I paid for your silence

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

Day 101
Wednesday Morning
The Organ Grinder

The road isn't empty even, fairly early in the day, and I try not to look at anyone too closely as I trot down the street, examining Dorian's map carefully.  I wouldn't like to get lost, but I do try to trip along at a good clip.  I'd like to impress Dorian by getting his errands done on time, so it's with a sense of purpose that I reach the large road and squint up at the signs.

The Organ Grinder?  That's... well, that's awful.  Macabre, to say the least.  But it's not my shop, and I'd have to say that I don't know what I would name a butcher's shop, anyway.  I still don't know how wise it is to go reminding your clientele of where their food comes from.  I try not to consider it, myself, but I remember how I cried when Papa explained to me that the lambs that the shepherd boys tended would be eaten someday!  Still, I suppose this is the way it's done.  I try not to be intimidated as I step inside, feeling the air cooler on my neck and looking around with wide eyes.  "Hello?" I try, timidly.  I'd like to hurry, but I have suddenly remembered that I don't know anyone here but Dorian.

[Closed]

Comments

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

Hard at work, today. Cutting pork back behind the counter. Out of the light, but can still see customers come in. Not been out to the ranch, lately. Marks has been doing most of the slaughtering. Miss doing the work, but its good practice for butchering and such. Bit strange to be dealing with customers and minding a shop. Stranger still for them to greet me, and me giving them their usual cuts. Well. Not moving on anytime soon, I suppose. Find myself wanting to keep an eye on people. Make sure they're doing all right. Feels... well. Like something's coming.

Bell rings, and a small warm breeze floats in. Breaks me out of my daydreaming. For the best, that. Get too somber, otherwise. Young woman looks in. "Hello?" Got a mass of curls, and she's well dressed. Don't recognize her, and that's starting to mean something. I step up to the counter, wiping my hands on a rag. "Morning, Miss. Can I help you?" She seems nervous, so I smile. Helps. Sometimes.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

I try to smile shyly back at the man, though the general butcher-shop atmosphere of the place isn't really setting me entirely at ease. I can't imagine that people come here every week or even every day, though I guess now that I'm running errands I probably will, too. He looks like he wants to help even though there's a certain hardness in his face, so I swallow and then re-inspect the map Dorian gave me, on the margin of which I scribbled down his list.

"Oh, I need... two lamb breasts and... three steaks?" He'd said "a few", three would probably be all right. I hope.

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

Smiles back at me, but it's a bit weak. She comes in slow, and the door shuts behind her. Was going to say something in a minute - don't want all the cold air to get out. Glad it's not necessary. Takes another look at my face and swallows. Stop smiling, since that's not helping. Still, try to look friendly. Non-threatening.

Looks at a scrap of paper. Crane my neck - looks like a rough map of town. Few notes on it. "Oh, I need... two lamb breasts and... three steaks?" Nod. Not much call for lamb here. Can do some of it, though. "You got a preference of cut, for the steaks?" Some do. Head back to pull out the lamb. "Can only do one breast of lamb, though. Could get another tomorrow, unless you'd rather another cut." Could ask Marks to send a lamb in this afternoon, or go out myself tonight.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

"Um." That wasn't quite going to jibe with his instructions; he'd been very specific. Dorian wouldn't blame me for not quite having what he asked for, would he? Surely not. He's been so understanding so far. "No, thank you, no preference," I say, hoping that's all right. He never mentioned one, anyway. I'm not used to thinking on the fly to plan dinners--that's something that cooks do, and I'm not one--but I reason that if Dorian wanted two lamb breasts, he probably needs them fairly soon, so I say, "Another cut is fine." Not that I have any real idea what the difference is, but at least this way there won't be another lamb slaughtered. That's a nice thought.

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

"Um." Doesn't sound like she's too sure of what she needs. "No, thank you, no preference," she says. I'll make the steaks sirloin and round, then. Good cuts but none too fancy. Pull a hindquarter off one of the hooks. Take a good long knife, give it a few strokes from the steel. Rinse it off and start working.

