2025-01-29 - Cleanup Aisle 6!

Tarjay Superstore

One can find almost anything one might need in this impressive superstore. The grocery section takes up the left side of the store with a bakery, deli, and produce section at the front and then aisles of goods leading all the way to the back while the outside contains refrigerated meat, fish, dairy, and other chilled sections. A long freezer aisle near the center of the space contains all the frozen foods.

The rest of the store has departments for clothing, bed, bath, home goods, home improvement, toys, sporting goods, health and beauty, seasonal items, pet care, and electronics. Each section is marked with a hanging sign from the ceiling over the end caps of the rows, guiding shoppers through the well-lit aisles.

The floors are a white and grey checked tile while all of the signage is in a bright and cheery red and white. At the front right side of the store are all of the cash registers, some manned with employees while others are self-checkout lanes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

At the helm of a red shopping cart is where we find Duncan Bell early this January afternoon, pushing it slowly down an aisle in the Home Furnishings section of Tarjay. The cart itself is half-full with various necessities of apartment living, according to Avery, his sister who's taken charge with big brother's total and complete agreement.

Well, almost total and mostly complete. They're currently paused in front of the vacuum cleaners, and Duncan seems dubious.

"Do I really need something called a Roomba? What's it gonna do, run from Mario and Luigi all day?" He arches an eyebrow-- sarcastic, not adversarial.

"Are you actually going to vacuum your apartment?" Avery challenges her brother with a lifted eyebrow, "If you are actually going to clean the vacuum, then I won't argue about it. But I shed a lot." The long brown hair was down currently and you could easily pick off a couple of hairs from her shirt currently, "So vacuuming is going to be necessary." Obviously, Duncan's little sister was planning on spending time at his place.

Strolling away from him with that little tidbit of information she looks over at the laundry hampers and bags - "if you don't have a washer and dryer in your apartment you're going to need these to take them down to the laundromat." there is a pause, "Or my apartment, we have a washer and dryer."

With a grudging sigh more for effect than it is heartfelt, Duncan places the Roomba box in the cart and begins following Avery down the aisle. "Laundromat is where it's at," he admits, snagging the cheapest possible laundry bag and wrestling a hamper into the quickly-filling cart. "You know, I had a lot of this back home but it wouldn't all fit in the truck. Which is currently in storage at a lot in Traverse City."

"My truck. Collecting dust." This seems to bug him. "Do we get much time on the mainland here?"

Avery seems pleased when the Roomba is added to his cart. She knew her brother well enough to know that he was never going to remember to vacuum. This would at least make his apartment less gross. And this is all she was trying to do.

"I sold just about everything before I moved," which he might remember, "Because i was already traveling so much for the ice sculptures, it seemed dumb to have any 'stuff'. Once I got here I used the money I saved from not having stuff and got all the things." That is probably why her room had some pretty awesome gaming systems, TV and custom controllers.

"It's not Alcatraz, Duncan, You can leave anytime you want to go the mainland if you're not working. The Ferries run regularly back out there and if you miss the ferry coming back, you can take the next one in the morning." She's moving on around the corner to see what the next aisle has to offer, "You thinkin' of bringing your truck down and storing close by to have it?" The wheels were already turning, "That your dear sister could also use?" No, Avery did not have a car.

"Yeah, actually got it... not here, but I should be able to Uber there from the ferry terminal," Duncan says as they move through the superstore. Of course he has a truck. He's a firefighter. They drive trucks. It's not entirely a global archetype, but the US and Canada aren't that different. "And yeah," he goes on with a laugh for his sister, "You can borrow it for short trips. It's a crew cab so we could even take a few folks camping at some point if we wanted to."

"Including that boyfriend of yours," Duncan adds with a sly undertone. "How's his alcohol tolerance? For an American that is."

The permission to use the truck gives Avery a bit of glee and her eyes shift in color as they light up with excitement, brightening up in a flash before it fades. "I was thinking about a small trip..." Doesnt go into details just yet. Looking down the aisle and then moving on to the next since that one had nothing on it. "Basic glasses, mugs and dishes are usually there in the apartment, but not good ones and its usually like two... So lets start shopping dishware." Pulling Duncan down that aisle that had ton of different patterns and set options.

