San Diego - TJ & Havelock

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

San Diego was one of the nicer cities around, a good place with generally good people. Those who lived there were expected to follow the local religion, but they were tolerant of visitors who weren't standing in the streets denouncing it.

More importantly, to TJ, they had great festivals. Since there were so many resources around the city (and it was big enough to call itself a city, even if only barely) they had time for plenty of leisure activities. Activities like, say, a theatre company.

With Clarice on kid-duty, and no jobs immediately pulling them from the caravan, TJ managed to find a Space who could get her and Havelock out to the West Coast to take in one of the San Diego festivals, and a play.

This early in the day, though, there were booths of pretty fabric, fresh foods, fair foods, fortune-tellers, entertainers, games...just about anything one could ask from a festival!

TJ got some looks, of course she did, but since the majority of the people from San Diego recognized her the majority of strangers went with weird, but not dangerous and she was able to move around freely.

Comments

[calm_havelock]

Havelock had never been to a big festival like this, at least not for fun, and he was looking around curiously while still sticking close to TJ. He followed her lead, looking around at things she pointed out, and asked the occasional question such as are you sure you should eat that? and I think that thing is going to eat me.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

TJ kept one of his elbows firmly in hand and answered his questions as they deserved. Sometimes, though, the answer was, "No, no, this is a traditional Katzu food! It's for you to try!" and holding whatever it was out to him. She understood the limits of her metabolism (sometimes she ignored them, but she did understand them)!

"The main event is actually the play they're doing tonight, of course, it's supposed to be adapted from a history book on the founding of Canada I guess? I'm not really sure, but it's new and should be fun! We've got until dark to do other things, though...what do you want to look at?"

[calm_havelock]

He tried nearly everything she offered to him, though occasionally with a face and feigned trepidation.

I don't know. You're the one with all the knowledge. I'm just along for the ride. He grinned. Like always.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"Bah." she said, reaching up to brush his face with her fingers lightly, "It's supposed to be fun...there's things to do, and see, and listen to!"

[calm_havelock]

He reached out and tapped her forehead. It's fun. I'm having fun. I don't know anything about festivals though. Not big ones.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

She wrinkled her nose at him, "Well...hmmm. Are you hungry?" even though she'd been pushing food at him? "Or in the mood to sit and listen to something? Or do you want to play games?" She didn't even suggest the animals, and had kept them wandering away from that section of the fair.

[calm_havelock]

The last thing Havelock needed was to be around livestock. You've been fattening me up all day. At this rate, I won't be able to ride Bouy anymore, he teased.

What games do you play?

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

She laughed. Buoy could hold him! Easily! Even if he did somehow get fat. "Well, I'm pretty good at the throwing games, and not great at the guessing games. If you wanted to guess things, though, I can be your voice."

[calm_havelock]

Hey, it could happen with all the stuff she was passing off to him today! I'm probably not good either, but I'd like to see you throw stuff?

He frowned. I don't think that came out right.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"Eh, I knew what you meant." she hooked her arm back around his elbow and started looking for the throwing booths, darts, knives, feathers, balls...all kinds of things to throw into other things for a chance at winning even more things. "Let me know if something looks worth winning."

[calm_havelock]

What would you do with most of this stuff? A lot of the prizes seemed ... strange. Stuffed toys mostly, but others had bits of clothes or toys or even food. What was with all of the food?

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"Well...some of the toys would be good for the kids." Her kids, her sister's kids, or just generally kids in the caravan; they passed things along. "Some of the clothing is really bright and pretty, they've got different dyes and different styles out here than back home and people might enjoy those as gifts. Food is obviously for eating! Decorations are fun to put in the vardo."

As though their little wagon, with it's bright colours and carvings, really needed decoration.

[calm_havelock]

Havelock smiled a bit. Does the wagon need more decorations? he teased.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"The wagon," TJ replied with a laugh, "always needs more decoration. That's part of the fun!"

[calm_havelock]

Havelock's shoulders shook in his own silent laughter. One day, it won't move for the decorations.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"Bah. Then we just give things away until it's plain and start over again." She was laughing as well, of course, and figured she'd done good to get him laughing at all.

[calm_havelock]

Seems like too much work. He made a face at the thought.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"Not if you do it in little bits." She disagreed, leaning her head against his arm.

[calm_havelock]

He looked down at her and smiled slightly. Do you do anything in little bits?

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

"Hmmmm." She thought about it. And thought about it, and eventually said, "You got me there. No. I'm not really a little-bits person."

[calm_havelock]

He shifted to put his arm around her, signing over her shoulder.

I thought not. Havelock's smile is warm though.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

She snuggled up against him, "Good thing I have you around, huh? Clarice and I are horrible at paring things down."

[calm_havelock]

Now if only I could learn to say no to you both, he teased. We would be an unstoppable team.

[ex_noteasytobeblue307]

She laughed out loud, "Yeah, that would be pretty awesome. We could rule, I don't know. Kansas?"

[calm_havelock]

You would go crazy in Kansas.