2670/Market Sparrow

Market Sparrow
Date of Scene:	28 July 2020
Location:	Chelsea Market
Synopsis:	Carrie Kelley goes hunting for a gift for Henry... and finds a little something for herself along the way. It's quite the bargain.
Cast of Characters:	Amanda Sefton, Carrie Kelley
Tinyplot:	Zodiac Rising

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Amanda Sefton has posed:
It's a warm Summer evening. Chelsea market is busy, holding a midnight madness sale. From 6pm to 12am Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights this week, the vendors are offering sales and contests and prizes. Pop-up kiosks line the center of the walkways, vendors ranging from prezel makers to purveyors of handmade crafts and upcycled goods of yesteryear.

Among the vendors is a small man, about 4'6 with a shock of unruly red hair and twinkling blue eyes. He has a cart full of wicker baskets displaying hand dyed t-shirts, handwoven shawls, and brightly coloured scarves. Some are imported from abroad, others are from local artists he represents. On a finely made, hand painted sign above the cart, the words 'Village Arts' can be read.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
After the lovely gift that Henry had given Carrie she had been on the hunt for something suitable to give in return. Of course she knew his tastes a bit, but most of her gifts so far had been of the joking variety. That meant that she was on the prowl for something that wasn't a joke. Something serious. Something fashionable but not ... too out there.

Shopping for men was hard.

Carrie's eyes skim over a few tables ignoring vendors with wares such as candles, perfume, wood craft doo-dads. It doesn't take long for her to spot the redhead which earns a grin of her own. Maybe a tie-dye shirt would be both humorous and suitable for his relaxed days. Drawn to the table she greets the vendor, "I'm obligated to stop by redhead law. We've got to stick together after all," she jests with a grin.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The small man lets out a rich, rolling laugh at the joke. "Aye, it's us against the world, don't you know!" He sits on a wooden stool at the end of the cart, an ipad with a square payment device sat on the small counter beside him. Gesturing expansively, he says, "And jes' look at the crowds. Hardly a natural ginger anywhere to be found. Most of 'em are lousy dye jobs." His eyes twinkle as he says it.

There's a pause and his head cants. "Are you out for something specific, or just wandering the fair, so to speak?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley flashses her teeth in a warm grin as her joke apparently fell on welcome ears. Always was good when she didn't end up just being awkward. Her own hair was naturally ginger, that carroty almost brown that no one ever attempts to get in a bottle. "A little bit wandering, but I am looking for something as a gift. My boyfriend gave me this gorgeous necklace recently and I feel like I ought to get him something that would be nice as well. He's fond of wearing suits, so it's hard to figure out what could add some flare to that without being out of place."

Even as her eyes skim over a few items on the table she contemplates. "Though it could be fun getting him something bright and colorful, too."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The man considers that, chuckling softly as she's drawn to the brightly coloured shirts. "Well, now, I'm not much of a suit man, meself," he says, plucking at the dark green polo he wears over tan kahkis, "but we do have our fair share of brightly coloured shirts. That said, if you're looking to match the thoughtfulness of a necklace, you might consider an engraved tie clip or a manly bracelet." He holds up his arm where a heavy gold bracelet lays against his wrist. It's chunky, but lays flat and has a tastefully under-ornamented style to it. "I got this one at the jeweler's down at the far end. Golden Days."

He purses his lips faintly and then spreads out a wide grin.. "Of course, far be it from me to discourage a lady looking at fine textiles like these!" He slides off the stool and trundles around to the far side of the cart, rooting through some of the baskets there. As he does, he pulls out some lovely pashminas that, while not remotely suitable for a man, would look positively awesome on a young woman.

However, he also succeeds in pulling out a few more conservative looking shirts -- short sleeved linen shirts with round collars in the Indian style and some tasteful embroidery along the hems of the sleeves. "What do you think of these?"

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley eyes the bracelet he wears thoughtfully though she doesn't seem terribly keen on the notion. Already thoughts of Henry's blue fur getting tangled up in it were dancing in her head. No, best to not give him something that would rip his hair out. Ouch. It's with curiosity that she watches as the pashminas and shirts are pulled out, her eye tugging to one pashmina in particular. It was ... rather lovely, if understated.

