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Tweak says, "What happened to the fidler?"

Liliana Castle | Sunna (solsken) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-07-13 10:49:00

Entry tags:

set, sunna

I swear it feels just like the clocks slow down
Who: Idris & Lily
What: Meet and greet!
Where: Newport Beach Farmer's Market
When: Sunday, 10AM
Warnings: None yet.

Sunday's were one of Lily's favorite days of the week mainly for the morning spent at the local farmers market. Living in the apartment complex she had managed to maintain a garden of sorts by filling all of the window's with potted plants. She figured Max wouldn't mind since he didn't really enjoy natural light so his window was included with an assortment of herbs in pots while the living room window had peppers and tomatoes growing in abundance. Her own bedroom had beets, green onions, and radishes in a row and all were coming in beautifully. But... there were items lacking and Lily enjoyed keeping an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables in the apartment so each Sunday she traversed to the farmer's market.

Max was asleep when Lily slipped out and didn't suspect she would see him until dinner time so she took her time and enjoyed the drive. Arriving at the market she paused at the entrance and allowed herself a private smile as she looked over the different vendors and the selection of strawberries, spinach, blueberries, and mandarin oranges that excited her as much as a shoe sale excited some other women. Adjusting the currently empty reusable shopping bag she reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of money, quickly counting out how much she had to spend. Shoving the cash back into her slim pants she tossed her hair over her shoulder and slipped in amongst the market-goers.

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counterbalance
2011-07-14 10:18 am UTC (link)

It was a beautiful morning to say the least. Idris felt that he certainly had chosen the right time to visit the farmer's market--the closest one he'd been able to find near his home. Even from first glance it seemed to have quite the wide variety when it came to its wares. This was something a little new, granted, considering Idris usually would buy produce and the such at grocery stores, but a new state called for a new change in the way he ran his life. And certainly wasn't eating much healthier something to start as soon as possible? It wasn't as if he regularly stocked up on junk food, but his lunch salads had been a little bland since he'd arrived in California, and he was certain that here he would find just the right ingredients to zest them up a bit. Or maybe he ought to try making a fruit salad. In fact, that was a wonderful idea!

Now, what would he need, exactly? There couldn't possibly be any set rules to making such a dish. Certainly not. Idris glanced at some brightly colored oranges, but wondered if he shouldn't choose apples instead. He wouldn't have to peel them entirely, and thus would definitely save on time.

"Say," he said out loud, more of an open question to whoever was willing to answer than simply a stray thought spoken three levels above a whisper, "what do you put in your fruit salads? Assuming, though I may be incorrect, you're a fan of them? Have to admit, I am a little new at this." Idris glanced to his right at a rather tall woman with a shock of wild, auburn curls wreathing her face. He smiled warmly, though she seemed pretty entranced by some darkly colored plums. Idris figured it was worth a shot, regardless. Either she'd choose to answer him or--he looked casually to the left--it'd be the aging grandmother with her young grandson in tow, trying to pull him and his troublesome fingers away from a bunch of coconuts before the kid set the entire stand rolling to the floor.

Ouch, that'd be a helluva mess. Better stick with the redhead. On second thought, Idris could probably just shove a bunch of random fruits into the bag he'd picked up at the entrance of the market, but it'd be better to get advice from someone else for the time being. That, and there was always the possibility of a little friendly morning conversation. Idris certainly couldn't turn the possibility down. Definitely not when his company had been as of late nothing but employees, customers, and the mountain of boxes he'd been unpacking. There was plenty room for a little zest in his life as well as in his salad, he figured.

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solsken
2011-07-15 12:25 am UTC (link)

The man's voice brought Lily out of her trance and she glanced at him. He stood beside her, nearly equalling her height, and seemed relatively friendly. Placing a plum she had in her hand back into it's basket she turned to the man and smiled at him. "You can do a number of things with a salad. You can have a fruit salad with lettuce or simply a regular fruit salad that only consists of fruit."

She picked up a rather large strawberry and tossed it in her hand. "One of my favorite salads consist of sliced strawberries, almonds, and baby spinach. It's delicious and seems so fresh during the hot summer." Her smile grew and she turned to the man who was handling the booth. "I would like to take these, sir."

She handed the man a couple of bucks and took out a small plastic bag from her reusable grocery bag. Gathering the strawberries she plopped them inside and slipped them into her bag. She turned back to the dark haired man by her side, putting her weight onto one leg with a jut of her hip out to the side and brushed her curls back behind her ear. "You don't eat many fruit salads I assume?"

