stealing time
[Namida.Gianni.Gianni]
Gianni and his brother Gianni walked up to the large brown-stone house, double checked the address Micheal had given them, and waited for the door to open. When it did, they spoke in unison, as though they had either been told to say these words exactly, or had been practicing them all day.
"Hello Ms. Suzuki. We have been sent on errand by your friend Michael Johnston. He, and we, are concerned about your well being and social activity, and thus offer the arms of two young gentlemen to escort you to an afternoon of innocent and platonic fun. Does this prospect sound pleasing to you?"
Having pronounced their decree in the best fashion, the twins grinned up at Namida, awaiting her reply.
Typical. On the day when I have a list of things as long as my arm... Namida looked back at the main room helplessly. Fresh paint in the pans, a half painted wall, way too much to do, and not enough time to do it. She sighed, and grinned weakly up at the twins.
"Sorry guys, I wish I could, and it's awful sweet of you and Mikey to worry about me...I just have too much to do. Maybe some oth--"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Suzuki, but we must insist.We promise that your house will still be here when you return, and still able to be painted. If you like, we will even help you make up for lost time, but only after we have had a great deal of fun," one of the Gianni's said, probably the older one that spoke more often, but it wasn't like you could tell which one that was on any given day.
"But--" She cut herself off. She was definitely outnumbered here. I'm going to hurt Mikey. Namida sighed. "Wait here. I'll go get my coat." Shutting the door on the twin smiling faces, she trudged up the stairs to the third floor.
Ten minutes later, she returned, looking slightly less paint splattered, and wrapped in her wool jacket. She stepped out onto the landing, and locked the house behind her.
"Okay, you two. Where to now?
Both Gianni's smiled, glad that their speech had worked. They were worried, for a few minutes, when Namida went inside that she might not come back.
"We found a small theater that plays old black and white movies. Tonight they are playing the Marx Brother movie, Duck Soup. If you prefer though, we can go to one of the megaplexes and see something current. After that, we were thinking hibachi. We've never been to one, and Michael says they're very... amusing. Does an evening like that sound tempting?" One Gianni asked, with his shy, hopeful tone he used when he wanted to please people.
"With a smile like that, you should be taking over the world by now." Namida grinned back, despite her lingering annoyance. "All right, movie and dinner it is, but I want to be perfectly clear that I don't appreciate being strong armed like this."
"Lead on."
As requested, the Gianni's did lead the way, taking Namida first to the little theater that didn't attract many patrons, where, at least the Gianni's enjoyed the old classic film. After that, they took her to the Hibachi restaurant where they could relax and enjoy a good meal.
"To be perfectly honest, I've always thought it was weird that they call these kind of restaurants 'hibachi.'" Namida commented as she took her seat near the end of a long U shaped table. She indicated one of the flat metal surfaces along the inside of the U. "I mean that is a hibachi, so it's kinda like calling an American restaurant a "stove" restaurant." She giggled.
"You'd think after six years, I'd be used to it. But some American things are so silly."
"Oh, I never knew that's what hibachi meant…" One of the Giannis said, and then thought for a moment. "But I guess you could think of it as eating barbecue? I mean, no one eats the actual barbecue, but that's what we call the food."
"So Michael said you're an architect, right?" the other Gianni asked. "Have you… I guess this sounds kind of weird, but have you built anything? Or do you just design the buildings? Or… geez, I sound like a real idiot, don't I?" Both Giannis laughed together, smiling shyly at Namida. They thought she was really pretty.
"Oh, I build things all the time. Just, ah, not at work." Namida looked down at the menu as she spoke, mentally trying to decide what she wanted. "It's more of a hobby. That's why I'm trying to get my place fixed up. Kind of a gallery space."
"Like, for artwork? What do you do, paint?" Gianni chuckled a little, and reached forward to loosen a spatter of paint from Namida's hair, as gently as he could. He held it up, so she would see he wasn't trying to molest her. "I'd like to see your work sometime... if that's ok."
"Well, it involves paint...among other things." Namida blushed slightly as Gianni pulled the paint out of her hair. "You guys and Michael are certainly welcome to come see my next piece before it opens, as long as you are willing to come over to my gallery. It's not, uh...not very mobile."
*Understatement of the year. Maybe with a crane...*
She hadn't even finished fixing up her place, but already the idea was gnawing at her brain, begging to be created. *Soon,* she promised herself.
"We'd love to come. We've never been to an art gallery before," the elder Gianni mentioned, a bit embarrassed by the admission. "Our dad took us to a museum, once, but, I don't think that's the same thing. I guess you can just tell Michael when the show is, and he can pass the date onto us."
