Just Chris Thanks

“Let me rephrase… it doesn’t fit the theme I was going for,” he said lightly, though his shoulders lifted in a shrug. He was easy going enough that he was able to change his plans on a whim. He couldn’t help but let out a slight laugh at her funeral song; not that it was a laughing matter, just that he hadn’t expected it. “That’s a pretty good choice,” he admitted. When she requested Ramble On before heading off the snag the table before someone else could, he tapped the side of his nose, pointing after her, as if to say ‘you’ve got it,’ and flipping through the records in the machine relatively quickly to find the new code to punch in.

“Not that you look like a fan of Train,” he started after making his way over to the pool table, loading quarters into the device and pressing it into the table so it would dispense the balls and cue, “but you ever hear their cover of Ramble On? Surprisingly good. They covered all of Led Zeppelin II, but Ramble On was actually quality.”

She smirked at him as he said she didn’t look like a Train fan. “Then what do I look like?” She asked raising an eyebrow at him. Chris hadn’t been looking to be single again, but she wasn’t going to lie. Getting to flirt with strangers at bars was something she hadn’t thought to miss, but she’s enjoying it more than she’d expected.

“I did hear that cover, I’ll give you it is a pretty good cover.” She said lifting a shoulder. “ She set about racking the pool balls. “But when I’m home at least I spend most of my time using my record player, and I don’t have Train on vinyl.”

“you might be right there,” ramira laughed, reaching to pull herself up into the truck. “i don’t know, i’ve always thought small towns had the worst secrets, but maybe i’ve just watched too much tv.” at least in the city, the scary things seemed to always be in the open. “ramira. and thanks for the ride. is there anywhere in midtown you think would make for a good lunch?”

“There are no secrets in a small town.” Chris said, “unless the town itself is covering it up.” She climbed into the driver side of the truck and listened as the engine turned over. Still sounded perfect. “You know what, I take back what I said, I bet Boot Hill is like most small towns that are more dangerous than you think but all of the bad shit gets covered up.” Chris thought back to talking with one of the detectives, the mention of the disappearances. 

Since moving to Boot Hill, Tony had never been too keen on spending time outdoors in and around town. This was very uncharacteristic of him considering he’d always loved nature and the open air, but perhaps those feelings were only reserved for New York, and Boot Hill was anything but. Instead of being greeted by the colorful, eclectic climate of Brooklyn, from here on out it was a mostly barren land where everything was coated in a thin layer of dust. Not to mention the incessant suspicion Tony felt that something was just fucked about Boot Hill. If and when he would decide to leave his house for anything else but work and the market, occasionally, one could possibly catch him at Cheri’s; it was the only other place besides his home and the shop he felt an ounce of relief - he also had the biggest sweet tooth. Tony’s weakness was any and every baked good, but considering he still hadn’t seen a single, decent bakery about town, he had to settle for the next best thing.

Hands shoved deep inside his pockets, Tony stood in front, but not quite yet in line, of the modestly sized establishment, squinted eyes scanning the chalkboard as he fell into a ponder. Today he’d been feeling particularly adventuresome and decided that he wasn’t going to stick with his usual: bourbon vanilla, mostly because he noticed there was a new influx of seasonal flavors. Tony noticed the individual next to him seemed to share his dilemma. 

“Goat cheese and cherries,“ he hesitated, “dunno if that’s the grossest or possibly best pairing I’ve seen. Have you tried it?“

Chris had gone for a run. Her body had felt tense when she’d woken up. Like she could feel every muscle pulled tight just begging to be used. She did some cleaning and when that hadn’t helped she’d strapped on her nikes and ran until she couldn’t run anymore. She’d found herself in midtown with a craving for something sweet.

