2019-11-15 - A Study Break At The Coffee Shop

It's around lunch time as Devlin is drinking coffee and studying a few manuals. Some of them are for teaching various advanced first aide courses and there are a couple of Washington State EMS manuals next to those. The remains of unidentified muffins attest to the concept he may have been snacking as he studies here.

Morrigan's bundled up in her SAR jacket as she heads into get some coffee and maybe breakfast. The red head hadn't really planned that well ahead. But she wanted something warm before she got going. She places her order at the counter and then clears the way for others, though she keeps giving Devlin's books a curious once over when he's not looking.

Devlin really has not been looking around, yet good guess he's aware as people draw near to him and move along. He takes a long sip of his coffee and pushes the current book aside. "Glad I don't have to take the classes, just be ready for the tests," his words not really directed to anyone just to himself really. He takes a breath, "Pain in the ass..." He pauses and stretches some in his chair.

It's rumored around GHFD that Bennie Oakes runs purely on sunshine, but during the fall and winter months in Washington that's in short supply. So what do you do? Supplement with coffee, of course. She's swept into the Espresso Yourself with a particularly stiff gust of wind that has her pawing blonde locks out of her eyes and giving a rather dramatic, "Phew!" As if she's just escaped the jaws of some monster instead of just the weather. There's a few bouncing steps taken to the counter which she then proceeds to drape herself over in a mock death throe. "Mochaccino, extra shot, or I may DIE."

"Sorry to interrupt." Morrigan states as she gives a smile to Devlin, "But what are you studying for?" she asks him quietly. "I have to study for a lot of certs and I help people with studying for theirs." she offers with a nod of her head.

Devlin looks over, "Hello. Just state EMS certifications. Seems some bureaucrats feel that wavers are inappropriate in my case, in spite of my background and experience." He sighs a little, "Can't say that I blame them too much. At least I do not have to retake classes, just pass the exams." He ohs.. "my apologies, I'm Devlin." He offers a hand as he mentions, "Plenty of room at the table if you want to pull up a chair. So far they have been nice enough to let me study here rather than in a hotel room."

Bennie stays splayed out like that - thank goodness there isn't a line - until a mug is pressed into her hand. She immediately pops up with a brilliant smile and a, "Thanks! You're a peach." Before turning to find a table. Unfortunately for Devlin and Morrigan, she hones in on them as a familiar face and a familiar jacket. "New guy!" She declares before folding herself into an adjacent seat. Literally folding herself, because one leg comes up so she can sit on the foot, and the other drawn up into the chair where she hugs around the knee with a two handed grip of her mug. "What is the actual haps, my people." Maybe she didn't need that extra shot after all.

Morrigan gives a smile and then reaches out to shake Devlin's hand, "I'm Morrigan. Nice to meet you, Devlin." she offers with a smile. "And I'm guessing you're new around here." she chuckles as she looks to Bennie. She gives a dip of her head and takes a seat. "Not much. Just getting coffee before hitting a few errands." she states.

Devlin smiles a bit to the both of you, "Good to actually meet people rather than the rushed walk through meet, greet... run routine as they juggled me between supervisors to see if I was up to their snuff." He takes another sip of his coffee. "New to here..but not new to the game. I have a bit of time as a 68 Whiskey under my belt and a few tours."

"Bennie. I mean, that's my name. Not like I know what else you'd mistake it for." She wiggles in her seat in anticipation of her drink cooling off enough to sip. "As soon as you pass the exams you're totally going to be the new bitch though. Which means the scapegoat for all the missing donuts from the Pee-Dee." She grins, no vehemence behind the words. "Morrigan, what do you do with Search and Rescue? Tell me you have one of those dogs that can smell, like, a hair brush and track down a missing person a zillion miles away."

"Yeah, the juggling sucks." Morrigan states with a nod to that. "And hopefully the guys won't haze you too much." she muses to that. She then gives a look to Bennie and there's a head shake, "No. I'm not a dog handler. I'm a rescue diver and swimmer. I teach the classes for the new SAR people as well." she tells her. "My general call outs are finding corpses and that mess." she adds.

