EXCOLO

I'm crunching numbers and doodling campaign slogans in the margins when the door opens and a tall woman strides in.
"Afternoon. What's good t'day?"
"Good afternoon to you Miss..." I'm about to answer when the door opens again and Glass comes in, "Afternoon to the both of you,"
"..and to you Glass," I turn back to the black haired lady, "Well, I have some blueberry poundcake left. And there's most of a batch of Almond Sugar cookies left. Or did you want something less sweet and more savory? Or perhaps a loaf?"

I put down my pen and close the ledger. Customers come first.
"And did you need anything specific Glass?"

Edited Date: 2008-10-25 04:09 am (UTC)

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Fella looks up't me, then at th'door whennit opens. Girl comes in...Glass, right. Greets'er, an'en turns back t'me. "Well, I have some blueberry poundcake left. And there's most of a batch of Almond Sugar cookies left. Or did you want something less sweet and more savory? Or perhaps a loaf?"

Sweets'd be nice, yeah...y'get lotsa sugary stuff at th'Carnival, plenty'a cotton candy 'n caramel apples 'n funnel cake 'n such...but not so much fancy baked stuff. And sure does smell mighty good here. But wuz lookin' fer somet'in' mebbe fer dinner too. "Like a sweet, sure, but somet'in' savoury too, I think. Whatcha recommend?"

Glance over m'shoulder't Glass an' nod t'her. Ain't seen'er since that night at th'Tavern.

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"Good afternoon to you Miss... and to you Glass." He starts laying out thoughts of this or the other to Syl, and I stand back relaxed in the summer light as she's asking for his recommendations in that ragged smoke-and-whisky voice.

And did you need anything specific, Glass?"

I shake my head. "Only bread for home; I'll wait 'til you're done." Pause, considering how I last saw Miao. "And maybe something for a friend. I think she likes caramel; 've you any mind for what'd suit her?" Syl glances over her shoulder, nods; offer her a faint smile in return and think of the paper, and of tricks and knives.

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I head arounf the counter to look at what I have left for breads, "Well Miss...I'm sorry," Turn from the baskets behind the counter back to the woman, "I don't think I've actualy met you yet. I'm Edmund," Give her a smile then turn back to the breads, "I have a basil Onion loaf here. That's pretty good. A bit of cornbread, And some rosemary sourdough. I'm sorry, I don't have more selection right now, we seem to have been wiped out of bread this morning," I turn back to her and Glass once I've listed what's left. I do hate not having a wide selection to offer folk.

"And maybe something for a friend. I think she likes caramel; I've you any mind for what'd suit her?"
"Oh! Glass, is that Miao you're talking about? I actually made brownies for her earlier," I pull them out from the glass display case, "But I have another treat I can bring her if you're interested."

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"Well Miss...I'm sorry, I don't think I've actually met you yet. I'm Edmund,"

Nod t'im, "Jes' call me Syl." Says I. Word's out 'fore I c'n even think 'bout it...hope this fella don't read th'paper...well, if'n 'e does, c'n jes' give it up an' go back t'th'cooktent. Won't die frommit.

"I have a basil Onion loaf here. That's pretty good. A bit of cornbread, And some rosemary sourdough. I'm sorry, I don't have more selection right now, we seem to have been wiped out of bread this morning,"

"Bitta cornbread might be nice," I nod, "got any cheese'r meat pasties, sommat like'at? That'd go down a treat." Look over't th'sweets too. Somet'in' choc'late, I think. Tez always went crazy fer choc'late.

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"Oh! Glass, is that Miao you're talking about? I actually made brownies for her earlier. But I have another treat I can bring her if you're interested."

I relax a little; Edmund made something for her (Edmund knows her? times I think he knows everyone) then I'm certain sure it's going to be suited to her. "It's her," I say. "And yes, that'd be a kindness. Thank you."

"Jes' call me Syl," and I see her catch the words right after they're out, and I move up to the counter aside her, lean one elbow on it and glance from her to Edmund.

"New in town, and a help so far," I say, smiling lightly. "Shame you've not stopped by afore now, Edmund's store's more'n decent." Maybe not enough, if Edmund's a fan of the paper, but if he's not, maybe, maybe...

Edited Date: 2008-10-26 08:21 pm (UTC)

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"Bitta cornbread might be nice," I nod, "got any cheese'r meat pasties, sommat like'at? That'd go down a treat."
I grab the slab of cornbread and break off a little piece for her to try, "Can't say that I do, but you know, it is a good idea, especially since the butcher shop is fairly reliable now...." I ponder for a second the logistics of partnering with Marks for it. Good marketing on both parts, since I'd let people know where the filling came from, "Maybe next time you come in I'll have some."

