Players:
Summary: While Mason plays guitar in Central Park, it draws a slight crowd which lingers even after he's gone.
Date: Monday, November 29, 2010. 11:49am.
Log Title: Central Park Performers
Rating: G
NYC - Central Park
Central Park is a large public park in upper Manhattan, largest areas of green with people reading, having a picnic, or playing Frisbee. Walking paths can be found all around the park. In-between the large area's of grass, the park is shadier with many trees. A large road circles the park where joggers, bicyclists, and inline skaters are commonly found.
It's not far from Jeremy that Mason has taken up a bench as well. He has an acoustic guitar, and he's just taking some time to chill out in the park. So far, no fans have noticed the pop star, which is fine by him. Then again, he's not known for playing classical guitar. A leather jacket covers whatever he might be wearing under it, with blue jeans over his legs, tucked up in a criss cross style on the bench. He hugs the guitar, finger picking away in a complicated and mellow melody.
July dislikes winter. She really does. It gets a tad harder to use her abilities, due to the cold. So the girl is wrapped in a thick, dark pink jacket and blue jeans, one gloved hand holding a cup of steaming coffee while the other remains hidden within her jacket's pocket, and her head is half-covered by the jacket's hood. She hears the music, hm?'ing a bit as she finds it familiar somehow, and starts drifting toward it, wanting to know who's playing.
Hearing the music, Jeremy sticks his cigarette in his mouth and fiddles around in his pockets till he pulls out some change and crumpled bills. He fiddles around till he pulls loose two dollars and walks over to Mason and drops the two bills in his case and offers the teen a small smile and nod. After all, he's been in a situation of asking for money for strangers so he decides to return the favour a bit. He goes to walk back to the bench where he was sitting when he spots July and gives the girl a small nod of acknowledgment.
Mason lowers his head, plucking away as he speeds up the melody. The song is actually one that he's known for, though not in this fashion. It's usually an upbeat dance song when he sings it, filled with heavy beats. But this is his original version, the one that the record company doesn't want on the album. He senses someone growing near, and looks up just as Jeremy tosses the bills into the case. "Oh," he says, realizing that he might look like he's playing for money. "Thanks, but I was just playin' for fun," he says. He continues to pluck away, though he slows a little as he speaks. "You don't gotta pay me." After all, he gets paid pretty well for his music already.
July comes around the corner just in time to see Jeremy dropping some money into Mason's guitar case, and she blinks. She recognizes the player, and tilts her head. 'Oh, how the mighty have fallen.' she thinks to herself, giggling softly. She then takes a sip of her coffee before heading toward them, "Nice going, Jeremy." the girl says, smirking.
Jeremy has been homeless the majority of the last three years so any newer musicians escape him so he just figured Mason was another Central Park musician. He just shrugs as Mason says he doesn't have to pay him and doesn't go get his money back, leaving it in the case. "Hey July, how've you been?"
Mason turns a little red with embarrassment. "I'm really not poor, mister," he says, stopping the song. He puts the guitar to the side, leaning it against the bench. "I'm…" he considers how to say it. "I'm pretty well off, actually. Save it for somebody who needs it more than me." He uncrosses his legs and bends over to pick up the dollars. The teen idol gets to his feet and takes them to Jeremy, offering them back.
July chuckles gently, "Hey, Jeremy. Either you committed a faux pax, Jeremy, or one of the most famous idol singers in pop music nowadays has suffered a might fall." she giggles a bit, and smiles to Mason. "Hello, Mr. Mason." the rubber girl says, nodding.
Jeremy takes the bills back very awkwardly with a gloved hand and looks a bit embarrassed. "Um…what?" He says to July as he doesn't know anything about recent pop idols. He looks at Mason and then looks at July and then back to Mason. "So..you're famous?" He asks kind of sounding, and looking, confused. "But..most people who play in the park are looking for a little..spare change."
Mason grimaces a little, "Mason Steele," he introduces himself, thankful for July's introduction of his fame. The hand offering the money back becomes one offering a handshake to each of the two. "Sorry, I didn't really think about what it might look like. I should've closed my case, I guess. Griffeth Park doesn't have people playing for money." The main park in Los Angeles county. Not as famous as Central Park. "And I'm not that famous," he says to July. "Well, I don't think I am. I don't get mobbed when I walk down the street at least." Not yet.