There is a bit of a shrug from Devlin in responce, "New yes.. Cherry.. " He emphatically states, "NO." He gets this evil grin, "No.. don't think I will be blamed for donuts going missing.. if I prank, I do better than that. After all, as a medic from the Eighty-Second Airborne from the five oh four... there is a reputation to uphold." He chuckles some over his coffee before taking another sip. "Twelve years active duty, four tours going to both Iraq and Afghanistan."

Bennie is sitting near Morrigan and Devlin, the latter with a smattering of books and related paraphernalia of studying. "Corpse recovery. Neat!" But then again, you have to have a certain morbidity to work EMS, so perhaps the enthusiasm can be excused. "I've recently been reading about the effects of Lyme and the human tissue." Okay maybe not quite so excusable. "Oh, the donuts aren't the prank, those are just snacks. The glitter bombs and the desk drawers glued shut. Those are the pranks. Army! My brother was a PFC and I'm dating a Marine." She bounces from topic to topic without taking much of a breath between.

"I need to step out and take this call. Apologies to you both." Morigan states as she stands. "Good luck with the studying, Devlin." she states with a quick smile as she heads out.

"Have a good day," Devlin says to Morrigan. He then turns his attention to Bennie, "What unit was your brother with?" Devlin inquires. He gets this smile, "I will refrain from the usual marine jokes and the fun that can entail." He then winks, "I know better pranks.. I was quite a pain to some when I was a private.."

Bennie raises a finger to give a little inch worm wave to Morrigan in parting, finally daring to test a drink of her coffee. Her tongue pads at her upper lip after the sip, "172nd Infantry Brigade. Najaf, Operation Iraqi Freedom and please feel free to direct all Marine digs to Easton Marshall, care of his loving Bennie." Her bright eyes darken a bit, but caused by which subject matter is a toss up. "Mm. Tell me some of your best?"

Devlin is over at a table with Bennie talking over coffee. There are more books by him, that good guess he has been studying on his certifications still. He nods to Bennie, "Did time both in Iraq and Afghanistan.. my Arabic is good enough to get by on. My Dari.. well, don't know enough to get slapped and have a male relative hunt me down for the insults.." He chuckles, "Oh, one of my best was after this El Tee asked me to get him a box of grid squares.. I stole his maps of the post. Cut each one up on the grid lines. Used staple boxes that I relabeled as a box of grid squares for a specific map and gave him the boxes." He gets this GRIN.. "You should have heard the shit storm teasing he caught from just about everyone Ee six and above."

Bennie is grinning brightly at the story, but one of her eyes pinches up. "I think that's one of the 'you'd have to have served' to get it type of pranks, isn't it?" But she still gives a light almost musical bit of laughter at the end of the words to show that it was appreciated, even if it flew over her little blonde head.

Hera strolls into the coffee shop and pauses to take in the smell of the coffee. "Ah caffeine, the joy that kills." she remarks then looks over to a familiar face. "Hi there" she pauses to note the books and says, "Still studying hard, I assume cousin? Or well, hardly studying? The first one is the better option."

Devlin looks over, "Hi Hera.." He then introduces, "Hera, this is Bennie. She is part of the EMS team here in Gray Harbor." He then nods to Bennie, "Yeah.. but if I was at the hotel room I could show you a military map.. you'd get it then. But if you share that with your brother word for word.. bet you have him rolling."

Devlin says, "And Bennie, my newly discovered second cousin, Hera.. little of a long story there.. may be short really"

Bennie directs that same wide smile to Hera as she's introduced, "Hiya! Devlin here was just telling me about pranks he pulled in the Army." Her attention goes back to him, fingers curled to her mouth to cover a snicker at the mention of a show and tell to explain things but something about the last bit has has her smile threatening to falter but it remains resolutely in place. "I'm sure he would've. Will you excuse me? I totally need to take this to-go." She unfolds herself from the chair, hiking up the strap of her purse. Only when she turns her face away does her cheerful expression crack.

Hera looks over at the lively woman and offers her hand, "Oh hello." she greets, "Nice to meet you. I'm still somewhat new to this area. You don't have to go mind you. I just felt a need to get some fresh air. My new place still has a bit of a paint smell. Good to smell a coffee house for a change. Besides, you may need to convince my cousin not to study so hard."

