The Corner Table

[Administrator]

Need to talk to someone in private? No other tables are available? Welcome to the corner table!

[Ki Harper]

<New Day - Open>

Ki still felt like the dust from the road on his journey to New York was caked onto his skin, the sort of grime that lingered long after you had been afforded the luxury of attempting to wash it away. The fact that Ki hadn't the chance for a good wash might account for the feeling, but it didn't bother him much. At the moment he was more focused on food to fill his belly, especially the prospect of warm good food that had been absent during his travels. So when he'd walked past the restaurant and his stomach had given an approving growl, Ki had determined that it was time for a decent meal, after which he would begin the search for his cousin.

It was hard to believe that just a week ago he'd been preparing for his circus act, the familiar noises of the circus making him feel at home and the buzz of the crowd barely heard from where he stood backstage beside his father. Now he was here, in the biggest city he might have ever laid eyes on and his cousin was out there in it somewhere. It was a funny thing life, the paths it led you down and Ki was willing to embrace this path with all that he had. There was a part of him that was nervous, a thought that he was certain would amuse his family if they knew, Ki was rarely deterred by much. But there was something about uncertainty and the unfamiliar that demanded them, their presence only made Ki the more determined. But there would be time enough for exploration and thoughts later, now it was time for food.

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Half Pint rushed through the front door of Tibby's, stumbling over his untied shoelaces. He had been running all over Manhattan searching for his friend Snoddy but was having no luck. Tibbys was his last stop before giving up and heading back to Queens.

Half Pint shuffled further into restaurant and took a look around. Save for a couple girls near the window and a big blond guy in the corner, Tibby's was practically empty. Avoiding the girls altogether, he made his way over to the boy in the corner. "S'cuse me mistah, but have you seen a tall boy with brown hair, people call him Snoddy?"

[Ki Harper]

Ki had seen the boy race inside, hard not to notice the noise he made as he ran into the restaurant and eyed all the patrons with what appeared to be a determined glance before heading back in Ki's direction. It was with surprise that Ki listened to the question the boy presented once he was standing beside Ki's table, his experience with small children was limited to the few who traveled with the circus caravan and those in the crowds that flocked to see their acts. He had found that most were either terrified or awed by his sheer size, but seemed to ease with his smile and so he found one now, regretfully shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, I have not seen your friend," Ki began gently, setting a large hand on his knee and leaning down a little so he was more on the boy's eye level. "But I've only just arrived in the city, so it may be that he walked past me on the street and I might not have known it." There was truth in it since he'd come more or less straight from the train station and happened upon Tibby's purely by luck and coincidence. "I wish you luck though, in finding your friend. I'm looking for someone myself."

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Hearing from the large man that Snoddy hadn't been seen, Half Pint's face fell. It had almost been a week since he last saw his best friend; the longest the two had ever gone without contact. He missed the boy who treated him like a little brother. He was the closest thing to family he had.

Half Pint plopped down in the seat across from the boy. He was never one for waiting to be asked to do something--or manners for that matter--so he didn't wait to be asked to sit down. Snoddy and Styx often tried to break him of that and teach him a little manners, to no avail. Half Pint looked up at the boy curiously, "Who'd you lose? Your brother? A girlfriend?" He scrunched up his nose at the last option. He was only eight so the thought of being all mushy with a girl grossed him out.

A waitress walked by carrying a tray full of food, causing Half Pint's stomach to growl at the smell as it wafted by. He place a hand over his empty stomach and licked his lips as he watched the waitress set the food down in front of a table of girls. He tucked a grubby hand into his right pocket to pull out what money he made today selling, to see how much he could spend. He dropped several coins onto the tabletop and began trying to count them. One of the bigger boys usually kept an eye on him when he sold papers, would tell him how much he made, and then he always had one of the older boys with him when he came to restaurants or stores, so he never had to count it on his own. Styx and Snoddy were in the process of teaching him to count money himself so no one could rip him off if he ever found himself buying something alone such as now. Getting frustrated because he couldn't remember which of the small silver coins were worth five cents and which was worth ten, he scowled and crossed his arms in front of his chest staring down at the pile of coins.

_{((occ: My oldest nephew is 8 and he can't quite add up coins yet so I'm just going by what he knows to do. lol. He can read. money is just hard for him.))}

[Ki Harper]

Ki felt bad when he saw the boy's face fall, as though Ki had just delivered the worst possible news and somehow Ki wished there was another answer that he could have given. But he wasn't given much of a chance to say anything else before the boy plopped down into the chair across from him and looked at him with wide eyes, asking who he was looking for. "My cousin actually," Ki explained, leaning back in his chair and looking at the boy as a smile inched across his face. "She left to come to the city a little bit before me and now I'm here and I have to find her. Which in this big place doesn't seem like it's going to be easy."