July grins softly at Mason as she shakes the man's hand, nodding, "Well, I'm glad you don't think so." the girl says, smiling softly, "And, well, while it's normal that whoever is playing in a park is looking for change, there are the people who play just for the kicks of the music." she hsrugs gently.
Jeremy shakes his head at July. "Not that many." Sure there are a few but most people in Central Park are panhandlers. "I've spent a lot of time in Central Park." He says as it's a good place to sleep in the summer. "Griffeth Park? And if you're well known..why are you just playing in the park on a cold day?
"It's kind of exotic!" Comes the eager response. "I always see it in movies. It never gets cold like this in LA. Thought I'd try it out." Of course, it's usually homeless people doing it in the movies, too. Mason picks up from the comment that Jeremy might be homeless himself. "It is a bit chilly. You two hungry? I can get us some food." He's not stingy with his own wealth. Especially after seeing such kindness from someone who doesn't have much himself. "What's your names?"
July chuckles softly, "Well, there ARE the oddballs out there." she shrugs gently, smiling still. At the offer of food, she nods, smiling, "Oh, I'd love to, Mr. Mason, if it's not gonna be a bother?"
Jeremy is always awkward about accepting handouts, especially now. "Um…I'm Jeremy." He says offering a gloved hand. "I wouldn't mind a bite to eat but I can pay for myself." After years of scaving for money it's kind of a pride thing paying for himself. "It can get colder out here, it's not even the really cold season yet." He says quietly and it's obvious there's a bit of shyness to the teen.
Mason offers a boyish smirk. "Please, you reminded me to give to others," he says to Jeremy. "We'll count it as payment for a good lesson. And I'm never bothered to pay for a beautiful lady," he answers to July. His brow arches behind his blond locks of hair. "There's some place around here called the Sweet Cafe," he says. "I've always thought it sounded pretty cool." He may not know that it's a rather expensive place to eat, but he doesn't seem concerned with that, either. He turns around to pick up his guitar, placing it back in the case and latching it shut.
July usually has a small internal struggle whether to accept or not an invitation for food, but not today. She quickly accepted it because she's low on cash, AND would give anything to get out of the cold. She smiles to Mason and bows gently, "Thank you, Mr. Mason." the girl says, giggling a bit. She decides to not go all out, though, and not drain all of the guy's money in a single day, too.
Jeremy seems to be having that internal struggle that July isn't as he tries to decide if he should take Mason up on his offer. He's not exactly the most trusting of guys. "There really wasn't a lesson learned but..I guess." He says shoving his hands in his pockets. "Thanks Mr. Steele. So..are you like..doing a concert here or something?"
Kalindi is on her usual 'patrol' around the city, just to make sure all of her culty operations are in order and keep her followers on their toes. Currently, she's wearing a warm looking sky blue jacket, which matches the colour of her backpack, and a pair of black ski pants. She hates cold days /so much/. Her baby pink mittened hands curl around the straps of the backpack, as if adding extra support. Given its size (and Kalindi's size), it's likely more of a burden than she should be carrying, but she does not seem especially concerned. She seems about ready to just pass by the group (though her eyes momentarily on July, recognizing her and thinking it's all the more reason to move on, and she shows some amount of recognition for all three), but she decides to approach instead. She eyes both July and Jeremy for a moment and then looks to Mason, speaking in her thick accent, which is something between a demonic tongue and Hindi, "Aren't you a famous person?" Just to be clear. But Kalindi knows precisely which famous person he is, and decides that may be too forward to call him by name.
Mason grins, "Sweet, then." He picks up the case, the confident smile still on his face as Kalindi approaches. The accent catches him off guard, and he isn't able to place it. "Yeah," he answers, and looks back at July. "Maybe I am that famous," he corrects his earlier estimation. He holds his hand out to the newcomer. "Mason Steele," he introduces himself, trying to remain polite as the group was preparing to go grab some food.
July is unaware of Kalindi's approach until Kalindi speaks in that spooky voice of hers, causing July to shiver out of surprise and turn her head toward Kalindi, blinking. She was about to say something when Mason begin speaking and shaking Kalindi's hand.
Jeremy blinks at Kalindi approaches Mason, apparently he really is famous. He tenses a bit as there is another person but that's just his shyness. There's a not in Kalindi's direction at Jeremy takes out another cigarette and lights it up between his gloved fingers. "So are you sure you want to go to that Sweet Cafe place it's kind of…upscale."