Bam is mentioned and she turns her head slowly toward her Brother, "I can out drink him, but he can hold his own." Bam might argue differently but for now? Bam is not here and that is a fact. "Pretty sure he has his own pass of nights out drinking. He's uhh.. he's a little older."

Duncan's knowing laugh isn't so much an indictment of American drinking culture as it is an assumed superiority of its Canadian cousin, and why not? It's colder in Montreal, and of course it's a French-Canadian ethos that makes the place feel so very foreign to guests from their loud, overbearing southern neighbor. He owns it and he loves it. That's what the laugh says.

"Age is just a number," the brother says distractedly, lips pursing as he considers the flatware and glassware alike. "That bartender at Midway on St-Laurent was older too, but she and I had a few fun nights now and again." He doesn't mind sharing that with his sister, either. "It's not like it's forever, you know? Ha!" He plucks a set of four translucent blue pint glasses from the shelf. "What do you think of these?"

There was a CRASH in the dishware area, and another patron in a yellow sweatshirt swiftly leaving the area, wheeling her cart and looking entirely innocent... but in a REALLY big hurry.

Which has left Rhett there at the end of one of the rows in dishware, peering around the end of a row, and then down at the broken dish on the floor. He didn't see who did it, but has now the awkward social obligation of deciding if he's involved or not. He has a new large skillet in hand, held in an aggressive way: though that's accidental, he just happened to have it, and there was a loud noise. So investigation was necessary.

Avery grins over at her brother at his laugh, there is a little surprise when there isn't any resistance to the thought of Bam being older, she'd wondered how he would react and now she knows. It doesnt seem to bother Avery that Duncan shares this information with her, showing that they have that open honest type of relationship with things.

"...Right." her eyebrows draw together as a weird feeling comes over her when Duncan mentions that 'it's not forever.' and Avery has to pause to consider...Then shakes it off and looks at the drinking glasses, in the translucent blue, "Considering my favorite color is blue? I'm going to say yes." Picking up the packaged set of drinking glasses and added it to her brothers cart.

That crash was jarring and took her attention - Avery looked over saw someone skirting around the corner in a big hurry, "Who does that?" She says, maybe too loudly, maybe wanting the retreating person to hear it. Walking over to the broken dish she starts to pick up pieces, "Probably should call someone? Because I have no idea where to put these pieces and someone could- Ouch! Damnit!" The pieces Avery had picked up fall to the ground as she's sliced her finger with one of them.

At the crash, Duncan starts, blurting, "Awww, c'mon, what the hell." Following his sister around the corner, he leaves their cart behind and arrives a half-step after Avery bends down to pick up-- or in other words, a moment before she cuts herself.

"You okay? Let me see that." Not a certified EMT, Duncan's still required to be fluent in first aid, CPR and other fast-acting means of keeping people together. He's waiting for her to show her his hand when his gaze finally tracks to the fellow brandishing the skillet. Drawing a deep breath, the Quebecois looks Rhett up and down critically, suspicion evident.

"You gonna hit someone with that, big guy? Or training for the sous chef Olympics?"

"Cowards," Rhett answers Avery's question, about 'who does that.' His tone has a chilly judge-y quality, that he's perfectly fine to drop a derogatory label like that. Though it does broadcast that he probably wasn't responsible. He's more a sort to defend himself if he had done it, not run. He hesitates, in a 'do I want to get involved in this' pause, but decides to keep talking.

"Maybe just push it to the side?" is Rhett's suggested solve, gesturing broadly with the skillet, at least until Avery actually bends and injures herself on the shards of plate. He doesn't rush over with medical advice: truth is, he has no medical advice. "I mean--- push like with a..." Ummm. Rhett isn't sure, he's not the cleaning crew. He scans the aisle for something better to use. The metal skillet is not really a good choice, and he doesn't want to use it on the floor.

