Voice Mail Left for Ash
Submitted by peregrine on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 00:45.
Who: Brian
When: Really fuckin' early (aka before 7AM)
Hey man. It's Brian. I only have your work number, so I'm calling there. I know it's stupid-early-o-clock but I can't sleep, so I figured I'd get in touch! Or at least call and say "hey, you wanna do somethin'?" So yeah. You wanna do somethin'? Maybe tomorrow? I seem to be making a habit of the drinking thing, and it's much more fun with friends. Give me a call back, and forgive the rambling. Way too fucking early.
Tagged:
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Ash listened to the message on the answering machine in the small dirty 'office' -- which, in reality, was more like a glorified broom closet -- of the shop, exhaling cigarette smoke. It was about 1:30 in the afternoon, and he was just getting the thing. He had to give the guy his cell. ... only maybe not, if he called at 7am. In any case, he pulled it out and dialed the number left on the caller ID, putting it to his ear as he tapped his smoke into the ashtray.
.
Brian was just getting in at the diner at 1:30 in the afternoon, and his cell phone in his pocket rang. He parked before answering it, and almost missed the call. He managed to fumble the "talk" button just before voice mail would've picked up. The number looked familiar, but it wasn't one he'd programmed in, so no name came up.
"Yeah? Hello?"
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Ash had been preparing to leave a message when Brian managed to pick up. "Howdy," he said, sitting back in his chair and taking another drag off of the cigarette. "It's Ash. This is my cell number, but you're gonna have to promise no calls before noon," he said with a grin in his voice. Some days he was up, some days not, it just depended. That was the joy of owning his own shop, really.
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Laughing a bit, Brian said, "Yeah, sorry about that. 'Pparently my new-found early-morning calling habits have already ruined one cell phone, I'd hate to do it to another." He sat for a moment in the truck, looking across the street at another of the many, many spirits out and about around Marquette. Definitely needed that off switch. "But anyway. How are ya, man?"
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"Decent enough," Ash said, sounding vaguely amused. I got visited by a sort-of deity yesterday. Good times. He stubbed out his cigarette and stood up, walking out of the closet-office and heading into the shop proper. "Could be better, could be worse. You? You sounded like you perhaps needed a drink or fifteen, my man. And some pool. And perhaps a few women. Or hell, maybe that's me." He chuckled and idly peered into an engine block.
.
"I'm down for all of it but the women," Brian laughed. "I'm taken, and after my going on about fidelity, I'm not about to turn hypo-- hyp-- uh, fuck, how the hell do I say that without saying it... you know what I mean, right?" Fuck his tripping tongue. "But yeah, I could use some time out. I'm off work tomorrow, all I gotta do is get a friend of mine moved back into her place, and I'm free."
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"Hypocrite?" he suggested, knowing what he meant. He hadn't known that Brian had a woman, though, he ought to be careful then not to get the guy in trouble. "But yeah, that makes sense. Tomorrow's fine with me, I don't got shit goin' on. Just gimme a call, lemme know." He probably wouldn't be up until it was about time to hit the bars anyway. Those that were open again, at least.
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"That one, yes." The phone call winding down a bit, it seemed like, Brian opened the truck door and slid out, keeping his eyes resolutely down on the ground rather than across the street on that lingering ghost. Who knew there were so damn many spirits wandering around? Certainly not him. "Sounds like a plan, then. I'll call-- thanks."
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Ash wasn't a big phone-chatter, even though he had his on him all the time. It was more for emergencies and brief plan-making like this. And maybe talking to Eury, if she called from the road. Which he was stupidly hoping for quite a bit, even though it had only been a few days. "Excellent, hear from you then," he said, and snapped the phone shut. At least it would be an opportunity not to mope.