Kalindi barely acknowledges July, only tilting her head slightly in greeting at the stretchy girl looks over, instead keeping most of her attention on Mason. "Ah, I am Kalindi, but you may call me Kali if you would like. Some people prefer that. I have some of your music on my, ah…" she pauses, seeming to blank, "…machine that makes music." She glances over towards Jeremy, studying his face for a moment. "I am sorry. I am sure I recognize your face."
Mason laughs. "iPod?" he offers to Kalindi. "It's good to meet you, Kali, we were just about to grab some lunch. I'm glad you like my stuff. It's always nice to be appreciated." He doesn't seem to realize that there might be a history between July and Kalindi.
July blinks again, and can only hope nothing happens before looking at the place Mason was taking them to. "I'll have to agree with Jeremy here, it's quite an expensive place." she says softly, every now and then glancing at Kalindi.
"That and I'm not really dressed for a nice place." Jeremy says looking down at his Barnes issued clothing. He then looks back at Kalindi and tries to remember where he might have seen here. "You look a bit familiar ma'am but I really don't remember. A lot has happened recently so…" He doesn't finish the sentence though.
"Ah, yes, iPod, that is the word I was looking for," says Kalindi to Mason, "You are all going to the Sweet Cafe? I like that place." She glances between the other two, though, and then shrugs. For a moment, she just stares at Jeremy and then snaps her fingers, "Ah! Cucumber sandwich. Okay. I know who you are." And then her eyes move to July. Yeah, she clearly knows who she is, too.
Mason shrugs. "Okay," he says, sounding a little disappointed. "Looks like we aren't going to the Sweet Cafe. We'll go sometime soon, though. How about hot dogs?" he asks, spotting a vendor. "Kalindi, you want one too?" he asks, extending the invitation as he walks in the vendor's direction. "I probably shouldn't stay too long, anyway. I'm kinda skipping school right now." Just kinda.
July chuckles as Mason's comment about the Cafe. "Sometime, maybe." she shrugs gently, smiling a bit. "And hot dogs sound fine." the girl says, nodding to that, following after Mason, before blinking softly. "Cucumber sandwich?" the girl pauses, confused and looking at Jeremy.
Jeremy nods to Mason. "I'm not a picky eater." He really isn't and hot dogs have been a staple for him for a while. He looks back at Kalindi and tries to remember the cucumber sandwich. "Oh, you helped me out a while back, almost a year ago was it? Thank you, for back then." He says and means it since he really did need the help back then.
"I am a vegetarian," says Kalindi, shaking her head slowly at the offer, "But thank you." She tugs lightly on the straps of her backpack and glances towards the vendor, raising her eyebrows slightly before refocusing on Jeremy, "Ah, you are welcome, but it was not a costly gift to give. I am just glad to remember your face. I do not like forgetting people who I have met with."
Mason goes to the vendor while the others talk, purchasing enough for all of them. He brings them back, with a baggy full of condiments when his phone starts buzzing. "They had a soy dog, cool, huh?" he says to Kali, handing her dog first. After he hands out the food, he checks his phone. "Crap, I gotta go. School realized I'm not there." He gives a mischievous grin. "Worth it to meet you fine folks," he says, "Maybe we'll meet again in this little town sometime!" Hoisting his guitar case, he hurries off toward the edge of the park. It's a long trip back home.
July blinks as the teen pop singer turns out to be quite the class skipper, and she can't help but chuckle as she shakes her head ruefully, one hand holding her hot dog, the other dropping her empty coffee cup in the garbage basked, while the other two talk.
Jeremy takes the hot dog from Mason, thanks him as he leaves and looks back up at Kalindi. "I'm sorry, I'm bad at remembering faces. It's just, I've met a lot of people briefly over the years and a lot of people helped me out when I needed it." Which he kind of wishes there was something he can do to give back once he's fully on his feet.
Kalindi also thanks Mason for the soy dog, though she eyes it a little bit suspiciously and does not take a bite for the moment being. "Oh, I also meet a lot of people. It is a lot to remember, I have to use ah," the word is clearly at the tip of Kalindi's tongue, but given that English is her fourth language the occasional lapses should be forgivable, "learning strategies to be able to remember the faces. I remember that you were not there when I came to bring leftovers for you to try." She turns towards July for a moment and notes with a small smile, "I am not such a bad person, you see." Her eyes turn back towards the soy dog, which she continues to just stare at. "This is not meat?"
