Players:
Summary: Christopher and Theo chat about pride in what they create and their love of human interaction.
Date: January 18, 2011
Log Title: Having Pride
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Kitchen
This kitchen was designed to feed large numbers of people, and looks it with its bright white walls and stainless steel appliances. The stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher are all larger than normal. There is an island with stools around it for people to sit and eat around along with a table for twelve by the windows in back. Along the wall is a hole in the wall looking into the dining room so food can be passed back and fourth. Anything you want to cook or eat in the kitchen you will find the food and supplies to do so.
In the island in the middle of the kitchen is a large pot of fettuccine noddles. There are bowls next to it for students to help themselves. Also on the island are a Parmesan sauce and a vodka sauce, chicken, sausage, peas, bacon, broccoli, tomatoes, grated cheese and a variety of other pasta toppings. Christopher has set up a little pasta bar for the students for lunch today and right now he's indulging in his own culinary creation. He leans against the counter as he eats his pasta carbonara while some Michael Buble plays softly in the room.
Theo's been much more pleasant since he came back from Christmas. He's also been spending more time with Tony, so he's been rather scarce around the school. It isn't Theo that is seen first, though. It's his little sidekick, Proto. The small robot ambles into the room, the snakelike camera moving back and forth to evaluate the room. It wanders up to Christopher, and clicks once before wandering past. One of the lower cabinet doors opens next to Christopher, and the pans within are carefully analyzed. One of Proto's arms reaches down from the top of its back, and pulls on a pan in the middle to retrieve it. The result? A loud crash as it drags several of the pans out and onto the floor. The little guy seems unaffected, though, and starts to retreat in the direction it came from. Just before reaching the exit, however, Theo appears in the doorway. He lets out a sigh.
Proto hands the pan up to Theo. "Twenty-two inch teflon frying pan," it chirps. Theo takes the pan, "Sorry Christopher," he says. "He hasn't quite gotten the concept of cleaning up his messes."
Christopher blinks at the little robot and has to step aside as it goes into one of the cabinets. He has to jump further aside as a few pots and pans cacade out. "Well it looks like you'll have to clean up after your little friend. And what might be good is for you to teach him that so he doesn't clean up after his own messes but yours as well." He says giving Theo a grin. "I set up a pasta bar for lunch, feel free to help yourself."
Theo takes the pan from Proto, and walks over to the cabinet. "Thank you, Proto." The teen crouches by the cabinet, and puts the pans back. "Yeah, I don't make messes," he answers. Which is true. His room is a shrine to OCD cleanliness. After cleaning the pans up and putting them back to their places. "Pasta, huh?" he echoes, closing the door and standing back to his feet. "What's the special occasion?" he asks. "Or are we guinea pigs?"
Christopher raises his eyebrow to Theo. "Special occasion? Guinea Pigs…I'm almost offended Theo." He cooks a lunch and/or dinner for the kids in the school several times a week. "Actually all this is stuff I can make in my sleep. If I wanted some guinea pigs I'd use my culinary class but no no, this is just simple stuff." Then he looks down at Proto. "Well maybe you don't make messes but he certainly does." He teases.
After grabbing a plate from the cabinet, Theo grins in response. "Well, it smells pretty good," he says. He scoops out a healthy amount of the fettuccine onto his plate, adding a selection of the toppings. All of them, notably. "Well, I've been working on his AI. I can get him to retrieve just about anything he has a stored location for," the boy answers, grabbing a fork from the drawer. "But he only thinks in terms of retrieving the item, so anything else in the way is just an obstacle to overcome." He looks back at the robot. "So you're a slob."
Christopher laughs at the slob comment. "I made the pasta from scratch as well. I didn't do anything weird like put octopus ink or carrot puree in it." He almost wants to see Theo's reaction to Octopus ink. "Still I will admit that it is quite impressive that you built proto and developed the AI. So…we had a conversation a while back where we made a bet on something, didn't we?"
"Most of it is borrowed from Tony's old stuff," Theo admits. "Been working on redeveloping it, but AIs are hard to develop for robots. The robot himself was pretty easy, I was able to figure that out on my own. Just like putting together a puzzle, that's all." It takes Theo a moment to respond to the comment about the bet, looking at Christopher with a puzzled look. Then the light visibly goes off in his mind. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," he says. He was just happy that everybody came back, the bet itself was forgotten.
"And if I remember correctly, I owe you a home-cooked dinner cause I was right." Which is odd that Christopher bet himself giving Theo something. "So, what would you like?" He asks letting Theo pick out something. "Still, I don't know anything about robots so building one is quite impressive to me. And don't be so modest about what you did, it's not just putting together a puzzle."
The teen shrugs, taking a bite out of his pasta, chewing and swallowing before he answers. "I guess this can count," Theo suggests. "I'm pretty easy to please. It really isn't hard. It's not much different than putting together a computer. I mean, any kindergarten kid could do it. If you have the pieces, they only really go together in one way." Of course, knowing what pieces are needed is another matter.