Duncan's question causes a sharp little side-eye from Rhett, and a smirk. "Can't it be both?" Rhett asks, but self-consciously puts the skillet back. He restlessly moves towards the main aisle. "Maybe there's an employee." Rhett's an expert at demanding attention from things like waiters and bartenders, maybe that skill could apply.

That... probably would have been a smarter idea. To push the shards of dish to the side with her foot or something other than her freakin hands! But, then it would not be Avery. Act first, think second.

Giving her hand over to her brother to see, "It's fine, it's just a cut I didn't cut any major organs. The last I knew there were no real important organs in my hand." it was bleeding pretty good though.

Looking up at Rhett and his skillet, "That's the type of skillet you need, Duncan." That was what she got out of that little interchange. Agreeing with Rhett she nods and laughs, "It can be both and I think in some circumstances it is both. Though... for me it would be hitting someone or burning something on the stovetop. Not a sous chef for the.. Wait... Is there an Olympic category for Sou Chef's?"

Duncan doesn't ask, just takes his sister's smaller hand between his two callused ones and applies pressure to the bleeding cut. Smiling a tight-lipped, serious smile doesn't keep the dry humor from his tone as he says, "There might've been one in Paris. I could see that easily enough." But his mind is more on the matter at hand.

"Can you grab a roll of paper towels? I think I saw paper products are right across the main throughway," He says to Rhett, disregarding suspicion swiftly enough and assuming the take-charge air of someone used to operating in situations of high stress, and unbowed by them.

Rhett is distracted, down at the end of the aisle, looking bulky and irritable, from not seeing an employee. There's a lot of unnecessary intensity to Rhett, that an employee dares to not be available. Duncan's skepticism may not be misplaced.

But Rhett looks back when Duncan asks him to grab something, and his manner shifts. "Yeah." He's still unhappy, but entirely willing to do that. His reaction to stress was just to explode, instead of operate well. He immediately goes on this new hunt, pulling two rolls off into his hands, and returning relatively swiftly. He rips one of the packages open and unrolls a fistful of towel to extend at Duncan. With this task, Rhett is still intense, but the aggression has gone backseat.

"How serious?" Rhett puts down the other roll on top of some placemats on the row display, just in case one roll isn't enough. He's still alertly scanning for employees.

"I'm afraid that my brother has over concern brotheritis," Avery sighs dramatically at Rhett when he asks how serious it is, "It's proven fatal for so many, but I have hope that he'll be able to brought back to live a normal life in a very short time." Looking down at the rolls that were brought over, she moves her head to indicate it, "Thanks for bringing these over," She's about to say something else when there is a hiss from whatever Ducan is doing to her hand.

"Mother F-" She bites off the last word and humms the rest of that phrase right out because its towards her brother and if he had been anyone else... It would have been a full sentence.

From her position on the floor she looks back up at Rhett, "I'm Avery, Thanks for your help. This is Duncan. He was a firefighter so he just is like this."

"Was. Am. Once and future. Whatever," Duncan throws in, nodding his approval as Rhett's both quick to get the needed towels and quick to return with them. Blank-faced and bluff, he lets go Avery's hand and nods again as she applies pressure to the cut with the soft paper. "We should probably get a box of Band-Aids too," he muses. "Hang on, I'll go find some."

Trusting all is well now, the scruffy, muscular firefighter turns without another word and heads over in the direction of the pharmacy.

"Okay. Maybe looks worse than it is?" Rhett asks, looking at the blood that is now on the floor from the wound. He makes zero move to clean it up or anything like that. Not his circus in this store.

"Rhett. Boo'dwalk." Rhett's worked at Spellbound for over a year, giving his park section is a type of automatic pilot inside the park when introducing himself. But they aren't in the park, so he smirks and laughs at himself some. "Or just Rhett, no job listing needed off park grounds, heh." He mostly stands there with the towels then.

"I have an idea." Rhett pulls his phone, then, and one handedly keys in a search. A few more taps, and then raises it to his ear, waiting as it rings. It doesn't look like he's calling emergency, he has a sly expression, like someone that got a good poker hand.

