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| There's Not Much Ice in Italy | |
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| Participants | Jono, Penny |
| Synopsis | A good Samaritan gives Penny a helping hand as she slips on some black ice and a conversation ensues. |
| Location | Central Park, Manhattan |
| Time | February 1, 2016 |
| Posted By | Jono |
For once, Jono's not sitting on a park bench, playing his guitar for change. He probably did so earlier, judging by the guitar case slung over his shoulder and on his back. His long strides carry him down a particular path toward the Wollman Rink; not that he has any interest in skating but perhaps he figures he might be able to get a wider audience there, or perhaps just to find a could cluster of trees to block the wind a little while. His hands are cold and therefore shoved deep in his jacket's pocket — having no gloves at this point — and half of his face is covered completely by a long, winding black scarf. He pauses near the rink, looking for an appropriate spot to block the wind for a few minutes.
Bundled up in a navy, knee-length woollen coat and a fluffy set of cream-coloured mittens, scarf and hat, Penny is coming across the park from the other direction. Her collar turned up against the wind, she's still feeling the bite of it, putting a hurry in her steps as she tries to get to where she's going a little more quickly. As she rounds the rink, her attention drifts towards the skaters out today, watching with a private smile as a father works on teaching his little girl how to skate, moving backwards as he gestures her towards him. Thus distracted, she doesn't notice the bit of black ice on the path. Her fashionable shoes were not chosen for their all-terrain traction, and so her foot immediately goes shooting out from under her, sending her awkwardly to the ground. Oof.
Jono's just walking by as the bundled-up blonde hits that patch of ice. He has time to blink once and then react — it's either react or stand there and stare. It's an automatic reaction. The slightly gangly man jerks forward, reaching both hands out toward the small woman. Luckily for his guitar, it's firmly strapped onto his back, so it doesn't budge as he lunges to grab hold of the falling Penny. ~Watch it, gel… it's mighty slippery out tonight,~ comes out his belated warning as he holds her a moment, then moves to try to set her back on her feet or at least steady her so she can find her feet again. The voice seems strange and detached, though very decidedly British in nature. ~Alright?~ he asks, looking down at the blonde with mild concern.
Penny flails, trying to regain her balance in those fatal few moments before impact. Then there's a degree of resignation that she's just going to hit the ground. So it's actually a bit of a surprise when she finds herself caught instead of falling somewhat painfully to the hard cement. For a moment, she just looks up at the gentleman with wide eyes, before giving a quick laugh at herself and using his help to get herself back onto her feet. "Woah. Thanks. Yeah, it's… They really should take better care of these paths." She frowns down at that patch of lawsuit-waiting-to-happen, before shrugging it off and looking back to him with a quick grin. "Anyway, really, thanks! That would not have been fun."
His grip is firm as he waits for her to become steady, only releasing his hold at that point. Then, politely, he takes a step or so back from her to give her space. ~You're welcome,~ he replies initially, giving a short little bow of his head, causing his long bangs to fall over an eye briefly. ~Might be wise to invest in a good pair of boots if you can, in the meantime, gel,~ he points out, motioning to her feet. ~Those are nice, but on these pathways, add them to ice and you're sure to have a 'nice trip'. And not the kind that involves fun in the sun and all that rot, either.~ So no, no fun to be had there. It would have been a rather hard smack on the way down, surely. ~There's a lot more ice back that way. Just came from there. You might want to try another one of the paths.~
Penny glances down at her boots as the implication, to her, is that these are not 'good boots'. "These are Italian," she replies, a little confused about how boots that cost as much as these can be anything other than 'good'. Sensible, clearly, isn't something she is about to add into her calculations for good footwear. Moving on, she glances back past him to the path he indicates, making a bit of a face. "God, they really make this quite the obstacle course. You'd think all these people using the park to get from A to B, they could make it a little easier." She gives a bit of a sigh, trying to mentally redraw her route. "I guess I can go around by the castle, though who knows if that's clear either. Well, at least this city is never boring," she sums up with a resigned smirk, pulling a hand from her mitt in order to straighten her hat and scarf.
