Players:Ben Wade, Mia Campbell
Summary: Talk of tornadoes and oregano.
Date: January 4, 1884
Garden Planning
General Store
Wade is just tending the store, stocking the shelves by the looks of things. A little wooden box sits on a chair, the older man picking up the cans from the box and placing them on a shelf.
The door creaks and jingles as Mia steps through the door, closing it gently behind her. Two envelopes in her hand as she looks around the store for anyone in sight. The sound of a can hitting a shelf causes her to jump, a jumpy little thing she is. She tilts her head and shyly smiles. "Hello."
Wade looks over his shoulder, "Ey there.. be with ye in a second." he says, stacking another can. He wipes his hands on his shirt, turning to head towards the door and the new customer, "Are ye lookin fer somethin in particular?"
Mia wanders over to the counter and sets her hands together, crumpling her envelopes before she even realizes what shes doing. "oh dear" she says under her breath, trying to straighten them out as she speaks, "uh… yes.. umm.. I'd like to mail these…um…well, rather crumpled now… letter out. I was told this where I'm to come to?"
Wade moves over behind the counter, nodding. "Of course…" he says, "Where they goin off to? Train should be running again I imagine.. probably go out with the next one.." he adds, naming his price at the same time.
Mia pulls a little coin ouch out from a hidden pocket within her skirts. "New York" she says as she starts taking out coins, counting and then setting them on the counter for him. "Theres no rush really. I cant imagine that trains stop to often here."
Wade shrugs, "Every so often. We're just one little stop of many.. I usually get a shipment in twice a week.. depending on business.. so.. they come at least twice a week… sometimes more, depending on the season." he says as he takes the letters and adds them to his postal bag, "New around town?"
Mia nods at the information told to her, keeping it locked in somewhere in her mind for future use perhaps
"Yes… relatively. I dont really know anyone, so I keep mainly to myself." she tries a smile, but even to her own ears she just sounded pathetic so the smile doesnt quite reach her eyes.
Wade offers a little smile and a nod, "Well, my name's Ben.. Ben Wade.. an I own this little store.. just got her a few months ago… the little tornado we had messed it up a bit but she is back in workin order again I think."
Mia offers her small hand to him, "A pleasure to meet you Mister Wade. I'm Mia Campbell." she raises her eyebrows in surprise "A tornado you say? My, I… those things really exsist?" What a city girl she is.
Wade laughs, taking her hand and shaking it gently. "Aye, they do.. this one was just a little one.. didn't tear through town but we got some nasty wind and a few fires.. so.. it left its mark."
Mia takes her hand back and sets it down gently on the counter, tilting her head at him she huhs softly. "Now.. the torandos… those are the ones that umm.." she moves her hand in a circle motion really really fast, "That do something like this right? Or are they…" she settles her hand down again, "Are they the ones that have very hard wind and rain?"
Wade grins, "Tornadoes are the spinny ones.. hurricanes an the like are the ones with wind and rain." he clarifies, "I spose it would be easy to get'em mixed up… We usually don't see either.. but tornadoes do happen around here.. just not all too often."
Mia blushes as he explains the names of which one is which. "Oh, alright." she shyly smiles once more. "I suppose I just missed it then, thank goodness. I'm glad to know its not something that happens often. in New York, I never saw either of those things. I'd only read about them in books. Mostly pirate books with the… hurricanes?" she test and then goes on, "And cowboy ones with the tornadoes."
Wade laughs, "Aye, you pick up on some of them things like that as ye go through life." he shrugs, "But nothin to worry but.. worst ye have out here is a leaky roof when it rains." he says with a reassuring smile.
Mia blinks her eyes, "Oh, I'm not afraid of dying or anything. I just dont think it would be all that fun to clean up that mess. and i can only image what you'd have to replace of your own belongings that the wind picks up and tosses it away."
Wade nods, "It can be a bit of a pickle, but we all help out. Ah helped out with Evalyn across the way. We all chip in to keep the town lookin nice." he pauses, "So what brings ye out here then?"
Mia mmm's softly nodding her head. "That is very nice about this small town, it seems from my observation that everyone helps everyone else out." she smiles, and at the question her smile falters, but she seems to continue as if she hadnt hard the question at all. "Had you just arrived in town when these things happen? I imagine that wasnt a very nice welcome, if it was."
Wade shrugs, "Nah, I had been here a little while.. enough to take over the store and organize it.. only to have some of it knocked over.. oh well.. helps rebuilding… want to make a little addition to live in and all, nice little yard out back.. maybe get a garden going.. settle down a bit."
Mia gets a warm glow on her face, making her eyes sparkle as she speaks "Momma and Papa always said that a home never really was a home without a little garden." her smile something brighter then before. "Even in the city they always made sure there was a little section of whatever place we were in that hard a garden. Momma used it for her cooking mostly."
Wade grins and nods, "That an fresh vegetables hard to get round here… an it would add to my things I can sell.. produce an the like.. since there only ranches around.. meat is easy to get, vegetables not so much."
Mia licks her lips to moisten them, "I hadnt really thought of that. But I suppose thats true for these parts. What about fresh herbs?" the question may seem silly, but its still asked. "Thyme, oregano, parsley? Are those items are to get out this way as well?"
Wade nods, "Yes of course.. you can get them dried.. but… they are not as good." he says, watching her lips being licked, blinking a few times before taking a breath to regain control of his brain, focusing on something to the side for a moment before looking back to Mia.
Mia watches his eyes shift, making her eyebrows draw together and turn her head to the side to see what he might be looking at, when she sees nothing she turns back and looks up at him slightly confused, but says nothing about it, "Hmm.. well, I suppose dried it better then nothing at all. Do you know if you can order the seeds so plant some?"