With the inclusion of his location or work, Avery seems to feel the need to say, "I do the ice sculptures." Another reason she is probably not making the cut on her hand that dramatic. Things happened, chisels slipped and blood happened. She turns her head toward Duncan, "Ok, you do that." as she clutches the paper towel to her hand and gets up off the floor. Being smart now, she moves the pieces of dish off to the side with the tip of her shoe.

Duncan leaves and then Duncan is on the phone with an idea? She watches but she also adds, "I'm really ok, so if this is on my account..." at the same time she didnt want to interrupt his phone call if it wasn't about her at all.

Rhett does a little 'no no, this is fun' motion with his other hand at Avery. His curled smile suggests this could be more in the prank category than some kind of emergency call. It is apparent when someone picks up, because Rhett switches tone. He drops his voice into a low, serious, calm one... that does not match his energy otherwise. It's a little off-putting, perhaps, but just in that Rhett is sounding one way while feeling another.

"Hi there, Jenny. There's a hazard in aisle...." Rhett looks around. No clue what the number is, and he can't be bothered to go find that out by walking eight feet. "--Kitchen isle, with the pots and plates. Somebody could cut themselves. I saw some children." Concerned tone. There's a pause as he listens. "Great. Bye." Hung up, and Rhett looking pleased with himself. He was not going to just not get attention when he wanted it.

"Called the front. They're sending somebody to clean up." Rhett looks at the cart she'd had, gestures at it, since she has her hands full of towel. "I can drag this, if you want to go towards pharmacy and the fireman?"

Avery shifts from concerned to amused in seconds when the call is picked up and she overhears what is being told to 'Jenny'. Shaking her head at him "That was cruel," she laughs, "That's pretty hilarious though." The amount of panic that was probably going through the front peoples minds.

"Uh, yeah? After that phone call, I don't want to be anywhere near this aisle when people swarm the area and find blood," looking back at her blood on the ground, "...on the ground and want to know who it belongs to." Letting Rhett take the cart full of things and push it while she starts to walk off toward the direction of the pharmacy.

"You said Boo'dwalk? What do you do there?"

It has been a few months since Tarjay's last saw Shirley's face but she's here now! Her cat ears are up and eagerly listening to the world around her as her big black fluffy cat tail gently swishes upright behind her. On her form is all red satin, black lace, and ruffles as she wearing a long-sleeved gothic dress with bell sleeve and a corseted bodice. A pair of fish nets disappear into a pair of heeled combat boots that help her appear to be 5'5", giving her give inches of height.

"If they'd had an employee around for me to wave at, I would not have been cruel," Rhett says in mock innocence, though that quality of pleased with himself is far too heavy compared to the 'innocent' look.

"Okay." Rhett takes the 'uh, yeah?' as agreement, and starts to pull Avery's cart of things down the aisle. He doesn't push it like a normal person, he grabbed the front end to tow it, like pushing a shopping cart was too domesticated for him. He does pick up the large skillet as they pass it, though. And adds the extra paper towel roll into the cart. If they don't want it at checkout, Avery can abandon it then.

"I work one of the horror mazes," Rhett supplies. His tone is braggy but he switches off the topic very quickly. Mixed signals with Rhett. "Ice sculpture though? So decorations? Or is it like a show you put on with a chainsaw?" Rhett's chainsaw gesture is done with the big skillet, in proper chainsaw-murderer motion. A scary grin is added.

That may have been aimed accidentally at Shirley as he exits the aisle. He does an 'oops', and flash of apology smile at her, before blinking at her black ears.

"Truth," if there had been an employee around maybe the phone call never would have happened.

Avery is walking in a leisure pace down the rest of the aisle and seems to have no hurry in getting to the pharmacy, playing with the paper wrapped around her hand, tugging on it, and looking down to check if blood was going to seep through. It seemed fine.

"Horror mazes? Do you help build them or just work them and help guests?" There was a reason behind her question. Before she can get to that point he's asking about the sculpture, "I work with a chainsaw on a pretty regular basis. I do the decorations in the ice sculpture garden or sometimes some weird requests from guests for weddings, anniversary parties, birthday parties... You know.., that sorta thing."

