milliways_bar | (no subject)

Entry tags:

teja,
william evans

(no subject)

It's a new year and William has the ranch ledger in front of him, he likes to write up a record and leave it for his father. They don't really talk other than in these letters and notes, but they're important.

Bar's given him a small and well iced glass of whiskey that's he's sipping as he writes, the part he keeps faltering over is writing that he's not in school anymore. It makes the most sense, but he knows it will disappoint his father.

When the words are tricky, he turns around to watch the Bar, looking for friends and there's a new novel to read when he's finished writing.

(OOC: Open for ages.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Teja comes in, snow on his cloak, followed by all the cats, whose paws are wet and who seem to be glad when they get inside.

He nods to William in greeting.

When Teja nods, William returns it and smiles at the cats, they look unhappy.

Count walks up to William and gives a grumbling yowl that is, actually, meant as a complaint about the weather.

"Hey, guess its snowin' again. Want some milk?" He reaches down to pet Count.

Count rubs his face on William's fingers.

"It is indeed," Teja says. "Such are the northern lands in winter."

"Yeah, but its nice and warm in here. It gets cold at home but not this wet."

"You might wish to take water home," Teja ponders.

"Why? We've got a well."

"And no more problems about the water?" Teja says, remembering that originally, there were such.

William blinks at Teja before he says,

"No, cause the water rights were never about well water. They were about the stream and the water the cattle use cause that goes through Hollander's land too. He don't care about our well."

"Your cattle may not drink from the well?" Teja asks. "Those among my people that kept cows, would draw water from their wells to water them, if there were no streams ready by the pasture or pen."

Edited 2013-01-04 21:52 (UTC)

"They're not penned up like horses, the cattle graze and we round 'em up to take 'em to the stockyards. We're in the desert, cattle need to find their own grazin' and water."

"So you brand or otherwise mark them, that you may know they are yours?" Teja guesses.

Edited 2013-01-04 22:00 (UTC)

"Well, yeah, how else would we mark 'em?"

"Ear marks?" Teja says. "Or, where there is little rain, coloured spots that will last?"

"Oh yeah, but brands are easier to see and what everyone uses out our way."

Teja nods. "Coloured splotches mean that one must not have truly ill-meaning neighbours that would wash them off," he says.

"Yeah and be able to afford dye."

"My people make it from plants that grow wild," Teja says. "But indeed, it takes much work, and tame, patient cattle."

"Well, yeah, but you need time to do that and find the right ones. Dye also seems to work better for sheep cause it shows better on the wool."

Teja nods again.

"Depending on the colour of the cattle, and how dusty they get on their pasture," he agrees.

"Our land's desert, everythin' gets dusty."

Teja nods again. "You know our land, or at least that which my people have now," he says. "Italy was much warmer and dustier."

"Yeah, Arizona's even more. Bar, could I have a book about where I live?"

He thought Teja realized what his family's land was like but apparently he didn't and books are good for showing.

"A desert," Teja says. "It wasn't quite as grim in the south-lands."

William turns over the pages in the book, at least this one shows the Bisbee he knows, "It can be beautiful and there's space just ain't easy land."

Teja looks at the book, turning pages.

"It looks very lovely, in a truly stark way," he says.

"Dry's been good for Mark but yeah, it can feel pretty empty sometimes."

"It's understandable that cattle range far, there," Teja says.

"Yeah, that's why its important to brand them and having access to water matters a lot."

"Indeed, I can see that now," Teja says, turning a page.

William nods and sips his whiskey before looking down at the ledger, they managed not too badly this year.

"Those are your books?" Teja says. "Of loss and gain?"

"Yeah, our ledger. I'm writin' up the accounts for my father to see."

"He must be proud of how well you are faring," Teja says.

"I think he is."

"He has all reason to," Teja says.

"Yeah, things just get strange cause of him bein' dead and Milliways."

"Indeed it is," Teja says, wondering if his people in Gotland feel that way about him as well.

(OOC: Maybe a fade?)

William nods, he loves his father and he's glad that he's doing well in Milliways but its strange.

There need not be more said; Teja goes and gets a drink, leaving Count with William for the time being.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only