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 Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:13 am
"I...I guess I can see that." Melvin could function on his own. He could watch a movie, go shopping, and do stuff independently. It had been sort of a given when growing up and not fully being able to open to those around you unless they were his siblings. But in the end, he always wanted the company. He loved being surrounded by people and had been comfortable with having the large nest of his family around him. It was what made island life very hard, and while he could do his duties and lab work on his own, when work was done, he wanted to be with someone.
Lately, he hadn't been having that at all.
"Being with someone does make it more enjoyable sometimes."
He looked more somber as he stared at the menu, looking through it more than at the print, before he looked up again.
"Did you eat out much growing up?" He asked, before turning the menu over. "Maine is famous for it's lobster and clams. You can't go wrong with any one of them."
He folded his menu. "I'm going for the clam chowder. It's been a very long time since I've had it." It wasn't something you could buy in stores unless you wanted to goopey mess that came out of a can which was just insulting to the memory of clam chowder everywhere.
In a moment, the waitress returned. "Have you decided? I can start you off with drinks or some appetizers?"
"Coffee please and a order of cheddar biscuits." He would be getting one biscuit with his soup, but he felt Al deserved to try one too.
"I'll be having the clam chowder." He said, offering her the menu to take.
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:22 am
Al wasn't entirely sure how to answer Melvin. Yes his family ate out quite a bit, but was it like this? Hardly. He decided to give a vague answer, "sometimes."
He finally caved and gave in to his curiosity.
"Can I have lobster?" Al asked Melvin first, almost like a child who needed permission just to use the restroom. He couldn't help it. Being back out into the real world brought back memories. So many memories when he had to.
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:36 pm
Melvin just looked back. "You're not a cheap date." He joked and looked up at her. "He'll have the lobster."
He then let Al order whatever it was he wanted to drink.
The waitress then took their menus and walked off to get their drinks ready.
The Lifer then looked out the window as the cars that passed by down the street and the distant sprawling town. It was chill outside which meant not to many people were out, and mid day meant no kids. Still, he felt suddenly comfortable here, like wearing a worn sweater you forgot you had kept away in your closet.
It made him feel warm.
He looked back at Al.
"So.....is there a place you used to eat at a lot with your family?" He didn't know what else to ask and he wasn't sure how else to keep the conversation going other than asking questions.
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:10 pm
Al laughed boisterously, "I guess I'm not." He couldn't help the expensive tastes though. He smiled at the waitress excitedly, "can I have some ginger now and a beer later?" He paused at the baffled look she gave him before stammering, "I-I mean a coke?"
He looked back at Melvin bashfully as he considered the question. It was a difficult one to answer. When his family had dinner together it was a very formal affair. Rarely at the same place more than once. It wasn't until he was older and found a more independent streak did he finally start taking the bus on his own to nearby places to try fast food.
"Not really..." he finally admitted. "You?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:51 pm
Melvin stared at Al as he started to realize a very terrible thing.
Al wasn't much of a talker.
It changed the situation completely. Melvin thrived on conversations where he could ask and other people spoke at length. Without that dynamic, he was left filing the conversation void and he did NOT like that responsibility.
Awkwardly, he touched hsi silverware, checking a fork a moment to see that it was clean before he brought his fingers to fiddle with the corner of a napkin.
"When we traveled, my family ate out or when it was a special occasion. My parents never liked fast food chains so we stopped off at restaurants instead. 'Supporting the little man' my dad would say." He said, raising his hand just a split second to raise his fist in inmitation of his father.
He set his hand back down to play with the napkin again. "We usually ate at home or at a relatives."
He didn't know what else to say and felt a bit strange about this. He glanced back out at the window, trying to think of something to talk about. Something Al might be able to talk more about than the short replies he was giving.
But he didn't know Al. All he knew was that he was friends with Rep somehow, and he didn't think Rep was a good conversation to have.
He looked back at the man. "So, you like lobster?"
Saliva was giving the biggest sighs of boredom right now at his lack of skills.
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:04 pm
Al was watching Melvin attentively, quiet the entire time and absorbing all he said and did like a meticulous little sponge. He didn't need conversation to be entertained by when there was so much else around. When his question was answered he was quite intrigued for more details. "What was your favourite dish of all to eat?"
At the lobster question, Al finally sunk back with a blush. "I've never had it before in all honesty... I always wanted to, but it was... a handsy kind of food, I guess." He wiggled his fingers at Melvin exaggeratedly, "messy."
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:41 pm
"Um....clam chowder." He said, looking at him. "It's why I wanted it now. That or anything on the menu that was spicy. I think this is one of the few things I like without any heat in it. I just....think it's the memories that come with it that make me feel better. Like when people have chicken soup."
And he hadn't felt good in a while.
He cracked a small smile at Al's wiggling hands. "Yeah, it is. Crab is worse. I like seafood that has already been cleaned and separated."
The waitress brought their drinks off at their table and Melvin took his black coffee and drank from the cup, but not before inspecting the cup.
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 3:54 am
"I have nae had clam chowder either," Al confessed though it shouldn't come as a surprise when he mentioned already that he has never tried the main ingredient of clams. "The name sounds kind of... interesting," he meant gross.
