Cafe Fina [Saturday Afternoon]

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

It was, as it always was, a wonderful day for an unbirthday party! The Mad Hatter didn't let something small like the absence of the March Hare or Dormouse deter him. No, sir! He tumbled down the stairs and right into the middle of Cafe Fina!

"Fetch me my tea!" The Mad Hatter proclaimed, ignoring the looks of surprise from the staff around the restaurant. They were going to have to get used to this. The Mad Hatter waddled over to his chair and sat down, peering around the restaurant critically. This would do, this would do just fine.

"What day is it?" the Mad Hatter shouted at some nearby staff member. The staff member started to answer but the Mad Hatter cut him off. "No, don't tell me! I know this! I'm excellent at riddles!"

He pushed a finger against his temple, brow furrowing in deep, deep thought.

And then he laughed. It probably sounded a little hysterical.

"It's the day that comes after yesterday but before tomorrow! Yes! That's right!"

Cafe Fina was open and was being manned by someone crazier than normal.

[Open, of course. Hatter ---> Disney-fied Mad Hatter]

Comments

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Another man in an excellent hat stalked in, not looking best pleased. This was not at all what England was supposed to look like, he had no idea where his horse had disappeared to, and he was probably incredibly late for his meeting at the ministry to discuss Albanian independence.

Mr. Kemal Parak, Turkish diplomat, could do with a spot of tea. Or a pot of tea. Or allllll the tea.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Welcome! Welcome, my good man!" The Mad Hatter jumped up onto his chair and waved Mr. Parak into the restaurant. "Would you care for some tea? Last person who visited didn't care for tea and just refused to make polite conversation!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Well, the proprietor was certainly...enthusiastic? "I would very much care for some tea," Kemal told him.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

The Mad Hatter made no move to actually make the tea so the nearest staff member was going to jump in and do so. They didn't want to lose business.

"Oh, but what's the magic word?" The Mad Hatter asked, leaning forward. His hat tipped with him but never came close to coming off his head or falling into his eyes. "I must know the magic word!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Kemal's eyebrow arched up. "How unforgivably rude of me. May I have some tea, please?"

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

The Mad Hatter stopped and look around. And then he looked back at Mr. Parak.

"Which word in that sentence was the magic one?" The Mad Hatter asked, proving that he was truly a genius. "They all just sounded so plain!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Now Kemal looked confused. "You weren't trying to get me to say please?"

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Was I?" The Mad Hatter tapped his lip thoughtfully. "Perhaps you just wanted to tell me please for some reason? My good man, you are the one that came to me!"

Sure, Mad Hatter, sure. You go with your insane self.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

...

...

This was, sadly, a bit like talking to members of the House of Lords. "What magical word would you prefer?" Kemal tried. "I'm Turkish. I know many."

Not really, but he did want that tea.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Turkish?" The Mad Hotter cocked his head and tried to figure out what a Turkish was. "Is that a bit like a rabbit?"

He missed the March Hare.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"It is not even a little bit like a rabbit," Kemal said, reminding himself that he was a diplomat. "Let me have some tea and I'll tell you all about my country."

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Tea! Tea, please!" The staff member who'd been attending to the tea set a cup on the table near Kemal. "But, if you are to join my table, you'll have to sing with me. It's my unbirthday!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Your unbirthday."

This was turning into a high price to pay for a cup of tea.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Yes!" He nodded very firmly. "Is it your unbirthday as well, my dear man? Shall we celebrate together?"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Well, Kemal had tea now, so he could afford to be polite.

"Why not?" he replied, sipping from his cup.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Why not, indeed!"

The Mad Hatter barely knew what he was agreeing with.

"Statistics prove, prove that you've one birthday, one birthday ev'ry year! But there are three hundred and sixty four unbirthdays!"

It was time to sing, yes.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

This song was going to get stuck in his head all day, wasn't it?

At least the tea was good.

Kemal muttered along, plastering an expression of good humor on his face. The things he did for his country...

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

The Mad Hatter didn't even need the island's whimsy to sing.

"That is why we're gathered here to cheer. A very merry unbirthday to you, to you. A very merry unbirthday to you, it's great to drink to someone and
I guess that you will do. A very merry unbirthday to you!"

He slapped his hands down on the table exuberantly and grinned.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Kemal smiled a little wanly back. "Is there a chance I could get more tea?"

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

The Mad Hatter picked up his empty mug and banged it on the table like that might summon the magical tea fairies.

"What a dreadful thing to run out of something like tea!" he crowed, glancing around. "Polite conversation until then! Polite and civil!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"I'm good at both polite and civil," Kemal assured him.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"So you are!" Yes, the Mad Hatter was impressed by his civility. Much better than that Alice person he'd known so long ago. "Have I asked your name? I haven't, have I? I'm terribly sorry! I was so enthused by my unbirthday that I forgot my manners!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"I am Mr. Kemal Paruk," Kemal told him. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Or at least to drink his tea.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Kemal Paruk," the Mad Hatter managed to repeat without totally butchering it. "Pleasure? Pleasure! Pleasure is all mine! And is it your birthday or your unbirthday?"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"It is not my birthday," Kemal said, "so that, I believe, makes it my unbirthday?"

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"That's right!" With that being said, the Mad Hatter stood up again and pointed at Kemal with his tea mug. "Sing! You must sing!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Must I?" Kemal murmured. "Very well."

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"You must! You must or you will have to leave the table!" The Mad Hatter was very insistent of this face. Very. "Sing!"

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"A very merry unbirthday--" Kemal began, shaking his head ruefully. This day.

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

The Mad Hatter, of course, look delighted. He was thumping his hands and swaying in time with Kemal's singing.

This day was fabulous! Marvelous! Two unbirthdays in one day!