~Italian or not, they're not really built to handle the ice. You need somethin' with solid tread,~ Jono points out with a slight shrug, figuring she just misunderstood him, not that she wasn't thinking about factoring in 'sensible'. With another hitched shoulder, he adds about the comment regarding the apparent obstacle course, ~It's a big park. Maybe they just can't get it all handled at once.~ But it's not like he's too worried. His own boots have a fair amount of tread on them and he's not as prone to falls as such. He also doesn't seem to be bothered much by the weather or lack of ice maintenance. With a strange barked laugh, he offers a bit of a nod and agrees, ~No, there is that about the city. Wot is there to be borin' about it? Not much. Always somethin' goin' on or wotnot.~ Such as blondes slipping on ice and blaming the sidewalk, not her shoes.
"I guess they wouldn't get a lot of ice there, no," Penny agrees, though it's more conversational and contemplative than her actually adding these factors together to come up with the same conclusion he did. Maybe these boots aren't made the handle ice, but they are snazzy, ergo, the ice will need to be dealt with. "They really should look after the paths. That's just basic maintenance. I could have really hurt myself, and then where would we be?" Probably in court or something. "Good thing you were here." Once her winter wear is all straightened out, she pulls her mitten back on, smoothing the cuff of her coat back over it. "Yeah, there's always something," she agrees wryly, glancing back up at him once the mitt is in place. "So … you play?" Her eyes flicker over to the guitar on his back.
Jono actually pauses as his point seems to fly over her head. But instead of continuing to press the point, he allows her to bowl him over into the next, only managing to respond with, ~I guess I was in the right place at the right time.~ He wouldn't be so foolish as to say it was fate. Just chance and timing, it would seem, at least to him. As she points out the case on his back, he blinks at the sudden change of topics, then recovers as quickly as he can, saying, ~Nope. Just carry it around to look emo.~ For a moment, he says nothing else. Then the corners of his eyes crinkle slightly and he adds more quietly, ~Just kidding. Yeah, I play.~
For her part, Penny doesn't even seem to notice she's hopping from topic to topic like someone flicking through the radio dial. By all appearances, this is just a regular conversation with a stranger in the park, which happens with enough frequency to not be a huge deal either. "I guess so," she agrees, grinning again. "Lucky me." At his joke, she actually looks momentarily perplexed. In her limited experience, emo guys don't usually admit they only do things to look emo. It has some deep symbolic or psychological meaning. When he continues, she breaks back out into a grin, actually chuckling a bit. "Oh. Yeah, good. I mean, nothing against, you know, being that way, but … yeah, good. I never quite got that whole subculture." The perky blonde is about as far from emo as she can get.
~I think I'm a little too old to be playin' identity games like a plonker anyway,~ Jono admits with a one-shouldered shrug. This conversation seems marginally strange to him but not too much on the strangeness scale, as his own line of 'work' necessitates talking to strangers who decide to pay him for his musical talent. Need to be polite or they'll take their quarters away. ~Doesn't bother me. I just think I'm too old for that bollocks,~ he adds bluntly. He shivers briefly, as though he got a bit of a chill. ~Bloody hell it's cold. You'd think I'd be used to these winters by now,~ he mutters.
"Yeah, I think it loses its allure after freshman year of high school," Penny muses. "When you realize it's not really so cool to have a guy who's girlier than you are." There's a wry grin with that as she turns her back to the wind, trying to let her coat take the brunt of it. At least the jacket is both of fashionable and practical value and really quite cozy, but still, the biting cold can cut right through anyway. "The wind will do it. But at least there's just another few months until there's spring light at the end of the tunnel. I always figure once you get through January, you can survive the rest of it."
