2020-01-08 - A Winter Walk

It was winter! It was freezing! But dogs still needed walking. Kelsey decided just walking down Elm street would suffice for a walk today so that's what she was doing. Wishbone leading the way, Kelsey walked down Elm Street at a mostly casual pace. She was wearing a pair of dark jeans with a thick wool sweater and a pair of ear muffs. Wishbone was loving every second of the snow and there were many pauses to roll around and jump in it.

Jaime pulls up into the drive outside of the Kelly House and gets out of the delivery truck that he'd been driving around all day. His own beat up truck was parked along the street in the muck and mud and grossness that was Elm Street, cold and soggy. He locks up the delivery van and makes his way around it, shoving the keys in his pocket. It's then that he notices Kelsey walking along with Wishbone and says, "Hey. Long time no see, stranger. How's it going?"

New Person!

Wishbone hasn't met Jaime yet, and he just loves new people. So he all but tries to drag Kelsey closer to the man as he appears. It's no easy feat keeping the puppy back since he's growing so big but Kels manages to keep him more or less at bay. With a laugh, she gives Jaime a wave with her free hand. "Heya. Yeah it's going - been holed up a bit more than usual with the cold and all. How 'bout you?" Wishbone is furiously wagging his tail, looking up at Jaime with wide 'pet me' eyes.

Jaime grins as the dog tries to drag Kelsey bodily down the street, and he wanders over, crouching down to reach out and indulge the pup by scritching him heartily behind the ears and patting his head and back. "Hey there," he greets the dog. "You're a friendly one, eh?" He gives the dog a few pats and looks up at Kelsey. "Yeah, whole neighborhood's a fucking mess. Way to start off the new year, eh? Guess he's still gotta get out and run around a bit though or go nuts inside." He grins at the dog and then asks "What's his name?"

Wishbone panted happily at the scritches and Kelsey chuckled, watching for a moment. Then she looked around a moment - nodding. "This neighborhood's always a mess." Musing, flashing a grin. "But yeah, especially cause we're just about last on the totem pole of priority. He can only run around the yard so much before it bores him. He's almost gettin' too big for the damn thing." Kelsey leaned down to give Wishbone a bit of scritches too or a moment. "This is Wishbone! We'll probably pick up his brother on the walk back so they can have a sleep over."

That much is true enough. The neighborhood is always some degree or another of disaster, but at least in the dryer months it's a dry disaster with some leaves to cover up the grossness. "Oh yeah? Where's his brother?" Jaime asks, glancing around. "Joey got a dog recently." He has no idea what the dog's name even is, just that he knows Joey got one and it's been around. But he's been out driving too much to have spent much time with it. "Jess thinks its the best thing ever."

"Oh yeah? What kind?" Asking about Joey's dog. "They are the best thing ever. It's great having another body in the house." Kelsey agreed. "With Garrett. He was torn between two dogs and well I was also having difficulty saying no. So he has one and have joint custody of the other." Kelsey laughed. "He's an adorable bull dog mix named Edgar."

Jaime grins at that and says, "Joint dog custody eh?" Then he laughs, "Oh, Garrett, huh? You know we're in a band together, right?" He continues to pat the dog for a bit longer and then pulls himself up to his feet, taking a step back so that he can straighten, and sliding his hands into his pockets.

"Oh nice! I don't think I did. I mean, I knew he was in a band but I don't really know who all is in it. Well I guess Sparrow is in it too I think. Haven't met her yet but I've heard a lot." Kelsey nodded. "Maybe I can hear you guys play some time! Is it just the three a you or are there more?" She asked curiously, quirking a brow. "And yeah, it works out pretty well so far."

"Yep, Sparrow is our drummer. I play guitar and sing, and he plays bass. I mean, we all sing, but somehow I got designated the singer," Jaime chuckles with a little shrug. It wasn't intended to be that way in the beginning, anyway. "Sure, don't see why you couldn't. I know we're going to audition to maybe play at Two if by Sea from time to time. If we get the gig, you should come and check us out."

"Sounds like fun. I can always appreciate good music." Kelsey chuckled. "I'll definitely check you guys out if you get the gig." She loosened her hold a bit on Wishbone's leash now that he had calmed down some. "Maybe I'll even swing by for the audition if it's an open one. You guys doing all original songs, covers, mix?"

"A mix right now, mostly covers, but I've written a couple of songs that we need to practice and try out," Jaime says as he rocks a little bit on his work boots, comfortable despite the chill in the air. "What about you? What's new with you lately? Other than the recent parenthood?" He grins over at Wishbone.

"Pretty neat. Can't wait to hear it." Kelsey flashed a smile. "Uh, well. Not a whole lot. I dunno if the last time we talked was before or after my arm go mangled but that happened and it's more or less healed up now." She wiggled her three-fingered hand. "Otherwise just been working on writing different articles and playing my video games. Oh and I tasked Sparrow - via Garrett - to find someone for me so we can do a double date some time." She laughed.

"Oh shit," Jaime says, not having noticed that Kelsey even /had/ a three-fingered hand, but then, that's because he wasn't looking for it. "What the hell happened?" He frowns, looking concerned. "I think last time I saw you was.. I dunno, in the early fall sometime? In the park, if I recall." Then he asks, "What sorta article? And what games?" Though he chuckles at her tasking Sparrow with finding her a date, "Oh yeah? And did she find someone?"

