2019-05-26 - The Books are Judging You

It's a chilly spring night and there is a steady rain outside as Tobin ducks into Espresso Yourself in search of some coffee and a little bit of warmth to get the damp out of his hair and clothes. He smiles at the young woman behind the counter and says "Hey Jill, can I get a mocha and one of those chocolate croissants?" He rubs his hands together and blows into them, warming them up.

Raf already had the same idea, his jacket is thrown over the back of one of the chairs where he sits at a table, a steaming cup of some coffee drink in front of him as well as a plate with half a scone left sitting on it. He has a worn book in his hands, one that looks like it's been read a few times, and he sits somewhere in the middle of the pages. His eyes are only lightly scanning the pages though, as he looks up when he hears someone entering, eyes following the man for a moment.

Tobin waits up at the counter for his coffee and his pastry after paying his bill, and then carries both over toward a table. He settles in at the table next to Raf's and glances over, giving him a smile, and then looking toward the book, out of habit scanning to see what the title is as he tears his croissant in half.

Raf might be paying more attention to Tobin at the moment then to his book, as when the other man tries to get a look at the title, he holds it up where he can see it easily. 'Black Sun Rising

Raf might be paying more attention to Tobin at the moment then to his book, as when the other man tries to get a look at the title, he holds it up where he can see it easily. 'Black Sun Rising'. He shrugs and lowers the book back to his lap. "It's the fourth time I've read it." He admits without a hint of shame. "I buy new books and keep rereading the old ones." He picks up his coffee for a sip, eyes lingering on Tobin.

Tobin reads the title when it's held up and then briefly smiles a little sheepishly, "Sorry, nosey. Habit. I rarely re-read books, though not because I don't like them. There's always something new I want to read. I have such a long list of stuff built up. I don't think I'll ever get through all of it. And every month Prime gives me a new one for free." He smiles, meeting Raf's eyes for a moment or two and then looking down at his pastry.

"Sometimes it's nice to re-read, you pick up details you didn't notice last time. Lets you see how the author was thinking." Raf laughs softly then shakes his head as he reaches over to grab a bit of scone off of his plate, popping it in his mouth. "I feel bad enough with my pile of books yet to read, I don't need someone adding a new one every month."

Tobin considers that and says, "Yeah, I could see that. I think there are some that I read when I was younger that I might get more out of now that I'm older." He plucks a bit of the pastry and ches on it thoughtfully then nods, chuckling a little. "It's awful. I feel compelled to pick something and add it to the list because the choices are there, and some of them look interesting, like I will get to them sometime."

Rafael snorts. "Or I'll just build myself a fort out of unread books, hide in it and surround myself in my shame." He flips the book over on his leg, staring sideways at Tobin to see if his chating is bothering the man at all. Covering the look by munching away on another bit of scone. He washes that bite down with a swig of coffee as his eyes flick away.

Tobin can't help but laugh a little bit at that and says, "At least most of mine are digital. They won't all fall on me and smother me in the night." He says, "Book fort doesn't sound that bad, though." The conversation doesn't seem to be bothering him. To the contrary, he smiles over at Raf as he picks up his own coffee and takes a sip from it. Then he says, "Tobin, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"I have a e-reader, but I only use it traveling. I need to feel paper in my hands, I guess it's some weird tactile thing." Raf laughs as he wiggles his fingers. "Maybe I should use it more so I don't have that physical pile of unread books staring at me at night." He shakes his head, then fixes Tobin with a grin. "Raf."

"Do they watch you disapprovingly, wondering why you are going to bed when you should be curling up with them instead?" Tobin asks with a little bit of a grin. "I mean, I like paper books just fine. I have a number of them. Just lately, I find myself getting most of them electronically." He takes another bite of the pastry and says, after he finishes chewing, "If either oen of them falls overboard, I'm kind of screwed. Though if the kindle falls in, I can at least re-download the books."

