Hold My Beaker

Irene wasn’t paying attention at all to his music or him pushing his skateboard back and fourth slowly-she was deep in her book before she heard his apology, making her look up and shook her head. “No, you’re fine,” she told him with a nod. 

“Oh, that’s good. I know my headphones are pretty.... They need replacing. I just wasn’t thinking,” Daniel said. He lost focus of most everything except his papers when he was grading. It made his life a lot easier. There was far too much food and too many books and two adorable niblings that would’ve completely ripped his attention away from the task at hand.

“Oh definitely! The yellow definitely has that connotation while purple is new.  It sounds super interesting!” Reagan made a mental note to try to find the ice cream flavor in a more local ice cream shop to try it.

“Oh gosh you really should try it! It isn’t overwhelmingly peanut buttery.  But it gives it a little extra kick than just the regular rice cereal.” 

“It is! I can have her make some for you, if you like. She’d be delighted.“

Dina laughed softly, shaking her head. They were pretty different, then, because Dina didn’t much care what people thought about her or what she was doing. “What’s your regular choice, then?” She asked. “I like all kinds. I’m a performer, so I hear it really loud, all the time.”

“Um, I don’t know. Things that aren’t particularly quote-unquote standard, I suppose. Not in a pretentious way,” he added. “That’s just how it seems to happen.” Daniel didn’t know any performers outside of the people who worked with Tuesday. He knew a lot of creative types, though, and always loved meeting more. “Really? What kind of performance?”

Reagan grinned “Oh that’s really cool! I definitely did not expect that to be the color but it sounds good!”

“Exactly! Vanilla is the building blocks to the many flavors we have today, it deserves the recognition! Oh Rice Krispies are always good.  Have you tried them with other cereals? Personally I go for the Reece’s Puffs Krispies.” 

“Me neither. It makes it look so much more appealing though. I mean, purple ice cream would be appealing in it’s own way but that familiarity is unbeatable for me.” Daniel was really craving lavender, egg nog, and sweet cream ice cream now.

    – “No, actually. You’re listening to my favorite song, and considering I forgot my earbuds at home, I’m thankful for yours.”

Vi offered a bright smile, hoping her words didn’t seem quite as awkward as she felt they were. She wasn’t exactly the best when it came to judging social cues, nor sentence structure in social situations, so assuming the worst always seemed to soften the eventual blow that came with rejection. 

“Really? Huh.” Daniel never thought he’d run into someone who listened to Cal’s band, not that they didn’t deserve it. They were just relatively small and local. He didn’t notice that what Vi said might have been a little strange or awkward, he was mostly just relieved. “Well, I’m glad because I just kind of zoned out and was starting to feel kind of like a jerk as reality set back in.”

     – “And I’m the queen of England.”

Vi sighed, flopping down beside the other and placing her head on his shoulder. Technically she wasn’t looking at him anymore. 

“Maybe you are and you’re just not telling me. For all you know, you could be, if hundreds of people died. Have you ever heard of Karin Vogel?” he asked, trying to change the subject.

Dina didn’t even come to this spot for coffee, but for the doughnuts they made fresh daily. They were intricate little pastries and she liked to have her fill of them before performing.

She always sat in the same place, which left her directly beside the man who was clearly grading papers and listening to some heavy rock. When he apologized, Dina offered him a smile and shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m used to loud music, no need to be sorry.”

“Really? That’s a bit of a relief.” He left the music paused and said, “I hate bothering people when I’m in public. I know some people can be so inconsiderate.” Daniel had a few students who were like that, who hadn’t yet realised that simply attending didn’t constitute a passing grade. “I’m actually not used to loud music. This isn’t really my regular choice of music.”

The universe is out to get him today, he’s sure of it. He gives it a mental flip of the bird as the man starts talking to him, surely aware of Lalo’s creeping. “Calliope?” He repeats, once again ever so casually, trying not to dwell on the fact that Calliope was a muse. Lalo wonders briefly if the real life Charles Xavier really is walking among mankind (it’s a recurring worry of his and completely rational, thankyouverymuch). 

“Is that the band?” His brow wrinkles in spite of himself. His displeasure with the man’s music wasn’t entirely due to the volume, it was also the genre, so far removed from Lalo’s own personal preference for what his self-proclaimed rockabilly dad calls “sad boy music”. 

“You should try movie scores. They help when I’m grading, or working on a project. Kinda makes me feel like I’m accomplashing something pretty damn heroic, at least.” Lalo offers helpfully, still half-hoping the man will get back to his paperwork and skateboard and loud music soon and let him start sketching. But the other half of him is curious. “Where do you teach?”

“Oh, no, that’s her name. They’re called, um...,“ Daniel fumbled with his phone, hoping to peek at the widget on his lockscreen that was gone already, so it had to be unlocked. “Godbersen,” he read, squinting a little. “I think it’s a family name.” He recalled that Calliope was deeply attached to her Swedish roots, anyway, and that she had a cousin there who may have had that last name.

“I love movie scores! Well, the ones I’ve heard. Black Swan has a masterful score. I don’t listen to them often, but there are a few that are very close to my heart.” Upon hearing that the man had papers to grade too, Daniel wanted to ask what his subject was but got beaten to it. “I teach at San Francisco State. Chemistry. What about you?”