Truth was, Ki had no idea where Devan was, or where to even begin to look. When he'd left their families behind he'd been certain that finding her wouldn't be to hard, but that was before he'd arrived and seen the bustling streets and throngs of people and with no address or possible location, Ki had a feeling it might be days before he found her. It didn't help that his cousin had no idea he was coming, there had been no way to send word and there was a part of him that did relish the idea of surprising her: another grand adventure for them both.

Ki didn't miss the expression on the boy's face when the tray of food passed by, or the way his tiny grubby reached into his pockets and revealed a few coins. With a touched sort of amusement, Ki watched as the boy struggled to count out his coins, determined for the span of the few moments, then appearing to give up in frustration. "You know," Ki began, eyeing the food set in front of the girls himself and feeling a grin spread across his face. "I was just about to get some lunch and I'd really hate to have to sit here all by myself. What do you say to keeping me company and I'll help you figure out what you can order?" Ki had plenty of coins to swing a few the kid's way to help him get a good tasty meal and the company would be good after the long, solitary journey on the train. "My name is Ki, what's yours little man?"

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Half Pint grimaced at the thought of anyone wanting to be around a girl, even if it was just a cousin. Since his buddy Snoddy had started making goo-goo eyes at Styx's sister Nike, he got to spend less time with him. That made him disapprove of girls more.

Half Pint's face lit up at the prospect of a meal. Besides climbing trees and playing with Snoddy, eating was his next favorite thing to do. He may have been small for his age, but he definitely could eat his weight in food, plus some. And, Snoddy always told him he needed to eat well, to grow up big, so he always jumped at the chance for a meal.

Half Pint pushed the coins over to Ki's side of the table with a huge grin plastered on his face. "I'm Half Pint," he replied bouncing up and down in his seat. "You're really big, you know that?," he blurted out, looking Ki up and down one more time. "You must be a fighter--a boxer. Them guys are always big and muscly like you. Sometimes when we're supposed to be sleeping, I sneak out to go watch them fight b'cause they're so tough. But, Prince don't know I do that. I'd get in big trouble."

A mischievous grin began to form on Half Pint's face. Once it was lights out, everyone had to go to sleep. If Prince ever found out he snuck out once everyone was sleeping, he'd be in HUGE trouble. Probably even worse would be if Snoddy found out. But, he couldn't help it. He was never tired when it was time to sleep, and those guys fighting were so neat to watch. He looked back up at Ki. He had to be a new fighter. What else could he be?

[Ki Harper]

The matter of food now seemingly decided, the boy raced on to the next topic, introducing himself in one breath and pronouncing Ki as 'really big' in the next. It wasn't a shocking pronouncement, Ki had been hearing it ever since he hit his growth spurt a few years ago - and before that everyone had assumed he'd take after his father. Which by all accounts he had, tall and just as broad with a body that he kept in peak physical condition for his circus performances all indications were that he would be getting even bigger before things were all said and done. So he took Half Pint's announcement with the wide-eyed innocence in which it was intended and grinned down at the kid.

"No I'm not a fighter," Ki said, smiling as he realized the description fit his personality as much as it did his profession. "But I do have a job where my size is a good thing - I'm a circus performer," He explained, leaning back in his chair as the waitress arrived to take drink orders and Ki took the liberty of ordering a pop for them both. "I'm the strongman, I lift all kinds of heavy things - that's part of how I got so big. You ever been to the circus?"

Ki smiled and shook his head as Half Pint talked about sneaking out to watch the fights when he wasn't supposed to be out. Probably not the best place for a kid of his age or size, but Ki could remember his own misadventures with Devan when they had been young. Sneaking out to listen to their parents by the fire late at night when they were supposed to be in bed, or slipping away from camp to head into the town nearby and stir up trouble. It was all part of being a kid, Ki supposed. "Whose Prince?" He asked, noting the mention of someone that Half Pint seemed to have a little respect for, or at the very least seemed to take charge of the youngster.

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Half Pint's eyes grew to the size of saucers and he leaned forward closer to the guy in front of him. "WOW, the Circus?! I never seen a real live circus a'fore. That's gotta be the bestest job ever! Do you get to work with elephants and lions? Have you ever gotten to ride the elephants? DO you get to pet the lions? I bet you could lift a real elephant! Are you that strong?" The questions came out one after another. Before Ki had a chance to answer one, he'd ask another. He had never met a circus performer before so the excitement was radiating off him--he just couldn't sit still.

