2019-05-15 - Day Drinking Sounds Good

It's mid-afternoon and there's a few people already here for the day drinking. Maybe a few of the Sawmill workers playing hookie or sneaking off of work early. Sometimes alcohol has a strong pull on people. Mariah, patron saint of the local drunks, is already behind the bar and cleaning things. While this place was bought in this condition she tries to make sure no one dies from their visiting. She's dressed in lightwashed jeans, a faded black t-shirt and boots. Her long blonde hair is down for the moment. No need to escort anyone out yet, so it's good.

Geoff pushes open the door as he strides in, glancing along the bar till he finds an empty spot to head to, with the man wearing a pair of jeans and an old blue oyster cult tee this afternoon. Settling down onto his stool he raises two fingers to catch Mariah's attention and says a tad gruffly as she passes by "Hey could I get a pint? Thanks" his hand slipping down into his pocket to pull out his phone to check his mail as he waits for the drink.

It's not long after Geoff that the door opens again, this time admitting a petite brunette with blonde highlights. Sutton wears a white long-sleeve tee, black cargoes, and motorcycle boots. She's just pushing a pair of aviators up and into her hair as she walks in, letting her eyes adjust to the interior illumination. She makes her way toward the bar without doing much looking around first. She re-tucks her mirrored shades into her hair long again, perhaps resettling them before they slide, and takes a seat not too far down from Geoff, smiling a hello to the bartender.

Mariah looks up when there's more people coming in and there's a bit of a look to Geoff with his gruff request, "Sure, coming right up." she tells him with a smile. She goes to tend to that request as Sutton comes up to the bar. There's a nod of her blonde head to the woman, "What can I get for you?" she asks her as she finishes pouring Geoff's pint and delivering it to him.

Geoff takes the pint and raises with with a sort of wry grin "Cheers." and then he is tipping it back to drink deeply from it before setting it down with a light clink. As Sutton settles on a stool not far from him he dips his head towards her in a friendly hello before sliding his phone back into his pocket "It's good that it's been getting slightly warmer. After this past winter I thought I was going to freeze my ass off."

Sutton thinks for a moment, reaching up to brush a chunk of highlighted hair out of her eyes, caramel locks tucked absently behind her ear. "What I really want is a Bourbon Hot Toddy, but I'll settle for a Crown Sidecar if you can do that." She flashes a bit of a wider smile. "Unless that's the sort of thing that'll get me kicked out of here." She glances around, obviously never having been into this particular establishment before. "If it's easier, Makers on the rocks. Bartender's choice. I'm not all that picky." She leans against the bar, on elbow propped onto it, and glances down the way as Geoff speaks. "Something's blooming that keeps making me sneeze, but I'll take it for warmth, no doubt."

Mariah gives a smile to Geoff, "Enjoy." she tells him as she settles one of those standard round cardboard coasters down so the pint doesn't make more rings on the bar. "Yeah, glad it's getting warmer. Means I can start opening windows." she chuckles. Then there's a look to Sutton and there's a nod at what she wants, "Sure. I can do that." she tells her with a smile. She then goes about making the woman a Crown sidecar and listening to conversation, "Yeah, allergies are killer this time of year here, just make sure to take something for it." she tells her. Then she's bringing the drink down to settle it in front of her, "And there we are." she nods to that.

Sutton rests her other elbow on the bar too, thumbs tucked into the holes in her sleeves. She laces her fingers and props her chin there. "I can't wait to open the windows." There's a dreamy little sigh at the end of that there. "I've only been here a few months. I didn't expect to be allergic to the spring here so quickly. Pharmacy is my next stop. First, I try to sweet-and-sour burn the allergies away." She sits up, slipping a hand free to reach over and turn the glass slightly. "Thanks. I'm Sutton, by the way." She glances over only briefly as Geoff rises to go do something manly elsewhere in the bar, and then her gaze returns to the bartender. "Salud." She lifts her glass briefly, then takes a sip. She puts it down with a soft thunk and mm-mms. "Thanks, love." There's the faintest of accents on that last word.

"The breeze gets nice here." Mariah states with a bit of a nod to that. "And yeah, if allergy meds don't work burning them out with liquor or chili might help." she chuckles. Then she gives a look to her, "Nice to meet you, Sutton. I'm Mariah. I own the place." she tells her. Then she's dusting the spot off where Geoff was sitting, making sure that it's clean in case someone else wants to sit there. There's a bit of a smile at the thanks and a dip of her head, "Where are you from originally?" she asks her.