It was hard not to smirk as Mitch found himself met with a frown. “While there’s nothing wrong with some Led Zeppelin, it doesn’t go with the classic 70s and 80s Boston rock bands I was going for,” he countered easily, a smile finally curling his lips. By this point, the song that had been playing finished and the first song he queued up — Billy Squire’s Everybody Wants Some — had begun to crank through the speakers all around. “I’ll tell you what, though, I’ll opt for Led Zeppelin instead of another Boston band, if you go snag that pool table before someone else does it,” he suggested, eyebrows raising slightly as he waited to see if she’d take him up on the offer.

“Led Zepplin goes with everything.” She insisted. “I want Going to California to play at my funeral.” She was very matter of fact. She cocked her head at his song choice but started to smile. His taste in music wasn’t awful she supposed.

She looked him up and down, contemplating him for a moment. Her face broke out into a confident smile, “I will take nothing short of Ramble On for my services.” She told him and pushed off the wall. She stopped at the bar to swap for a new beer before she made her way over to the pool table, easily snagging it from the group of young women who’d been eyeing it. 

Like a moving picture, old memories started to replay in Tony’s mind as Chris spoke of New York and Brooklyn. This specific scene took him back to when he was 16 - his mother’s work would often send her out to various art venues and studios in the city to help fuel the creative process her work required. He’d accompanied her to New York’s famed Metropolitan Museum of Art one Friday evening. Tony knew she’d been there enough times to know the exact layout of the museum like the back of her hand and recall every painting, sculpture, and artifact when she closed her eyes, but it was her justification to get him to spend time with her and in truth, he loved going with her. More often, together they would frequent smaller, obscure venues in Brooklyn as he wasn’t a huge fan of the bustling city, but this time his mother had tempted him with his favorite apple cake from a modest Romanian bakery located between 84th and 85th street on the Upper East Side afterward. Though he knew he was grown enough, Tony loved it when his mother would coddle and pamper him with his favorite foods especially. She would take a bite of her own then hold up the same piece to his mouth, and like a mother to infant, would feed him - everything tasted better when she made it; baked goods tasted sweeter when she fed him. While the teenager next to him might refuse or shy away from such kid stuff, Tony would bask in her tenderness and affection - he felt it made him a better man and shaped his happiness and well-being growing up.

Her question had zapped him back to the present and he returned a focused gaze to her. “I miss it like hell, yeah. You’ll definitely see the city in a different light as an adult – for better and worse,” he chuckled. “Out on the west coast, huh – I’ve never been but I hear it’s a beautiful state with lots of wilderness. I’d still love to go someday.” If he’ll ever be able to somehow leave Boot Hill, that is. “Where all have you been?”

She laughed at the comment. “I believe that. I don’t think I see much the same way I did back then. My Dad was a musician, so I saw everything from dirty bars and old concert venues. But being a teenager who idolized her dad meant I thought everything was cool.” She remembered that feeling of believing with her entire heart and soul that her dad was golden. Everything he did and everywhere he took her was perfect. That’s not entirely true. She grew up and learned that nothing was perfect but still.

“It is beautiful there. My fiance...or uh, my ex and I used to go hiking all over the state. Take weekends to go camp up in the mountains. It’s really something.” She had loved it there. She just needed a change. “Any big city you can think of and then any small one in between. I spent the last few months just driving around and seeing things. So Continental US I’ve been to ever state at least once, and Alaska a time or two.”

MITCH + OPEN | Coyote’s Howl Bar

Some days, it was easy to forget he came from anywhere else; some days, it felt like he’d been living in Boot Hill all his life. Other days… well, other days Mitch would be channel flipping and find the all too familiar image of his home town in a movie on the television. Today was one of those days. He paused on the channel, trying to figure out what about Sitka, Alaska seemed so damned familiar, but then there was that one shot, and there was no denying the pang he felt in his chest; that was home, and it sure as hell wasn’t Sitka, Alaska. Mitch quickly powered off the TV with a shake of his head, a physical manifestation of his need to clear his head, before getting up and heading out.