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counterbalance
2011-07-15 01:47 am UTC (link)

Idris nodded as the woman spoke, filing away her handy tips for later--though really, she was more or less was gushing about her favorite ingredients. (Not that there was anything wrong with that in the least. It clearly was a topic that sparked her interest and Idris immediately decided she must be a pretty regular customer at the farmer's market.)

"Almonds, huh? I'll have to pick some up before I leave. I usually have a salad for lunch, but you know, it's getting pretty boring. Figured instead of loading up on different dressings I'd add to it in other ways." Idris picked through the apples that rested near the oranges, finding one that was clear of any bruising or possible discoloration. Fresh would be the best bet. Placing a bright green apple he approved of into his bag, he looked at the woman again. She'd already paid for what she came for, but didn't seem incredibly inclined to leave at the moment. Idris had to smile at her question, and he laughed a little too, for what it was worth. With a shrug, he grabbed a decently large orange and added that to his bag as well before turning again to face her.

"Nah, I'm a little new to the whole organic lifestyle, you could say. Didn't think it was a bad idea to start eating healthier. I'm glad I asked the right person for advice...it'd be a shame to spend my morning lost among stalks of celery and," Idris took quick note of the other nearby fruit stands, "mountains of pineapples. My name's Idris, by the way." He shifted his produce bag to his left hand, holding his right out for a handshake--if she was into that sort of thing. It didn't hurt be polite, after all. "I'm pretty new in town; this was the closest farmer's market I could find."

Though his attention was more focused on the vibrant redhead, Idris could hear the grandmother scolding her naughty grandson nearby him some odd feet away ("Aziz, put down that coconut! You do not need it! Your mother would be ashamed of your behavior!"). It sounded like the kid had gotten his hands on a coconut or two after all.

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solsken
2011-07-15 04:21 pm UTC (link)

Lily continued to smile and took Idris' hand, giving it as firm of a shake as she could muster, and a slight nod with her head. "Pleased to meet you, Idris. I'm Lily. I've only moved to the area recently myself. I don't know where you're staying, I live over at the Pax apartments and this is the closest market to that. It's pretty wonderful as well, I have yet to come here and miss out on something."

She glanced at the small boy that was behind Idris and stifled a frown as his grandmother scolded him. Turning her attention back to the gentleman who stood beside her she began to fidget with her mother's necklace which she wore permanently around her neck. "Where are you from? If you don't mind my asking." She frowned slightly, hoping she wasn't coming across as rude.

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counterbalance
2011-07-15 08:25 pm UTC (link)

"Pax? No kidding." Idris made quick note of her (correction, Lily's) strong handshake and the sudden coincidence (or was it?) of the two of them meeting here. How funny life worked sometimes. "Actually, I moved in there--third floor--a couple weeks back. Pretty nice place, I've got a great window view. I had wondered if this was the nearest market or not."

Idris regarded her with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Oh, I'm Arizona born and raised, you can count on that." He shifted his bag with so few fruits in it back and forth a little, an unconscious, restless action. Letting the shopping bag slide up to rest upon his wrist, Idris pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out some bills, moving to hand them to the vendor. He shook his head when the man tried to give him back his change. "Keep it. Consider it a tip for ah, enabling chance meetings." The vendor shrugged and added the extra amount to his earnings.

"So, that leaves us with the question of your origins. Is there another place you like to call home other than this?" There was the sound again of the grandmother getting on her grandson's case, and Idris couldn't resist a quick glance behind him. The child seemed to have somehow conned his granny into buying him a coconut after all. Pretty admirable of him.

"Seems to be a pretty friendly place." Idris met Lily's eyes and grinned, nodding towards what had recently been something of a commotion. "You sure you don't want a coconut, too? Listen, would you mind showing me where the almonds are? I'd love to try the recipe you were giving me. If you don't mind, that is. I'm sure this friendly gentleman here is probably wondering why neither of us are buying anything more from him."

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solsken
2011-07-16 11:32 pm UTC (link)

"Oh really? I'm three floors up from you. And the apartment complex does have absolutely beautiful views, doesn't it?" She shifted the bag on her shoulder and shrugged slightly, moving a hand to motion to the market. "Yes, definitely the closest to the apartments. Saves on gas and has everything you could be looking for."

Her blue-green eyes grew larger at the mention of Arizona and Lily's smile became a grin. "I lived in Tempe, Arizona for awhile. I actually was there before I came here. But I was born in Florida... but, ah, I grew up in Maryland." She laughed lightly, not allowing her mind to dive too far into her past. "I guess you could say I've been all over."

