012: Just a leisurely winter stroll

[hawkeyeiowa]

[It might seem like a perfectly normal sight. Jack in a winter coat walking Mitch along a path in a snow-filled park. The dog barking at everything that resembles a squirrel. Jack stopping to sit down on a bench for a moment, working on tying a loose lace on his boot. Well, that's as far as the normal gets, because hanging from his other wrist is a

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[badgerbadassus]

[ As of late, Gabe has found some peace of mind in said snow filled park. Mostly strolling along and feeding the birds as always to clear his head as always as it seems this is the only thing where he hasn't been yelled at for doing something stupid. Even if it was justifiably so.

He's wearing his usual light but well insulated jacket, warm gloves, the scarf, boots. Out from his daze, he notices the little parade of animals, instantly acknowledging who's animals they are he looks to the bench. His face is half covered by his scarf, noticing that Jack is there. It's not exactly the most 'disturbing' thing he has seen but he's wondering if the ferret could stand this kind of weather. He won't ask too much.

It's been almost a year since that incident, since the guilt took hold, and since even the sight of Jack made him wanted to turn around running in the opposite direction.

Gabe was going to test it. Let's see how long it would take for him to want to run away from this situation again and he wanted to see if at least - he could go

there will be better icons. someday. ;;

[hawkeyeiowa]

[Half tangled by two leashes, and finishing his other tangled string-related project, Jack looks up, surprised at first, and then somewhat pleased. Yes, he's aware of what time of the year it is, and where they stood a year ago, and quite aware of what he thinks Wisconsin thinks of him. Even so, he's supposed to be a good neighbor (more like quiet, but that's different).

Jack decides to test it as well, again. The closer this gets to cleared up, the more relieved he'll be.]

Hey there, Gabe. Looks like ya had the same idea as me, huh?

[badgerbadassus]

Heh, I guess. It's 'bout the only place can get some peace of mind. At my ... current residence... it is rather stressful with all the cities in there. We kind of have to get out of the house sometime so we don't ki-- [ Bad move, quick think of a word to replace it. ] ... so we don't 'cause a ruckus of sorts.

[ There is some guilt there still, perhaps it's not a good idea to toss seed when there are animals around that could go after the birds he was thinking of attracting. Still he wants to get this over with, but how he smiles it is just... ]

It seems ya are relaxin' with this weather, huh?

[hawkeyeiowa]

[Good save, Gabe.]

Oh, yeah. Which, y'know, is kinda weird considering usually I hate when it gets cold. But it doesn't seem too bad today. Really, Mitch was just itchin' to get outside. An' Maddie...

[The ferret might just speak for herself when she goes careening down a snow drift, then jumps off and flies into a very pink-and-white blur of a weasel war dance. Someone likes the snow more than her owner, for sure.]

[badgerbadassus]

[ Gabe still feels very awkward, not because of a hatred towards Jack at this point but a guilt of lack of control. However, the fact he's here now, he can't turn around. Plus, he did promise Lou that he'd continue to check up on him from that failure last time...

... still. Gabe actually killed someone and now it makes him worried if it would happen again. He glances down to Maddie who is busy doing the said war dance, keeping his distance in case she actually attacks him or something. He's learned one thing, Jack often trained his animals to attack the people he disliked after all. ]

I never really kept pets, I mean I have a ton of livestock at home.... Chickens, ducks, sheep, goats, cows... emus for some reason... And my family has 'em but ... never really any companions or anythin'? Still, they must be worth it right? I mean, ya look like you're enjoyin' yourself and so do your animals too...

[hawkeyeiowa]

I kinda have the same group. 'Cept, replace the emus with some llamas. Well, I don't really like the llamas.

[They spit. He hates when they spit.

Even so, he tries to make the atmosphere a little lighter. Inwardly, he can sense the ever-present tension, and he's been all too aware of it since last January.]

An' yeah, they're way worth it. Like, first time Maddie did the dancin' thing? I was dyin'. She only does it if she gets psyched over somethin'. Christ only knows what she's all hyped for right now. Could be anythin'.

[badgerbadassus]

I think Alpacas are more adora-- [ Fix that. ] Reasonable. Their fleece is really nice for clothing, ya know? I raise them too.

[ They're sort of ornery in that way aren't they? Gabe is a type of person who has no disgust or anything when being spit on from animals although he doesn't exactly like it.

Continuing to keep a close eye on the ferret. ] Yeah, what ya think she's psyched over? Over the snow or somethin'?

[hawkeyeiowa]

I've had 'em before, but either way, they're kinda gross.

[He's one to talk, after taking care of cows and horses and pigs and all sorts of things that love to make wonderful-smelling messes.]