It wasn’t long before he was at Coyote’s, a beer and an empty shot glass sitting in front of him. Leaving his shot glass behind, he took his beer with him as he went to peruse the jukebox in the corner. He couldn’t begin to estimate the number of quarters he’d dumped into the machine since his arrival, over a year ago. “So what are we feeling? The Cars? Boston? J. Geils Band?” he questioned the person nearest him him as he loaded several quarters into the machine, punching in a few different codes, and then waiting for the other’s opinion as his fingers hovered over the buttons. “I have to admit, though, you look like an ‘Aerosmith is the best Boston classic rock’ type, and I hate to break it to you, you’re wrong,” he remarked, his face and tone taking on more serious notes, though he was hardly being too serious (even if Aerosmith wasn’t exactly his jam). (@boothillstarters​)

Chris has spent more time at bars in Boot Hill than she ever had before. But she knew that she had to be around people. She had to get out of her own home. She liked to be by herself but she couldn’t spend days upon days alone, not if she expected to stay sane. 

Chris frowns at the new face by the jukebox. “If you’re asking me about music I’m always going to say Led Zepplin.” She wasn’t offended by the statement, not fully. “Listen their is a time and a place for Steven Tyler but a bar is not the time nor the place.” She thought about it for a moment and then said, “I suppose Boston is the best option you listed.”

“yeah, well–would a woman who wanted to hurt me really play the whole reverse psychology angle after i already asked her for a ride?” ramira joked, smiling gratefully as she headed towards the woman’s vehicle. “besides, i’m not getting into a car with a stranger.” she spoke with mock seriousness, smile breaking through before she continued. “i’m getting into a truck with a stranger. big difference.” besides, this woman looked neither like the stepford type nor the freebasing type. ramira figured if anyone in town was a safe bet, she was probably it. “besides, if you murder me before i get to my destination, you’re out a free lunch from yours truly.”

Chris did laugh now. The girl had a lot of spunk. “I’m pretty sure that getting in a truck makes it worse.” Chris opened the passenger door of her truck and offered her a hand to help her into the truck. “But I like to think Boot hill is mostly safe. I’m Chris by the way.”

Tony felt the tension subsiding with each second that passed in Chris’s company. He felt himself beginning to enjoy their conversation and felt less compelled to talk to her; Chis carried genuineness, Tony could tell, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on exactly what it was - he just respected the way she conducted herself. He felt more appreciative when she pointed out his art. 

In all of his four years living in Boot Hill, Tony had never told anyone about his background or his past. He’s always been a more private, reserved person by nature, but the mistrust he felt intensified in this small of a town. However, before he knew it, he found himself confiding in Chris - he had the feeling he could trust her. “Nah. Business brought me to this dump. Brooklyn born and raised.” His lips cracked a small smile as he pictured Brooklyn and his Dyker Heights home. “You?”

She remembered one summer they’d spent a whole two weeks in New York. It had been the summer that Chris had discovered that Rock biographies existed and she’d spent nearly all the daylight hours in book shops looking for a good Chuck Berry biography. So the way she remembers New York is from the inside of book stores and bars. “I’ve always wanted to go back to New York, especially as an adult.” She comments. “I think I was in Brooklyn for maybe 10 hours?” She guessed. “Do you miss it?” 

“I’m from Washington mostly. Grew up near Seattle, then went to Spokane for school.” She missed the green sometimes. Not all of Washington is green and honestly a lot of Spokane is brown and near desert like. But She’s always been only a short drive away from mountains and greenery. “Though in the summers I’d load up in an old van with my dad and end up all over the states.”

His grin cut sharp as he tossed his thumb over his shoulder, jabbing it back towards the faulty soap dispenser. “And that’s the real reason why there’s no warning sign over there, huh?” Shepherd joked along, another gentle laugh passing his lips at the thought that every resident in Boot Hill had been suckered into sticking around due to an endless cycle of never washed laundry. “I should’ve known this operation was up to more than just stealing a few extra quarters.” ‘A few’ translated to something more like four dollars for Shep already, between the double wash and detergent debacle, but who was counting?