"Personally, I don't mind the mess. It was just... embarrassing back then." He bobbled his head a little as he took a big comforting swig of soda. It had been forever since he had more than just water.
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:24 pm
"It taste better than it looks." He warned, knowing that the pale-colored soup tended to make people wonder if it was any good.
He then sipped his coffee, looking back out to the street and than up at the sky and then setting his cup back down to look at Al.
I have no idea what to say to this man. I have no idea what he even does.
Sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I was falling asleep.
I'm not entertaining enough for you?
You rarely are. Just ask him about what you do know about it. That usually curls your toes.
Could you not refer to my general curiosity in that way?
Could you not lie to me and call it 'general curiosity' when we both know better?
Melvin didn't comment and looked at the other hunter.
While he didn't want to bring this up, having nothing to say was worse. "So.....you....know Rep for a while now?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:35 pm
Al looked curious, "maybe I can try some of yours?"
Then Melvin seemed to be thinking. He watched him curiously as his gaze shot all over the room. Everywhere, but at him. He was starting to feel a bit curious about this repeated activity on Melvin's part. Was it nerves? Al's mind too began to wander but for entirely different reasons.
His thoughts finally returned as Melvin finally settled back on him with a subject he could truly chew on. Al seemed to light right up with a smile.
"He woke me up," he spoke faster and with more excitement to his tone. "So almost two years now." Nuru grumbled a soft correction. He was actually trying to take a 'nap' right now at the heels of Al's thoughts. "Nuru says it's been a year and a half."
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:45 pm
Melvin watched as he perked up and grew generally excited at the mention of Rep. He had to wonder exactly how close they were. Rep never mentioned Al to Melvin, but then again, Rep rarely talked about other people to Melvin.
He wondered why that was.
Have I never asked about that?
He drummed his fingers on the edge of the table softly before smoothing out the tablecloth. "That's a long time. You've been friends with him from the start?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 5:51 pm
"Yes - he even gave me his old scarf," he gestured at the well worn scarf wrapped about his head and shoulders before sliding the bulk of it down to rest down his back and expose his black hair that had grown out quite a bit without any trims in all that time. His posture shifted slightly, as if he were showing off a badge of honour.
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:09 pm
Melvin looked at the scarf and hadn't even thought it belonged to anyone else beforehand. They all had scarves, but now that he knew, it was now different.
"He just gave you a scarf? Didn't you already have one with your uniform?" He asked, wondering why Rep would give away something he owned. He did give presents out during Christmas, very thoughtful ones, ones that he wondered if Al had. Melvin had one of his Rep's sweaters, and he wondered if that trumped a scarf.
It so did.
"And...you have washed it, right?" He said, just wanting to be sure.
He also checked his hair. "Are you trying to grow your hair out too?" Like Rep or was that because he hadn't seen his hair since he worse that scarf.
He hoped he didn't wear it to bed with him.
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 6:22 pm
"Not just any scarf; his scarf." Al looked proud as hell about that remark. "I dunno, never had a new one. This was just my one and only scarf." He flipped a small portion over to reveal a darker red stain. "Look, a bloodstain!" He sounded just a bit too pleased by that fact.
He intentionally didn't answer the question as to scarf hygiene. He was sure by Melvin's tone he may not like the answer of 'only when someone makes me'. He skipped right to the question about his hair. "I'm not trying, it does that on its own."
Probably a good thing Melvin didn't ask about the bed thing, he wouldn't like that answer either.
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 7:44 pm
Melvin just stared in stunned silence as Al just pointed out a old bloodstain that he had no remorse in showing him or hiding with embarrassment. When Al had said he didn't eat lobster in the past because it was messy and embarrassing, it suggested that he didn't like to be a messy person because it was embarrassing. This didn't seem to be the case at all.
"That's....an old bloodstain." Melvin said, not asking. Al was not bleeding and (while Melvin felt there was mental damage) not suffering from a injury to his head. It meant that even bloodstained did not cause the other man to consider something now at the point of needing to be washed.
The long hair under a unwashed scarf - long hair that sweated and turned greasy and then seeped into unwashed fabric. Fabric that would be only a foot or so away from a bowl of food he would be eating.
Melvin took a sip of his coffee in order to then set it back down a lllliiiitttttlllleee bit closer to him.
He swallowed hard, trying to think of how to put it. He had to tell him. This was a matter of common sense and health.
"You....need to wash that regularly. Every day. You ..." He couldn't even start and had to just place a hand over his mouth, speechless a moment before removing his hand and setting it in his lap, gripping his leg in hopes he could restrain himself.
"Your hair needs to be washed and putting a bloodstained rag on it will make you dirty and then you are just transferring chemicals and bodily fluids back and forth and...." He took a deep breath, feeling rattled and wondering if it would be impolite to just walk away to calm himself.
He turned to look for the waitress and once she was in sight, he gestured to her - maybe a bit too frantically. "Can...Can i have a glass of clean water?" He squeaked, and both confused and concerned, she nodded and went to get him a glass.
Melvin sat there, looking at the table cloth and then at the corners of Al's being but not directly at him.
Deep breathes. Deep breathes. Deep breathes.
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