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Batteries for Wesley (open)

Wesley had been to the library in the morning just after the meeting with his electrical engineering instructor Professor Wahts. He had his laptop with him, but the damn died on him in the library, it was the third time in just over a week.

"God I hope it's just the battery and not the hard drive,"Â? he thought.

He hadn't planned to spend the day on the strip looking for a battery replacement but that was task. There were two Electronics stores close to each other so the prospects looked good.

Wesley 18 years ago
At the first store he had zilch luck. Undaunted he headed on to the second store, a supper store, Erofront. It was a busy afternoon with wall-to-wall people and the going was interesting to say the least. At one point a trio of skate boarders almost ran him over as they weaved about through the crowded.

It didn't anger him a bit, them running him down, because he had been one himself. He just smiled and thought back about Arnold Solemn (nick Arn ) Thaddeus Uew (nick X man), and himself (nick Blues) all if them were doing it big time in those days of teen madness. They spent way to much time on the down town mall coursing the eight blocks from 4th an K street up to 12th then over to J strange and back down. And for the life of him, could not remember what the big deal was now, except it was important at the time.

He found the store easily; it took up two blocks at the end of the strip. A three-story affair with an auto structure next to it, it looked out the place. Most of the shops were much smaller specializing in various services.

The Electronics department was on the second story and he found it easily. It took an erodent amount of time to find someone to take the time to find help him.
Suki Langston 18 years ago
Climbing the stairs to the second floor went swiftly for Suki. She had her PDA in one hand and two high braids swaying with each step. The thick and scarred combat boots looked slightly odd underneith the hankerchief hem skirt in a rich eggplant shade. Under a black leather corset was a sheer mesh shirt with a high neck and long sleeves. Dressed for working later at the House of Pain made her stand out just a bit in this store.

Walking straight up to a counter she called out a spunky greeting in hopes of an employee appearing from the cave they hid when not assisting customers.
"Hello! Is someone available to assist customers?"

For the first minute she smiled and looked around eagerly. After five she was drumming her fingers and tapping her toe impaitently. There were other customers looking for assistance as well but none came.

"I hope someone shows up soon." Her comment was made in general to anyone standing looking for help as she was.

((ooc: Hope you dont mind her joining you!))
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley half startled, turned. She was looking at him with green sparkling eyes, a Irish thing about her, but was clearly Asian. He was immediately drawn to her by them and her fresh smile.

“Sorry I didn’t see you there. Yes it seems a little shy on the customer service side today. I’ve been standing here a good five minutes and the clerk promised to return shortly. He was helping another custom when I arrived.”

((glad you did))
Suki Langston 18 years ago
Suki smiled at the fellow customer who said he was waiting too. Shaking her head she lamented the lack of service that seemed to abound most stores.

"It's just too bad stores don't have prompt and helpful customer service. Luckily I planned to take a while on this problem but I do have to go to work tonight."

Looking around the area she surreptitiously glanced at him. The visible scarring did not detract overly much from his looks, kind of made him intriguing. She almost missed the fact that half his arm was missing completely. Once she did though, she simply made note of it as she had his somewhat messy hair and warm brown eyes.

"I wonder how companies stay in business like this, they have to be keeping so many people waiting that we foolishly buy replacements just not to have to go through this inconvenience. Thats just a theory though."
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley grinned at her remarks. He had thought the same himself. The world really had become a throw away economy basically. After all he had thrown away half a dozen razors in the last two months, not to mention countless containers for this or that product. All gone into some landfill he supposed.

"Yes rather wistful isn't it? But I have a second theory. It's the property. The real profits are in the real estate this corporations hold. Ya they try to pay the salaries be selling just enough to stay solvent. But the real money is how they use their assets in the world market,"Â? he rambled, as he was given to stray some.

Wesley seldom got into deep things much, mostly because the ideas or theories didn't do much in his day to day living. He was, bottom line, a in the moment guy.

He looked at the very pleasant girl and asked, "your Irish and Asian mixed, perhaps?"Â?
Suki Langston 18 years ago
The theory was an interesting one. And something she would not mind hearing more of but he ended his thought right as her interest perked up. It made her wonder how to get him interested in talking some more and perhaps work back around to it.

The bold question about her heritage surprised her somewhat. Smiling politely she shrugged one shoulder slightly.