“Right out of high school?” He echoed, surprise continuing. He shook his head slightly, mystified by the very idea of being simultaneously self-aware and committed enough to know what he wanted to do with his life and actually go for it. It was genuinely impressive. “It seems seriously demanding, too,” Shep added on, calling back to what little knowledge he had of firefighters. “But hopefully it’s not too bad around here. I mean, it’s not like you’d exactly get caught in traffic when you’re called out somewhere.” 

“Now I’m just imagining like day after day I come in here to wash my clothes and there you are still washing the same pile of laundry.” She shook her head. “If you’re still here next time I come in I’ll put you out of your misery.” She was having more fun talking to him than she’d had in weeks. It was refreshing to talk to someone with a sense of humor.

“Well I didn’t think I was going to be a firefighter. I needed volunteer hours for a class, and chicks dig a firefighter, so I just kept going.” She said with a wink. That wasn’t entirely true. Once she’d started volunteering she’d fallen in love with it, and worked her ass off to get to where she is now. “The traffic is way better here.” She laughed, “But there are a lot of small fires. And weird calls.” She frowned thinking about it. “Not quite as many house fires just due to the smaller size of the town.”

Everything about Lexi was the polar opposite of Boot Hill. She was large and grand, meant for the big city, while she thought Boot Hill was meant for the quiet and small. Of course it wasn’t right of her to make assumptions about a town she’d barely seen, but she was certain everyone would have something to say about her as well, which made it okay in her mind.

“Beverly Hills. California. How long have you been in Boot Hill?” Contrary to her bitchy and reserved attitude, Lexi loved to talk about herself. Just one of her narcissistic traits.

She shrugged, confused as to why it was such a big deal. Lexi was quite used to throwing money at her problems, since she had so much to spare, “I’d have better luck getting my car back at this point if I bought that man’s business from right under him. If he can’t fix a car in a weeks time, he probably shouldn’t own a mechanic shop.” Lexi glanced over at Chris, their eyes meeting momentarily, “Great, just another wonderful thing about this place, I suppose.”

Chris smiled when Lexi said California. “I was going to guess New York.” She told her. “But California makes sense too.” She wasn’t trying to be rude, in fact it was the polar opposite, she was trying to flirt. Though she was pretty positive she was missing the mark. “I’ve only been in town a few weeks. A month maybe.” She shrugged. “what brought you through these parts?” She asked

“It’s not that it’s a big deal I guess if you can afford it. But it just encourages people to take advantage of you.” Chris had never had money growing up. She’d gotten into collage because of scholarships and worked two part time jobs while she took classes. So the idea of throwing money away for no reason was somewhat abhorrent to her. 

“This town isn’t all bad.” She told Lexi, “It’s a great place when you’re looking to run away.” She grinned. She knew that wasn’t the most appealing part of the town, but it was what had drawn Chris to it. A nice quant place far away from the problems she wanted to put behind her. Far enough away to feel separate.

Clutching a hand to his chest dramatically he feigned an injury. “You wound me with such contradictions.”A playful and teasing smile filled his face before clutching his stomach and laughing, his hand batting through the air as he dismissed his own joke. Not that he knew the burden of being somewhere new, but he imagined it couldn’t be easy coming to a small close-knit town like this and trying to find your place. And while she probably wouldn’t see him as a hero because she knew the nature of their work, making her feel welcome and comfortable around him was good enough for now.

“It’ll take a little time. If you want we can go grab a drink later, the bars here are pretty good.” Grabbing the handle on the hose he began to reel it back in, “No need to apologise, we can grab a coffee on the way back. So what made you move to Boot Hill?”

“You’ve known me a few weeks now. You know I can’t not contradict you.” She paused smiling up at him. “Well on occasion at least.” She finished putting back the majority of the gear and watched him as he reeled in the hose.

“I would love that seriously. I’m starting to think I need to get a Cat so that I’m not just talking to myself in my apartment.” She raised her eyebrows wondering how plausible that actually was with her schedule. Something to think about. 

