16205/Another Morning at Fred's

Another Morning at Fred's
Date of Scene:	29 October 2023
Location:	Fred's Diner
Synopsis:	Just a casual encounter between waitress and patron at Fred's Diner.
Cast of Characters:	Alex Summers, Kiden Nixon

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Alex Summers has posed:
The little bell above the door signals the arrival of another patron to this classic establishment. Entering is the Cool Summers Brother. Not the one with the stick up his backside. But the casual, the collected, the relaxed of the siblings. None of that really matters if nobody knows the stark contrast that is Alex's brother. But, he's still the cool 30 something guy.

His connections with the X-Men are unknown. If anything, the X-Men are still urban legends as far as we've read on the (bboards) media sites.

Today, like most days, Alex is dressed in hiking boots to keep his feet dry, dark blue jeans, and a mock turtle neck probably from the 90s. He carries a medium leather jacket that reads Members Only above the left breast pocket. He is all smiles, happy to be here and excited about breakfast. He comes in at least once a week on various days without pattern. Best not to have too many patterns. Except that he's going to order chicken fried steak and eggs with hash browns, bacon on the side, white toast with grape jelly, and finally, a glass of unsweet iced tea. He's pretty predictable when it comes to breakfast. He greets anyone who will make eye contact with a brief 'hey' or 'morning' and he moves to one of the open booths along the wall of windows overlooking the parking area and street beyond. Sliding into the booth and facing the direction of the main door he drops off his jacket on the inside of the booth seat against the wall, Alex grabs the menu and pretends to think that he's going to make another food choice. Though he doesn't read it, instead he glances around the diner for familiar faces.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden is one of the more random 'employees' found at Fred's. She works only sporadically, mostly when she can get access to a shower or bath regularly enough to not smell or look dirty. In exchange, she gets tips and free food! It's a decent trade to her view, a few hours' work for cash and meals. And Gus (Fred was the grandfather that opened the place) even keeps a uniform there for her when she's able to work.

This morning, she's in the cute little diner dress, cherry red with white piping and a skirt apron to hold her order pad and pen and some extra straws and napkins. Frenshly showered and teeth brushed, hair washed, she's bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (not literally!), and zipping around the diner. There's a full house this morning, the breakfast special drawing people in like a lodestone!

In the middle of taking an order at one of the tables, she manages a quick smile and a wave for Alex when he arrives. Turning back to the customers, she repeats their order to make sure she has everything, then promises to be back with coffee, water, and juice shortly. Along the way, Kiden will grab an unsweetened iced tea and call for the chicken fried steak and eggs, hasbrowns, bacon, white toast along with the ticket she slaps up onto the counter.

After dropping off the coffee, water, and juice for her table, she swings by Alex's booth and plunks down the tea onto a napkin, pulling a straw from her apron and flashing a grin, "Morning. Haven't seen you around for awhile, guess we've just missed each other. How's things?"

Alex Summers has posed:
Alex is quite amused with all the activity in the diner. He loves seeing the mutant subculture thrive even in an oppressive world. Mutants intermixed with flatscan humans are part of what Xavier always dreamed. Though, it's more likely that the flatscans of Bushwick reluctantly agreed to the mixture and came to accept it over time. But, it's still the dream. His blue eyes dart here and there and his ears hear his order placed. Then upon her approach, he slides the menu back into the side slot behind the napkins and holder. He looks up at her arrival and smiles while leaning slightly back in the booth, "Kiden, right.. Things are great on my end. How about you? Keeping it good in the hood?" (or whatever the young people say these days)

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"Kiden, that's right," she taps her nametag and grins at him. "Good to hear. Oh, you know, I'm holdin' it down. Managed to get into an apartment for the weekend, so shower, a couch to crash on... and that means I can pick up a shift or two here!" She is super stoked to work!

Holding up a hand to forestall, she grins, "Be right back." And off she goes! Boxing up leftovers for a table, getting their check, bussing out another table and getting it wiped down and set up. And all of it seems to happen so quickly! She's a one woman workforce, bouncing from table to table, able to deal with tasks practically instantly, giving her more time to chat with the patrons. She makes it back to him in less than a minute, wiping her hands on a towel slung over one shoulder. "Sorry about that. We're really hoppin' today! So what are you up to this morning? Nothing too terrible or boring, I hope."

