Who: John Smith and Troy (fuck that, Ten and Eleven) Where: Bookstore When: [Severly backdated] 4/17/2013 What: Random run-in. Rating: Q for Quirky Status: Complete!
Troy was dressed in a common suit that day, he’d gone to a meeting at Cal State University to discuss becoming a full time Professor there, they were extremely interested after all and he was a prime candidate, coming highly recommended. Problem was, he didn’t really like the idea; he wanted to travel, see the world, he didn’t want to be bogged down teaching for an entire semester. That being said, he didn’t really have the money to travel, and if he worked for full time there, the money would be more than enough to allow him ‘sebattacle’ and he could travel the world while making money. Not that money mattered to him generally, but the idea of being able to see the world was brilliant.
It had been essentially preliminary and he had an interview with Stanford the next day, so he was busy with decisions. Right now, though, was about reading. He entered the bookstore, one he hadn’t been to yet as he wasn’t on this side of town much, and began to peruse. He was going over the titles in the non-fiction section, sighing as he went, “Read it, read it, read it, read it, read it.”
He then grabbed one off the shelf, began to leaf through it, before pushing it away, “Read it twice...”
“Really, is there a book I haven’t read in this store yet? Hmm, maybe History isn’t the answer, ah physics!” He moved to the next section, then frowned when the first three books he saw he knew that he’d read.
John Smith had nearly made a home of this bookstore. Well, a home away from home, obviously. He wasn't some sort of hobo vagrant, after all. Still. It was comfortable. The type of place with a coffee shop to the side and comfortable chairs that he could just melt into with a book only to realize a few hours later that it was a few hours later.
At this point, it was definitely a few hours later. He glanced up from the pages of the book he'd accidentally devoured a good portion of to find someone talking to either himself or the employees or absolutely no one at all. Clearly, the other man was a voracious reader if his words were to be taken at face value.
He stretched then, long and lazy as he just slightly uncurled from his chair. "There's got to be something," he said in reply because if John Smith was good at anything, it was socializing -- even with complete strangers. Especially with complete strangers, actually.
“Well yes, I suppose something would be obvious, still it doesn’t seem to be that way. I was a bit excited too, haven’t been to this store at all before,” he shrugged and scanned through book after book before finally finding one on Physics he hadn’t read. He pried it out and flipped through it, shrugging and pulling it to him before finally looking to the man. A man he didn’t know, yet Troy seemed none too taken aback by his forwardness. After all, he’d just responded as if the man and he had been talking the entire time.
He stared at him a moment, before smiling, “I don’t bother with a television. I only have a computer to test out socializing, because it’s always nice to remain connected; still, I spend a great deal of time reading, and I’ve been doing that most of my life. And tonight is a Wednesday, which means it’s devoted to non-fiction.”
He then spun around on his heels a moment, to look at another book, grabbing it up, “I’m certain there’ll be plenty here in this particular field of study I haven’t read on. Well that’s not true, I’ve read plenty on physics. I may have to go fiction today, that’ll be brilliant always enjoy some spontaneity.”
Then, finally turning back, he offered a hand, “Dr. Troy Andrews by the way.”
He then blinked, “Oh, but you’re John Smith! Or... something of that nature, a lot of Johns I know from books... but I’ve read your stuff, brilliant indeed.”
John half-hopped to standing at the offer of a hand shake. He did so like a good handshake -- especially when the person offering it seemed to have some much enthusiasm. For, well, just about everything, apparently. It was a rare day when he found someone who seemed as excited as him about much of anything -- and even rarer yet when he found someone who was possibly more so. The handshake might have gone on a bit longer than most people might have been very comfortable for that reason alone.
Still. John's grin was bright and toothy; he was clearly tickled pink. "I am! That's me. John Smith. Maybe not as brilliant as physics-Wednesdays, but thank you muchly, anyway." Modesty didn't really suit him, but even the Doctor couldn't admit to developing most human sciences.
"A doctor you are, then? Of what?"
Such enthusiasm was something that helped perpetuate his true self, in all honesty he was by no means capable of truly lying, and so many things excited him. Mostly it was learning, while experiencing things he wanted to learn were often far more appreciated, it was the idea of simply learning that got him so enthused. So when it came to bookstores, he devoured books; not to mention, in Troy’s mind social interaction was the best way to keep learning. The best way to keep learning about the world was to immerse yourself in it, and that meant simply meeting and talking.
Granted, none of this was on Troy’s mind. He by no means thought these things through, instead he simply reacted, and kept his mind moving at a brisk and tidy pace.
“Oh quite brilliant though, don’t sell yourself short, you are a fantastic read. Which isn’t always easy with certain subjects, or certain aspects of writing. You keep a reader engaged, and are very thought provoking--which is fantastic, because I love to think. Oh and yes, Doctor. I’m a Professor, I teach History at a local community college. Well I suppose I would be a professor; however, instead I generally prefer travel and so only teach part time to make the money necessary to do that sort of travel.”
John had this smile he gave when he was particularly pleased about something. It was wide, a little toothy -- but not quite so much, because this smile left his mouth half open, tongue nearly poking out from behind teeth. Happy little creases wrinkled around his eyes to complete the look and he might have argued it was from smiling too much and not age, thanks much, except in his dreams he was over nine hundred so maybe he just looked good for his age.
