(no subject)

[change_my_story]

When Matilda enters the bar, her face is white and her expression very solemn and determined for one her age. In her hands is the remains of what was a library book, but now all that remained was a book cover empty of pages.

What her father did wasn't just taunting..it was downright rude and the behavior of a jealous bully. To make matters even worse, he actually expected her to take responsibility for what he did to her.

This sort of attack required an even more devious counter attack, one that she was sure she had the perfect sceme for if Fred's parrot was as good a talker as he claimed. The only way to scare a bully after all, was to find something of his weakness and use it against him.

Unfortunately, that still left her with a damaged book. It was a heavy addition and she couldn't exactly replace it that fast with just her pocket money. Which was why she was much relieved with Milliways makes its appearence in her closet. Seeing that the specials board was otherwise blank, an idea quickly came to mind.

"Ms. Bar," She called out. "I've a large favor I need to ask..do you think I could run Happy hour for the evening?" She recieved a napkin. "Of course, no alcoholic drinks, I understand. Thank you."

An hour later and after studying a mixed drinks book, Matilda pulled over a chair to stand on as she studied the blank chalk board: if she could read, she could certainly write.

   Dry Happy Hour Specials 

     Cola Floats
     (rootbeer or coke)
egg-cream
  orange julius
Sparkling Cranberry punch

Storytellers get 50% off
(story at discression of teller.)

Her writing was large and childlike, but it was clear enough to be read, which was the main thing.

That done, she jumped off the bar and started getting familar with the tools of the trade. She was pleasantly surprised to see a new copy of The Red Pony, right on the bar as well.

"Thank you for the book, Ms. Bar." She settled in her seat, using some old phonebooks to prop her up so she could be seen over the bar.

       

 

                                                                                                   
                                    

Comments

[gavin62truck]

Um.



Little girl behind the bar.

Okay. Well. He supposes that if talking pink ponies can tend bar, then so can very young children?



"Uh. Hi there. Can I-- get a Coke? Just a Coke. Uh. Please."

Because manners.

[change_my_story]

She looked up from her book, taking his expression in stride. She figured that it would be strange for someone her age to be working a bar, but this was no ordinary time.

"Right away." Her accent is british and soft and she gets off the chair and pulls out a tall glass, filling it with ice and using the soda fountain to fill it with coke. It was easy enough to find out with the names of the drinks on each button.

She set it on the bar surface, complete with a straw. "Here you are."

[gavin62truck]

Well, she's certainly efficient, and he leans over the bar slightly, watching with some mild bemusement.

"Thanks."

A pause.

"How old are you? Just curious."

[change_my_story]

So no story, than? Oh well.

She hops back onto her chair. "I'm five years old."

Her birthday was a few weeks ago. One would've figured that her birthdays would've been ignored, but it was actually just the opposite. They were pretty large as far as children's parties went, but she had a feeling it was only so her daddy could show off how wealthy he was.

In this small matter, she had no issues with letting him do so.

[gavin62truck]

"Oh, okay. Cool."

A perfectly acceptable age to be tending bar.

As takes a sip of his Coke (even using the straw), he glances over at the specials board. It's not that he didn't notice the (not-so) fine print the first time around; just that he's not sure if the kinds of tales he has will qualify. And if he has any for five-year-old kids. He might.

"I ain't a storyteller, but I do got a lot of stories. Would I still get a discount?"

[change_my_story]

She studies him a moment, her chin cradled in both hands.

"Anyone who can tell a story is a storyteller." There, five year old logic. "It's just a matter if it's an interesting story, which means the difference between a discount and not."

It wasn't like she meant for it to be tricky, she just had a set amount she planned on earning. Still, she also enjoyed stories and figured this way she could get in some interesting ones.

[gavin62truck]

He smirks. Sharp kid.

"Sounds reasonable," he says with a tic of his head.

"Well, what kinda stories d'you like? Maybe I can narrow down the choices."

[change_my_story]

She thought a moment, mentally going over the stories she's already read, which ones she liked and which ones were rather poor.

"I like stories with funny bits in them, or mystery stories or ones with adventure." She wasn't really all that into romance unless it was funny.

[gavin62truck]

"Ahh, alright. Well, let's see. I'm a fireman, so I got stories with lots of action and adventure in 'em. Would you wanna hear one?"

[change_my_story]

Really, she didn't know why he bothered: a coke wasn't that pricey, only a two-fifty, but then it was a possible story so she couldn't really begrudge him that.

"Yes, please." Firefighters were sure to have exciting jobs, so there were sure to be exciting stories from them.

[gavin62truck]

Tommy's not a cheapskate (well, yeah, he is a little), but really, more than that, he just likes talking.

"Okay," he says, gathering his thoughts on exactly which anecdote to tell and how to tell it.

"A couple years ago, me and my crew got called to a fire in an apartment building. Huge fire, flames and smoke comin' outta the windows. There was a woman still trapped inside-- we could even see her at one of the windows waving a rag and screaming for help-- but the problem was, the fire was so bad that it burned up the staircases, so we couldn't get up to her that way, and our ladder was too short to reach the floor she was on.

"So we went up the fire escape on the far side of the building, all the way to the roof. Then they tied a rope to me. Then as they held the rope, I climbed over the ledge. This was a twelve-floor building, okay, so I was pretty high up! And so they lowered me down the side of the building, inch by inch, foot by foot, until I reached the lady at the window.