I start boxing up the brownies, "Oh and its no trouble Glass. I have plenty of time before the party, and I got some early apples I should use, so it works out fine."

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An' Glass surprises me, comin' up b'side me'n smilin' real charmin' at th'baker. "New in town, and a help so far," she says t'im. An'en turns t'me, "Shame you've not stopped by afore now, Edmund's store's more'n decent."

...she's vouchin' fer me. Ain't sure why, but I sure do 'ppreciate it. "Sure seems'at way," I says t'er. "Been a while since 've been inna lace wit'a real decent bak'ry. Don't get much in th'waya fresh baked goods 'round th'Carnival." Give'er a smile as th'baker turns back t'is wares.

"Can't say that I do, but you know, it is a good idea, especially since the butcher shop is fairly reliable now....Maybe next time you come in I'll have some."

S'too bad. Some meat pies'r mebbe some cheese muffins're bread'd be jes' what'm lookin' fer. But still, nice bitta cornbread, mebbe go by Slaughterman's shop after all, get some sausage 'r ham...should do fine. Baker breaks offa bitta cornbread fer me to try. S'nice. Fresh'n springy 'n soft. "S'mighty good. Sure, take'a loaf'a that. An' got somet'in' nice wit' choc'late innit? Brownies 'r sommat? Gotta friend really likes choc'late, ain't haddit inna good while."

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"You're a gentleman, Edmund," I say, relaxing a touch as he and Syl sort her order. Glance over the counter, ledger book and pencil and...

...oh, well then. Spend a moment or two puzzling quietly at it--I can read upside-down, but it's a touch slow--then glance up at him.

"Edmund," I say thoughtfully once he's done answering Syl, "you playing in the elections, then?"

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"Been a while since 've been inna lace wit'a real decent bak'ry. Don't get much in th'waya fresh baked goods 'round th'Carnival."
"I'm sure you don't. And if I may say so, I run a better bakery than you can find in most parts," *I run a good shop. I should be proud of it*, "Its a nice Carnival though. Got out there little while ago. Nice to see something like," I remember the girls I ran into, "And the people from it who I've met have been really nice."

I start to wrap up the rest of the cornbread for Syl, and start checking what's left in the case, "I have some rumballs left. I was doing a bit of experimenting this morning...."

"Edmund, you playing in the elections, then?"
Glass's question grabs my attention away from the package I'm making, "Yes I am. Running for the Council seat that Reaves gave up so he could run for Mayor. I figured that running and trying to do some good was a better idea than staying in my bakery and bemoaning the state of the town. Besides," close the box up and start to tie a bot of string around it to keep it secure, "I don't agree with a lot of the policies being pushed around the Council right now. I like having new folk in town. Makes the place more interesting."

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"I'm sure you don't. And if I may say so, I run a better bakery than you can find in most parts. It's a nice Carnival though. Got out there little while ago. Nice to see something like. And the people from it who I've met have been really nice."

"Tha's niceaya t'say. Thank ya." Annitis. He wraps up th'bread nice 'n neat up in some paper, help keep it soft. "And them rum balls ya were talkin' about sound like jes' th'thin'. Take a fewa those too."

Him 'n Glass start discussin' politics. I ain't got no int'rest innat sorta thin'. Wait ferrim t'finish wrappin m'thin's so's I c'n pay.

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"Running for the Council seat that Reaves gave up so he could run for Mayor. I figured that running and trying to do some good was a better idea than staying in my bakery and bemoaning the state of the town."

"Didn't know he'd given it up," I say thoughtfully. "'ve not been paying as much attention as I might--been a long couple of weeks. Anyone running against you?"

"I like having new folk in town. Makes the place more interesting."

I blink at him for a moment. "It's certainly done that," I say carefully, looking askance at him. Is he joking? I don't think he's joking. Spit and staunchweed, has he missed what's been going on? I'm suddenly feeling just a touch cut off, wondering how much of the oddity of Excolo folk've been missing... I glance at Syl again.

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"Tha's niceaya t'say. Thank ya."
"Well, its true. Met a really sweet one, uh...Gen. Slammed right into the poor thing, nearly knocked her into her friend too. Actually," I start putting the rum balls into a box for Syl, "Told her she should come out some day. All the years I've owned the bakery, and I've never had new a sign done up. And from what I saw of her work it was excellent."