"You picking up for someone?" I say while the knife slides through the cool meat. Figure she must be. Curious, kind of. Know some of the business' here are taking on help with the town getting bigger. Guess that includes me, too. Grin, thinking I'm in near the same position as the farmboy working the bakery of Miss Wilson working for Kate.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

After I swallow again as he sharpens a very large knife, I decide I don't want to watch him prepare things and instead look around the shop, but most of it is somewhat foreign to me, anyway. I'm grateful for his conversation since it gives me something else to think about, and I say happily, "Oh, yes. I'm running errands for Mr. Dorian." I've only just realized how odd it is that Dorian didn't introduce himself by way of his full name, but I suppose that adding a Mr. to it is probably safe. "I've only just begun."

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

Starts looking around the shop while I work. Guess there's not much to interest her. Keeps talking. "Oh, yes. I'm running errands for Mr. Dorian." Speaks well. Not too surprised he'd take her on. Thought he had a boy working for him already, though. Hard to see him keeping assistants. Bit temperamental. "I've only just begun."

Yeah, that or taken on more help. "Never heard his last name, myself." She looks surprised. Guess we shared a thought, there, hearing it spoken out loud. "He hire you alongside his boy?" Could be she's from one of the farms, but that speaking... "You new in town?" Finish up with the steaks and start wrapping them. Wonder what I ought to cut instead of the second lamb breast?

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that he says what I was just thinking aloud, but I soften the expression with a smile. He seems nice enough, after all. A small line of perplexity furrows my brow as I say, "Well, I... I haven't seen a boy, so I suppose not. Is there a boy?" Not that it makes a great deal of difference, but I'd like to know who I'll be spending my time with.

I blush slightly; I think I'm doing a decent job of not sticking out, but everyone seems to be able to tell that I just got here. "Well, yes, a little bit," I allow, but add, trying to look as though I'm taking this all in stride, "But I live here now." So there.

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

Gives me a smile. Glad to see it - was beginning to think I was scaring her. Brow creases as she thinks. "Well, I... I haven't seen a boy, so I suppose not. Is there a boy?" Nod. "Name's Oscar. 'Mr. Dorian' sends him by once a week or so. Think he helps out at the shop, too."

Blushes when as I ask if she's new. "Well, yes, a little bit," she says, like admitting to a small flaw. "But I live here now." Nod. "Only been here a few months, myself. Meant to be moving on soon. Might stick around longer, though." Saddle cut for the other lamb. Big cut, and can be roasted. Might not have a stovetop if he wants breast, and saddle can be cooked long and slow.

Need a cleaver for some of this. Again, a brush with the steel and a rinse. Then it's thwack! into the lamb forequarters.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

"Oh. I suppose I will be meeting him, then." It's not particularly proper for me to be working alongside a boy, but then again, I suppose it's not very proper for me to be working for Mr. Dorian at all. I will have to be getting along without propriety, these days, and so what? I have been quite improper lately and nothing truly disastrous has yet befallen me.

I jump slightly at the loud thunk of the cleaver into meat, and then try to look at the counter. No, this will take some getting used to. To keep the silence from becoming too long, I ask, "Did you like it here? Why are you moving on?" It's nice to think he might be a sort of kindred spirit, and anyway, he probably knows more than I do about the place.

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

She sounds a bit doubtful as she says "Oh. I suppose I will be meeting him, then." Raise an eyebrow to myself as I turn the breast and cleave it again. Strange hire, not to meet the other helper. Wonder how new she is.

She jumps as I slam the blade down. Well. Not much to be done, and Excolo's not so large its folk can stay soft. None too fond of quiet either, it seems. Soon as I rest the cleaver she starts up again. "Did you like it here? Why are you moving on?" Huh. "Not gone yet, yeah? Still here. Was planning to move on once summer ended, but there's some things to keep me here yet." Glance back at her. Seems awfully young. "You're being careful in town, yeah? Some nice folk, sure, but some who aren't, too. And enough strangeness to get anyone into trouble." Take up the knife and start carving.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

He's not very forthcoming about his reasons for staying. I'm curious, but of course I would never ask. It would be rude. His concern is a little bit surprising, and I straighten up, trying to look cool about the whole situation. "Of course I am," I say crisply. Does he think I'm stupid? I happen to be a very good judge of character, thank you very much. I give way to curiosity a moment later, though, and ask, "What do you mean, strangeness?" Everything's looked perfectly normal to me, at least so far as I can tell. "I mean, if it's not rude to ask."