Namida smiled. "You'll know when it'd done, because I'll be out celebrating." A few minutes of idle chitchat were interrupted by the sound of wheels on polished floor, and the chef appeared, pushing the cart full of ingredients over to their portion of the table.
"You guys are going to love this, it's as much fun as the bar tricks that you two do."
The chef prepared the meal with the astonishing grace of a juggler, tossing ingredients into the air, cracking an egg mid flight with the edge of the spatula, and other tricks. Namida clapped in delight and grinned as the food sizzled and the scent of delicious Japanese cooking filled the air. A few minutes later, the food was served, and only a few spare pieces of shrimp and beef remained. The chef looked at the three questioningly, and Namida laughed. "See if those two can catch the pieces," she urged him in Japanese. The chef turned towards the twins.
"Okay, catch!"
The food was tossed in the direction of the younger Gianni, and he was surprised for about a moment before instinct took over, and effortlessly, he caught the food in his mouth, without it even grazing his lips. Both Gianni's laughed at the spectacle and thanked the chef for their food.
"Maybe we're in the wrong business," the elder Giannis said as his brother chewed, "We should open our own Hibachi grill. Would you come?"
"I don't eat out much, but I could probably make time on occasion." Namida was expertly picking through her food with chopsticks. "Teppanyaki is always amusing. But then Michael would be stuck at the bar all the time, and that's a damned shame."
"I doubt it would happen any time soon, or at all. I think I'd need to learn how to cook Japanese food first."
"I think we'd need to learn how to cook anything before that," the other Gianni chimed in. "But, just on the slight chance we could learn, get the capital, find a space and get all the permits... well, we'd give Michael notice to find new bartenders."
Namida laughed. "Yeah, I suppose it is a hassle to start up a restaurant in New York City, isn't it?" She looked down at her watch, and cringed. Was it really that late already?
"Guys, this has been a great evening, but I really should get back to work. I have way too much tonight still."
Both Gianni's pouted, in unison, clearly a well practiced expression, but it soon slipped away into easy going smiles. "It was fun going out with you, Namida. I hope it wasn't too much trouble," one Gianni said, sounding a bit sheepish.
“Same here. I'm sure I'll see you around." Namida finished up her meal and paid for her meal. Five minutes later, she was in a cab heading back to her house. The paint would already be useless by now, but she had more. Only a few more days and the preparations would be done.
Maybe she'd finally be able to get all the paint out of her hair...
Gianni and his brother Gianni walked up to the large brown-stone house, double checked the address Micheal had given them, and waited for the door to open. When it did, they spoke in unison, as though they had either been told to say these words exactly, or had been practicing them all day.
"Hello Ms. Suzuki. We have been sent on errand by your friend Michael Johnston. He, and we, are concerned about your well being and social activity, and thus offer the arms of two young gentlemen to escort you to an afternoon of innocent and platonic fun. Does this prospect sound pleasing to you?"
Having pronounced their decree in the best fashion, the twins grinned up at Namida, awaiting her reply.
Typical. On the day when I have a list of things as long as my arm... Namida looked back at the main room helplessly. Fresh paint in the pans, a half painted wall, way too much to do, and not enough time to do it. She sighed, and grinned weakly up at the twins.
"Sorry guys, I wish I could, and it's awful sweet of you and Mikey to worry about me...I just have too much to do. Maybe some oth--"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Suzuki, but we must insist.We promise that your house will still be here when you return, and still able to be painted. If you like, we will even help you make up for lost time, but only after we have had a great deal of fun," one of the Gianni's said, probably the older one that spoke more often, but it wasn't like you could tell which one that was on any given day.
"But--" She cut herself off. She was definitely outnumbered here. I'm going to hurt Mikey. Namida sighed. "Wait here. I'll go get my coat." Shutting the door on the twin smiling faces, she trudged up the stairs to the third floor.
Ten minutes later, she returned, looking slightly less paint splattered, and wrapped in her wool jacket. She stepped out onto the landing, and locked the house behind her.
"Okay, you two. Where to now?
Both Gianni's smiled, glad that their speech had worked. They were worried, for a few minutes, when Namida went inside that she might not come back.
"We found a small theater that plays old black and white movies. Tonight they are playing the Marx Brother movie, Duck Soup. If you prefer though, we can go to one of the megaplexes and see something current. After that, we were thinking hibachi. We've never been to one, and Michael says they're very... amusing. Does an evening like that sound tempting?" One Gianni asked, with his shy, hopeful tone he used when he wanted to please people.
"With a smile like that, you should be taking over the world by now." Namida grinned back, despite her lingering annoyance. "All right, movie and dinner it is, but I want to be perfectly clear that I don't appreciate being strong armed like this."
"Lead on."
