milliways_bar | (no subject)

*Meg, who is rather fond of certain verbs - 'dance', for example, or 'pirouette', or 'bounce' - would be very sorry to hear that. Especially since she can't really afford it.

However, she can lessen the cost by sharing in the price of one table?*

Hey you.

*Andrew looks up from the notebook with a smile.*

Salut.

*Meg grins back at him, and then peers over at the notebook.*

Hard at work?

Yup.

-- Oh, did I tell you we figured out what the deal with the missing bones was?

- no, I don't think so, *Meg answers, head tilting.*

You haven't been - I mean, we've been missing each other recently, I think, *she adds, with a quick grin.* Not much chance.

*He grins, a little ruefully.* Yeah.

So wanna hear? It's a bit gross, but you knew that much from the initial problem.

*Meg giggles.*

Oui, I think we covered the ay me, I might faint last time - go ahead.

*With far too much glee considering the subject:* Vyelth grubworms. They're demonic, but they're not actually intelligent. They're basically household pests.

Except they'd eat your average exterminator.

*Meg makes an elaborate face, at this.*

Okay, bugs? Definitely grosser than dancing skeletons. I guess they eat bones, then? An infestation, sort of thing?

Exactly. Really fast, too.

So once we'd identified them, we got the components we needed to knock out the nest before it could spread, found the nest, burned it, and the city is safe again.

*He twirls the pen in between his fingers, and adds portentously:* For now.

You enjoyed that far too much, *Meg accuses, but she's laughing.*

- oh, I forgot, monsieur announcer man, there was a favor I wanted to ask you -

*He's laughing too.*

Yeah?

I need to know how to make seedees, *Meg tells him, and tries her best to look Impressive and Professional.*

My clients have told me they would improve the French-learning experience for them, and by clients I mean one, but still.

CDs? Okay, sure -- you mean like a voice recording of you, or what?

*Meg nods.*

Pronouncing French words, *she explains, earnestly.* To get the accent right.

We can do that. All we need is a computer with voice-recording software and a few blank CDs. Piece of cake.

I mean, it won't be studio-quality sound, but it'll be fine for all practical purposes.

That's all I need.

*Meg beams at him.*

Just don't make it sound too easy, or I'll feel stupid for being backwards and not being ableto figure it out on my own.

You know, I bet if I show you the basics you could figure out the rest on your own.

- well, *Meg says, a little doubtfully,* Cooper was teaching me about critical thinking -

Oh? Like what?

*Andrew takes another bite of sandwich and eyes Meg curiously.*

*Meg shrugs.*

Just, tu sais, putting things together so that they make sense. Not jumping to conclusions. Logic.

*Meg has never considered herself to be very good at thinking.*

Logic's useful, *Andrew opines around a mouthful of sandwich.* So's intuition. Depends on the situation.

Oui - I mean, I'm not talking about trusting my judgment, instincts or like that.

*She waves a vague hand, searching for the right words.* I mean - jumping to conclusions is different from instinct. It's - knowing when to read into things, and when not. Being able to follow along with complex arguments. Like that.

So, want to test out the theoretical on a computer program?

Bien sur, *Meg says, and rises from her seat.*

I think I've seen enough of them by now that I'll at least know which keys to poke at -