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

"Of course I am," she says, all clipped. Shrug. Not my business. She's quiet for a moment, but then asks "What do you mean, strangeness? I mean, if it's not rude to ask. Well. How to go about this.

"It keeps quiet, generally," I say as I wrap the breast and fetch the hindquarters. "But I've heard folks here claim there are gods as live in Excolo. Black dogs chasing folks in the night. They say the Devil walks down from the water tower, and that there's a woman in town as can take your sins upon herself." Not giving names, mind. Don't want her getting too curious. "Not seen too much of it myself, but it's there." Doubt she'll believe me, but it might help her once she sees it for herself.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

I just look at him. I'm confused, to say the least. My lips part and leave my mouth a little bit open, but I can't for the life of me think of any words to say to make that all make even a little bit of sense. He just keeps on wrapping up the meat, which now thankfully looks a little bit more like food than animal, and the normalcy of it seems totally wrong when I consider that he sounds serious. Not concerned, just serious.

I can't back out of the shop because he hasn't given me the meat yet and I need it to take back with me, so I finally manage to say something along the lines of, "Oh. Well, then." I've never met anyone who was actually insane before. I wasn't aware they were allowed to run butcher shops. But hopefully that will be inoffensive enough not to upset him.

Mr. Dorian must not like me very much if he's sending me on errands to a crazy butcher.

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

Glance over at her. She's gaping a bit, so I keep working. The saddle cut's not quite so quick as the breast. Still, only take me a couple minutes, and it's ready to wrap. Take the steaks and the lamb, weigh each on the scale, and write the prices. When I bring them to the counter, she's got her voice back. "Oh. Well, then."

Recognize the tone and the look, both. Ah, well. Can't blame her. Wouldn't believe myself, either. Still. Feel better to have given her some warning than none. "You paying now, or should I send 'Mr. Dorian' the bill?" Faintly amused by that now. Should ask around and see if h's got a proper name.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

"Oh! Um." How much do things cost for the average person, anyway? I've used money to buy trinkets now and then, of course, but Papa generally took care of all the house's real expenses. I'm not entirely sure, so I fish one of the lumps of cash Mr. Dorian gave me out of my pocket and hand it to the crazy man, trying not to look anxious. I have no idea if it's the right amount.

[simon-klavec.livejournal.com]

"Oh! Um." She looks panicked, briefly, before digging out some money from a pocket and handing it to me blind. It's enough to cover the meat, and from he look I think I should be glad. Poor girl seems scared or bewildered by half of what she's seeing and hearing.

Or she thinks I'm crazy. That might be it, too.

Count out a small amount of change, doing it slow so she knows what she's getting back. "That all for today, Miss?" Still hasn't told me her name. Won't hold it against her. Hand the meat over to her. "You want a hand carrying that back?" She might be able to manage it all. Still, it's not a long walk if she needs help.

[winifred-anwell.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no. No, thank you," I say, hoping it sounds polite instead of thoroughly worried. I mean, he seems nice enough, but then again, he thinks there's a monster in the water tower and he tells this to strangers with perfect sincerity. The meat turns out to be much heavier than I expected, but I'm sure I can manage it. After all, that's part of running the errands, right?

I accept the change and pocket it, shifting my grip to make sure I can manage everything. It occurs to me that I should perhaps have done the other errands before I had a heavy packet of meat to lug around, but I was just following the order of Mr. Dorian's instructions. I smile--no reason not to be polite; even if he is crazy, he's still been polite--and say, "Yes, thank you, that will be all today." At last, I think, as I haul the meat off toward the door and my arms begin to ache from the unaccustomed effort, I have seized control of the situation. So there.