"Now, when you evacuate a fire, you're supposed to drop everything and go. But this woman wouldn't let go of this sorta saggy, lumpy pillow she was holding. I told her to leave it, so she could hold onto me better, but she wouldn't let go of it, she just wouldn't. And she kept crying and screaming about it, no, no, no, she can't leave it. Time was running out fast, her room was totally filled up with smoke, so I just grabbed her, pillow and all, and pulled her through the window.

"The guys hoisted us back up the side of the building and onto the roof again. The woman tumbled out of my arms, still holding onto that pillow. We all had to get outta there, though, so I helped her down the fire escape. She kept losing her footing and balance 'cause she was so shook up, so I offered to carry that pillow for her. And when she gave it to me-- I realized-- there was a dog inside of it. A little chihuahua. It was still alive, but curled up in a tiny ball and really scared, the poor guy.

"In the end, the woman and her dog were both okay. She told me the dog's name and I still remember it: Peanut Pie. I mean, I love dogs, though usually the bigger ones, not so much the small ones, but he was actually kinda cute."

He chuckles.

"Anyways, so how's that for a story?"

[change_my_story]

Matilda listened in as he told the story, her eyes becoming slightly wide as he started talking about the fire and how high the building was and just what he was going through to get to the woman.

Then he got to the part about finding out that the bundle was a little dog. It was almost funny really, like a sort of punch line or something, but she could still see why the woman was worried.

"I liked the beginning part, the risk with the fire and trying to get through the building and fire and trying to keep the woman and the bundle safe." It had the good makings of an adventure story with some funny bits in it. THough she supposed it did have to do with his job. "Though I think it would've been funnier if what she was holding was something like an antique-I could see why she'd choose to protect her dog."

She lifted her head up. "But I still like it, so you get a discount." She held out her hand. "That will be one..dollar." Dollar, not pound. "and twenty-five cents."

[gavin62truck]

Tommy has to exhale a chuckle at all this, because he didn't expect a critique of his story, and plus she's just too darn cute.

"It might've been funnier if it was an antique, but then again, it might've made me mad," he says with a smirk as he pulls his wallet out of his back pocket.

"But, since you still liked it, how 'bout I do you one better and pay you the full price? Plus a tip, of course."

He gives her five dollars.

"Keep the change."

[a1enzo]

"Huh. You're the youngest bartender I've seen yet. Could you do me a..." Pause. "You look so familiar."

ooc: XD

[change_my_story]

She looks up from her book. "I need the money." She answered, before waiting for his order.

The next remark was strange. "Really? Well, I've been in the bar for a few months, maybe that's why?"

She couldn't really place the boy to her memory, so that had to be the only way.

[a1enzo]

"May...be?" He doesn't think so. He's been hanging out here for years, and he knows that kind of familiarity.

Oh well.

"Could I have a root dir float, please? You'll have to use the digital ingredients, they're down there." He leans over the bar to point at a certain minifridge.

[change_my_story]

She frowned. Her brother had a computer so she was sort of familar with the term 'digital' in context, but she wasn't sure how things could become digital.

"Well, alright." She pushed her chair back so she could take a look at the minifridge. "But you'll have to talk me through how it works."

A blender she could operate, but she had no idea what went into 'digitizing'.

[a1enzo]

"Oh, you make it the same as the matter kind... the kind you drink," he adds, in case she doesn't understand, although so far she seems quite bright. "You just have to use the right ingredients or I can't drink it."

The fridge in question contains, among other things, some soda labelled 'root dir' and something which resembles ice cream but is called 'code freeze'. The rest of the language on the packaging is similarly odd. She may also notice that nothing in that section of the bar has any smell at all.

[change_my_story]

Matilda gets off the chair and looks into the actual fridge. Okay...the items look familar, but the names are more like in electronics and not food. She sets the ice cream on the counter along with a glass, before going to the 'root dir'.

These are set on the table, before she starts making it, suddenly realizing that the rootbeer..root dir..doesn't have a smell. She thought this drink always had a smell.

Hmm..

She still poured it over the ice cream. "Okay, now what?" She looks up at him.

[a1enzo]

"That's it!"

[change_my_story]

She smiles at his answer, glad she was able to do something that she'd before not really been aware if.

To top it off, she looked around the area to give him a spoon and a curly straw-because what was the fun of this sort of drink without a curly straw to top it off.

[a1enzo]

Enzo grins. He's old enough that he doesn't usually bother with curly straws anymore, but no one is old enough for them to stop being fun when you do use them.

"Thanks. Good job. I'm Enzo, by the way. Enzo Matrix." He offers a frankly enormous hand.

[change_my_story]

To be fair, at her age and size, nearly all big people seem enormous, even her mum.

She takes his hand and shakes it, or rather he shakes her hand considering how small it is. "Matilda Wormwood, it's nice to meet you."

Really, it was never a dull moment in Milliways. Case in point, learning about 'digital food'.

[a1enzo]

He freezes in mid-shake and gawps at her. "Matilda?!"

Familiarity explained!

[change_my_story]

She pulls her hand away, frowning in confusion. "Yes...have I said something wrong?"

Or done something wrong? Why was he looking at her like that?