"Whose Prince?"

Half Pint took a loud slurp from his glass of pop, before answering Ki's question. "Oh, Prince is the leader of Queens. He watches out for all of us and keeps the peace. He's like the sheriff. He makes sure we're all getting along, and that we go to bed at lights out. He's pretty cool..." He took another sip of his drink before picking up a straw, putting it in his glass, and beginning to blow bubbles in his pop.

[Ki Harper]

Ki laughed as Half Pint let loose another round of questions that he didn't have a chance to answer until the boy took a breath to sip from his glass of pop. His inquisitiveness was natural and Ki was used to it from children, and really people in general, when it came to his life and profession. "I don't work much with the animals but my uncle is the lion tamer," Ki explained, doing his best to answer all of Half Pint's questions as best as he could. "And I rode the elephants a lot when I was little, but not so much anymore. When my family comes through the city you should come and I'll see if I can't get you a ride on one? How's that sound?"

He chuckled considering the idea of lifting an elephant, he did a great many things in his act: carting around anvils, placing them on his chest and he was working on an act with a firing canon but that still had some kinks to be worked out - but lifting an elephant wasn't one. "I'm not sure an elephant would like it so much if I tried to lift him, but I can bend a metal bar with just these." He lifted up his large hands and flexed them a little, before winking at Half Pint.

This Prince sounded like a good sort of soul to have around, especially for one so young as Half Pint and Ki was actually kind of relieved he had someone to look after him, other then the friend he was looking for. "He sounds like a good sort to have around then," Ki smiled down at Half Pint. "Even if you don't think so sometimes."

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Half Pint quickly looked up with a big grin on his face, when Ki said he would try to get him a ride on an elephant when the circus visited. "Really?!" He jumped up out of his seat and barrelled full-force into Ki--who would have been knocked over if he wasn't such a big guy--and wrapped his arms around the man's waist; or at least tried to. His short little arms didn't make it very far around the bigger man's waist.

Half Pint quickly returned to his seat when giggles and remarks of 'how adorable' came from the table of girls across the way. Plopping down in his seat he shot them an annoyed scowl and went back to sipping his pop, mumbling about stupid girls and not being adorable in between sips.

Half Pint gaped wide-eyed at his new friend holding up some very large hands and explaining what he could do. He could bend a metal bar?! Wow! He lifted up his own hands and looked at them. Compared to Ki's hands, his were tiny. He was small for someone of his age, but next to Ki he looked even smaller. Would his hands ever be that big? He then flexed his muscles--which he did have a slight bulge from climbing trees and such with Snoddy--and began wondering if he would ever be strong enough to bend a metal bar. Would he ever just be big? He was always looking up to Snoddy and Styx wanting to be just like them and always trying his hardest to be grownup like they were. And, now, meeting Ki he couldn't wait to grow-up and be big. Then, maybe girls would stop calling him cute or adorable, he shot another glare at the table of girls at that thought.

A smile crossed Half Pint's face as he realized he was finally able to remember being told to never reveal to anyone other than Queens newsies the real identity of Prince's sex. Everyone knew to avoid bringing up Prince in his presence just in the off chance that he forgot and slipped up, revealing Prince to actually be a girl. He respected her--she was actually one of the few girls he didn't think was stupid. That made it easier for him to think of her as a boy, so it was easier for him to not slip up.

The waitress finally brought over their food, just as Ki finished talking about Prince. Table manners flew out the door the minute the good smelling food was set down in front of him, making his stomach growl louder and his mouth water. Half Pint didn't even wait for the waitress to leave before he started shovelling food into his mouth. Eating was one of his favorite things to do, after all. He took a sip of his drink and popped a large piece of his warm, fresh roll into his mouth before addressing Ki's comment. "Oh, I know he ish. Pwinsh ish the best," he replied, mouth full of food. "I just get bored waying in bed when I'm not sweepy."

[Ki Harper]

"Yes, really," Ki said with a laugh as Half Pint barreled off the chair and into his chest, trying to wrap tiny arms around his waist in they sort of hug that only a child could give. He'd always had a sort of soft spot for the kids that had come to the circus, watching with wide-eyed wonder the feats and acts that unfolded before them and always so full of questions when they spotted Ki outside of the performance ring. It was that sort of affection that had him patting Half Pint's back in a return hug and smiling when the young boy extracted himself and glared at the girls who cooed at the scene.

