Theo Stokes

@vestalanding·

“This is why I don’t have friends that chose me to be a bridesmaid. I signed up for a bachelorette party and wine, but I was not informed I would have to buy lingerie for someone that isn’t myself. This shit is expensive. But, I need your opinion - The little babydoll number or the lace-y one?” Lu turned her computer for a better view of the two options she had narrowed down.

Blinking at the screen, Theo looked at Lucy and shook his head. “This is why I don’t usually work in public. Speaking as a man, go with the lacey one. The other makes me think that I’m sleeping with a child and I’m not about that life.”

After a long night of grading tests, the male decided he needed a drink so here he was, sitting at the bar of one of the best bars in LA. He slowly sipped on his Manhattan and eyed his surroundings carefully, taking in everything and everyone. Destin glanced over feeling the body next to him, and feeling rather generious he decided to take it upon himself to pay for whatever they were ordering. “Benny, put it on my tab” he instructed before raising his glass towards the person beside him.

It was a theme for Theo to leave the office and walk along the lake before stepping into a bar for a drink before heading home for the night. Some nights, that drink even turned into dinner depending on how good the food was at the bar. Even though his house was turning into a self sustaining home, that didn’t mean Theo was confident in his cooking skills more than two days a week. He had just sidled up to the bar when he heard the offer to put the drink on the other’s tab. “Scotch on the rocks please.” Taking the drink, Theo nodded his thanks. “That was quite the hospitality. You buying a drink for everyone in the bar?”

@vestalanding·

“Don’t tell me you came all the way to this club not to dance? Come on, come dance with me!” they beckoned the other person, offering out their hand.

Theo turned and looked behind him before clutching his drink with both hands. “No, no. I think you have me confused with someone else. I come for the music. And drinks.”

“Was my pickup line really that bad?”  

( @vestalanding· )

Snorting into his beer, Theo turned as watched the person fade into the crowd. “Mate, you completely crashed and burned worse than Goose in Top Gun.”

“Ummm….yeah. But hey, at least it’s something, right?”

“I mean, how long ago did you read it?”

“And you have no friends that would invite you over for movie nights?” She questioned. “Wow look at you, I had no idea I was talking to captain planet.” Becca joked. “But really designing a self sustaining community sounds like it would be a pretty cool project. And honestly if I had to make the choice I would have picked lights too.” 

“Well no. My friends usually invite me to the bar or out to dinner, or even out to art shows. Not usually movies. I should probably find new friends.” Laughing at himself, Theo nodded, “It’s definitely and interesting project. I mean, you would have no idea the amount of research that goes into it.”

“What business is it of yours or mine if they aren’t?” she asked, growing more exasperated. “Look, I don’t know you but sometimes, my days are barely there lunches in stock rooms, running all over town, customers sending emails, needing me to be on all the time. If I have a half hour to shut off my brain and watch Parks and Recreation, I am going to do it and I wouldn’t judge anyone else for doing the same.”

“Pardon me, I think you don’t quite understand what I’m saying. I’m not trying to judge someone for having an off day or a busy one. It’s the ones that aren’t where we should be furthering our knowledge. Or do you like the wonderful society that we live in?”

“Now, I can’t have this kind of rubble in my neighborhood. What are you guilty of? If you don’t like pineapple on pizza I can be fairly forgiving.”

“Fruit really just shouldn’t be on a pizza. It makes zero sense.”

“Ohhhhh, well…I did read The Great Gatsby once!”

“Oh.. my.. god.”

“Chewing tobacco. Cats the musical. Toxic masculinity. People who think pineapple on pizza is a bad thing. Cause when it’s paired with a fatty, salty meat like canadian bacon – You got your salt, fat, acid, and heat.”

“Well it appears I am slowly killing society then. This is a first for me.”

“While downing on others for not “simply having the time”. The world needs to change for a lot more important reasons than people needing to find more time in their day to read.” She fired back, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

“Do you think those Americans that don’t read are doing anything better with their spare time or just watching Netflix?”

Becca looked at him for a moment. “Wait your not one of those, no electronics perfect life people are you?” She questioned not that there was anything bad about that. “And if not then I very much need to hear this story.” 

“No I was actually quite fond of it really.” Laughing to himself, Theo ran a hand over his face. “I’m working on designing a self sustaining community. So in order to design on properly, I am slowly turning my own house into one. And when I first started, the solar panels couldn’t handle too much electricity and it was either my lights or the tv.”

“No, not everyone does. Some work more than one job, have children, houses to keep…” she trailed off. To think that  everyone had the luxury of free time was absurd. “Children will undoubtedly be affected, yes, but there will always be the kids who don’t read and the ones who do who will adapt and find ways. I agree the statistic is worrisome but to look down your nose is worse.”

Theo heard nothing else from her argument. “Look down my nose? I’m simply suggesting the world needs to change.”

“Pretty pathetic if you ask me. But if it makes you feel better most of my movie watching these days has been either hulu or netflix.”

“I would agree with you there, except for I gave my tv away last year. It’s a rather long story. Before that though, I was almost always watching netflix.”

“I think you’re underestimating a good chunk of people.” she replied indignantly. “Sure, there’s the fluff pieces but I would bet they’re also reading about local events or clicking on articles that interest them. Not everyone has a life that allows them to sit under a tree all day with a book like a character in a movie.”

“But that’s where your wrong. People can easily unplug from their ‘life’ and find enough time to read for 30 minutes, especially at night. Think of how this trend is affecting children.”

“Scrolling twitter kills braincells? Huge shocker there,” Becca teased knowing full well it indeed did. “Honestly though i hate it. People will go to the movies and rave about it and i;m like but the book is so much better.” 

Pausing for a moment, Theo thought for a second. “I can’t actually remember when I went to the movies last. How pathetic is that?”

“Ooh, that’s some tough statistics to hear when your entire livelihood depends on recreational reading. It does include everything from the smallest newspaper column to the thickest new york times bestseller, right? Or do you have better news for those of us still working in a ‘dying industry’?”

“I think it mostly was referring to print novels. So unless you’re an author I think your safe. Though from what my assistant tells me no one subscribes to magazines anymore anyways.”