~Something like that, yeah,~ Jono replies, the hint of amusement in his voice. He must be pretty cold, because he never takes that scarf off. ~Anyway, yeah, the wind's bloody bitter. Few more months seems to be a bit much, but better this than constant bloody heat. I suppose I shouldn't complain. I think this is better than the dead of summer.~ Probably for other reasons than other people, but he keeps that to himself. ~Anyway, I think my heroic save totally derailed your train of, er, walkin'.~ Somehow 'train of thought' doesn't fit. Nothing like mixed or screwed up metaphors, right? ~You were probably off to somewhere important.~
"I don't mind summer, really," Penny muses, her head tilted to one side. Summer means some pretty cute little outfits, really. "Spring's my favourite though. By the time you get into summer, you're sort of taking the nice weather for granted. Spring, well, you've just been through winter, so you tend to appreciate it more. Everything is new. It seems more … special, I guess." There's a thoughtful grin with that, before she shrugs the whole philosophy off. "Plus it's my birthday." Six of one, half a dozen of the other. She glances off down the path as he mentions her earlier haste. "Oh, right. I don't know about important exactly. I guess. Familial obligations, you know."
~Guess I don't have a favourite, but I have a least favourite. That's something, I suppose,~ Jono muses, then offers up a full shrug. ~Hm, well, happy birthday,~ he adds. Even if it's not until the spring. As she just keeps on going like a little, blonde Energizer bunny, Jono remains silent through most of it, just letting her go on a bit. As she finally gets to the part about familial obligations, he offers a knowing chuckle. ~Ah, well, guess you could always blame your tardiness on black ice and a stranger who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. That way, they can't get their knickers in a knot about it.~
"It's a start," Penny agrees. "I guess it just means the other three all tie for your favourite then. Or if you have a second and third unfavourite, then I guess we could figure it out by process of elimination." Yeah, she does like to talk. "Thanks!" is the perky response to the birthday wishes, even if they are several months early. "I know I'm grown up and should be at that point where it's less of a 'yay' thing and more of a 'boo' thing, but what can I say. I like the presents." There's a self-aware grin with that. To the matter of her familial obligations, she lets out a resigned little sigh. "You'd be surprised." As to what they can get their knickers in a knot over, that is. "But they mean well. I think," she adds with a little chuckle.
Jono blinks a little, then slowly nods as she goes on about the intricate designs of figuring out his favourite season based on process of elimination. ~Uh, sure, guess we could do that if we had to…~ Though, right now, they don't have to — at least as he sees it. ~As for the birthday, everyone's different, right? So you enjoy them. It's not a crime.~ And at least she's honest about the present thing, though he leaves that one alone. As she goes on about her family, he nods once as though getting it, though their situations are likely very, very different. ~Too many people get hung up on perceived obligations. If you want to do it, more to you, I say. If not, don't let them bully you.~
Penny rolls her shoulders in a shrug. "It'd give you an answer next time the topic comes up," she points out practically, as if the matter of favourite season is one likely to come up frequently. He earns a little grin as he encourages this birthday-enjoyment. "Everyone's different, yeah. Some are more different than others. And hey, if I can find the silver lining in growing older, why should someone take that away from me? Presents are awesome." Crossing her arms over her chest, she glances back to the skating rink again for a moment. "Easier said than done, not getting bullied. It's more about finding the right tightrope to walk. But I can't really complain. Well, I could, but I won't." Her grin has turned a little wry as she looks back to him again.
