twenty years." He shook his head a bit, smirking faintly, "Hard to think so much can change in so little time."

"As for how that could happen... it all depends on how much science you follow." He had no idea if she'd ever heard of Einstein much less theories of relativity, so he decided not to go overboard with the technical hypothesises. "All I can really say is that, as highly unlikely as it seems, it is possible in some sense."