Re: [Outside Secondhand Books & Cafe: Misha & Sadie]
Misha, he wasn't real hard to suss. Course, the truth 'bout him wasn't nothing surface or visible, if one reckoned the truth 'bout him had all to do with the wings he never did mention. But, mostly, he was just a boy that did love music, and he was kind, and there wasn't a whole lot more than that, least to his thinking. He often worried 'bout being boring some, not trouble like he'd been told was attractive and appealing, but he was how he was, and he wasn't even competitive any. But she was busking for money, and he reckoned it was right to tell her what she'd face if she went out the way of the Capital. It was a real big city, one with theaters and performances and university filled with students that wanted to go on and be famous. But all that competition, it didn't change that the city had itself a real good rhythm for folks into the musical heartbeat of a place.
He knew Paganini. He'd been real encouraged to play classics in them nothing years that spanned a decade, on account of classics were real good. Classics of all kinds were plenty prized where he'd come from, and he didn't care for them much now. He'd much rather some nice bluegrass, and he reckoned that was just fine. But he didn't underestimate the girl any. He hadn't seen her play Paganini, true, but he'd seen her fingers fly, and truth was that told him plenty and regardless of what she was playing. "Some performing always helps. Moving 'round is good for warmth, but it gets noticed too," he said, but he reckoned she already knew that. He didn't think this girl was real green or novice when it came to playing for change.
He nodded when she told him what she wanted to drink, and he stood in the line and then walked into the table-filled room with her raspberry flavored cocoa, and with a white mocha for himself. He noticed her right off, just like she hoped, and he crossed to her and handed her the drink 'fore seating himself opposite where she was standing and at that table.
The drink, it was real sweet and plenty hot, and Misha took himself a few long sips 'fore talking. He waited for her to sit, sip and settle too, and then he carried on, just as if the conversation hadn't never been interrupted by getting drinks. "The Carnival, it's been there a real long time. We got a big top with shows, and that's where I perform, and then there's the burlesque. There's tents for special attractions, and folks do their own thing there. We got us magicians and fortune tellers, fishmen and strongmen and bearded women. We got us a midway with games, and we got us some rides. Folks come from the Capital mostly and make a night of visiting. We could always use new performers," he added, pausing some 'fore that last sentence and then sipping on his coffee again. "I ain't sure what your plans are, but could be it's something you'd like."