"My grandmother was born in Taiwan but she married an American. My Grandfather was quite proud to be american and did not speak much of his own roots, but then he died when I was very young. My father is more American than anything else, meaning he has just about every nationality in his family tree. I did get Grandfathers green eyes though."

Blushing slightly at the outpouring of information he probably did not care about, Suki looked at him with a sheepish grin. "And you?"
Wesley 18 years ago
"Me?... Ah a mongrel I guess. I'm a mix of Danish, Welsh, Irish and I good portion of Hungarian. It all adds up to me, what ever that is,"Â? Wesley grinned playfully.

Just about the conversation started up nicely, a voice came from behind them, "Ok who is next here?"Â? It was a women clerk approaching them.

Wesley looked at the clerk as she passed by them to take her place behind the counter. He wasn't really ready for her at the moment, as he was more interested in the girl the batteries.

"You go first, I have time,"Â? he said to his shopper friend, with a smile.

Then he felt he blunder by offering her to go first. If had reversed the situation, he could have finished his business and would merely wait for her. Now he left it in her hands... His mind always second thought itself at most every turn.
Suki Langston 18 years ago
Suki smiled and nodded her head in thanks before turning to the salesperson. Though her smile was still in place her voice took on more authority. "Hello. I purchased two PDA's earlier this month and meticulously entered in all the information. In testing out this one before giving it to my employer, I realized the battery will not hold a charge for more than a few hours. The other one lasts for days. This is unacceptable."

The clerk looked like this was a typical problem and disassembled the small device. Taking the battery off somewhere presumably to test it or find another, Suki wished the woman had at least given her some verbal response.

With a sigh she watched part of her PDA walk off. Turning back the the tall guy she smiled.


"Its almost like this happens frequently to them."

Sticking out her hand to shake his she introduced herself. "Suki Langston. Thank you for allowing me to speak to her first. I really appreciate it."
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley accepted her hand shack. He gave her a good strong friendly grip. He had compensated for the loss of one appendage and his one hand was very strong. It may have been more then she had expected.

"I'm Wesley Churney. Ah it's my pleasure to let you go first. I think it's the gallant Hungarian part in me,"Â? he answered, with broad smile.

He pulled his Dell out of is backpack and sat it on the counter, "I think my problem is batteries also. It least I hope that's all it is. I need my laptop like I need my head, and truthfully, it has more stored in it then my head does."

"So are you a student also?"Â? Wes asked, being the inquiring type he was.
Suki Langston 18 years ago
His had was strong, firm. It did not surprise her overly but she met it with a good strength of her own, honed from years of martial arts. At his aimiable comments she relaxed and decided that she could really enjoy Wesley's company since he was amazingly easy to talk to.

She completely understood about needing the electronic helper. The PDA might be for Fallon but she did know it had all her vital information on it as well. It was invaluable and she needed it working.


"I know that feeling. Luckily this is just the spare. If mine was doing this I would be seriously lost."

Suki looked around a bit before answering his question. The clerk had yet to return and no other customers had barged up to their small area in front of the counter. "No, not a student. I work part time as a cocktail waitress in a local nightclub. But I am also an executive assistant the rest of the time."

The few years she spent in college had been fun and informative but she had never been able to choose a major. She really should get back to it now that her life had some direction. Maybe next semester she would pick up some business classes. "What are you studying if you dont mind me asking?"
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley thought it an interesting combination of jobs, being a cocktail waitress and an executive assistant also. He knew people took on more then one endeavor to make ends meet, but an executive assistant generally paid very well. “Was she using the title loosely or was it a code word for something more sexual” he thought.

“I’m working on my masters degree in bioelectrical engineering. It is just in the baby stages though. I can’t say what will become of it.

He looked questioning at her, “So why the extra job? Seems being some executive’s assistant would keep one very busy? No need to answer if you see it out of place.”
Suki Langston 18 years ago
That was a field she had no clue what it was, how interesting. She wanted to ask more about it but he asked her about her jobs. His questioning look caused her to smile widely. It was an odd combination.

"Well, my boss hired me away from the bar but the people they have tried to replace me with do not ever seem to work out. So I keep filling in as needed. And while it does keep me busy, the most important part of my job is networking. Which can happen in the HoP or anywhere."

She offered him one of her business cards that was a silvery purple shade with raised black letters. It read her name, title, two phone numbers and an email address. Absent on the card was any company listing or the name of her employer.