“Oh I bet! I know I would love it if I was younger! But lavender ice cream sounds interesting, that definitely sounds like something I would try. Does it come out all purple and stuff too?”

Reagan shrugged slightly.  “But if it’s what you like who’s to judge?  Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.  I think it counts, so do you normally have a sweet tooth?”

“Actually, not the way my sister makes it. It actually comes out kind of yellow-y like egg nog ice cream. It’s extremely appealing.” Daniel made a mental note to ask Cal to make him some when she had a moment.

As he gulped down his coffee (sadly, not the largest cup filled to the brim with espresso shots as he’d initially requested of the barista), Eduardo found himself stealing glances at the man in the table across from his, initially out of sleep-deprived annoyance at the man’s music and fidgeting. This felt like a particularly cruel joke of the universe’s when Lalo had forgotten his own headphones in Reagan’s car the night before and had nothing to keep him sane.

But after the first two or three (unnoticed) withering stares directed at the man, Lalo had realized something. He liked this face. It was refined without being obviously (blandly) appealing, elegant even.

He pulled his sketchbook (Starry Night on the cover, a gift from Reagan) out of his bag and flipped to a page already covered in ideas for sculptures and the start of a grocery list. Pencil poised, he looked back up at the man, ready to attempt and capture him. Unfortunately, that was the moment his fidgeting muse decided to notice Lalo’s staring  people-observing.

“No, no. You’re fine.” Lalo cleared his throat, casually. “I was lost in thought, actually; just trying to find some inspiration” 

For effect, he nodded towards a spot in the wall just over the man’s head, pretending to observe it pensively. Thank the universe he hadn’t actually started drawing the guy. 

“Are you sure? I can stop. Well, I mean, I’m going to, anyway. Calliope is small but... very loud,” he remarked, unsure what to feel about her music. It didn’t match his taste and it seemed strange coming from her, but it was also so unequivocally her that it was just... confusing. In a good way, he supposed, at least.

“Usually, I try to listen to classical music when I grade things, but... I’m sure that would get kind of annoying for everyone else too. I really need to invest in a new pair of headphones....” Daniel has no idea that he was about to become the unwitting subject of a portrait. He had noticed the man look at him a few times, but figured it was because of the music, and possible his skateboard making soft rolling noises over and over again.

“Don’t apologize, sweetheart.” Rocky drawled, leaning in to try and catch a glimpse of the papers. “You a teacher or somethin’?” She asked, eyes lifting back to meet his gaze. She reached a hand out for him to shake. “I’m Rocky… and I find it very interesting that you’re listening to a family member’s music while grading papers, in a café, with a skateboard under your feet.”

“I am, actually. I’m a chemistry professor at SF State.” Daniel shook her hand, smiling over at her.  He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, looking downward for a moment. “Yeah, well, I suppose that’s kind of weird. I don’t live far from here, so, generally, I’ll just take my skateboard. I do the same thing around campus, actually.” He realized that that was a bit odd the first few times, him in his glasses, sweater vests, and ties. “My sister-in-law is in a band and she wanted us all to listen, so here I am. Rocky, you said? That’s an interesting name. I’m just plain old Daniel. It’s nice to meet you.”

Rocky could hear his music clearly, and she had been watching him as he pushed the skateboard back and forth, back and forth. But it didn’t bother her. No, in fact, she had become more interested the longer she watched.

When he spoke, she flashed a pretty smile. “No, not at all… just wonderin’ what you’re up to, ‘s’all…”

“That’s a relief,” Daniel admitted. Still, he didn’t go back to listening to the music, knowing that she wasn’t the only person in the cafe. “Oh, I’m grading papers. Tests. It helps to listen to music sometimes. I don’t usually listen to this kind of rock music, but it’s by family so I made an exception. Sorry it was so loud. Again.”

“Okay good, because everyone should try it at least once.  You really won’t regret it.”  She nodded taking in his answer.  “Ice cream cakes are good, but trust me, you won’t want anything else after this.  What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? They have a pretty good range up there.” 

Daniel nodded in agreement and said, “I’m sure my niece would love for me to take her here for one. I don’t think she’s ever had one either. Just things like homemade lavender ice cream and what not. My sister-in-law is very creative, I suppose you could say.”

“Are you super sure? Everyone deserves to know the wonders of their waffle ice cream sundae.” Reagan wiggled her eyebrows.  “But honestly you could get anything here and it’s the best.”

“I’m sure. ...But maybe I’ll order one for myself. I have had a waffle ice cream sundae before. Or any ice cream sundae, actually.” Daniel grinned over at the stranger, adding, “The fanciest I get with my ice cream is ice cream cakes. Which I don’t think is that fancy. You can buy them at Giant, I mean.”

“Sorry, am I bothering you?” he asked the person nearest. “Generally, I do this at home but I just felt like getting out today and.... I apologize.”

Reagan was sitting down at one of her favorite restaurants about to enjoy her favorite food when she looked up from her plate.  “You could have some of it if you want.  You know you want to.” She even pushed the plate forward for added effect.

“Oh, um... thank you? But no, thank you. I don’t want to take your food away.“ Daniel didn’t usually get spoken to when he was here, except for waitstaff. Even if that wasn’t the case, he would’ve have expected someone to offer him their food.