Players:
Summary: Daisuke asks as lost looking Giea if she needs help getting somewhere.
Date: January 5, 2011
Log Title: Good Samaritan
Rating: PG
NYC - South Sea Port
Located at the mouth of the East River is South Street Seaport. What was once a fishing port is now a mall. Outside, the docks are lined with people and street performers, from contortionists to singers, mimes, and living statues. Large boats are on display for tourists on the side of the docks. If you're lucky and are here at night, a live band might sometimes be performing.
What a bother, what a bother! Giea must have stopped on the wrong train, since this place does not seem familiar. The sounds, at least, are a bit out of place. Her cane taps gently against the floor as she wanders, something she tends to do quite often. Her sense of direction is really not up to snuff, but at least it allows her to wander to different places and experience new things, even if it worries her family sick. She wears an uncertain smile, swivelling her head to try and locate any sounds that might be of particular use to her.
Since Daisuke's in the city he decided to wander around a bit before heading back to the Mansion. He's been on a plane for the past too many hours and is quite awake now since he got used to being twelve hours ahead while in Japan. He's decided to go to the South street Seaport and even though he's got his large suitcase wheeling behind him, he's down here looking over the East River. He's about to continue walking when he spots Giea, he notices her white cane and that she's looking around and decides to be a good Samaritan. "Excuse me, do you need help finding something?"
Giea seems to look up, adjusting her watch lightly (though her gaze remains as aimless as it usually does). She pulls the cane close to herself and nods very deliberately at Daisuke; it does not seem a natural gesture. "Oh, thank you, sir. I think I've got myself a bit turned around. I must have got off the wrong train, and I'm just trying to orient myself now. Where are we?"
Daisuke smiles and has a bit of a look of relief on his face. He wasn't sure if she was one of the New Yorkers who would be of the 'how dare you assume I seem helpless' mind frame. "We're at the Southstreet Seaport, Pier 17. If you need help getting somewhere, I don't mind. I don't really have to be anywhere till tomorrow and I'm quite awake." He says before offering a hand without realizing it. "I'm Daisuke."
"Giea Parkin, it's a pleasure." She does not move to take Daisuke's hand, instead extending her own in his general direction. "Seems like I'm quite a ways from home! I live in Upper East Side…" She smiles widely, "I just hope it's not a bother to help me out, at least to get onto the right train! I'm so bad at this stuff. I know my parents are worried sick sometimes."
Daisuke chuckles quietly and moves his hand to take hers. "Pleasure to meet you Giea. Actually no, you're not that far from home…well you are but it's an easy train ride back up there." He says as he's originally from New York City. "It's no bother at all. How long ago were you supposed to be home? It's like seven pm now." He says as she's not sure if she has a way to tell time.
Giea's eyebrows raise, "Seven pm? I didn't realize! Still, so long as I call my parents before eight thirty to let them know where I am, I should be fine." She fiddles with her watch again, seeming to pause for a moment each time she touches it. "I just don't want to have to end up being guided by my nanny or anything like that. That would be so embarrassing!" She smiles, though, adding, "But thanks for your help. I do need it sometimes. I think everyone does."
"I can't argue with your last statement." Daisuke says as he knows he's needed help in his life many times. "I can imagine that would be a bit embarrassing well..we can just pretend I'm an old friend or something and you're not really lost." He says with a small laugh. "Though I have to admit, I'm not sure if I'd be as brave as you are being able to walk around the city without help."
Giea laughs softly and says, "Well, I can always call my parents if I get into a bind. You're right, though, it can be pretty scary out here! I try to keep a buddy system, but I haven't made too many friends on campus yet." She taps her cane against the ground a couple of times and smiles, "I can be a little intimidating, I guess, to new people! Well, not really /intimidating/, but I'm sure you know what I mean."
"Intimidating, do you beat people off with your cane if they get in your way? Yell out 'watch it, blind girl coming through?'?" Daisuke jokes a bit but then he does know Tara and he thinks she might do stuff like that. "Which university do you go to? I haven't figured out the whole college thing yet so I've been working."
"If anyone gets in my way, their ankles sure get a good beating!" she laughs softly and then seems concerned, adding, "Oh, um, that was a joke. I don't hurt people, not on purpose especially if they've done nothing wrong. But lots of the time, people have a hard time approaching someone with a disability." Giea shrugs and adds, "I go to NYU. They're pretty accomodating there, and I've been enjoying my program."
Daisuke chuckles. "I figured as much but though with how some people act I think they deserve an ankle beating. Like….there's a guy over there who just shoved over this woman with a shopping bag to rush by here to who knows were. Probably get his manly eyebrows waxed so he can look good for the other Wall Street suits." He jokes. "And it is hard approaching people. I wasn't sure if you were going to tell me to go fuck off for offering to help but…nice is better than ignoring." Besides, he does want to be an X-Man one day and helping people with mundane things isn't beyond him. "So what are you studying at NYU?"
"Oh, I'm taking religious studies right now. I've always been fascinated by it, so I decided to major. Maybe someday I'll do research on it and be a professor!" says Giea, smiling like that would be a dream come true. She adds, "And yeah, some people are really rude! Some people will bump me, and not say anything, 'cause they're in too much of a hurry to go around. I mean, I'm never braced, so that kind of throws me off balance. And I need some space to see where I'm going." She taps the ground in front of her to demonstrate what she means by 'see'. "Anyways, I'm glad you're helping me out. I think it shows a kind spirit!"