But no she wasn't here to shop for herself even if she could.

"Oh, something like that might work nicely for Summer! It is rather hot these days," she reasons as she regards the Indian style shirt. "Though it'd need to be, ah, bigger. He's... rather large. Old football player that kept in shape," she explains with a chuckle... even as her eye skirts again to the pashmina.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The salesman is just that -- a salesman. He notes her attention on the pashmina and, as he pulls out the larger sizes of the linen shirts, he is careful to set them up against that one pashmina so that her eyes have reason to continue to wander over its unique embroidery and tassled edges.

"What colour do you think would suit him?" he asks presently. "I have this understated gold, or a pale green, though you can never go wrong with the natural ivory." And a really lovely pashmina to show them against, of course.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
"Oh I don't think green would suit him at all. Gold though..." she reasons even as she begins to picture that on him with a grin. Carrie was definitely being sold here. Maybe it was just her urge to get out of the crowds and settle on a gift that did it though. For a moment she hesitates making the final deliberating decision on what to get.

"I'll go with that one," she decides gesturing toward... The pashmina. Her hand abruptly corrects course to the shirt she *had* meant to point at instead with a heavy sigh. "And I guess the pashmina too. I think I'd regret not getting that, even if I'm not supposed to be buying for myself," she reasons with a bit of a guilty grin.

Reaching back for her purse she swings it forward to pull out her small wallet and fish out a card to pay. "How much?"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The man lets out another warm laugh, blue eyes dancing. "Tell you what? Thirty dollars to get you both. That's $15 off the usual price of the pair of them. We'll call it... the redhead discount! How's that sound?" He's already picked up the two garments and is shuffling around back to his makeshift counter with its payment setup.

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley grins quite pleased at this, though she wouldn't have minded more either. "That sounds like a deal to me," she agrees with a laugh in turn. "I think he'll like it, and having something new gives me an excuse for us to go out again as well. Can't beat that!" Not that she'd ever worn a pashmina before, but... It was pretty.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
It is very pretty, to be sure. The salesman folds the linen shirt neatly and wraps it in a single piece of tissue paper that he seals with a sticker bearing the logo of Village Arts. He then slides it into the bottom of a brown paperbag with a similar sticker on its front, ribbon handles draped over its sides. He's about to wrap the pashmina, when he pauses. "Would you like to wear it now?" he asks her, lifting it up. "It's just your colour and I dare say you'll find it cooling, even in the evening heat."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley offers over the card for payment only to hesitate again when the pashmina is offered forth. Chuckling she reaches for it with a shrug. It was an innocent enough thing to do after all. "Sure, and I can tell everyone where I got it from." A wink is given to the salesman as she swings it back around her shoulders to drape over her easily, fingers smoothing against the soft fabric when it settles in place. It made sense a vendor would want to show off some of his wares on customers to drum up business after all.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The salesman waggles his brows. "I'd call that a fair trade," he says, ringing up the sale and passing her the ipad to complete the information required of her before tapping her card to the square device. He takes a step back, giving her an evaluating once over, though not in any sense at all as lascivious one. He is a professional. "It's lovely on you," he says finally, pleased with what he sees. "It sets off your eyes. Your boyfriend will love it on you, I've no doubt."

Carrie Kelley has posed:
Carrie Kelley smiles warmly once more as the purchase is rung up. Even when he looks her over she only pays half a mind still adjusting it around her shoulders. The soft fringe laying just so, the fabric keeping her shoulders covered. A deep breath is drawn by the time she looks up again to offer another grin at the salesman. "Thank you. And thank you for your help in finding him a gift, too."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Oh, you're quite welcome," the man says, that warm smile on his face once more. "It's been a true pleasure, lass. Enjoy your gifts, the both of you." He raises his hand in farewell as she takes her leave, watching her retreat, that smile never fading. And once someone else comes along to replace her at the side of his cart, he turns away, the smile lingering with satisfaction for a job well done.