"Thank you, thanks," he was saying because that was an awful lot of praise for a young adult novel (albeit one that he thought was pretty darn good, himself), and because he did so love to be called clever and brilliant because he was and he liked when other people noticed it, too.
"That's right brilliant," he went on, because it was easy to pay compliments to someone who doled them out so easily. "History. I love History. Back in Uni, even got a degree in it, you see. What's your focus? Where do you travel? Traveling is fantastic. Got to see everything, yeah?"
If either were introspective enough, they might have pitied anyone trying to listen in to this rapid fire excuse of a conversation.
“I don’t really have a focus, well I suppose I have to for the degree; that focus was most notably on medieval England, although I dabble in plenty of others as well. I have traveled plenty, from England obviously; so I’ve traveled much of Europe, not all of it unfortunately. Route 66 in the United States, as it leads to plenty of historical places, and of course the Yucatan down in Mexico. Lovely place, also looking forward to a bit of travel into Peru,” he rubbed his hands together before shaking his head.
“Have to see everything though, yes; it’s just too bad it has to cost as much money as it does; don’t need hotels or any of the likes. Absolutely adore sleeping outdoors, but the whole need for ‘food’ and plane tickets. Bloody hell, if isn’t impossible. Still, working on it. Also have a secondary degree in Phsyics, theoretical of course. Still, nothing too applicable for now as I didn’t pursue my PhD in it--well at least not yet. Perhaps later!”
“I take it you have traveled then?”
And that was kind of a funny question, because John Smith had more than traveled. He’d taken a lot of time through Uni to visit all sorts of places -- most of Europe, some of Asia, South Korea. He’d been to Canada, though never Mexico. He’d seen a bit of the States. But that was nothing compared to his dream counterpart who made it more than a hobby to travel. To see all the planets and stars, to see all of space and time.
“I’ve definitely traveled a bit,” was all he could think to say in response. And it certainly wasn’t a lie.
John found he very much liked this man -- Troy -- with all of his enthusiasm and and spunk and excitement for everything. “Sounds like we’ve got quite a bit in common,” he said, as if it weren’t obvious -- these two British blokes standing around talking miles a minute about everything great.
“Traveling really is brilliant, isn’t it? Great to see the world, to experience life; that’s how you learn really, it’s not in books, although books are great too. Can’t stay in hotels either, gotta ask a local to stay with them; they’re usually rather pleasant about it, especially away from the bigger cities. Eat the food, especially when it’s absolutely horrific.”
Oh and he’d had some terrible food doing that, oh but how he loved to experience that culture. He shrugged it off, before looking back through the books, “Well I take it as a writer, and someone who frequents, that you’re a big fan of books too, what would you recommend? Pick a subject, I’ll live spontaneously tonight. Always would rather live spontaneously after all.”
Smith had grown up with adoptive Korean parents in Britain -- if anyone knew anything about strange, sort of bad food, it was him. He only nodded in agreement -- the bob of his head fast enough to give lesser men some kind of whiplash.
“Science fiction,” John said almost immediately. Because, clearly, he was not without his own sense of amused irony. “I know it’s a non-fiction day, but sometimes deviating from the norm is the way to do it.” Besides. Science fiction sort of was his non-fiction. He’d be sure to get this other man’s number down. Tara would like him greatly, he was sure, and perhaps when she fully figured out all of her --- timey wimey-ness -- they could all go somewhere great and very different.
“Spontaneity is absolutely brilliant, and far too fun to ignore so yes, right, change of schedule. I’ll do some science fiction tonight, hopefully have it read by tomorrow morning too, and be able to jump into another sci-fi piece tomorrow. It’d really be brilliant, and would open me up for a rather entertaining week. Oh, yes, I suppose I need to grade papers--wouldn’t be very good of me to give them all A’s would it? No, well I’ll get that done too.”
He smirked before looking to the man, “So a writer and world-famous author spends his time in bookstores, seems correct; yet, one has to ask how many people do you have interrupting you throughout the day, it must be fantastic to have such devoted fans and socializing aspects of your life.”
Half of Troy’s conversation were questions that he answered himself, and so John didn’t feel the need to repeat any of the complete obvious (that would be a waste of time!). Instead he grinned, nodded. Crossed his arms, nodded again.
“Haven’t run into many, honestly. Those pictures on the dust jackets keep getting smaller and smaller, you see. Plus, let’s be honest -- John Smith - not an uncommon name. Perhaps I’m just fated to be able to avoid notoriety?” It was a funny question though, since he knew that in one life at least, that wasn’t the case at all.
“No, I suppose it isn’t an uncommon name at all. Still, you’re rather brilliant, I know your face! Though it did take me a moment, which is a bit odd for me really,” he smiled brightly before spinning to grab a book off the shelf and tucking it under his arm. He didn’t know which one it was, but that was now to be his book for the evening.
He held his hand out towards Mr. John Smith, “It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Smith. I should like to meet you again, you’re a rather brilliant one to meet really.” He winked with a chuckle, “I should show you my collection of finds at some point too.”