"So tell me, just what the heck is Bioelectrical engineering?"
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley laughed at her total inquisitive face of his major. He knew that was the natural reaction to it. He expected it but enjoyed each person different way of asking. Most asked directly, like she did. Some few, would beat around and try to cover their not knowing into a foot in mouth thing.

"I'm a gadget maker. Or a want to be one,"Â? he started, as he examined her card.

His flow of thought was distracted by the cards lack of business name or even an address. It was even more intriguing.

"Too put it more directly, I hope to help the medical profession in developing equipment that will aid them in the advancement of medicine."Â?
Suki Langston 18 years ago
"Wow, thats very cool."

A lightbulb went on over Suki's head almost as she realized all the tools and gizmos that doctors used had to be invented by someone. How brilliant that someone smart and talented enough had found this field. That Wesley knew and was studying for this field put him in that group.

Before she could inquire further the clerk came back. All business, Suki turned her attention to the woman. Apparently the battery was faulty and they replaced it free of charge. Thanking the woman she took the PDA with its new battery installed and began testing it out some as the clerk looked at Wesley. She even gave him a bored 'next' to respond to. Stepping off to the side slightly Suki rolled her eyes at the woman's lack of enthusiasm for her job.
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley handed his lap over to the woman clerk and explained that it was also hardly held a charge. She looked at it, pulled the battery pack from the left side, and explained to him about the recall. He hardly read the newspaper or rarely watched the television, so it came as a complete surprise to him about the recall. The clerk again went off to the great batteries room back in battery heaven.

"Damn, for a electronics geek I should have known about the recall. Is your PDA working ok, I hope?"Â? he asked the woman next to him still.
Suki Langston 18 years ago
Suki was putting the small device through its paces, checking email, opening a spreadsheet and taking handwriten notes. So far the battery was holding at full, which was a miracle. Looking up from her relentless tinkering she smiled at Wesley.

"Yeah, its work pretty well actually. I will keep it for a few more days to be sure. This one is a gift to my bosses fiance and I need it to be perfect when she gets it."

Since she had a little over an hour left before work, Suki made no move to leave the store. Instead she hoped to chat with Wesley some more and make a friend.

"Have you lived in Nachton your whole life Wesley or are you a transplant like me? I moved here from New York last year personally."
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley felt luck she had stayed after her appliance was serviced. It was, to him, a good indicator he wasn’t a total bore to her. He suddenly had a stupid rush of nervousness when she asked a further question of him.

“I moved here about five months ago. About three weeks before beginning of last semester.”

He wanted to ask her to do something, to keep the contact going. But for the life of him, he couldn’t come up any ideas. Now to make matters worse, the clerk came back with a new batteries pack. He really didn’t want to turn his attention to the clerk, but had to.
Suki Langston 18 years ago
Nodding at his admission of arriving for school, Suki pondered the university. She wanted to ask more about it, if it was considered a good school or if many people came from out of the area to attend, but the clerk returned. Turning her attention to the PDA she shut things down and left it on but not in active use while Wesley finished his business.

Once the clerk finally left Suki smiled at the tall man.
"Do you like the university? Is it a good school? I have been contemplating resuming my studies if I can rearrange my schedule some."
Wesley 18 years ago
Wesley was relieved she was still around after the clerk had distracted him from her.

"Well the engineering department seems relatively good. As for other disciplines, other then the math department, I have no idea."

He was beginning to relax again after the one rush of shyness. It was an annoying treat he disliked in himself. Never was the smooth talker, he often put his foot into his mouth, abruptly ending many fine conversations over the years.

"So what would you study if you went on back to school?"Â?

His mind was work in high-speed time trying to work out a smooth transition from story to a more relaxed place to get to know her, to continue, what he considered a excellent, exchange of conversation. The time was quickly coming when awkward set in and she would say, "I'm done"Â? and move on.
Suki Langston 18 years ago
It took Suki a while to describe what would draw her back to college. The thoughtful look on her face showed that she was really trying to answer the question honestly.

"I think I would be apt to take some business courses, to help me with my Assistant position. Maybe something fun too though, like culteral anthropology or ancient history. Just to be well rounded."

Since her position as Cyrus' familiar was for the rest of her life, which should extend greatly, she did not want to grow bored. Business classes would help keep her on top of things her master may need of her and fun courses would keep her mind active outside of work. At the thought of those courses mentioned she grinned.

"My idea of fun is probably not everyone's though. And since my job is secure I can spend my spare time enjoying myself."