"Then you would have liked where I was over the last two weeks. I went back to Japan to visit my Grandmother and visited a lot of the Shinto temples for the New Year." Daisuke says as he loves spending New Years in Japan. "I'm not a really good Shintoist but I guess I am kind of like those Christians that say they are but never go to Church?" He doesn't know exactly how to explain it. "And no problem, I don't mind it, honestly."
Giea smiles brightly when Daisuke talks about where he's been, "Oh, wow, yeah! That would have been really neat to check out. I think Shinto is a beautiful belief system. And so long as you take a positive message from it, it's good to believe." She inclines her head slightly, "Are you japanese, then? I have a really hard time telling. I don't mean to be racist, but you all look the same to me." Her emotions change quickly, going to a grin when she finishes the statement, and then a concerned expression, "I meant that as a joke. It's just… blind. Everyone looks the same."
"Yes I'm Japanese. And don't worry about. I don't have an accent cause I was born here. The rest of my family wasn't, but even though I'm fluent I have more of an accent there then over here." Daisuke says not bothered by it. "And I figured it was a joke, don't worry. I've already figured out that you're not Little Miss Serious." He likes that though. "Though outside of Shintoism, Buddhism is the only other religion I know a bit about."
Giea smiles, seeming a bit relieved that her joke was taken as such. With first impressions, she can try too hard. "It's neat that you're bilingual, though. Or more than bilingual, I dunno. I only speak English. Well, I can kind of do tactile sign language for people who are deaf-blind, too." She taps the side of her ear demonstratively, to draw attention to the hearing aid therein. "Anyhow, I like Buddhism , I like mine with a Jainist tilt. Have you really looked into it, or do you just kind of know of it?"
"I don't really know that much about religion over all." Daisuke admits. "I know what my Grandmother mostly taught me. My Mother apparently was more passionate about Shinotism according to my Grandmother but my Father, he wasn't really the type to teach us much about religion." He says as they walk along, Dai still lugging his suitcase behind him. "So what is Jainist?"
"Well, Jainism is another religion that was born in India, like Buddhism. Hinduism and Jainism have a lot of influence on each other, and in some ways are similar, but in others different. Basically, Jainism is a doctrine of pacifism, where you shouldn't harm other beings with a spirit, by dishonesty, violence or theft, or yourself by overindulgence. Some Buddhist sects in India were influenced by Jainism, since Buddhism is a pretty flexible religion. Like Shinto has an influence on the style of Buddhism in Japan," explains Giea, seeming /very/ happy to be given this time on stage. While she walks with Daisuke, she keeps her can in front of herself, slowly tapping to make sure there's nothing to trip on. "I've always liked this kind of thing."
"Sounds like something more people can employ in every day life." Daisuke says as he's also keeping an eye out to make sure Giea doesn't bump into anyone. "Maybe I'm a bit biased but I like some of the Eastern religions more than Westerns. I guess cause I don't feel like Christianity has the spirituality behind it that Shintoism does. They don't seem to respect the spirits that every living thing carries. Like…my Grandmother says that every grain of rice holds seven spirits. Which also goes into wasting things, if you don't eat that grain of rice and throw it away, it's an insult to those seven spirits."
"Ah, yes, I kind of find that there is a bit of wastefulness to Western religions. While we are supposed to hold dominion over the animals, some people use that as justification for mistreatment. But if we are to be loving rulers, as God is, shouldn't we treat the animals lovingly? They might be less intelligent than us, but we are less intelligent than God," says Giea, frowning slightly at that, "Same with plants, actually. We're beyond a plant's comprehension, just as God is beyond ours. But interpreted in some ways, they also provide some insight and beauty. I find that what's a blessing in most Eastern religions is that they aren't always mutually exclusive, though."
"I'm really not that religious but Shintoism is the one I feel most connected with. Though I need to build a new shine to my Mother and Brother now that I'm not sharing a dorm with someone." Daisuke says as he always thought it'd be weird for his roommate. "Anyway, as much as I hate to cut this conversation short, we're at the four and five train which should take you to the upper east side safely. Um….is there a way I can give you to get in touch incase you need a buddy or want to continue this conversation?"
"Oh! Yeah, for sure," says Giea, smiling happily. A buddy! Fantastic! She pulls out her cellphone, and starts pressing buttons. "Ummm…" She brings it up to her ear, to listen to what it's saying, before she shows the screen, which has her number on it. "I've only had this particular cell number for a little while, so I don't remember it yet. Here you are, though!"
Daisuke takes out his own cell phone and programs her number in. He then tells her his own in return figuring she can use cell phone to hopefully program it in. "Thank you Giea. I should get going back home too, but get home safely and if you need a buddy, give me a call. I can usually get into the city in about an hour." He says as he thinks she's a nice sharp cookie with a good sense of humour.
Giea does tap in the number quickly, smiling as she does so, before tucking the phone away, "Alright, Daisuke, you have a safe trip home, too! I'll give you a call when I'm back safe so you don't have to worry." She gives him a clumsy looking wave, and walks towards her train to back home.
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