July nods softly to Kalindi, and then she hears a beeping coming from her wrist. She sighs and checks her watch, "Damn it. I gotta get going." she shakes her head softly as hse finishes her hot dog, "I'll see you guys around." she says softly, "Sorry for departing so suddenly, got an appointment right now!" she says as she jogs away.
Jeremy nods to July and gives a wave. "Goodbye, it was good seeing you." He says before looking at Kalindi and her soy dog. "I'm really not sure, I don't have much knowledge on soy stuff." He gives a shrug before taking a bite out of his own dirty water hot dog. "I probably wasn't, I moved around a lot back then. I tried not to stay in one place too long."
"This makes sense, but it missed you an opportunity to try my cooking," says Kalindi, smiling a slight but pleasant smile at that, "But you look to be doing much better now than you did. More access to resources. This is good for you." She shrugs the weight of the backpack over her shoulders again, and continues watching the food as she speaks. "If it were accidentally meat, I would hate to have it. Or if it had meat juices on it…"
Jeremy nods to Kalindi. "I'm sorry, I was just going through a really rough time back then, but I am doing much better. I'm going back to school so that's good." He says tugging on his gloves subconsciously to make sure they're on tightly. "If you're worried about meat that you might not want to eat if it you're absolutely not sure. It is from a food truck so I don't know how well they treat their vegetarian products."
Nodding slowly, Kalindi says, "Would you like a soy dog? I do not think I will have it. I would rather avoid eating anything that came from an animal, even accidentally." She even holds out the hot dog towards the Jeremy. "Yes, it is good for you to be back in school. I do home school. I do not think that public school would be good for me, I do not understand English as well as most. It is, ah, the last language I learned of four."
Jeremy puts up a hand and shakes his head. "No thank you, I have this hot dog and one is enough right now." Since it's still not technically lunch time. "I speak English and Spanish but my Spanish is very rusty. I don't get to use it that much. four languages are kind of impressive." He says finishing up the one hot dog he already started.
Kalindi shrugs and places the soy dog back in the bag, too suspicious of it to proceed now that Jeremy doesn't want it. "Well, I'm sure someone will be hungry for it…" she mumbles, before addressing the actual topic of conversation, "Well, I do not know how impressive it is when I am not so good at the fourth. But where I am from, it is normal to learn languages."
Jeremy sits back down on the bench and nods. "Even being decent at the fourth language, three is more than most people. Where I'm from…most people just know English." He says as he's from Ohio which is kind of 'Amurikan USA'. "People there kind of have set ideas on what…people should be like and speaking anything but English predominantly isn't really American. My parents had me take Spanish cause it looks good on college applications."
"Oh," says Kalindi, tilting her head slightly, "It looks good to have languages on applications?" Well, that's interesting. Not that Kalindi is really planning so far as college. "But yes, I understand what you mean, because of my accent I have been told even by some people here to go back to the desert, or go home or things like that. It annoys me. I am trying to be better with my English."
Jeremy shrugs at that and does the tugging on his gloves thing again. "I don't know, it's supposed to be good for college and stuff. All extra-ciricular stuff is but that's kind of…not really important for me anymore." He frowns at that and shakes his head. "Yeah, people can be really mean. Especially when you consider how many people who live in the city don't have good English."
"Yes, that is true, there are many people here who I do not understand. But if I get a chance to speak in Hindi or Punjabi, I am very glad to do so, it is easier to talk like that," explains Kalindi, gesturing with her hands as she speaks. She doesn't seem to notice how heavily the bag weighs on her shoulders. "But I live here now, so people should just deal with that even if it is sometimes hard to understand what I say."
Standing up Jeremy offers Kalindi a small smile. "I agree, but sometimes…people don't like people who are different and it..it really sucks for the rest of us." He says as he gives her a smile that is very appreciative. "Really, thanks…for back then. For helping me when I really needed it. It is very much appreciated and I'm glad I got to run into you again but I have to run back to school for now. I have class I can't miss."
Kalindi nods at Jeremy and takes her usual exits from these situations, reaching backwards towards the opening of her backpack to pull out a disc of gold and then toss it on the ground. As long as she's been here, she feels no need to conceal her abilities. "Well, I must also be going, then," she says, stepping onto the disc, "I have some work to do around here, so I will maybe see you another time." With that, she crouches down, touching the disc with her hands and floats away.