"Woodchipper." In that tone that said 'That's my story and I'm sticking to it' even if it was an unlikely story. "Yeah down by the lake I think." Kelsey agreed as for when they had last talked. "I write all kinds a things. These ones have been about some folklore from way back and I did do one article about the Firefly Forest. " Pushing back a few stray strands of hair. "I mostly play MOBAs. Like League of Legends and Overwatch. Things like that. It's a little trickier now but I've got a good handle on things." She mused and then shook her head. "I'm guessing not yet since I haven't heard anything from Garrett. BUT also it's been the holidays and stuff so I'm not too torn up about it."

Jaime smirks as she goes with Woodchipper as her story, but he takes the hint and doesn't press for more. Instead, he nods a little bit about the articles that she writes. "So like, old wive's tales and stuff like that?" he asks. "I've played League and Overwatch, but I don't have a whole lot of time around home to do it. And hotel wifi is shit for playing those sorts of games." Because he spends a lot of time on the road. He nods then, and says, "Yeah, everyone's been pretty busy with all the holiday stuff. We had folks over for both and tons of food and the whole nine. You're always welcome by for those things, by the way, if you feel like dropping in. We pretty much let the whole neighborhood drop in."

"Yeah basically. And urban legends - like Slenderman and all." Kelsey chuckled. "Hotel wi-fi is shit. If you ever are in town and feel like playing, I've got a few co-op games that I could set up or something. and I've got consoles and PC so can play that way too." She offered and gave a touch of a smile. "Thanks. I'll try to remember. I just tend to stay in still these days. But I'll keep my ears open for the next Kelly event." She promised. "So, how long you in town for this time?"

"I usually play on the PC," Jaime says, "But I'm not particularly good at it. I'd probably slow you down." He grins. "But if you want to play sometime, I'm down for it. You can watch me get my ass kicked horribly." Then he grins, "You should come out. Hang out. Sparrow came out to our last one. You'd know people there, I'm sure. I gotta tell Garrett he's welcome to drop by as well, since we're all neighbors and all." And he's in the band. "Couple of days, and then I have another couple of overnights, then back for another week."

Kelsey laughed. "Only way to learn is to get your ass kicked." She teased. "I'm always down to play. I haven't done too much lately but - yeah. That would be fun." She leans down to give Wishbone a few more pets. "I will. Promise. I know it's good to get out and socialize. I just get absorbed into things easily. Side tracked. Sometimes I forget it's better to have people around." She mused, straightening up again. "Passing through anywhere interesting this time around?"

"I mean, that's what I'm told. Either that, or Joey just likes to kick the shit out of me for fun," Jaime grins about his twin. "I spend a lot of time on the road in my own head. I like to see people when I'm actually at home and around town to spend time with them. Otherwise it's just texting from motel rooms, which can be entertaining, but.. you know.. not the same." He shakes his head when she asks if he's going through anywhere interesting, "Nah. Just a lot of empty highway."

"Oh I don't know about that." Kelsey flashed another grin. "An empty highway can be just as interesting as a busy city. Just depends on your perspective...and the location. A lot of inspiration can be found. Especially driving through deserts and like plain areas...old farm areas." She glanced off briefly, as if thinking about something and then focused back on Jaime. "Maybe one of these days I'll talk you in to letting me tag along for a ride. Just to get out of this town for a night or two. Maybe find some new inspiration for my writing."

"Sure, it can be, if it isn't the same empty highway you've driven over and over again. I mean, the highway itself. Though there's plenty of ways to enjoy the road either way, but as for passing through anywhere interesting? That's a different story," Jaime grins and then says, "You're welcome to come along sometime if you like. Everly's joined me once or twice, and I took Jess this summer before she had to go back to school." He pauses for a moment and then asks, "Want to come on my next one? You can make the highway less boring, and maybe point out any interesting bits I missed."

Kelsey thought it over for a moment and then nodded. "Sure. Why not. Sounds like a fun time. I'll put Garrett on dog sitting duty." Kelsey winked and then dug out her phone - handing it to him. "Probably helpful if you've got my number yeah? Put yours in and send off a text? Or I'll text you or something." She offered. "And yes, I'll certainly be happy to point out anything you might've missed on your ride. Last time I tried to go out of town alone was...not so great. So an accompanied overnight trip will probably do me good."

Jaime takes the offered phone and he pulls up a message and enters his own number, sending a text to himself that just says: Kelsey's number. Then he hands it back over to her. "There you go, now we're set." He grins and says, "My next run is in a couple of days, and it's from here to Seattle, Seattle to Boise, overnight in Boise, then Boise to Salt Lake. Can either stop in Salt Lake for the night or turn around back to Boise, night in Boise, and then back. So it's either a two day or a three day depending on whether you want to spend a night in Salt Lake or not."

"Never been to Salt Lake, so let's say that I do. But we'll figure it out when we're there." She grinned. "Anyway, I should get this not-so-little guy back home." She glances briefly at her phone screen before pocketing it. "It was nice chatting Jaime. I'm looking forward to the road trip."