399/Park Run In

Park Run In
Date of Scene:	09 March 2020
Location:	Centennial Park - New Troy
Synopsis:	Lois stumbles upon someone
Cast of Characters:	Michael Hannigan, Lois Lane

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Michael Hannigan has posed:
It's a beautiful Monday in Metropolis. So what better time than to use a lunch break to enjoy the park? This seems to be the common sentiment as the number of people taking advantage of the walking paths is high up there. The benches are few and far between as well.

Mike, who has a considerable wait before his next appointment to discuss yet ANOTHER scheduling change, is taking advantage of this wait by enjoying a book. Being he's a bit more physically able, he has opted not to take one of the high demand benches and instead is making use of one of the trees in the park. Using it as a backrest. In the knitcapped, now quasi-bearded musician's hands, a worn book.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois isn't intentionally looking for a story at the moment. She's looking for some air, some space, a way to get rid of some building tension. A walk seemed nice, though she could have chosen a better location. The large statue of Superman looming is a continuing push on her mind. So at first she isn't looking for anyone. She's just wandering.

Mike isn't noticed at first, he's up against a tree she just came around the back of and she literally almost stumbles over him. "Oh, crap," she mutters, hopping away on one foot a few steps. "I didn't accidently hit you or anything, did I?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
It was probably the shadow cast by the sun shining down upon the reporter but the movement of something drew Mike's attention from the book enough to move his head reflexively away from the incoming woman's foot. The boook is dropped, exposing it to be the collected works of Edgar Allen Poe. The musician's hand reaches towards Lois in an offer of something to regain her balance but she seems to recover on her own.

"I'm alright." Mike replies, "I'm just glad you didn't fall. You'd have more of a distance to travel." He glances to the path area, "I'm sorry, I thought I was far enough away from the path not to cause a problem."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Oh, you are," Lois says, glancing back towards him. "But I'm not one for staying on the path." She looks amused at her own wording. Making sure she's on proper footing again, she takes a moment to double check that he is, indeed, unperturbed by her accidental near run-in. "I'd survive a fall. You'd be surprised how much resilliency you build up once you fall a few times."

It isn't that she's clumsy--she just often ends up in situations that require her meeting the ground more often than she'd like. She gestures towards the book. "Sitting in a park casually reading Poe? You must either really love literature or have a bit of a dark soul."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Maybe not as surprised as you think." Mike replies, giving a bit of a shrug and a smile, "But good spin on it. Sometimes a fall is simply what it takes to help you just rise up to the occasion."

His head turns, looking to the book. "Ah. Or perhaps a bit of both." He chuckles shaking his head, as he picks it off the ground, taking care to check for any bits of grass that may have gotten on it, "It's more a bout of nostalgia crossed with killing time."

The difference in height is starting to get to him, so he starts to stand up, showing him to have only about two inches over Lois. He offers a hand, "Name's Mike."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois reaches forward and takes the hand. "I'm Lois. Really sorry about nearly running you over there. Usually I've got a more perceptive eye. Off my game more than I'd like, I guess." She glances towards the book. "Well, you did choose something good to be nostalgic about, Poe's pretty great. Nothing quite like bricking someone up in a wall."

She gives a bit of a shrug, though she's trying to place if she knows the face from somewhere. Given how much media she consumes, everyone looks familiar these days.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Or looking around for something that's hidden in plain sight." Mike returns back. His appearance is a bit different. With the knitcap and beard, he hardly looks like the clean shaven rocker with the wild long hair. He's also been getting some REALLY good rest since Strange basically compelled him to take that flask so the eyes may be a bit brighter than typically associated with him as well, full of mirth.

"Also it's a book I've had for close to 18 years so that's another factor to the nostalgia." He turns it on the side, "I've had it rebound recently and this guy in Greenwich did such a good job you wouldn't be able to tell."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Must mean a lot to you if you're going through the trouble of rebinding it," Lois points out. "I've got a few things I keep for nostalgic purposes but they're not as fancy as a book. Dried flowers, usually. Cards." The blue box under her bed that she's saved for ten years.

She pauses, the familiarity getting to her a bit. "Have we met... or something? I don't know, I do a lot of interviews and meet a lot of people."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks to the book, giving a nod as he lowers it, his other hand lifting up to hold on to the book as well, thumb rubbing along the front of the book as he looks to it, "You'd be right."

He blinks at the mention of interviews, smile fading a bit. Crap.

"It's weird." He replies, "I get that a lot when I run into people. Guess I just have one of those faces, you know?"

