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Much Millerson (muchofamuchness) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2020-05-30 14:33:00

Entry tags:

much the miller's son, oedipus

WHO: Much and Oedipus
WHEN: Saturday late afternoon
WHERE: The Theban Cycle
WHAT: A chance at gainful employment?
WARNINGS: A health and safety nightmare

Much was pretty - like, seventy percent? - sure he wasn't walking into trouble.

A very small part of his brain reminded him that he hadn't thought the Great American Road Trip felt like trouble either, but since this was part of his brain that he wasn't keen on, Much found he could ignore it. Most of the time, when Much went out on his own, he didn't die, therefore he shouldn't need to dwell on it.

It was a lot easier to think this way while walking crowded streets, every shadowy corner lit up in neon, the sun still a few hours from setting though it had long disappeared behind the towering buildings. A lot harder to think this way when he was alone at night.

Still, night would come when night came, and for now he had a new place to explore and a new friend to meet - although, as Much approached the shop, he realised he hadn't asked the man's name. Or, what the job was. He'd thought a bike shop, from the name, and maybe there was a bike in there, hidden behind the patched up ottoman or under the dusty velvet curtains. The curtains were, it was true draped over something that could, potentially, be a bike, but the shop definitely didn't specialise in them. "Hullo," he called out, and his voice seemed to get sucked up by the old lamps and wall hangings and masks. "It's me, the invading Greek army."

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a_freudian_slip
2020-05-30 03:35 am UTC (link)

The front of the shop wasn't much at all, just some green paint slapped on the outside and some windows cluttered up with all sorts of antique junk, frames and pictures, it hardly looked open with some of the broken bits and pieces standing outside. There was a little bell in the doorway when Much opened it up. It was cramped and full of more junk on the inside. Hidden towards the winding wall of pictures and mirrors was a counter with an array of masks looming down on whomever stepped inside. Oedipus was down behind the case digging through one of the many boxes of small items (rings, coins and other oddities) when the sleeping calico cat curled up in her bed on the floor was shifted from the unknown intruder. She jumped up with a growl and lashed out at Much's leg.

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	muchofamuchness 2020-05-30 03:43 am UTC (link)
	Even though Much's taste in trousers (even borrowed ones) still ran toward the end of the spectrum where things like undergrowth or offended cats wouldn't do much damage, he still stepped back. "Whoa, sorry Puss," he said, sincerely. "I promise I'm not actually a Greek army, just a Saxon with poor taste in jokes. We good?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_freudian_slip
2020-05-30 03:51 am UTC (link)

Oedipus waited to see what the old girl would do. When he'd first gotten that cat she fit in his palm and latched on like any stray kitten looking for a home would. Now she was full grown, big, older, and his very own guard cat giving out meows as riddles to who could come further. Oedipus stayed down until she made her move. Callie (he wasn't as creative with her name as he was his shop), stretched and circled the new person with a sniff and rub, deciding that he wasn't someone for her master to be worried about. This idiot looked harmless. Callie jumped up on the counter top alerting her master he could come out, which he did with the box of random trinkets.

He didn't even know this hobo's name. He didn't look or smell Greek, so that was definitely a bonus, but one couldn't ever be too careful.

"You the guy offline?" He really did hate the whole internet thing sometimes, he felt skeevy for even trying to nab some help like he was a wanted ad.

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	muchofamuchness 2020-05-30 04:03 am UTC (link)
	"Yeah, I'm Much," he said, taking in the man and the box of shiny (and less than shiny) objects. He certainly didn't look like a threat, either; the overfull bookcase just to his right looked like it posed more of a threat. "What about you?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	a_freudian_slip 2020-06-02 01:10 am UTC (link)
	Oedipus looked like a deer in headlights. He didn't like to answer those questions, the look of disgust or being the butt of everyone's jokes was the worst way to spend any kind of relationship, especially a working one. "Rex, just call me Rex." This guy could spend his days trying to figure out who Oedipus was, but he wasn't going to tell him. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	muchofamuchness 2020-06-02 01:23 am UTC (link)
	Much was curious - but mostly he was just grateful Rex hadn't said who?, forcing him to do the whole 'you know... Robin Hood? One of those?' thing, and then have the guy look at him like maybe he was making it up. "Sweet name," he said, looking around (and up, there was quite a bit to see up, as well). "So you want a hand selling all this?' (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

a_freudian_slip
2020-06-02 01:45 am UTC (link)