"I think it's less disapproving stares and more silent judging." Raf states with a shake of his head. "Like a cat. It's not looking at you but you can tell it's not approving of your life choices. The correct life choice being picking it up and giving it attention. True for both the book and the cat. Well, sometimes the cat." He rubs the back of his neck and smirks. "Overboard? On boats a lot then, or just a figure of speech?"

"I run a boat tour company here in town," Tobin says, explaining the overboard. "I spend a lot of time out on the water, piloting the boats, giving the tours, that sort of thing." He smiles then and says, "Sounds like you speak from experience, on both counts. Do you have a cat?" He takes another sip from his cup, then sets it to the side to tear off another hunk of pastry.

"Not right now. Used to have one when I was a kid. Maybe if I'm sure I'll be in town for a while I'll get one." Raf dogears his spot in his book and closes it to set on the table, then occupies his hands with his coffee. "Boats, huh?" He arches a brow slightly. "I mean, other than the occasional ferry, not something I've really done myself. Mabe I should take advantage of being in a little seaside town."

"Figured you were new in town," Tobin says with a little sidelong smile. "It's not a really big town and I've grown up here all my life, so I've at least seen most of the folks who have been here a while." He pauses for a moment and then says, "And I'd have remembered you." He then quickly says, "If you stick around here for a while, you'll eventually get bored to tears and end up on a boat just for lack of anything better to do."

"Is there some sort of outsider smell I give off? I don't know, I've never done this small town thing before." Raf looks towards the door then back to Tobin. "It's a cute town, I mean, it'll take some getting used to, but I'm having trouble sleeping without the sound of traffic outside my window. The occasional siren piercing the night. The upstairs neighbors yelling at each other about their adulterous affairs. You know.. city sounds." He arches an eyebrow. "Remembered me, huh? Is it the hair? I bet it's the hair."

"No, but after a while if you're here long enough you'll start to see, that you notice when someone new comes into town," Tobin says with a slight shrug of his shoulders and a little bit of a smile. He finishes off the remainder of his pastry and wipes off his fingers and mouth before settling back in his chair just a little bit. "Yeah, it can be quiet here at night most of the time. Maybe you need one of those noise machines that plays city sounds when you try to sleep." He glances down at his cup of coffee and says, "Definitely the hair."

"That might take a while for me." Raf takes a slow sip of coffee, laughing with a shake of his head afterwards. "I'll get used to the quiet, I'm sure. And city noise machine doesn't sound like a hot seller on Amazon. And those ambient river or oceans ones.. Well.. water noises are dangerous. I don't know how people do that, but you've probably slept on a boat though. So I guess some people can."

"Oh they have apps on your phone that'll do it," Tobin sasy when he mentions the city noise machine. "For people who are used to sleeping in cities. It's definitely a thing." He does laugh then and says, "Well my place isn't far from the water, so I'm used to seaside noises, and then yeah, I've slept on the boat. I'm pretty accustomed to water noises."

"Of course there's an app, there's always an app." Raf shakes his head and leans back in his chair. "I guess that's just one of those things I'll have to get used to. Water noises in the night always meant rain or a leaky pipe." He grits his teeth in a grimace and picks up the last of his scone to pop in his mouth. "Any recommendations on places to rent? I'm actually holed up in a hotel room and need to set up somewhere, get my stuff out of storage."

"Depends on what you're looking for," Tobin says when Raf mentions looking for a place to stay. "My buddy Byron owns some apartments down by the water if you're looking for something nice. If you're looking for something a little less pricey, there's some apartemnts here downtown that aren't too bad, or you can actually rent entire houses here for not too much, little cottages by the water, that sort of thing."

"Might have to check out those cottages, I need a work space and a teaching spacde." Raf rubs chin. "I, uh, teach piano. Not really great for making a stable living either." He smiles but it comes with a bit of a wince. "Expecting I'll need to get a job on the side, had to back in New York, too. So not much of a surprise there."

"We pretty much barely make enough to stay in the black and pay everyone," Tobin admits with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Boats are a money pit, and while the tourist season is longer here because we don't really get snow -- the off season is pretty lean. I've been able to do alright, but every year, it's pretty much white knuckling it until the season starts up again." He leans forward, resting his arms on his tables and says, "Oh, piano, that's awesome. I've always wanted to learn."

