Robert Frobisher (sincerely_rf) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-10-17 18:01:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, rarity, robert frobisher |
Who: Rachel (Rarity) and Robert.
When: Saturday, Sept 21
Where: Random Street
What: Random Encounter
Rating/Warning: Low/None TBD
Status: Complete!
It was a nice morning, so Rachel went out for a walk along the beach. She got side-tracked by some shops along the frontage road, and was now completely lost. She had no idea how to get back to her car, though she remembered the name of the street on which she'd parked. The only trouble was finding it again. Her phone died, which made her feel completely lost and useless... as if one of her hands had been cut off.
She turned around to ask the nearest person for help.
Robert had the same idea in mind. He wasn’t sleeping much these days, and in his dreams he’d found comfort in being outside and having time to himself, so he was going to give that a go. He’d just finished up a cigarette and was continuing to walk along when he crossed a girl who looked lost. Very lost.
“Do you need a hand with anything?”
Rachel looked a bit relieved when the guy who spoke to her was kind and not… stalkeriffic. She’d dealt with one of those not too long ago, and really, really didn’t want a repeat. “Oh, thank God,” she said. It was probably obvious by the tone that she had a bit of a flare for the dramatic. “I’m lost, terribly lost! I need to find my way back to my car. Can you help me?”
Robert also had a flair for the dramatic, and was pleased for once that someone else used the word terribly before he did. “Well, I can certainly try,” he said, opting to be more honest than not. “I suppose that depends where your car is.”
She paused for a moment, lifting her hand to rest against her forehead. “I believe it was…” She gave him a cross street, glancing up and down the block on which they were standing, then glanced up at the stop sign. “Which doesn’t help me much, as I don’t even know where we are, let alone where those silly streets are.”
“Oh!” Robert brightened, looking chipper. “Yes, I happen to know that exactly.” And only because it’s the best place to park for late night shenanigans, but he keeps it to himself. “Come along, I’ll have you oriented in no time.”
“Oh, thank goodness!” Rachel’s eyes lit up with appreciation and relief. She heaved a little sigh. “I was so frightened! And my mobile’s gone completely dead, so I didn’t even have the chance to call someone, or use my GPS, or anything.”
“The horrors of it all.” Robert did, however, look sympathetic. “But I’m here to save the day, as it were.” He started off in a direction, hoping she was following. “This will likely be the shortest way.”
“My knight in shining armor,” Rachel teased, shrugging her shoulders up in a playful way. She was smiling, though, absolutely relieved that someone was there to help instead of mug her. “Thank you.” She added, hurrying to catch up and walk beside him. “I really owe you one.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s hardly anything. I much prefer the role of damsel in distress myself, so I understand the frustrations that come along with it. I’m Robert, by the way.”
“Hello, Robert. I’m Rachel.” Funny, two R names. Rachel caught onto things like that. She paid attention, even in the worst of times. “I’m more accustomed to the damsel role myself.”
“It’s so much more satisfying to be saved rather than do the saving, I feel. I’ve never really been cut out to be the nice guy, so it seems you’ve caught me at rather the right moment.” Robert gave her a pleased grin. “It’s my good deed quota all filled up now.”
Rachel chuckled softly. “Well, I’m not normally so helpless. Damsel, sure. Helpless? Almost never. You must have caught me on an off night.” Though, she’d been having them a lot lately. First Roland saving her from the stalker, and now Rober… wait a minute. Roland? Robert? More R names!
“So, so true. Helpless is not among my many qualities.” He turned on to another street and began to walk down it. “So, with any luck, your car ought to be here somewhere.”
“Thank you.” It wouldn’t be far. A couple of blocks. “I should have remembered to check my battery before I left the house today. I’m absolutely dreadful at remembering things like that. I’d set an alarm, but a phone needs batteries to actually perform that alarm.”
“Oh my god, I’m terrible at things like that. I just have so much else on my mind at one given time that I can’t really be bothered to focus on the seemingly mundane details. It’s tragic, really.”
“It’s all about the bigger picture, isn’t it?” Rachel said, nodding once as they walked along. “I’m always so obsessed with the forest I can’t see any of the trees. Does that make sense?”
“Completely.” Robert lit up another cigarette as they walked. “I’m not sure what that says about either of us, really, but I’m hardly one to care.”
Rachel gave a little chuckle. “I’m inclined to agree with you. I don’t see anything wrong with not fussing the details. Though, that’s just in my life. In my work the details may be the most important part. And I’m absolutely bothered with them on a regular basis.”
“Yes. I’m a composer, you see, so quite often I let myself be consumed with small details when it comes to my music that I can’t bear them in any other aspect of my life. And it’s much more difficult to live spontaneous and carefree if you’re always worried, I find.”
“Oh, you’re a musician?” Rachel said, turning to him with a bright smile. “I understand. I’m a designer. Haute Couture fashions? I’m surrounded by tiny beads and hem lines and nuances of color… it makes the rest of my life seem a little unorganized. Hence… running out of battery on my phone.” She pulled it out of her pocket and fiddled with it as they walked, just to make sure it was really dead. It was.
“I am, yes. It’s wonderful. But I couldn’t imagine doing what you do. I don’t much care for people, so music lets me do as I please without tending to the needs of others.” They came upon a street with some cars parked and Robert motioned to them. “Are any of these familiar?”
“Yes!” Rachel said, turning to look at the street sign. She saw a building she recognized, a laundromat. “I’m just down here! Another block.” She said, shaking her head a little and picking up the pace.
“Gosh, being helpful is such a strange, delightful feeling.” Robert blinked, then looked amused as he followed along behind Rachel. “Maybe you could invest in one of those phone chargers for your car?”
“That’s a really good idea. Or a spare battery. I hear they have those? You simply charge them and carry them around, then if your phone dies, you can plug it in and charge it wherever. Lord knows I’ve got room for it my gigantic-yet-fashionable purse.” Rachel gave him a smirk.
“Oh. I have heard of them. I think they’re getting smaller these days. Matching consumer needs and such.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Why not both? You could charge the spare battery in your car, then voila.”
“There we go. Problem solved. And here’s my car!” Rachel said, breaking into a bright grin and running her hand along the hood. “Thank God that you came along to help me. My knight in shining armor!”
“Oh, stop, you’ll have me blushing. I look terrible in pink.” Robert waved his hand dismissively. “But I’m terribly glad to have been of service. Try not to get yourself lost again too soon.”
“I will. Thank you.” Rachel gave him a grin as she unlocked the car with the push of a button. “I’ll make sure to pay it forward.”