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Summary: Sophie is trying to figure out what to do now that she's done school and Robin can't sleep, so they talk about restaurants.
Date: September 21, 2009
Log Title Restaurants
Rating: G
Xavier Mansion - Recreation Room
What was once the Parlor has been turned into a Recreation Room for the students. A nice plush carpet meets the light blue walls giving it a homey feel. A pool table at one end, a foos ball table at the other, and entertainment center with video game systems, movies, and of course, cable TV. Big comfy chairs and couches surround a coffee table for comfortable loafing. Long glass windows with a pair of French doors line one side of the room bringing in plenty of light during the day. The main rule in here is to clean up after yourself.
The lights are on in the recreational room but none of the usual sounds from the pool table, table soccer or television can be heard. Though it's starting to get late and many of the students are either in or getting ready for bed, but not Sophie. Since she's no longer a student, she's been staying up much later on a regular basis. Curled up in one of the cushy sofas wearing her usual t-shirt and jeans, the 'tattooed' teen has her nose buried deep into a rather large looking book. She looks a little tired from the telltale signs of a bobbing head and droopy eyelids.
Occasionally, Robin can't sleep, so she has to find other ways to pass the time until she can manage to. She has walked from the student quarters to here in pursuit of something worth doing, but dull enough that it won't keep her up for very long. She and Blank walk through the doors to the Recreation Room, glancing around for any of these things, but spots Sophie instead. "Oh, hi. Ummm… what are you doing up?"
The sound of an unexpected voice is almost just enough to scare Sophie as her head immediately darts up from her book. Her brief look of worry is quickly over come by a soft smile as she sees Robin and Blank entering the room. "Oh, hey Robin. Just doing some reading, that's all." She holds up the book - An Introduction to Electronics. "Just sort of figuring out if I decide to go to college what I should major in. What about you?"
Robin shrugs and says, "I can't sleep. I've got too much running through my mind right now." She sits down on the couch and shrugs, deciding to just give non-advice, "You should major in, um, theoretical robotics engineering." Blank sits down next to her, and Robin continues, "I'm just trying to get myself to fall asleep."
Sophie laughs as she closes the book just in her hands and sets it down on the floor. "Theorectical robotics engineering? Sounds, well, kind of tough. Probably no way I could survive in a major like that!" She looks down at the book now sitting on the floor. "If you really need help getting some sleep, I'd suggest reading that."
Robin shrugs and says, "I couldn't do it, either. I'd probably prefer something in philosophy or anthropology or something…" She smiles at Sophie and says, "Well, thanks for the advice. Maybe I'll take that book to bed with me."
Sophie offers up a curt nod, "You should. It's done quite a nice job at putting me to sleep." Her glasses are quickly adjusted, then her hair pushed back using her fingers like a comb. "I'm sure you could do whatever you really wanted. Wouldn't take philosophy for myself and probably not anthropology either. I'm not even sure I'd be up for any of the hard sciences now that I think about it. Probably just need to get a degree in doing nothing. That would suit me well."
Robin shakes her head and says, "I dunno. I'm pretty smart, but I just don't think I'd have the endurance to get a degree in something I'm not super interested in." If one examines her approach to scholastic things, though, it seems that she's pretty enthused about it all. She pushes her glasses up on her nose a little bit and adds, "I think I'm too much of a busybody to get a degree in doing nothing."
"Good point." Sophie replies, her smile growing wider across her lips. "Never really is a good idea to do something you're not really interested. Especially when there's something like tuition involved, right?" If one were to look at the smaller teens approach to scholastics, it would be quite the opposite of Robin's - barely skating by. "I can be at times, but there's nothing I've learned to appreciated these days like doing nothing."
Robin nods and says, "Yeaaah, tuition is going to be tough for me to pay. I'm hoping that I get academic scholarships, but that's still a long way off." She shrugs and says, "I figure that I'm going to be having to pay out a lot of money for other stuff, so not having that financial burden would be good."
Sophie nods as she begins to answer the other teen. "I've pretty much thrown out any chance at an academic scholarship. My own fault really, but nothing that really has me disappointed in myself. Would probably go back and make all the same mistakes over again if I could." She smiles, shifting around on the couch to situate herself in a more comfortable position. "Probably should just look into culinary school, to be honest. Was always helping out at my parentsrestaurant back in Chicago, so I wouldn't call myself a slouch in the kitchen. Just knowing that type of business just takes over your life makes me a little hesitant, you know?"