That was not usually the response he got, but Oedipus was thankful this immortal being was not into trampling him. Call him a bit paranoid, but he suffered a lot of anxiety when it came to other immortals. "I need someone to clean up, price things, organize (as he was shit at it), and a lot of other shit." To be honest Oedipus didn't have a plan of what he wanted this kid to do, he was making it up as he went along, he just knew he couldn't do it alone anymore. Things had taken off to a level he was very uncomfortable with.

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muchofamuchness
2020-06-02 03:49 am UTC (link)

To be honest, no one had ever accused Much of being 'organised' before, and he didn't have any experience in pricing antiques, but, Much figured, how complicated could it be? His job history across the years was patchwork enough that something from his past would come in handy. Even if it was just his ability to fly by the seat of his pants and usually not die. "Sounds perfect," he said, with a confident grin.

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a_freudian_slip
2020-06-03 03:10 am UTC (link)

"Good. Broom is over there. Watch the cat." He said pointing down at the fat calico who was now standing right between Much's legs. "I think she likes you---" And Callie didn't like anyone, much like Oedipus.

"You ever purchased something antique before?" This guy needed to learn the difference between a real gem and a fake. Watches, necklaces, historical documents and signatures, they were always the first thing someone brought in thinking they'd get some fast cash. "I'm not a pawn shop, everyone thinks they can barter and trade or leave their junk outside like a charity."

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	muchofamuchness 2020-06-03 04:21 am UTC (link)
	Giving the cat a smile and taking care with his feet, Much went for the broom as Rex spoke. "I've, uh, acquired antiques before," Much thought he might be shooting himself in the foot here, but figured Rex would find out he used to be a thief eventually. "I know what proper gold feels like, if that's what you mean." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	a_freudian_slip 2020-06-05 03:08 am UTC (link)
	"Do you know the difference in a three-hundred-year-old piece of furniture or a backyard sale with some DIY craft project?" It looked like he might have to give some lessons in how to spot the fake from the real. Oedipus would have been stupid to think he'd get a gem right off the bat, but this greenback looked too terribly hard to train. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	muchofamuchness 2020-06-05 03:23 am UTC (link)
	"I can tell when people are trying to cheat me," Much said, stubborn pride coming through. "I can learn the rest." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	a_freudian_slip 2020-06-05 03:37 am UTC (link)
	"That's a start," Oedipus said as he shuffled through the box he had pulled out as Much entered the store. He flipped around through some old buttons and some coins. He laid two out on the counter. One was an 1877 Indian Head Penny, worth money, the second a wheat penny worth no more than a few cents. "Tell me which one is worth $500 plus...." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

muchofamuchness
2020-06-05 10:46 am UTC (link)

Ooh, a test - Much picked up both little coins, letting each lay in the middle of his hand for a moment, looking at each one under the light. He didn't know what he was looking for, specifically, but figured something that cost that much money would feel different. The 1877 coin was older, but that could be a trick; older wasn't necessarily more valuable. Still, there was something about the feathered headdress and the flowing hair on the coin that made him choose it. "That one," he said, pushing it back toward Rex with his finger. He thought about trying to bullshit a real reason, but went with his gut instead. "It's got gravitas."

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a_freudian_slip
2020-06-06 01:02 am UTC (link)

Okay, so the kid was trainable. He had some oomph in how he handled things, that could play to his advantage that could also get him into a lot of trouble, but when did Oedipus really think before acting? He'd already roped him into a job he had no idea what the details were (neither of them did), it was going to be a learn as you go, fly by the seat of your pants kind of gig. That was usually how Oedipus worked.

He held out his hand to give Much a firm shake. "I think you'll do fine." He wasn't some livestock that he was training to perform new tricks, but this didn't seem a bad thing.

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