Post by EVANDER TELEMACHOS THEMIS on Nov 29, 2011 3:47:35 GMT -5
Winter had arrived. If the frigid cold and barren trees outside hadn’t convinced you, then the first snowfall of the season surely would have. The dancing snowflakes drifted almost lazily downwards. As they settled upon the paved streets of Chiaro, subtle breezes swept them up and sent them into the swirling second movement of their performance. It was truly a magical moment.
But it was still very cold. Evander prepared himself for the walk to work by scouring his coat closet for the proper seasonal attire. In one of the very far corners, he found his wool peacoat, and in a wicker basket on the top shelf, he found a cable-knit beanie hat, a plaid scarf, and some fleece-lined leather gloves. Now adorned with the essentials to keep him warm, Evander stepped outside and began the 10-block trek to work.
As he made his way, he couldn’t help but become a little excited at the changing of the seasons that was happening before him. Even though the snow was only a slight dusting, he could still look back and see his footprints along the sidewalk. The air around him smelled crisp, except when the breeze wafted over the intoxicating scent of wood-fire smoke that had begun to billow out of the nearby houses. For Evander, it was a magical moment. So much so was it that it took him a few seconds to realize that his feet had actually stopped moving. He shook his head, chuckled to himself, and continued on his way.
---
Stepping through the employee entrance of The Lumino, Evander greeted the night’s kitchen staff with a quick “hello” and a quick flash of his self-proclaimed “award-winning” smile. He then took his outerwear off and hung them neatly in the closet. He adjusted his work uniform to make sure he was presentable, then made his way to the bar. The bartender from the previous shift was at the sinks washing a small stack of highball glasses. Only one customer sat at the bar, and he already had a drink in his hand and was preoccupied with a beautiful girl sitting in one of the booths. “I can see you’ve had your hands full tonight,” Evander quipped to the bartender he would be relieving. “Go ahead and clock out for the night. I’m sure I’m man enough to take on the challenge of the rest of those glasses.” The other bartender gave him a smirk that told him he found Evander’s wit amusing, told him what the customers were drinking, then gave him a small clap on the shoulder before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.
The night was certainly going to be a slow one. It was a Wednesday. People worked in the morning, so they wouldn’t be partying hearty tonight. Odds were that the clientele Evander would receive would be men and women in suits stopping in for a quick cocktail to take the edge off the day’s work while they discussed quarterly projections. Even the music in the bar was mellow; a mixture of trip-hop and acid jazz. Not that Evander minded such atmospheres. Quite the opposite, actually. He enjoyed this type of music, and even though it meant less tips, he enjoyed having time to chat with the customers more. He was a sucker for a good heart-wrenching story.
Suddenly, a loud sound snapped him out of his shift-opening routine. The only man sitting at the bar had slammed down his glass, which was now empty. Evander was about to walk over and ask him if he’d like another, but before he could, the man got up and began walking over to the girl in the booth. Uh oh, he thought. There were two things that he could see wrong with this picture: A) The man was staggering as he walked, which only meant one thing, and B) The man was at least twice the girl’s age, if not three times. However, Evander didn’t make a move to interfere quite yet. Who knew? Perhaps the girl was drunk enough not to care. Maybe he’d actually get REALLY lucky tonight. So he stood and watched, but all the while, his nerves were beginning to get the best of him.
But it was still very cold. Evander prepared himself for the walk to work by scouring his coat closet for the proper seasonal attire. In one of the very far corners, he found his wool peacoat, and in a wicker basket on the top shelf, he found a cable-knit beanie hat, a plaid scarf, and some fleece-lined leather gloves. Now adorned with the essentials to keep him warm, Evander stepped outside and began the 10-block trek to work.
As he made his way, he couldn’t help but become a little excited at the changing of the seasons that was happening before him. Even though the snow was only a slight dusting, he could still look back and see his footprints along the sidewalk. The air around him smelled crisp, except when the breeze wafted over the intoxicating scent of wood-fire smoke that had begun to billow out of the nearby houses. For Evander, it was a magical moment. So much so was it that it took him a few seconds to realize that his feet had actually stopped moving. He shook his head, chuckled to himself, and continued on his way.
---
Stepping through the employee entrance of The Lumino, Evander greeted the night’s kitchen staff with a quick “hello” and a quick flash of his self-proclaimed “award-winning” smile. He then took his outerwear off and hung them neatly in the closet. He adjusted his work uniform to make sure he was presentable, then made his way to the bar. The bartender from the previous shift was at the sinks washing a small stack of highball glasses. Only one customer sat at the bar, and he already had a drink in his hand and was preoccupied with a beautiful girl sitting in one of the booths. “I can see you’ve had your hands full tonight,” Evander quipped to the bartender he would be relieving. “Go ahead and clock out for the night. I’m sure I’m man enough to take on the challenge of the rest of those glasses.” The other bartender gave him a smirk that told him he found Evander’s wit amusing, told him what the customers were drinking, then gave him a small clap on the shoulder before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.
The night was certainly going to be a slow one. It was a Wednesday. People worked in the morning, so they wouldn’t be partying hearty tonight. Odds were that the clientele Evander would receive would be men and women in suits stopping in for a quick cocktail to take the edge off the day’s work while they discussed quarterly projections. Even the music in the bar was mellow; a mixture of trip-hop and acid jazz. Not that Evander minded such atmospheres. Quite the opposite, actually. He enjoyed this type of music, and even though it meant less tips, he enjoyed having time to chat with the customers more. He was a sucker for a good heart-wrenching story.
Suddenly, a loud sound snapped him out of his shift-opening routine. The only man sitting at the bar had slammed down his glass, which was now empty. Evander was about to walk over and ask him if he’d like another, but before he could, the man got up and began walking over to the girl in the booth. Uh oh, he thought. There were two things that he could see wrong with this picture: A) The man was staggering as he walked, which only meant one thing, and B) The man was at least twice the girl’s age, if not three times. However, Evander didn’t make a move to interfere quite yet. Who knew? Perhaps the girl was drunk enough not to care. Maybe he’d actually get REALLY lucky tonight. So he stood and watched, but all the while, his nerves were beginning to get the best of him.