"As someone who usually relies on having to teach kids that don't want to learn but mommy thinks it's important they learn some music, I can understand. School year starts and I get sign ups, then start to lose them before summer. Only get a few that carry on." Raf watches Tobin for a moment and nods, taking a sip of coffee. "Well, maybe I can give you a lesson or two once my piano is out of storage. Electronic keyboard in my hotel room is not a great learning experience."

"Well, tell you what, as soon as you get your piano out of storage and get set up, I'll sign up to be one of your first students. So, see, you've already got a start," Tobin says as he watches Raf. "I can wait until the piano is out of storage. And you're welcome to come out on the boat on one of the tours if you get bored while waiting and need something to do." He pauses for a moment and then furrows his brow, "Though I'm currently taking a week off. So maybe after that."

"Maybe after that. Hopefully I don't get sick on the water. The ferry never bothered me, but.." Raf shrugs. "The things we find out about ourselves." He drains the last of his coffee and sets the cup on the table. "Besides, I've got a few things to take care of this week. Finding a place only being one thing on the list. The joys of moving. It's a pain in the ass. I can't recommend it."

Tobin's lips tic upwars a little bit at the eges and he says, "I wouldn't know. I live in the same house I grew up in and haven't really traveled much at all, well, .." He pauses, considers, and then doesn't entirely amend that statement. "But I hear it's a pain. If you need any help with anything.. hauling boxes, whatever, let me know? I mean, unless you've already got friends and stuff out here. I shouldn't just assume. But if you need help with stuff." He reaches into his wallet and pulls out a card for the Gray Harbor Boat Tours and nabs a pen from the next table over where someone left it with the check. He writes his cell on it, and he hands it over to Raf.

Raf shakes his head. "No, I, uh, kind of came out here on a whim. Maybe looking for a fresh start somewhere." He snorts. "Gawd, that makes me sound awful, doesn't it? Like I'm.." He shakes his head again and takes the proferred card. Reaching into his pocket he taps in the number and shoots off a quick text, a little smile emoji so Tobin has his number as well.

Tobin feels his phone buzz in his pocket and knows what it is, grinning a bit. "Thanks." Then he shakes his head and says, "You'd actually be surprised. There's quite a few people who just kind of turn up here just because. It's that sort of a place." He tries not to make that sound too ominous, though he looks down at teh table as he says it, tracing a small pattern with his fingertip on the surface.

Rafael runs a hand through his hair then shakes his head. "Eh, maybe I wouldn't. When you've seen a guy standing on the street corner, pantsless, proclaiming the end of days you just sort of learn to accept weird." He looks at the door. "I mean, it's a cute little town. But I already said that, didn't I?" He squints then stands up and reaches for his jacket. "So what if the town catches a few people now and then. But, I should be getting back."

Tobin looks like he's about to say something else and then apparently thinks better of it, at least for the moment, and then nods in agreement, "Yeah, that is pretty weird." Not nearly as weird as his week, but that's a story for another time. He watches as Rafael gets up to go and says, "It was nice meeting you, Raf. Welcome to Gray Harbor, and safe trip back to your hotel."

"It was good meeting you, too, Tobin." Raf heads towards the door, then stops and turn around. "You know, you don't have to wait the week either. I wouldn't mind getting coffee or something if you're free some time." He gives a little pause, but doesn't quite wait for a reaction or an answer before he turns to head out the door. Definitely wanting to be away if he misjudged.

Tobin is still watching Raf when he gets to the door, and so there's the slightest embarassed look when Raf suddenly turns around and sees him watching. But the invitation draws a smile from him and he's about to answer, but then Raf is heading out the door. He pauses for a moment, then pulls out his phone, and texts back to his number. "I'm off all week. Definitely coffee. Maybe the festival in the park. Introduce you to some local customs." He follows it up with a couple of coffee emojis and a smiley, then tucks the phone in his pocket, a little grin on his lips.