She nodded a little at the question trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to say and then she finally decided on the truth. “My fiance left me.” She said, “Or I left her I guess. or...” She sighed rubbing at her eyes. “You ever have something go wrong on the job?” She asks, trying to figure out if she can explain this right.

“yeah, uh–” kim’s amusement is paired with a dubious expression on her face. “–that was kind of the joke i was makin’.” her laughter doesn’t sound mocking; it’s the laughter shared between two friends teasing one another. kim is like that. in her best moments, she seems like she could be anybody’s friend and then something dark rolls over her as if she’s remembering that she’s not allowed to be happy the way she wants to be. the exception is that, at work, she can keep up the good spirits, because it’s part of her job. “ah–yeah, that makes sense.” she nods knowingly. “i work in dispatch. i thought i recognized your voice. newer to town, right?” 

Chris laughed at herself too downing the majority of her coffee in one long drink. “That would be the sleep deprivation talking.” She smiled back. “Give me like three more cups of this and I promise I’ll start getting the jokes.” She cocked her head to the side contemplating the girl. 

“Are you alright?” She couldn’t help but ask. The girl could just as easily brush off the question but Chris knows that sometimes all it takes is the right stranger asking the right question to give someone the peace of mind to open up. Hell, Chris had done it in enough bars after leaving Spokane to know.

“Really? Yeah that makes sense. I’m not so good at voices.” She’d had friends who’d gone into dispatch back home, and even then she wasn’t so good at knowing when it was one of them.

justchristhanks‌:

Chris’s truck was definitely not up to Lexi’s standards by any means, but she was helping her out, so Lexi wasn’t about to be even more of a bitch than she naturally was. Still, being in another car made her miss her Mercedes, which was still stuck in the mechanics shop.

Lexi couldn’t help but roll her eyes however, at the choice of music playing. It seemed as if this town fit every possible stereotype, right down to the unbearable music. She was much more of an R&B and pop fan herself, which she supposed also fit her own stereotype.

“Really? You get a lot of people who find themselves stuck in this town?” Her brow peaked up. If that were the case, at least it would explain why she was still stuck here too, why that damn shop was moving so slow. “I’m beginning to think that they really don’t know how to fix a damn car. Especially since I thought paying them double of what they charge would’ve sped things up.”

Chris wasn’t going to lie this girl was kind of intriguing to her. She was unlike anyone Chris had ever known. She’d grown up surrounded by ranches and then moved to Spokane for college, the type of people she interacted with there widened but honestly not that much. 

“Where are you from?” She asked unable to keep her questions to herself. She wanted to understand. What made this girl tick.

Chris let out a laugh despite herself. “You tried to bribe a mechanic?” She didn’t mean to sound so incredulous. “Now he’ll think you don’t know anything about cars. He’s going to take forever because he thinks you don’t know how long it should take.” She looked over at Lexi, “Though I will say thing getting anything delivered in this town takes for freaking ever. So if you needed a new part that could also be the problem.”

joanne shrugs, considering the other woman’s words. “trust me - getting a more regular sleeping schedule isn’t something to bemoan. it takes some getting used to, but it means you can lead a more sociable life.”

joanne smiled back, genuinely, before she could stop herself. “i wouldn’t worry - the less different you seem, the more they like you here. blending in may just be a blessing.”

she paused again, face (and voice) softening slightly. “that’s okay. there’s so many conflicting ideologies in this world, it can be hard to decide which one to adhere to.”

Chris gave a thoughtful nod. She was sure Joanne was right, but she wasn’t sure she totally agreed either. Her sleeping schedule still wasn’t considered regular. “Sociable only works if you have people to be social with though.”

“Do you blend in?” She couldn’t help but ask. Chris had never been the type to blend in, But so far she’d done a pretty good job for it being such a small town.

Chris lifted one shoulder in a half hearted shrug. “Everything in my life was kind of turned on it’s head.” She raised her eyebrows, as if in defeat. “So I guess it’s hard to know if I’m even the same person.”