As requested, the Gianni's did lead the way, taking Namida first to the little theater that didn't attract many patrons, where, at least the Gianni's enjoyed the old classic film. After that, they took her to the Hibachi restaurant where they could relax and enjoy a good meal.
"To be perfectly honest, I've always thought it was weird that they call these kind of restaurants 'hibachi.'" Namida commented as she took her seat near the end of a long U shaped table. She indicated one of the flat metal surfaces along the inside of the U. "I mean that is a hibachi, so it's kinda like calling an American restaurant a "stove" restaurant." She giggled.
"You'd think after six years, I'd be used to it. But some American things are so silly."
"Oh, I never knew that's what hibachi meant…" One of the Giannis said, and then thought for a moment. "But I guess you could think of it as eating barbecue? I mean, no one eats the actual barbecue, but that's what we call the food."
"So Michael said you're an architect, right?" the other Gianni asked. "Have you… I guess this sounds kind of weird, but have you built anything? Or do you just design the buildings? Or… geez, I sound like a real idiot, don't I?" Both Giannis laughed together, smiling shyly at Namida. They thought she was really pretty.
"Oh, I build things all the time. Just, ah, not at work." Namida looked down at the menu as she spoke, mentally trying to decide what she wanted. "It's more of a hobby. That's why I'm trying to get my place fixed up. Kind of a gallery space."
"Like, for artwork? What do you do, paint?" Gianni chuckled a little, and reached forward to loosen a spatter of paint from Namida's hair, as gently as he could. He held it up, so she would see he wasn't trying to molest her. "I'd like to see your work sometime... if that's ok."
"Well, it involves paint...among other things." Namida blushed slightly as Gianni pulled the paint out of her hair. "You guys and Michael are certainly welcome to come see my next piece before it opens, as long as you are willing to come over to my gallery. It's not, uh...not very mobile."
*Understatement of the year. Maybe with a crane...*
She hadn't even finished fixing up her place, but already the idea was gnawing at her brain, begging to be created. *Soon,* she promised herself.
"We'd love to come. We've never been to an art gallery before," the elder Gianni mentioned, a bit embarrassed by the admission. "Our dad took us to a museum, once, but, I don't think that's the same thing. I guess you can just tell Michael when the show is, and he can pass the date onto us."
Namida smiled. "You'll know when it'd done, because I'll be out celebrating." A few minutes of idle chitchat were interrupted by the sound of wheels on polished floor, and the chef appeared, pushing the cart full of ingredients over to their portion of the table.
"You guys are going to love this, it's as much fun as the bar tricks that you two do."
The chef prepared the meal with the astonishing grace of a juggler, tossing ingredients into the air, cracking an egg mid flight with the edge of the spatula, and other tricks. Namida clapped in delight and grinned as the food sizzled and the scent of delicious Japanese cooking filled the air. A few minutes later, the food was served, and only a few spare pieces of shrimp and beef remained. The chef looked at the three questioningly, and Namida laughed. "See if those two can catch the pieces," she urged him in Japanese. The chef turned towards the twins.
"Okay, catch!"
The food was tossed in the direction of the younger Gianni, and he was surprised for about a moment before instinct took over, and effortlessly, he caught the food in his mouth, without it even grazing his lips. Both Gianni's laughed at the spectacle and thanked the chef for their food.
"Maybe we're in the wrong business," the elder Giannis said as his brother chewed, "We should open our own Hibachi grill. Would you come?"
"I don't eat out much, but I could probably make time on occasion." Namida was expertly picking through her food with chopsticks. "Teppanyaki is always amusing. But then Michael would be stuck at the bar all the time, and that's a damned shame."
"I doubt it would happen any time soon, or at all. I think I'd need to learn how to cook Japanese food first."
"I think we'd need to learn how to cook anything before that," the other Gianni chimed in. "But, just on the slight chance we could learn, get the capital, find a space and get all the permits... well, we'd give Michael notice to find new bartenders."
Namida laughed. "Yeah, I suppose it is a hassle to start up a restaurant in New York City, isn't it?" She looked down at her watch, and cringed. Was it really that late already?
"Guys, this has been a great evening, but I really should get back to work. I have way too much tonight still."
Both Gianni's pouted, in unison, clearly a well practiced expression, but it soon slipped away into easy going smiles. "It was fun going out with you, Namida. I hope it wasn't too much trouble," one Gianni said, sounding a bit sheepish.
“Same here. I'm sure I'll see you around." Namida finished up her meal and paid for her meal. Five minutes later, she was in a cab heading back to her house. The paint would already be useless by now, but she had more. Only a few more days and the preparations would be done.
Maybe she'd finally be able to get all the paint out of her hair...