i have a plan

Against better judgement, I’m going to have another drink.

Grumpy cat? Drinking? Where was I when tickets were being sold?!

Well, uh… -he taps his fingers together- It may, perhaps, be a connection to your inner demons?

My inner demons are far from ogres, as far as I know.  'Less my landlord counts as one, but he's more impish than anything.

"Hmm, that’s a little tricky. You might be out of luck, I’m afraid. Do you have a permit or anything?"

"Nooo? I'm supposed to have one of those?"

"Well, I don’t think that’s a word, exactly, but go ahead. Shoot. I might be able to help you out."

"We can make it a thing.  Okay, well the ticket will be issued to either Catarina Calico or Aly Dumas.  But it was really not warranted.  We were parked behind my shop in my parking lot.  I mean yeah it was at two in the morning but I was working late on some business plans and fell asleep in the break room.  The neighbors have got a vendetta I swear to god."

I wouldn’t start making assumptions on how well I play before you’ve had a chance to see it for yourself. I’m glad that you don’t think me in such a way.

Call me a cock-eyed optimist, then.  Now shall we get started?

Ah, maybe. The college has a psych department, as well as the library a section on books of the term. You could always ask Archie for help. I’d like to know more about them, though. They might be relevant.

Relevant? Mind if I ask what to?

Go Fish, about the only card game I’m fairly good at. I appreciate you going easy on me. Not out to embarrass myself too badly tonight.

Hey, I'm sure you'll do fine. And furthermore, I only work to embarrass chumps.  And you sir are no chump.  Any embarrassment tonight will not be at my hand.

Not much of a card player, but I don’t see why I can’t be your entertainment for a while.

Now that's the spirit!  We can start with Go Fish if you like, work our way up to something with higher stakes later on. I'll even go easy on you. [smirks]

"Are you looking for Emma? Most people are when they come in here, but you never know."

"More or less.  I was going to see if I could talk myself out of a parking ticket.  I was hoping for a Sheriffential pardon, if that's even a thing."

-eyes widen- Eh, perhaps a bit. -he wonders about the ogres, determined she must definitely be thinking of her past- And were you in charge of the ogres, or rather on opposites side? -clears throat- For research, I ask.

Opposite side.  Does knowing that help me stop subconsciously chewing my hair? Does the college have any books on this?

I doubt you’d not notice the amount of hair a hairball makes in your food. There’s a disorder where people eat their hair from stress. Perhaps a certain predilection has got you on edge?

A few things in my personal life have certainly got me on edge.  I've been out a lot of money recently, coupled with nightmares about ogres I haven't had much room for relaxation outside of taking a night to drink of Ethan.  You think that could get me eatin' my own hair?

Perhaps it was something you ate.

Because hair has been on the list of things I've recently eaten?  I mean, it's possible with the places I eat but god I hope not.

Will do!

See you there, then

It sounds like a date then. Where do you want to meet?

Meet me by the Jolly Roger.  I'll make myself easy to spot.