"My cousin, Devan is a silk performer - " He paused when he realized that might be difficult for a young boy to understand and thought for a moment before doing his best to explain it further. "She dances on silk in the air, it's like watching someone fly." He smiled a little as he saw Half Pint holding up his hands as though envisioning them bending metal as Ki had described that he did in his act. He imagined it was a hard thing for a boy like Half Pint to envision - or any common man really - Ki knew that he had a special gift, a fact that had been drilled into him by both his parents for as long as he could remember. "And you can meet my mom, she can read your cards and tell you all about what things will be like when you grow up."

The food arrived right at that moment and Ki exchanged a look with the waitress when Half Pint nearly dove into the food, eating with the wild abandon of youth. His enthusiasm for the tasty meal was endearing and Ki found himself wondering how often Half Pint ate - it did seem this Prince kept pretty good tabs on him, but still with all the street kids Ki had seen even in the short time since his arrival, he wondered. "Sleep seems so boring when you're young," Ki agreed, half to himself and half to Half Pint, remembering his own struggles to lay his head and close his eyes as a youth.

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Half Pint shoved another large bite of food into his mouth as he tried to imagine what it might look like dancing in the air as Ki described his cousin's act. If it was like flying, then it had to be neat to watch. Even so, steel-bending sounded the most interesting, aside from the lions and elephants of course.

Half Pint washed his food down with a sip from his drink and looked up from his plate. Ki's mom could tell him his future? That sounded like what Gypsy Isabella did, or so he heard. Was she a gypsy too? He looked at Ki with a furrowed brow, confused as to how anyone could know the future. "You mean, your ma could tell me if I'll grow up to be just like Snoddy or Styx?" He was always trying his best to be just like them; the only thing he wanted when he was older was to be exactly like them. Since he never really had any real family, they were the closest he had to brothers and the only real role models and teachers he's ever known--besides Prince. If it weren't for them, who knows what would have happened to him. He could have ended up in the refuge for God knows how long, or even worse--he could have ended up dead. So, it was only natural for a boy of his age to look up to the two older boys.

Half Pint took another bite of his food and couldn't help smiling. He always enjoyed his food, but it was rare he got a good hot meal. Most of the time, it was a cold sandwich or something along those lines. It was true that being a newsie didn't always provide the funds to get three square meals a day, but Styx and Snoddy made sure that he ate as often as he could--seeing as he was so small--even if it was just something small. He shoveled more food into his mouth and popped a piece of bread in as well, making his cheeks bulge. He looked like a chipmunk hiding acorns in its cheeks.

[Ki Harper]

"Something like that," Ki said, when Half Pint asked if his mom could tell him if he'd be like his friends when he grew up. Having a gypsy for a mother had never been a strange or different thing for Ki, in the circus they were all a little strange and his father's family had welcomed her in without thought. In the tight knit circle of the circus family it hadn't been until he was a bit older that he'd seen any of the shunning and prejudice that he learned followed them wherever they went. He thought it was a silly thing and believed it was only because people didn't know them that they raged against them - it was one of the many reasons he was so open when he met knew people. "She's more likely to tell you how you will be when you grow up," Ki corrected with a smile. "You may want to be like your friends, but everyone has their own special place in the this world, you've just got to find it." It was something his mother had always told him, drilled into him since he was young, and he believed it. Everyone had a purpose and place in the world, a unique path set just for them - it just took some awhile to find it. "You're young though, you've got plenty of time to figure it all out." Ki added with a wink and easy grin as he took another bite from his own plate.

The food was good here and comforting after the long trip up from New Orleans. He wondered briefly if Devan had ever eaten here and how funny it would be if she walked in the door just now and found him dining with the young boy. But the possibility was slim at best, the city was larger than Ki imagined it to be and chances of finding his cousin right away had vanished as soon as he stepped off of the train. But he was pleased with the chance to explore, walk the streets and see how the interested cross section of people interacted with one another, even his few hours in the city he had seen things he'd never encountered before.

But first he needed to find a place to stay and he looked over at his meal companion, shoveling food in at a surprising rate, even if the boy had slowed down from his initial onslaught. "Hey little man," He began, setting down his own fork and watching the boy with an amused smile. "You look like someone who probably knows the streets pretty well, perhaps you could put me in the direction of a place to say? An apartment building perhaps - I'm going to be here for awhile."

[Half-Pint Dantès]

Half Pint swallowed the last of his food and pushed his plate to the edge of the table. Then, he looked up at Ki. The older boy's compliment made him sit up taller and grin as he nodded his head. "I know the streets real well. I stay at the Queens Lodging house but you're probably too old for stayin' there. It's just for us kids and teenagers... hm... There is a few boarding houses all over... I could show you some if you want... Maybe one of them could take you."

Half Pint took his napkin and wiped his chin and tossed it on his empty plate. He placed his ratty, old hat a top his blonde curls.