She might be. Never really gets a chance to run around outside much, or burrow, 'cept in some bedsheets. An' lately, she's been sleeping a lot.

[badgerbadassus]

... How are they gross? I mean, more gross than cows and goats? I suppose I worked 'round cows and goats enough that I don't really notice too much of a difference other than maybe them being different animals, different temperaments and so on...

[ ... He's beginning to trail off. Time to correct himself. ] I'm ramblin', sorry. [ Not outloud, dumbass. ] But I can understand that, must be somethin' new for her and ya probably often don't go out in the winter when you're at home 'cause I imagine ya get snowed in and it's fairly unpredictable...

[hawkeyeiowa]

[How can you ramble too much about farm animals to Iowa? Fo' serious!]

Well, if ya get 'em for someone who didn't raise them right, they're meaner then snakes, an' that's when they spit. An' personally? I don't like bein' spit on. I mean, I've had really good ones, when reared correctly, but hell, I've had 'em fight and everything. Not my kind of animal, I guess.

[Maddie then approaches Gabe, but only to sniff at his leg curiously, before flattening herself in the snow and taking the 'carpet shark' form.]

Aw, she's doin' her thing again! [Proud father? Practically. Then he realizes how near-feminine that sounds and clears his throat.] Well, yeah, which is why I'm happy there's not a whole lot of work to do during the winter. Sometimes it's an inch, and in two hours, it's a foot. S'weird.

[badgerbadassus]

There is always the case of abuse isn't it? Personally, I try to make sure to raise my animals right, it takes a while to get them out of their habits but ya just got to be just as stubborn back and be patient with 'em... Sometimes it won't always be a success, but it's better than just givin' up on 'em all together.

[ He shrugs his shoulders, almost smiling for a minute until he realizes what he is doing and goes back to his rather poor attempt of remaining stoic. Giving a glance down at Maddie who is sniffing at him, Maddie probably got a good whiff of alcohol and cheese. ] It's always predictable with me, terms of snow I mean. It's always a huge layer of pure white fuck. Once I can't get in a car, I don't give a shit and stop countin' the inches ...

[hawkeyeiowa]

Right, an' I've never gotten rid of any of 'em. Like I said, I've had good ones, but man, they can be stubborn right back at'cha. Every now n' then, ya get one that might be permanently off its rocker, y'know?

[That may be why she carpet shark'd on him. The alcohol was too much for her tiny systems!]

I kinda have to. I mean, work or not, I do gotta go outside eventually.

[badgerbadassus]

... Dare I ask what ya did to those that are permanently off their rocker? Are ya just nice to 'em and keep 'em away from the other animals until ... ya know. they expire? Or get better?

[ Gabe is wondering too much about this lately, of the guilt and the racing thoughts in his head. But he's actually somewhat curious about this too.

That explains everything about Maddie though, at least she isn't attacking him. ]

As do I, but sometimes snow can screw up everythin' - ya know? I'm just sayin' I'll probably be spendin' the whole day tryin' to get snow off of everythin' ... actually that is usually what I spend my day doin' to be honest.

[hawkeyeiowa]

Yeah, I keep 'em off somewhere. I mean, sometimes they get too violent? An' I don't wanna risk 'em hurtin' another one. Never put 'em down though. That'd be a shit move of me.

[He already feels bad enough putting down animals that have to be put down, and for all the years of farming, he's done far too much of that.]

Aren't ya more used to the snow than me? 'Cause I doesn't matter how much I get. 'S too cold, an' there's too much, every time.

[badgerbadassus]

Ah, yea I never put down an animal unless it started hurtin' others or killed a few others... Ya know?

[ ... So he was doing the right thing in that respect. Keeping himself away from others for the most part, he realizes this is a risk on his own part but so far it's nothing triggering and nothing has made him flip out yet.

Maddie is sort of cute being a carpet shark though. (Snow shark? It is not on a carpet after all.) Part of him is curious if it's getting cold for her, but he was only known for killing and selling mink and while they were distantly related and had similarities, he didn't want to make too many judgments on the animal.

Then again... she is wearing a pink sweater. That poor ferret's dignity. ]

I am used to more snow, but sometimes I need a day off to get out of it, if that makes sense? I mean... I dunno. Snow is snow but... sometimes it's too much?

[hawkeyeiowa]

Never allowed mine ta do that. Sometimes, I'd have ta sell 'em, but yeah, only put 'em down if they were too sick. I feel bad every damn time.

[She finally pops up from flattening herself in the snow, scuttling back to Gabe and putting her paws on his leg, blinking up at him curiously. She wasn't trained to attack him, so now she's just wondering who he is.

And c'mon. Pink is her color.]

It's too much for me all the time.