She looked to her feet and brushed back her curls once more only to glance at the grandmother who was now buying the child a coconut. Turning her gaze back to Idris. "I live with my younger brother, so right now it's kind of like where ever he and I are is home. So... for now, California is our home until we move again."

She bit her lip momentarily, considering what Max had told her a few nights before, and for a moment she wondered if they would have to move again. What if their father had been seen and was following them? Her mind began to wander, if only for a few seconds, when Idris brought her to attention. "Of course I'll show you where the almonds are. And... no thank you, I actually have a coconut at my apartment. I was going to make some drinks with it. Come, let's walk."

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counterbalance
2011-07-21 07:35 pm UTC (link)

Idris cocked an eyebrow for a second, paying relatively close attention to Lily as she spoke. "Yeah, it certainly has quite the selection." And tall, apparently very leggy redheads seemed to be just one part of the market's more attractive...options. Far more appealing than pineapples, definitely. California certainly hadn't been a bad move in the least. He smiled congenially and visibly brightened at Lily's mention of Arizona. The same apartment and she had also lived in his home state? This was definitely an interesting morning.

"Wow, small world. I moved here from Mesa, that's right around Tempe. I'm from Tuscon originally." Idris meant to say something as well about his own younger sibling--if only for the sake of further relating with his new acquaintance, but Lily seemed a bit distracted. The urge to move things along or lighten the mood somehow came upon him (supposing that was needed, for there was a slight change in Lily's expression that didn't appear to come from anything directly related to them conversing, at least in general). However, this feeling proved to be unnecessary for Lily snapped right back into their conversation, taking the lead before he could.

Well, nothing wrong with that. He laughed softly at her mention of coconuts. What he'd said had been nothing but a joke, really, but he was willing to roll with this. "It was more of an open offer. I wouldn't want to assume you could be so easily placated with a fruit." His tone was light, teasing just a bit. He gestured with one hand for her to go first. "After you."

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solsken
2011-07-22 01:39 am UTC (link)

Lily raised an eyebrow, smirking at Idris teasing tone as she took a step ahead of him. She glanced at him from over her shoulder, taking her lengthy strides slowly.

"So we're both from Arizona in some sense of the word," Lily continued. "Who knows, maybe we passed one another at some point. Or better yet, passed one another at our new residence." She grinned at him, enjoying the coincidence.

"So what brought you out to California?" Lily asked with a continued grin. She was happy, enjoying the company. Meeting people at Pax had been... okay at best. So many of the women she had met were incredibly impolite and the others seemed hard to befriend. She was happy to talk to someone, even if they had just met, she always shined at such meetings. "Do you like it here so far?"

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counterbalance
2011-07-22 02:42 am UTC (link)

Idris matched her pace easily, casually swinging his bag of fruits gently by his side. "Highly probable, though I've been swamped with unpacking and work ever since I flew into California. Haven't had much time yet to meet and greet my new neighbors." He carefully chose to omit the brief bit of entertainment scouting he'd done the first few nights after he arrived. It hadn't been the most profitable of searches, but there were a couple of hot spots he'd mentally bookmarked to go back to later once he was more settled (as if that word would ever fully apply to him, but the thought itself was amusing).

He felt at ease and within his own environment, though there was no immediate pressure here to make a deal and seal it with the proper signatures and other such paperwork business; he was nevertheless not entirely above nor below making similar arrangements outside of his workplace, given the circumstance. There was a certain initial thrill of handling new clients and feeling things out to see if they were going to give in and buy that pristine condition Lexus or not. People outside of work were basically the same way, all the funny nuances that made them tick and urged them forward showing in their personalities and actions, right down to the choices--deals, might as well say it--they made in their lives. It might do to eventually see what sort of deals Lily would be willing to make or break.

"Work. Adventure. You know how it is." He smiled at Lily, a distinctly playful glint to his eyes. Sobering up just enough, he continued. "I transferred here from Mesa. My father owns a decently well-known car dealership back in Tuscon and I kinda took up his work when I was old enough. They needed a co-manager for the place opening up here and I figured it was as good a chance as any to take...managing a place by myself was getting to be a bit of a hassle. And hey, the weather's nice out here, so I can't say I mind too much."

Idris glanced at the stands they were passing by, then looked back to Lily. The almonds weren't wholly important any longer, for they'd been more of an icebreaker than anything else, but he'd buy some regardless. "And how do you like California so far?"

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solsken
2011-07-23 12:41 pm UTC (link)

Lily smiled at Idris, continuing to walk comfortably alongside of him through the market place. A large family passed by, causing Lily to side step and bump into Idris. She made a small laugh and an apologetic smile as she quickly made space between the two of them again.