Finish tying the box and slide it to Syl before I turn back to Glass, "As for my opponent, Toby let me know that Cassie O'Leary is running too. Nice enough lady. Makes pots. Her daughter comes in after school occasionally," *Wonder if that'll stop once Cassie finds out I'm running too. She seems the type that'd want to keep Ruthie away from the competition*.

Glass stares at me for a few seconds, just blinking slowly. *Did I say something off?*
"It's certainly done that,"
"Well yes. I mean, if you look at the amount of people who've come to town in the past year, I'd say that most of them have been beneficial- or at the very least interesting. And besides, the growth is good for the town," a few of the rum balls didn't make it into Syl's package and I hold out the plate to the ladies to each try one, "We can't expect the good of a prosperous town without the downside. Its very easy to say that new folk have made trouble. It's harder to admit that maybe we should have been doing things differently for years and making plans so that the bad could have been avoided."
I smile at her, "Excolo might not be the best place, but its MY place. And I'll do what I can to make sure that it doesn't get changed for the worse by ...blow-hard know it alls!"

Turn back to Syl, "So how'd you want to pay for that?"

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Ferra fella livin' innis town, th'baker seems kinda'...innocent. Fuck, I been'ere two months, only hittin' th'streets ferra couple weeks, an'm already gettin' jumpy. Annis fella thinks it's a party. An' Glass seems t'be havin' th'same thoughts. She looks't me, an'I shrug, glancin' attis back. Hell if I know, girl. Some folk jes' make it a point not t'see th'weird shit.

"Well, its true. Met a really sweet one, uh...Gen. Slammed right into the poor thing, nearly knocked her into her friend too. Actually, told her she should come out some day. All the years I've owned the bakery, and I've never had new a sign done up. And from what I saw of her work it was excellent."

"Genny?" I grin, "Yeah, she's a good kid, is Genny. I'll remind'er ye're off'rin' work. She'd be pleased's bloody punch t'have somma her work showin' in town, guarantee it. An' ye're right, girl's got a bloody gift."

He takes somma th'rumballs 'n offers'em t'me 'n Glass. Take one. Oh, they's good. Tez'll love'em. "She ain't th'only one wit'a gift. These're mighty fine."

"So how'd you want to pay for that?"

"Cash, or if'n y'wanna trade, I make charms'n potions 'n such. Didja need anyt'in' of th'like?"

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Swap a look with Syl--interesting? Spit and staunchweed, Edmund--and snag one of the rumballs he offers. It's not my usual, but it's surely in no ways bad--and then I watch Edmund's expression as Syl offers barter with charms.

Not quite taking him for having meant this kind of interesting, but it's always a pleasure to watch folk.

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"Charms and potions? Do you mean like medicinal draughts? I mean not to take business away from the Apocathary, Miss Glass- but my mom has a cough. Lingers, really bad. And I'm always looking for something to help her. She has joint pain too, but the draft Hughes makes her works fairly well for that. I can't really think of anything else I'd need a 'potion' for."

....huh. He really this sorta fella? 'spose'its poss'ble, fuck knows'ere's all kindsa folks innis town, bu'really, wuz expectin'im t'ask fer prosperity charms, 'r mebbe a sex draught 'r summat. Not somethin' ferris mom's cough. But whatever... "Got a good salve for joint pain. Dunno th't I got nothin' on hand ferra cough, but I c'n sure brew somethin' up. Mebbe pay ya'n cash now, work outta trady system fer next time, mebbe?"

....be th'simplest request's anyone's made from me inna long fuckin' time.

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"I mean not to take business away from the Apocathary, Miss Glass-" I wave it off, "but my mom has a cough. Lingers, really bad. And I'm always looking for something to help her. She has joint pain too, but the draft Hughes makes her works fairly well for that." I keep from wrinkling my nose at that. Hughes hasn't made that drought in near to a year, though t'give the man credit it's not one of the ones I'd dosed. "I can't really think of anything else I'd need a 'potion' for."

And I'm thinking aren't you lucky for that. Oh, Edmund, how'd you lay out the summer as it's been to date, if someone asked you?

"Got a good salve for joint pain. Dunno th't I got nothin' on hand ferra cough, but I c'n sure brew somethin' up." Consider her and Edmund. I'm catching that little hitch of something being odd, not as I'd expect it, and I've no mind for why; Edmund's as he's always been, and Syl's trading as I would when I was passing through a town, though with more gift for witchery than ever I had. No mind for what little thing I was expecting to be different, nor why, and it's in no ways bad. Just a little tickle of something...

Shake my head, and set it aside, and pay for what I'm here for. "My thanks again, Edmund."

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