Jono watches her curiously as she continues to make random conversation out of random comments and not quite understanding how she manages to perpetuate any kind of actual conversation rather than 'small talk'. It's small talk, but she somehow manages it to make it all seem bigger than it is. It's a talent, obviously, and one that he's not really capable of reciprocating too well. Granted, she probably talks enough for both of them, but he wouldn't be rude enough to point that out. Instead, he replies, ~Well, it doesn't come up too often in conversation for me, so I suppose I have some time to consider it. As for birthdays… someone has to enjoy them I suppose.~ So there you go. Moving right along, he adds about family, ~Yes, easier said than done but sometimes you have to put that foot down and say no to the bullying. Just because they're family doesn't make it right. Anyway, forgive me. It's not really my business, nor do I know all the details.~ He offers a slight bob of his head, then slightly adjusts his scarf before shoving his hands deeply into his pockets again. ~Regardless, if they hassle you, blame the Brit plonker who kept you talking about weather and birthdays.~
Penny, meanwhile, seems oblivious to the fact that she's doing anything remarkable whatsoever. Surely if she did realize, that would be a further point of discussion. As it is, this is what passes for small talk in her world. No talk is small. But it likely is just as well he doesn't point out that she can run on at the mouth - not that she hasn't heard it plenty before. "Yeah, I guess you'll need to give it some thought. Really weigh the pros and cons. At least you've got summer out of the running. If it were me, I'd rule out winter too. Maybe out in the country it's okay, where it's pretty and peaceful and all, but around here, it pretty much just means cold and dirty slush. So you're really just down to fall or spring then." She'll pick his favourite for him, at this rate. As to her family, she gives another little sigh and shrugs her shoulders. "Yeah, I'll come up with something, don't worry. Slip in the back and claim I was there all along. Or, yeah, blame it on the … plonker, was it?" Not a term she hears every day, and it seems to amuse her.
And there she goes, perpetuating the whole seasonal discussion even though he was trying hard to draw it to a close. Finally, he hits a limit and holds up a hand, palm facing her in a gesture. ~Alright, alright… seriously, my favourite season isn't going to be of too much importance in the grand scheme of things. I think we can let that sleepin' dog lie, right?~ Or she can choose to beat the dead horse if she really wants to, but he might start to go crosseyed. Shoving his hand back into his pocket, he continues, ~Wotever works for you, gel. And yeah, plonker. Uh, it's like… a fool. Or you might say an idiot.~ Or worse. ~So… you have my permission to use me as an excuse.~
Penny opens her mouth to say something further, but it dies on her tongue as he holds up that staying hand. She frowns just a bit as he forces that topic closed. "Was only trying to help," she replies, shrugging her shoulders as she casts another glance out at the skaters still on the ice. Now that he's cut that line of conversation dead, it's not so much at a loss for something to talk about as she is wary that he won't want to talk about whatever she comes up with next either. "Cool, thanks," she says wryly as he gives her leave to use him to deflect blame. "I guess I'd better get going then, before you really get in trouble for holding me up."
Now he considers the possibility that he's offended her, but she doesn't seem to be too particularly hurt. But at least she did let the whole weather conversation die. While some folks don't mind going on about it, it was just starting to give the man a bit of a headache. While she might be wary about whether or not he'll talk about the next point of conversation, he's more wary about whether or not he should catch slipping walkers on ice again, perhaps. But it's not all bad. More amusing than anything, perhaps. So, he does reply with, ~I know. It's fine. As for getting goin', I suppose I should do the same. Startin' to freeze my bollocks off, so I should head home.~ And if she doesn't know bollocks, he's not explaining that one. ~Just remember, don't take the path behind me. Too much ice.~
"Yeah, I imagine freezing those off would be a bad plan," Penny agrees, indicating that she does know that one, at least. Her gaze flickers over to the path he mentions, nodding in understanding. "Right. Guess I'd better go around. Which will only make me later and get you into even more trouble." Though she seems to only be kidding about the whole bit of getting him in trouble. Chances are even her crazy family isn't going to hunt down a random stranger in the park. Chances are. "Thanks again for the save. Maybe I'll catch you around some time. It's a small place, after all." Tiny little hamlet, really.
Jono snickers slightly in that strange little way, apparently finding it amusing that she does at least know that one. ~Yeah. Bad plan,~ he agrees, nodding his head a few times, making the hair hanging over his forehead drop down in front of an eye briefly. ~Right then, careful walkin' the rest of the way. I don't think I'd be fast enough to make another save from across the park.~ As she suggests that they might bump into each other again, he replies, ~If you're around here a lot, it's entirely possible. I play here a considerable bit.~ For change. So he's a busker. Or down on his luck. Or simply loves playing to absolute strangers for little in return. Whatever it is, he gives her a small salute, then starts to turn to walk away.