Robin nods her head and says, "Yeah, I can understand your hesitation there. I don't think I could do something that eats up so much of my time and my life." She and Blank both shrug and gesture towards the book, "What is it that had you reading that, then? Are you thinking of become an electrician, or going in for physics?"
"It does take up all of your time." Sophie says as she crosses her arms over her chest, putting her circuit board 'tattoo' designs on full display. "Well, I guess maybe some sort of electrician job. Was sort of thinking about a degree in Electrical Engineering, but after reading a little bit of this, I'm not so sure anymore. Makes the thought of running a kitchen and ruining my personal life to be less exhausting than getting through this stuff." The book is picked back up and used to accent her point.
Robin smiles and shrugs, "But with that, you can be bogged down for a few years and be done with the tedium, with the whole restaurant business, though, you're pretty much exhausted forever. I'd rather take the cushier longterm thing."
Biting down on her bottom lip, Sophie looks through a squinted left eye as the last statement is quietly pondered. "Yeah, you could be right on that one, but then again I'm not sure I really have any interest in this stuff." The book is tossed back down, but this time onto the coffee table placed just before the couches. "Maybe that's my answer then, culinary school? I mean, there seems to be a real surge of unique and non-corporate restaurants these days, right?"
Robin tilts her head back and forth and says, "I dunno. I guess. I usually chose restaurants with a pretty liberal audience to beg near, so those are the only ones I knew anything about. And I've never even been in one." She pauses, thoughtfully, and says, "I'd really like to, though. That'd be super neat. I've never eaten in a restaurant before… Anyhow, if that's what you want to do, then go for it! It could be fun."
Sophie looks puzzled, both eyebrows pulled down for a quizzical effect. "Really? You've never been in a restaurant before?" She definitely sounds unconvinced at this point, having no idea how anyone could never have been inside a restaurant; easily hard to imagine for someone who practically lived in one their entire childhood. "You can't be serious, can you? No offense, but that's probably one of the craziest things I've heard."
Robin shakes her head and says, "When I was in the country, we didn't have a restaurant in my town, and when we went into the city, we couldn't afford anything but picking up McDonalds drive through or whatever, since I have a lot of siblings. Then when I came to the city, I was begging for money and dirty and smelly, so no restaurant would have me." She shrugs and looks baffled, "Since coming here, I've not really left the school much, except to get new clothes… I went to a foodcourt to eat before coming back. I'm not lying about it or anything…"
Sophie nods, letting her teeth sink into her bottom lip one more time. "Yeah, that's just kind of nuts. I mean, your story makes complete sense, it's just one of those things you never expect to hear about." The beginnings of a smile begin to appear again as the little teen says, "Well, I guess it would seem odd to most people that I hadn't had fast food until I moved here. With my parents owning a restaurant, they'd have killed me if they ever found out I went to somewhere likeMcDonald's."
Robin shrugs and says, "Yeah… I don't think you were really missing much by not going to McDonalds, though. And maybe I'll someday go to a restaurant. Heck, maybe a nice guy'll take me to one someday! Maybe." She sighs and leans back in her seat, "How did you like your first time at the McDo's?"
Sophie's smile grows even wider as she continually nods her head in response to Robin. "Well, I may not be a boy, but I'll try to take you out to a restaurant sometime soon if you'd like." She lets loose a light chuckle. "Oh, I guess it was fine. I mean, it sort of has it's own little place for horrible quality, yet strangely delicious food. I've only been there ahandful of times, which probably says more about it than what I've already said."
Robin smiles and says, "Oh, oh, wasn't meaning to exclude you pre-emptively from people who could take me to a restaurant! I'd love to go!" She tilts her head back and forth and says, "Yeah, I don't really go there very often. I did sometimes when I was on the streets and I got enough money. Quick, cheap, high calorie meals. What more could I ask for?"
"Nothing more, I guess." Sophie response with another laugh before slowly pulling herself up from the couch. "Oh, I didn't think you were excluding me from that list." She stretches her arms back, letting loose a rather loud yawn that spills over into what she's about to say next. "Soooooo, just figure out what type of food you want, and I'll dig up a good place we can go. For now, I must be heading to bed. Feel free to grab that text book to help you sleep."
Robin smiles and says, "Thanks Sophie. Have a good sleep!" She reaches down to pick up the book off the table, noting before Sophie goes, "And I'll have something figured out pretty soon!"
"Sounds like a plan!" Sophie says while heading towards the door. She stops and turns to face Robin, offering up a quick "Good night." before turning back towards the door and heading out into the hall.