Wade smiles and nods, alluring movements having ceased distracting him. "Of course.. I just use me old catalogue.. send in the request and payment.. then it takes about a week or two for the shipments to arrive."
Mia jumps a little in excitement "Truly?" she leans on the counter slightly, "Could we do that now? I'd adore to order some! I dont have a place to plant them now… But I'm sure I could get some spot at the boarding how or something that would allowing to plant them."
Wade bites his lip as Mia leans forward. "Sure…" he says, eyes up, eyes up! He picks up one of the catalogues from behind the table, setting it down infront of Mia, "Just flip through an take a look."
Mia lets out a bit of a giggle as she looks down at the catalogue, flipping through the pages, she momentarily stops and looks at a page, and then skips to the next, and the next. Coming to one about plants and seeds she starts scanning the page, she hums softly to herself as she looks. A delicate finger starts traveling down the page as if to look closer. "Am I looking in the correct section?" she asks, tilting her head up to look at him.
Wade looks down at the page, nodding, "Just skip to the herb part.. there is quite a selection… this catalogue is used all throughout the states.. so.. plenty to choose from.. but not everything grows out here.. so…"
"Oh." Mia purses her lips disappointment on her face as she looks back down and skips further in the book to find the herbs. When she finds it she pauses again. "What wouldn't grow out here do you think? I'd hate to order it and then have it die after I tried."
Wade chuckles, "Oh, lots of things.. best to stick to the simpler ones… oregano… garlic… basil… parsley.. stuff like that."
Mia bites her lower lip as she thinks, tilting her head again as she mentally ticks things off in her mind. "Alright. Those would actually be perfect." She glances at the book and then up at him again. "I'd like to order one of each those." She says with on nod and a smile. "I must make my mommas red sauce, its the only way I'll get it." she explains. "The taste…" she sighs and licks her lips once more, "I can nearly taste it now."
Wade nods slowly, oh boy, licking lips and sighing at the same time? Push images.. out of mind. "Of course.. of course.. I'll put some on order and when they get'ere i'll sell them too ye, sound good?"
Mia mmm's softly in gratitude and smiles. "Yes. That'll be wonderful." she leans back up to stand straight and puts a hand to her chest, "Momma would be so proud. I'll have to write to her when I get it all set up." her eyes sparkle again. "Oh! Heavens. What about Tomatoes? can those be ordered? Or do we need.. I mean, do I need to plant those as well?"
Wade nods, "Ye can grow them in the summer usually.. elsewise.. have to order them…" he shrugs, "Another thing I want to have in me garden.. tomatoes.. mmmm."
Mia smiles at him, "Its the staple of an Italian family." she says, "Perhaps I should order some seeds, but also order some tomatoes as well, I dont think I can wait till summer to make this." with a pause she gets curious, "What else would you have in your garden, Mister Wade?"
Wade hmmm's, "Onions, lettuce.. cabbage.. potatoes, celery, cucumbers…. green beans.. carrots, peppers, garlic….. maybe some other things."
Mia blinks at the long list of items he named off. "My, you plan to have a mighty garden, don't you Mister Wade?" she smiles, "It sounds like a stew recipe in the making. A tasty one at that."
Wade shrugs, "Well, not like there will be a whole bunch of each…. but.. a few.. garlic dosen't take a lot.. nor do potatoes… the rest are a little more picky… but I'll manage."
Mia nods her head slowly, "Yes, you are right." she reaches out and touches his arm. "It was so good to met you Mister Wade. I've more then likely taken up more of your time then you were really intending today." Taking her hand back she continues. "I think your garden will be wonderful, and I hope I'm around to see it blossom."
Wade nods slowly, "Indeed.. it was nice meetin ye.. hopefully ye can bring yer husband along next time an he can take a look around? Always somethin here for everyone."
Mia stops at the word Husband, blushing deeply. "Oh. Why.." she clears her throat. "Thats very nice of you to offer Mister Wade, I've no husband." Her hands knit together as she plays with her fingers shyly.
Wade blinks, "Oh… I apologize.. I thought some lucky young man would have snatched a pretty little thing like you up! A shame." he says, grinning a little, "Oh well.. I suppose someday."
His comments only seem to make the blush in Mia's cheeks deeper. A glimmer of sadness touches her eyes before she can push it away, but once it pushed away, no one would know it had been there if one didnt look fast enough, for one instant that bubbly girl you had seen disappeared. However, a shy smile plays on her lips quickly, "Yes, perhaps one day. Who knows really? I could wind up an old maid." she laughs, though there seem to ring some truth in her own ears.
Wade shakes his head, "Ah doubt it.. there enough young ranchers round here yer bound to find someone." he says, "If ye can stand'em." he murmurs, "Young upstarts the lot of them, all fulla themselves.. hrmpf."
Mia laughs softly, bringing her hand up to her lips, hiding the laugh to the best of her ability. It would be rude to laugh! Wouldnt it? Clearing her throat gently she says, "I've not met many, so I'll have to take your word on that Mister Wade."
Wade nods again, "Well, me shops always open.. sept late at night.. an sundays.. but other than that, i'm usually around if ye need anything." he says with a little smile, evidently happy he cheered her up and put her at ease.
Her Embarrassment and sadness had already been forgotten, Mia smiled easier again. "I'll be at the Boarding house if you need me for anything with the order or the like." she explains. "I'll be sure to come back soon, I've a taste for sweet things." she says, "And your candy looks delicious."