"Hm, chili. I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to buy some peppers on the way home tonight." The brunette nods. "Yes, good." Sutton's fingers steeple her glass. She follows Mariah with her eyes, glancing away now and again to take in the rest of the bar. "Oh, Seattle. Born and raised." She gestures with one finger tipped off the rim of her glass. That does not, of course, explain that slight English accent flirting with the occasional word she speaks. "Lovely to meet you, Mariah." She lifts the glass briefly, then takes another sip. "It takes a while to find your place in a new town." She reaches up to adjust her aviators as they begin to slide out of her hair, then finally pulls them off and tosses them lightly to the bar top. "Are you from here?"

"The diner makes a good chili most times. I think a lot of people from here end up over there at some point for food." Mariah chuckles to that. "Never been to Seattle, but I hear it's a nice place." she smiles to that. "And yeah, sometimes it takes a little longer for people here. Some of the Townies get weird about newcomers, but they are getting few and far between." she tells her. Then there's a nod as she pours herself a water, "Yep, born and raised. Didn't even leave for college. Figured I needed to be here in case my parents ever murdered each other." she shrugs.

"Seattle is very nice, yes. My family's still there." Sutton raises her drink, ice clinking gently. "I think I went to the diner a few times, but usually go for pie, if it's the one I'm thinking of. I'll definitely branch out if that's recommendation." She gestures slightly with her drink. "I haven't had too much friction, but I understand that. It's not always easy adapting to change, especially when it comes walking into your home while you're minding your own." She laughs softly. "I had that thought about my parents a few times, but Dad wouldn't be able to catch Mum, and Mum couldn't ever choke out Dad with her bare hands, so they'll be just fine without me." She shakes her head, glancing down at the bar, amused. "So, I was renting from a lady outside of town, but she's converting the room for her kid, who's coming back from college. I need to find a new space. As a local in the know, do you happen to have any suggestions before I throw myself on the mercy of a realtor? I'm good with renting. I prefer it, really."

Mariah gives a smile to that, "Pie is a good reason to go. But the food is also good. One of the best places to get something greasy if you've been having a shitty day." she admits. "So what brings you to Gray Harbor? Just new scenery or a job?" she asks her. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to either." she adds. "As for places to rent, there's the Bayview Apartments, it's not the Ritz but it's your own place and space." she suggests. "Or if you're looking for a house there might be a few places to look at in the paper." she tells her.

"The job. I'm a paramedic." Sutton holds up that finger again, tipping it off her her glass. "I'm a paramedic, but working elsewhere in the city just now." She makes a sound that's not quite a hmm and not quite a sigh. What she's doing 'elsewhere in the city' she doesn't say, but that's probably because she's drinking. "Bayview." She nods. "I'll put that on the list. As for houses, that's a lot of upkeep without a roommate, but maybe I can find one. Some extra space without shared walls with three other units would be a bit luxurious." There's a bit of a lull in the conversation and she picks out a bit of citrus from the glass. "I'm going to take it as a personal challenge to make my way through the diner's entire menu before summer."

"Oh man." Mariah whispers. "Well, if you get a call for here I can tell you it's because we had to toss someone out or someone fell off their stool. No murders." she chuckles. "And yeah, Bayview is a nice place. Don't think you'll have much problem there." she smiles to that. While the lull is happening, she refills a few drinks and then there's a smile at Sutton's statement, "Hey, that's a good goal to have. I like the meatloaf personally." she mentions.

There's a smirk, finally, from Sutton, and she reaches up to hold her glass in front of her face for a moment, ducking her head. "If you have to call for me falling off of my stool, please don't mention my profession. Just chuck me in a Lyft and shoot me to the hospital. I'll definitely be fine." She finds this amusing for some reason, likely because it's happened before, if the crinkle of her eyes is anything to go by. She finishes off her drink and puts her empty glass down on the bar, ice shifting inside of it. "I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other, professionally for you or for me." She slides the glass over, and reaches into her pocket to pull out a couple of folded bills in small denominations. She peels off a ten and slides that across the bar as well.

"I promise I won't tell them you're a paramedic should that happen." Mariah tells her with a smile. "We have a few teachers that come in, have to keep everyones profession on the low sometimes." she adds. When she slides the ten over there's a smile and she takes it and puts it in the register, "Thank you for stopping in and we'll see you around. It was nice to meet you, Sutton." she tells her with a smile and a nod of her head.

Sutton gives Mariah a double thumbs up. "I'd catch shit for weeks for that, so thanks." She flashes another grin with a little laugh and sweeps her mirror shades off the bar. "Pleasure's mine, Mariah. Have a good one, yeah?" She flicks her shades open with one hand and retreats toward the door. "Good Sidecar!" With a flick of a wave she heads out, slipping her shades on just as she opens the door to find it raining outside. "... Aw, crap." Then she steps out anyway, and just as the door swings closed, a car whizzes past through a huge puddle. Sploosh! "COME ON!" That may be heard inside, but it might not.