It takes a moment to register for Devlin. "I'm sorry,.. I didn't know, Bennie." Yeah.. he even shrinks a bit in his chair. "Please stay and I'll change the subject. But know this.. if you need to talk, I'll listen." Not even sipping his coffee there... wow

The smile immediately reblooms on Bennie's face as she looks back to them both, taking the offered hand shake from Hera and returning it enthusiastically. "Oh, don't be silly. I'm just late for the diner. We have good coffee, don't me wrong, but sometimes a girl needs to treat herself to something fancy." Directs the next to Hera, "Don't worry, once he joins the station proper, we'll have him slacking off in no time."

Hera smirks a little and moves to take a seat near the two. "Sometimes slacking off can be good, I might need to do that more often myself. Too much work and, not enough time, then there's not enough time again. It was nice to meet you though."

Devlin is relieved, "Bennie.. you had me going there. Have a good shift." He finishes his coffee. "Time for a refill. Have a seat Hera. So your place is just down the strip here?"

"Totally great to meet you too!" Bennie says in a sing-song voice, already on her way to the door now. "I know, I'm such a stinker." She calls back to Devlin, setting her mug down on the counter without bothering to take a cardboard cup for the rest. "See you around!"

Hera nods to that and says, "Yes, actually, it's not too far away, not far at all. I hope to get my alcohol license soon so I can treat clients to a glass of wine or two, making the art all the more interesting you know." she looks back to the books again and says, "Sorry, didn't mean to make an awkward statement or anything just, I know what it's like to study too hard."

Devlin says, "Just frustrated is all.. another guy like me would be wavered. And I end up having to take exams.." He takes a breath, "I swear that damn Senator's bull shit is still messing with me. Leaving California still does not escape his reach.. initially." He sighs as he gets up for a refill, "You good?" he points to the coffee, "I can get you something."

Hera puts down her credit card on the table and nods, "A cup wouldn't hurt, even if it's later than I should have caffeine. It's tough and all though, but." she smiles as she tries to offer support, "Just keep in mind, this will make you much better than the other guys."

Devlin shrugs as he gets a refill for his coffee and one fresh coffee for you. "I'll live.. just won't enjoy it." He manages a smile. "So how are things with you.. and what got you into Art?" He attempts to steer things your way, perhaps to take his mind off the books.

Hera smiles a little and replies, "Oh, it helped me define myself. Gave me an escape, gave me a purpose. I could create such beautiful things and find a true nack for it. Better escape than drugs that's for sure. For somethings too, you have a calling and all. I think that was mine. Finding like minded people, now that's the challenge."

Devlin returns to the table and hands you your coffee.. accompanied with packets of sugar and little tubs of cream. "So what inspires your art?" Yeah.. he's read the 101 for some questions. "And what kind of art are you into?"

Hera shrugs and says, "It all depends. I guess initially what inspired it was, finding serenity, peace, a distraction from the pain. Then, it kinda stuck with me. I started out sketching on the streets, then, strange enough, I got into pottery. A bit of a stretch yes, but those are my special areas I think. As far as what inspires me now, maybe solitude."

Devlin nods, "I've noticed that there is not a lack of solitude out in the woods. Taken a few walks.. been looking for game trails for bow season."

Hera says, "I guess I never thought much about spending time in the woods. It could be a good place to go and all, a good place to find comfort. But, I don't know. I guess I'm more of a city girl than I need to be."

Devlin nods, "Just an idea is all. I learned to find solitude in a barracks full of people being themselves.. and yes, noisy." He smiles, "Just one of those have to have served to understand things I guess. Well, I should return to to my studies." He gets up to perhaps offer a hug.. but doesn't move his arms.. may be letting you take the lead.

Hera stands up and offers a hug in return, "Thank you for the chat, come by Vivid Dreams sometime. Would be good to have someone drop in who isn't looking for a paycheck. Who knows, maybe I will make you get your hands dirty or something."

Devlin hugs back, "Ok. See you later."