Christopher gives Theo a long look before shaking his head with a sigh. "You have to stop being so modest. Take a look at Proto, and think about what he is. Do you feel a tinge of pride that says, "Yeah, I built that" or is it just something you look at and go 'eh, it's okay'?"
"No I don't," Theo counters. "I can be satisfied about it without gloating about it. I know I'm smarter than about ninety-eight percent of the people out there. Doesn't mean I gotta act like I'm better than everybody." Which is also a bit false, he does that now and again. Doesn't earn him a lot of respect, though. "Good pasta," he adds, taking another bite.
"But are you satisfied and proud of what you built?" Christopher asks Theo as he's curious. For some reason he likes Theo even though he's difficult, maybe he views the kid as a bit of a challenge to make smile. "And thank you, I just enjoy cooking and love to do it. So..as a kid, did you have a favorite meal at all?" He still wants to make Theo that home-cooked meal.
"Yeah, just not satisfied enough to let him be. I want him to be better," Theo answers. The little robot, not having a command, starts to wander around the kitchen aimlessly, scanning the contents of the different cabinets one by one. "I dunno. I guess…" he gives a long thought. "Roast beef. We never got to have it, because it's too expensive, but ever so often my dad's boss would buy everybody at the station a pack of roast beef, and we'd get to have some.
Christopher smiles as Theo says Roast Beef as he knows what he's going to cook for him now. And from the way it sounds, he's not going to do anything fancy but a nice, seasoned, roast beef. "I sometimes cook Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding for Christmas. And I can understand that. There's always room for improvement with something. I know I'm a great stylist, there's a reason people pay eighty dollars for a haircut with me but I still know I can get better too."
"Eighty dollars?" Theo echoes. "Wow. I've never paid more than twenty bucks." Of course, it shows, too. "Why'd you go into hair styling?" he asks. "I mean…isn't that a little cliche? You seem to enjoy cooking so much, why not be a chef?"
"Cooking was always a hobby, something I minored in but to sound even more cliche, I was an interior decorator for a bit. That was my major." Christopher says laughing at his own cliche. "But I didn't like the field, too competitive and well..bitchy. Then after David passed way I went into a bit of a depression and I needed something to do, a new goal I guess. So I went to school to become a stylist and found I love it. I get to chat with people all day, cut hair, it's great."
Theo shrugs. "I guess," he answers. "I think I'd go nuts if I had to put up with everybody's stories all day. Talkin' about their cat, or their kid, or their dirty cheating ex. That's the great part about my job. I only have to talk to people who aren't stupid, and get to make cool things all day long, and test them out." He doesn't comment on David. He doesn't know Christopher's story, but isn't inclined to ask other people about their pasts.
"Everyone is different Theo. Were you aren't one to listen to peoples mundane ramblings, I love it. I like to see people be happy. And if that means that someone comes in for a hair cut and has a need to talk about their cat for an hour to someone who will listen, it means they might be happy cause someone listened. Or feel more relaxed. I'm like a bartender for women without the alcohol." Christopher says chuckling. "But for you, I know my job would drive you crazy."
Theo shrugs, taking another bite from his pasta. "Good, it means I don't have to listen to them," he smirks. "They'll dump it on you instead." He takes a few more bites of the pasta, shoveling it in. It really is tasty. He suddenly perks up and glances over at Proto, who has begun to climb the side of the counter. "Proto, not now," he tells the robot. "He's like a puppy." And like a puppy, the robot drops to the ground, sprawling across the floor before it rights itself.
"Oh I love puppies." Christopher says with a fondness. "I miss having a dog around the house but Nova moved out with our son." He's not sure if Theo ever met Eddie or not. "Though I can't really have a dog right now, Jeri and I are too busy but I'm thinking about getting a kitten." It's nice to have an animal around. "And I'll listen to anything anyone wants to talk about. I don't mind at all. Well, as long as I don't' find it offensive."
"I can't stand cats," Theo answers quickly. "One of my sisters was allergic, so I never had to worry about it. Dogs are way better, they are much more loyal. Cats treat you like a slave, they always want you to do something for them or to leave you alone."
Christopher laughs. "But they're not as needy as dogs. With a cat, if Jeri and I are working all day, which happens a lot, or need to stay here over night for something, we can leave a cat on it's own. With a dog, you can't really do that. I'm to busy for a dog but Nova is a great dog."
"Yeah, that's why robots are the best," Theo concludes. "Proto isn't needy, but he's always there." Though, he's also just a robot. He finishes the last of the pasta on his plate before putting it in the sink. Rather than stick it in the dishwasher, he turns on the water, grabs a little soap, and washes it by hand. Force of habit. "Well, thanks for the pasta, was good stuff," he says. "I gotta get back to class."
"Anytime Theo and will you be around tomorrow evening?" Christopher asks so he knows when to make Roast Beef. "And I don't think I could be happy with a robot, I like how dogs and cats can be cuddle monsters. Well good luck in class, though I'm sure you'll do fine Mr. Smarty Pants."
