16660/Charlie Don't Surf... Or Does He

Charlie Don't Surf... Or Does He
Date of Scene:	22 December 2023
Location:	Monkey Heaven Records
Synopsis:	Doug runs into Jono at the record store - but can't find that signed copy of 'Pogue Mahone'. :(
Cast of Characters:	Douglas Ramsey, Jonothon Starsmore

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Douglas Ramsey has posed:
This winter in New York is unseasonably warm - meaning it's in the 40s today and it's going to drop into the 30s after sundown. Light winter coat, scarf, and hat.

Doug has been making his holiday shopping rounds, and given his eclectic bunch of friends, that means he's been all over New York visiting everywhere from department stores to high-fashion boutiques to occult shops. This stop - is just for him. Mostly. He has a few things in mind for various friends he's looking for.

At the moment, however, he's combing through the 80s bin. The poor, poor 1980s bin, neglected and unloved. So many orphaned Bangles albums.

"Oh, NICE!" Doug says, as he pulls out a treasure from the unsorted bin, "An autographed copy of 'A Different Light!'" Well, one fewer today it seems.

Jonothon Starsmore has posed:
Jono's been on this side of the pond long enough to have a pretty good idea of how to get around New York City, and seems to have made his way down on his own shopping trip. Some last minute Christmas shopping for some of his acquiantences upstate, or just searching for something new and ecclectic for his own collection. The world may never know.

But either way, it has drawn him down to the same record shop. He's added a large woolen scarf to his ensemble, wrapped around his face and neck to better hide the attention-grabbing bandages. Now he just looks like one more New Yorker, bundled up against the cold weather. Which suits him just fine.

The scarf remains but he slowly peels the leather gloves from his fingers as he moves deeper into the record shop, eyes glancing towards the nearest row of records.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
One of the record store attendants - a college-age girl with a lot of ink and piercings comes to hover around Jono surprisingly helpfully. It's been a slow morning. "Is there anything I can help ya find?" She's got a thick New York accent.

She looks Jono up and down, and then says, "We just got a copy of 'Clan of Xymox' that I ain't had a chance ta put on the shelf yet."

Nearby, Doug pipes up hopefully, "Got any Lila Cheney?"

Jonothon Starsmore has posed:
The bandaged brit eyes the shop girl in turn before giving a bit of a shrug. He gestures towards the scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face, shaking his head as he makes a talking motion with his hand; indicating (he hopes) that he can't speak. He then gestures to the racks of records and mimes walking with his fingers. Just looking around is the intention.

He looks past the girl towards Doug as the other man pipes up, and gives a nod of vague recognition.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Oh, hey!" Doug says, before he walks over to peer at what Jono's flipping through.

The girl takes the cue that Jono's just browsing, and then she gives a little "Oh, okay! Well, lemme know if there's anything ya need. We got coffee too."

Doug shrugs, and picks up an album to review the liner notes.

"Been awhile. Jono, right?" He puts the record back, and then adds, "Paige's friend. I'm Doug, I was in the class with her older brother Sam."

Jonothon Starsmore has posed:
Jono gives the departing girl a nod and another looksie, the ink and the metal definitely not bothering him, before he turns back to the rack and nods to Doug. He reaches out to start flicking through the sleeves, before speaking in what counts as a low voice for him, telepathy only directed to Doug.

<Aye, I remember you from `round the campus. `Ow's it been? Only been back a few days, m`self.>

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Depressing adulthood." Doug says, "I just started working for Warren Worthington as a systems analyst. If I hear 'streamline our synergies' one more time I'm going to create a stuffed dummy of myself to stand in for me at Zoom meetings. I'm pretty sure if I put a blond wig on a bucket with a smiley-face painted on it nobody'd notice."

He sticks his tongue out briefly, and then says "I had HEARD there was an autographed copy of 'Pogue Mahone' here but I haven't found it yet, I think it might've just been a ghost story." He scans the records again. "What brings you back?"

Jonothon Starsmore has posed:
<Pretty redundant statement right there, mate.> Jono points out as he continues to aimlessly flip through the sleeves. He doesn't seem to have any particular goal in mind, just looking to see what he finds. <...jus' be sure to put one of those ol' drinkie birds down to keep you active when you leave the bucket.> he suggests.

<I don' think even an autograph would make that one worth the vinyl it's pressed on...> the Brit counters as he pulls out a sleeve, flipping it around to review the track listing on the back. Something from the Smiths. As he reads, he gives a shrug to the question. <...``ad to go back over th'pond to sort out some family shite which took a few months. And it's still the same shite over there, so I came back here. Less brayin' about wot a disappointment to the family I am, and all that.>

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug quirks his mouth and says, "I haven't talked to my parents in-" He counts back. "Almost five years. Turns out our little overachiever turned into our huge disappointment pretty quick." Doug flattens his mouth at the memory, and then he elbows Jono lightly. "Whatever. Found family, right?"

"You should look up Paige and see if you can go down to the Guthries' for Christmas, and be around an actual functional family. I thought about it myself, but I may just go up to the school and spend the day ice-fishing on Breakstone Lake." He offers up a copy of the Cure's "Seventeen Seconds" helpfully.

Jonothon Starsmore has posed:
<For all that they're a couple of gobs, my folks are titled. I'm sure they had their PR firm run the numbers and figured that 'quiet disappointment of their mutie son' is better'n 'Lord and Lady Starsmore disown son after horrific accident!' in terms of scandals in their circles..> the telepathic Brit says with a shrug as he places the sleeve back into its place in the racks. <..so wotever.. Loik y'said, found family and all...>

There's a low sensation that feels like a chuckle less than it sounds like it. Enough that the shop girl looks up from where she hangs out behind the counter, playing on her phone, looking towards the pair. Whoops, sometimes Jono's a bit heavy handed. <Tryin' to play matchmaker, Doug?> he asks, telepathy once more focused down to the other mutant.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Me? Never. I know a heartbreaker when I meet one, sir." Doug says, "And if Sam's sister's heart ended up with her heartbroken I'd never get a chance to steal the apple brown betty out of Sam's care packages again for the rest of my life." Doug tilts his head at Jono and then muses "Yeah well, my parents are Mormons." He sticks his tongue out again, and then his phone beeps.

"...Oh, hey! I need to go pick up the tux I bought for the School christmas party tonight." He turns to look at Jono, and then says, "Want to be my plus one, Young Lord Starsmore? I'm getting my suit from Jumbo Carnation's boutique." So they'd be able to get something that suits Jono and his idiosyncracies.

Jonothon Starsmore has posed:
    There's the sensation that if Jono had lips, he'd be smirking. But it could just be a trick of the mind.

<I didn' `ave much else planned aside from goin' back to the Manor... if there's a thing tho', would probably be smart t'get a penguin suit.> he says with a nod of agreement. Guess he's Doug's plus-one.