Lois Lane has posed:
"Uh huh," Lois says, not convinced. She doesn't even look convinced. But instead of pushing, she drops it. Not pursuing a story? That's certainly a little off for her. "I'm sure it bothers you a lot, getting told that. Oh well, I must be mistaken." It's dropped on purpose.

She gestures towards the book. "It's weird what we hold onto, right? Sometimes it's just something you've had for a long time, sometimes it's something you associate with someone. Helps us get through things and helps us remember how things were, good or bad." She laughs. "Maybe I'm getting nostalgic now."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Well, nostalgia's not a bad thing." Mike agrees, looking back to the book for another moment before lowering it. "So long as we're not doing it 24-7."

He looks over to Lois, smile returning, as he looks to her curiously, "So, interviews? What type?"

Lois Lane has posed:
"Right. Living in the moment is important too. You get too caught up in nostalgia and you miss what's right under your nose." Lois sounds like she's speaking from personal experience. But he did ask about interviews. "Oh, right, I didn't explain that, did I? Lois Lane, reporter for the Daily Planet. Most of my interviews are big stories... won a Pulitzer for my story of Superman's death." She gestures up towards the statue.

"Anyway, that's why I thought you looked familiar. I talk to a lot of people."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Oh." He pauses, the last name connecting some dots, "Oh! Yes, I do recognize that name." Mike chuckles, "Sorry. I'm guessing that the Daily Planet occasionally will post up the pictures of the people writing articles but not so much when it's more an associated press insert. I'm actually from New York, here waiting for a meeting so..."

His right hand lifts from the book, rubbing the back of his head, the sleeve of the jacket only slightly giving a glimpse of an old scar peeking from it as the fabric slides down. Seems he's wearing a Tee underneath and not much warmer. "Probably should have connected the dots...Sorry."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Oh, no, you don't need to connect any dots. I don't expect people to know who I am," Lois says with an honest laugh. "I'd be more concerned that you were involved in the criminal underworld if you recognized me. I think it's required knowledge for every drug-smuggler and trafficker these days." She rolls her eyes, but she doesn't entirely sound like it's a joke.

There's a brief glance towards the scar, mentally making a note of it for future reference. "I don't do it to be in the spotlight. I do it for the people."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Ah If that's all who would recognize you then, well glad I don't recognize you?" He pauses, thinking about the phrase, "Oh God that sounds horrible. Well. Nice to meet you anyways M-" He pauses, not sure on the status. Mrs? Miss? Ms? Not sure. Cancel it out. "-Lois."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Don't worry, Mike, I think we're both glad you aren't part of the criminal underworld," Lois grins over at him, one hand on her hip. She doesn't move to correct the name at all--Lois is just fine with her. "It's a pleasure to meet you too. Sorry again for interrupting your nostalgia. Feel a little bit guilty there."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Oh it's alright." Mike replies, shaking his head, "The thing about nostalgia is that it's there to be picked right back up whenever you need it. The right now is more fleeting."

'Do-de-do-do Do-de-do-do Do-de-do-do-de-dooo...'

Mike glances down to his pocket, looking at it accusingly.

Lois Lane has posed:
"The right now /is/ fleeting," Lois replies, glancing towards his pocket with a look of pure amusement. "Sounds like right now wants your attention." She gestures towards him. "You gonna get that?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike gives a long sigh, reaching his hand in his pocket to pull out an old candybar phone. The tiny screen smushed to the point where the only thing visible in the screen is the corner indicating the presence of an unobtainable text message. But Oh BOY do the lights on the keypad work.

"Sorry."

He reaches his thumb over to the green button, pressing down on it before bringing it up to his ear. Turning his head slightly so he's not speaking directly at Lois, "Hello?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois turns a bit away as well to let him peacefully have his conversation, fishing through her purse briefly until she finds a card and pulls it out. She'll wait until he's done with his call.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"What?"

Mike's smile fades, as he glances up and turns his head, a distant look to his face as he looks around the park area. The body turns as well.

His head turns slightly glancing to the phone before he slides it into his pocket quietly, "Sorry. I should go."

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois was expecting that. They've always got to go. So when she looks back to him, she's got a business card ready. She extends it towards him. "I'm always looking for stories and I don't shy away from the strange ones. You just stumble across one, give me a call."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike's attention shifts down to the card moving toward him quickly. A hand reaches it up, taking it and sliding it into his pocket. No pausing to look at it, just straight in.

"Thanks..." Mike responds, giving a more practiced smile, "It was a pleasure, Lois."

The musician turns, walking away with his back to her, head directed forward but eyes surveying the park.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois gives him a small nod, a smile, and she sets off back to her walk, at least a little more clearheaded than she was before.