2021-12-18 - Almost rude

Gail has a bundle of books in her arms as she moves through the library. Said bundle are a little awkward because it requires her to hang her cane over one arm and waddle without it's support.

It's fine though, because Gail is DETERMINED. She's going slow and deliberate with a broad smile on her face as she greets those she meets among the stacks.

The library's about the very last place one expects to find someone like Javier de la Vega. But, as it happens, he's here to return a book. A book on birds. It's encyclopedic looking, so he probably didn't just borrow it for the pictures, either. He's up at the front, digging around in his wallet for the library card that's gone missing while the librarian chatters away at him in some half-flustered attempt at flirtation. He's not too difficult to recognise, either, despite the battered baseball cap, leather jacket and snug black jeans halfheartedly crammed into scuffed boots.

"Well if it isn't Chief Javier Ruiz De La Vega," Gail proclaims as she draws near and just scoots up right next to him. She needs to dump her armful and the counter isn't so big. She does back away a pace after dumping through. "What brings you here my dear?"

Just going to cut right into that flirtation without even considering that's what she interrupted.

A glance, and then a little double-take from the cop, who manages a faltering attempt at a smile for Gail. It's crooked and a little toothy, like he'd forgotten for a moment that he were meant to be a man and not a wolf. "Señora Leigh," he rumbles low, finally digging out his library card. It's flipped over briefly so he can check to make sure it's actually his, before he slides it onto the counter. The girl behind the desk beams a smile at him, and glances between the two of them while she goes to run it through her system.

"Just, uh, books. You know." He shoves his hands into his pockets, and hikes his shoulders up to his ears. "What've you got there?" He hitches his chin toward her pile of stuff.

"I won't bite you dear," Gail replies to that hiking up of his shoulder, beaming at him as only a granny can. "Though I do believe I have a bit of a bone to pick with you." Mock severity there. Rather than answer his question she points at her books. 101 Things To Do Before You Die, Cell Phones for Dummies, How To Set Boundaries With Your Adult Children. It's all self-help kind of things.

"I have been informed that you are quite a good cook yourself. "

Bite him? He makes a funny face like, why would I be worried about you, of all people, biting me? and casts his eyes door-ward for a moment, before turning back to the older woman. "A bone to pick." He hasn't yet extracted his hands from his jeans pockets; his expression is wary.

And then the thing about the cooking pops out, and Javier seems confused. "Me? Oh, I don't know. I cook a little. Sometimes."

Gail levels a look at him (okay, she's looking up a bit) with an eyebrow arched upwards as he says that bit. "Now you tell me true. Were you just humoring an old woman in the store when you could have given me lessons. Don't be humble now - it's not becoming."

Also, there's a bit of a finger wiggle in there.

Grannies don't need to look down at you in order to pull off the granny stare. It's all about that eyebrow action and that wagging finger that just adds insult to injury.

Javier makes a soft, disgruntled sound as he shies away from that look, then extracts a hand from his pocket to snag his library card when it's handed back. And informed that he's got fines to pay. Out comes the wallet again, and the credit card. "I wouldn't call it humouring you," he murmurs to Gail. "I was, uh." He gestures to her with the card. "Being polite."

Right. Because polite is definitely a word people associate with the Chief of Police.

"And this would be why your Mr. Cavanaugh seemed quite confused at my question." Gail SIGHS at Ruiz. SIGHS and shakes her head. "There is much to be said for politeness, though."

She begins to dig through her canvas-embroidered bag for her own card. When she brings it out it looks very much like it came from another library altogether. First generation, thank you very much. "Ravn also mentioned your other fellow."

There's a slight furrowing of his brows when Joe's confusion is mentioned, but he doesn't ask for clarification. Instead, his focus is on the girl behind the desk for the time being, while he pays his fines.

"Ravn did, did he." He sounds amused by this. And perhaps a tetch awkward. His wallet's stuffed back into his jeans pocket, and he scratches at the bridge of his nose with an inked thumb. "I'm surprised you haven't met Rosencrantz on your own by now. He's the best mechanic in town." Javier turns back to regard the older woman again, with a brief glance at her card. "Introduce you some time, if you like. He's, uh.." Flamboyant?

"Yes- I am quite put out by the confusion. Imagine my embarrassment if I sent a Christmas card to one of your fellows and not the other." That is said with a hint of accusatory hiss. Ruiz almost caused her to be terribly impolite!

"Thank you dear," Gail says to the young woman when her card is taken. The numbers have to be put in manually though - any bar code that was one there has long been worn away by fingers. She's perfected the switch in mom-voice from chiding to being friendly. Years of practice.

Back to Ruiz, "That would be lovely. You are both welcome at my home any time, I do hope you know that. It is the least I could do for making sure those dreadful elves didn't hurt me. "

Of course he catches the subtle hint of accusation. Javier's likely done enough time in the gauntlet of extended Mexican family to know a guilt tripping old lady when he sees one. And he's got enough humility in him to look a little chastised by it. "My mistake," he murmurs, glancing away from her a little awkwardly. "You, uh. That's what we do in this town. Look out for each other, yeah?" He glances at his watch, and chuckles. "I'm sure Finch will want to join, too. It usually ends up being a bit of a zoo."

"That would be lovely! My granddaughter moved in with me recently and she could use some more people her age about." Said like Gail is setting up a play date for Gabriella.

The card is given back and the books put into a tote. "Now, is this address Joseph's or yours?" And she rattles one off for Ruiz to decide if it is his or Joseph's. "I need to know where to deliver the card."

Well, he's not actually put out yet, has he? His address, that is. So that one can't possibly be his. "Sounds like Cavanaugh's," replies the cop with a smile that's full of crow's feet. "But I'm sure he'll pass it on to me, when he gets it." He doesn't even bother commenting on Gabriella. Who's the same age as his kid.

A quick adjustment of his baseball cap instead, and he starts to ease away from the counter. "Que tenga un buen día, señora."

Gail firmly eyes Ruiz as he dodges that particular question again. But Granny knows when the question is being dodged. "I'll ask Ravn to drop it by for me. The mail is so unpredictable this close to the holiday."

That sounds like an attempt to say goodbye, so Gail does a polite, "You be well now, stay safe."

Gail gets a wink from the cop as he slouches off for the door, then disappears without another word.