Open case is a universal signal. And a kid that young, and that grubby--that's another. Laura stands and listens for a little while, then says warmly, "All of my money's from your future, I think, but talent like that deserves recognition. You hungry at all?"
She's in men's basketball shorts and a green halter top that leaves most of her back bare; he's a little young for that to be of too much interest maybe? But the tablature might catch his eye. She doesn't have her guitar with her today, though, just a black canvas bag that seems a little heavy. She looks like she just came out of a sauna, or maybe the dog days of August in Manhattan.
This offer will earn her a slowly-formed but brilliant grin. He's got no real interest in girls, and you see all kinds of people wandering New York City, but most of them don't offer food.
He gives his current song a little finale and nods vigorously. "Yes!"
"All right!" She grins. "What'll it be, mac?" This is her short-order restaurant waitress voice. She always thought that would be a nice job, if rock star (her normal back-up) didn't work out.
"Adam and Eve on a raft and wreck 'em!" she tells the bar.
This turns out to be scrambled eggs on toast.
"Huh. I had no idea. That might be better with some cheese and bacon?" Bar obliges. She glances at the him. "And... a black cow?" This is, as she suspected, chocolate milk.
Economics gets pretty weird when the future AND the bar are involved; Laura probably would've tipped him fifty, which would be twenty in his money, which would buy this four or five times in the bar.
Plus she's a soft touch anyway.
"Yeah, go nuts," she says easily.
"Ooh, bar! Hot blonde!"
This turns out to be coffee with so much cream it's practically white; it's about the color of her skin, which is how she likes it. It tastes more like coffee-flavored milk than anything. "That's the only diner talk I know. Those three," she explains.
If he's used to people being surprised, it's his turn to be surprised; she absorbs that calmly. "That's impressive," she does say. "Have you ever learned anything else that quickly?"
"There are things I was able to learn really fast when I was your age," she says. "I picked up the guitar around then, too. I wasn't as fast as you, but I was faster than most people, because I've got... smart hands. I'm wondering if you're the same way."
She's still casual, leaning against the bar and sipping her coffee.
She's in men's basketball shorts and a green halter top that leaves most of her back bare; he's a little young for that to be of too much interest maybe? But the tablature might catch his eye. She doesn't have her guitar with her today, though, just a black canvas bag that seems a little heavy. She looks like she just came out of a sauna, or maybe the dog days of August in Manhattan.
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He gives his current song a little finale and nods vigorously. "Yes!"
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In the meantime, he hops off the table and starts putting his guitar away. If he gets anything on it Wizard'll kill him.
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This turns out to be scrambled eggs on toast.
"Huh. I had no idea. That might be better with some cheese and bacon?" Bar obliges. She glances at the him. "And... a black cow?" This is, as she suspected, chocolate milk.
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"All that?" he asks, hesitant to eat without permission.
This has got to be worth more than the average donation.
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Plus she's a soft touch anyway.
"Yeah, go nuts," she says easily.
"Ooh, bar! Hot blonde!"
This turns out to be coffee with so much cream it's practically white; it's about the color of her skin, which is how she likes it. It tastes more like coffee-flavored milk than anything. "That's the only diner talk I know. Those three," she explains.
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And that's all the encouragement he needs, really. He eats surprisingly fast (or maybe unsurprisingly).
First time he comes up for air, "They work really well."
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"Looks like it."
"Missed lunch, huh?"
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"I've never done anything else, really."
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"There are things I was able to learn really fast when I was your age," she says. "I picked up the guitar around then, too. I wasn't as fast as you, but I was faster than most people, because I've got... smart hands. I'm wondering if you're the same way."
She's still casual, leaning against the bar and sipping her coffee.
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Beat.
"Wizard says I have magic hands, though." If that helps.
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