Alex Summers has posed:
If he could, he would give everyone a home, make sure all his brothers and sisters had food on the table and live their best lives. Then again, it comes down to choice. Magneto offers that to all mutants - to go and live with him upon his island nation of Genosha. Where they can live happy, fed, and sheltered from all of the world's hatred. That's where the choice comes in. Not all mutants choose to abandon their hopes and dreams in rest of the world. Thousands live in Mutant Town regardless of their living conditions. They want to 'do it on their own' or whatever their personal goals are. So, Alex doesn't pity or hold their decisions against them. Instead, he enjoys that the mutants who remain in their oppressed state do it by choice - and the choice is theirs to make.

Alex sits the tea back down on the table upon her return and says, "Don't apologize. The busier this place is, the more money you make and the more apartment you have. It's great to see you the look in your eyes and how they show off the happiness inside of you about your new place. It's friggin great. For me... I'm just livin the dream. You know, studying rocks. Keeps me grounded."

The sad jokes he makes. Granite, he is a geophysicist. So rocks roll uphill in his world and his jokes are solid as a rock.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Kiden has never asked for a handout, or even a hand up. She's not going to Genosha, not when her family is here in New York... humans, they are. She also won't be around them and endanger them, hence the running away five years ago. So here she stays! It isn't easy, not at all, but she manages, she survives, and that's good enough for her. The choice offered isn't always a great one.

Laughing lightly, she shakes her head, "Oh no, it's not mine. Belongs to someone that... might be a friend? I guess? I don't know, friendship is tricky. But they were nice enough to let me use the apartment while they were out of the city this weekend. So. I can work, get some cash, means I can get a warm coat for the coming winter, that sort of thing. BUT. I might be in a better position soon. Work in progress! Tune in for next week's exciting episode."

The joke has her snorting a small laugh and shaking her head, "Terrible. Just terrible. You'll make a great dad some day. You've got the jokes." She hears the call for order up and grins, "Back in a flash!" And off she goes! Plates are picked up and delivered, extras retrieved, refills delivered. And in the end, Alex gets his breakfast set in front of him, along with a few of those little grape jelly containers. Flashing a grin at him, she nods, "Came up right as I was grabbing the last table's order. Anything else I can get you, or are you good?"

Alex Summers has posed:
Alex likes the depth of her apartment story and how she's making it work. He even commented prior to her departure, "Friendship is tricky. For sure." He's also taken with her reference to his good father potential; it sort of makes him sad inside for whatever reason. Yet, the episode hook pulls him out of the internal references and he smiles with a nod.

Her arrival with food is a welcome sight and he says, "Oh great timing, I was about to pass out from hunger. This is great, thanks. You saved a life." He'll unravel the flatware from the napkin, salt things while placing the napkin in his pocket and then start with the noms.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Smiling, she dips a nod, "Alright then. Enjoy your meal, I'll be back around to check on you in a few." She moves off to let him enjoy those first bites while she checks on other tables. Taking orders, boxing leftovers, getting checks, wiping down empty tables, refilling table condiments. She gives him a good 5-6 minutes to savor his food before swinging by with a refill for his tea.

"How's everything? Good? Anything else I can get you?" Kiden props a hip against the edge of the booth and flashes a smile, "I'm about off-shift. If you want I can either bring your check over, or I can transfer it to Hannah when she gets in. TOtally your choice!"

Alex Summers has posed:
He's nearly done upon her return. He looks up and swallows, then drinks a bit of tea and finally says, "Here ya go." and he'll reach into his pocket, pull out a thin wallet and pull a bank card to offer it up so he can get things processed. And he'll also slide his nearly empty glass of tea. "That too, please."

Kiden Nixon has posed:
Taking the card, Kiden bobs a nod and smiles, "Gotcha. Be right back!" She moves off to get his check taken care of, getting him a refill on the iced tea in a to-go cup so he isn't forced to sit and drink at the table if he doesn't want to. She grabs a few other tables on her way back, dropping card, receipts, and pen in front of him. Smiling, she sets the to-go cup on the table, "Just in case. Obviously, feel free to sit for as long as you like. I hope you have a good day!"

Alex Summers has posed:
"It was great seeing you too." he says just before sorting the card and the tip/signature stuff. He'll leave a significant tip. But then he always has, at least 30 percent because he understands the struggles of being a waitperson. He will note, "Maybe we'll run into each other again next week." and will offer a slight smile of hopefulness. He signs and slips the paper into the pen clippy to subsequently hand it to her.

Kiden Nixon has posed:
"Fingers crossed! I might be able to get some steady shifts soon," Kiden smiles and tucks the receipt and pen away. "Til then, you take care and I'll make sure we keep a grill warm for you." Lifting her hand in a wave, she heads off to finish her check outs and side work before she can get her own meal and head off!