"I love California so far. It's the weather, I think, and the health food. I can't handle living in the north. It's too dark and cold. I like the warmth and the sunshine. Arizona was good for that but I wanted to move here and be by my brother. Plus the ocean reminds me of Maryland."

She glanced up at the sky, never needing to wear sunglasses, and felt the warmth of the sun on her face. So long as she was following the sunshine she was all right, her mood cheerful, and the doldrums were at bay. "That's wonderful that you had the opportunity to come out here and you're enjoying yourself. I can't imagine running a large company on my own. It's enough running my yoga classes." She laughed, looking at Idris. With a nod she pointed out a stand. "There's the nuts. Almonds and everything else you could think of."

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counterbalance
2011-07-24 01:41 am UTC (link)

It wasn't entirely disconcerting in the least when Lily unintentionally made extra contact with him. Idris smiled back at her and shrugged, as if to say things like this happen. He nodded when she spoke, understanding in his own way her feelings about the weather. While Arizona never became excruciatingly cold (he'd always lived too far south in the state to deal with those kind of temperatures), he knew that there had always been something within him that preferred a warmer climate. It was, in all regards, what he was entirely used to--perhaps then it was nothing but a need for normality.

"There's nothing like a warm summer day," Idris made sure to tell her. "I don't have much experience with the ocean but I'm looking forward to going to the beach when I have a day off..." He had to hold back a snort at Lily's remark about his job. Of course he hadn't told her the entire truth but it wasn't needed at the time. He'd been doing fine as a manager for several years, but the move out here was due more really to boredom, if anything.

So much for that need for normality. Change was in the air instead, which Idris had to admit felt pretty good.

"Nah, it wasn't and isn't as hard as it probably sounds. If anything, it means more responsibility. And yoga? That sounds nice and relaxing. I bet you're a good teacher." Following the direction Lily was pointing in, he spotted the large collection of various nuts to choose from--the almonds he was looking for were situated near some rather large pecans. "Guess I should grab a handful or two of those, huh? If there's extra that's not a problem." He paused, meeting her eyes once more before taking a new bag in which to put the almonds in; it wouldn't do to have them crushed by the other produce he already had.

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solsken
2011-07-24 04:03 am UTC (link)

"Oh, thank you," Lily replied, truthfully thankful for the compliment. "I do that but I also work with nutrition. Food stuff... as you could have probably guessed."

She smiled shyly and looked to the ground, brushing her hair back behind her ear. She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, moving about to loosen up and become confident again. She was good with strangers but she always was the slightest bit shy. Meeting Idris' eyes her own seemed to glimmer.

"I can bring you the recipe for the salad I was talking about," Lily said casually, giving a slight flick of her finger to one of the bags. "It's really simple but I wouldn't want to give it to you now and accidentally give you the wrong measurements."

She shifted her bag on her shoulder, moving from foot to foot, and let out a sigh. "Well, Idris, I should probably get going. I want to make a nice dinner for my brother and I. We don't get to see each other very often. Listen, I live in apartment 605, okay? Please, come and see me any time. I'm around in the mornings and early evenings. And if you stop by at night at all my brother should be home, you can always leave a message with him. It was lovely to meet you."

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counterbalance
2011-07-24 04:57 am UTC (link)

Idris held Lily's gaze for a moment before scooping up a good amount of almonds and dumping them into the bag. An eyebrow arched inquisitively at her offer and he felt the edges of his mouth crinkle up in a friendly if somewhat knowing smile. Not to get too ahead of himself, he responded much in the same manner that he had their entire conversation, lightly and open.

"Sounds good to me. I live in 305...and I wouldn't want to mess up the salad, not when you've been so kind as to help me in the first place."

Lily made as to take her leave, closing their short meeting with the handy information of where she lived in the apartments. Going to the market this morning had been a pleasant experience and Idris decided that possibly meeting--and perhaps making a friend--was the best part of it, nevermind that he would certainly have a much better lunch for the coming week.

"It was nice meeting you, too. I'll see you later, then. I'm usually around in the afternoons and sometimes the evenings. Don't be a stranger and hey, enjoy your dinner." Idris motioned to his bag of almonds and grinned. "I know I'll enjoy the salad."

And with that they parted ways, Lily leaving to attend to her dinner plans and whatever else she had scheduled for the day. Idris briefly watched her leave before paying the vendor, still smiling to himself. Thanking the man for waiting, Idris also went on his way, but made sure to pick up a few more assorted fruits and vegetables beforehand. All in all, it had been a good morning, and surely things could only get better.

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