Avery's eyes seem to land on the black-eared and tailed feline woman at the same time Rhett does. Nothing around Spellbound anymore, however, she was not expecting this around the corner in Tarjay. "I like your fluffy tail." is what comes out in place of things like 'hi' or even 'hello'.

Shirley smiles nervously at first but it melts into something more friendly as her tail moves to wrap around her, she cuddles it again her as she says, "Thanks. I like it a lot. I brush it tons to make sure it is all soft and fluffy." She gently rocks on her heels as she mentions, "I switch them up sometimes but this is my default. I work as Tini over in Tales and Tails Bar as a bartender. Outside of work, I am Shirley though." She stops petting her tail to offer her hand out for either of them to shake. "I am well, curious about the Horror Mazes myself, sorry for eavesdropping," is mentioned with another brief look of nervous nervousness, her left hand releasing her tail and letting it go back to happily swishing lightly upwards behind her.

Rhett's brows are lifted. He's used to animal features, but the situation has thrown him a little. Maybe because he almost clocked a stranger with a big metal skillet by accident. But no harm is done! He stares now-- more because Shirley is snuggling something stuck to her butt than any other reason. "--I don't brush at all. Maybe that's why I am neither soft nor fluffy," Rhett quips. He pauses, then makes a choice, a partial lip-curl motion of grin. Usually Rhett masks it or hides his animal physical quality, but he's displaying fang for Shirley. It's canine in type. A semi-subtle 'I am also of team animal' signal.

"Build? Naw. I'm a monster. I'm the Wolf of Midnight maze." Rhett isn't bragging, this is more informational. "But sometimes they let me out on the boardwalk. If you come by and all the guests are howling, that's me, ha. --- So the ice sculptures is backstage made. Not like, a show I could go to?"

Avery takes the hand that is being offered by by Shirley, "You are very well groomed-" stopping short, "I mean brushed. Your tail is fluffy." Sure, that'll work. "I'm Avery. and hey! Cool! I haven't been to that bar yet. Does everyone over there have tails?" Given the name and that Shirley had a tail, it seemed like the right question.

"So, kinda performer? and scare the kids with the big bad wolf thing?" That's the thought that came to mind at the 'Wolf of Midnight' title. The shift changes back to her work and she grins, "There is an area we work that is open to guests and the public so you can watch us work. But if you want a private show with chainsaws, well...... that could be arranged. I don't usually go all hack crazy in front of the guests."

Did Avery pick up on the fang that had been flashed to Shriley? She sure did! "You both clearly have gifts that are way cooler than mine, but I can play with water and ice. It makes my job a little bit easier."

Robin is leaning on his cart wheeling it around. Included in there is a couple of floor rugs rolled up, and in the top bit of the buggy some groceries, but also in the bottom a roll of gauze in the back, rubbing alcohol, mineral spirits, and making tape. Hopefully this is not all for eating.

His gifts are not so noticeable other than his fingers look black up to the first knuckle and a slight it holographic like oil and trail up his hands under the cuffs of his painted leather jacket that has one sleeve of a path in the forest with tall red purple trees with gold and the other sleeve painted in winter blue, greys and browns. His t-shirt with a IX in icy blue numerals shows. There's a pause when he stops around the corner lifting both eyebrows. Hesitantly he signs <<OK?>> with a flick of fingers as if waiting and assessing the chaos for an update.

Shirley gently shrugs as she mentions, "Nothing wrong with that. We all have our reasons or our own little looks. Especially for work." Her eyes perk up as she sees the canine that Rhett flashes. She easily notes, "Nothing wrong with being a monster, I am sure you scare tons of people when the time is right."

Her hand shakes Avery's as giggles are the stumbling over the words, "You are fine with either wording. It often takes a lot to offend lil ole me. And it is nice to meet you Avery. And no, not everyone has tails but all of the drinks have punny animal related names. I am nicknamed Tini because it can be short for Martini. I thought it was funny so I went with it. And hearing some of the guests call out my name when they are a little you know, tipsy, can be hilarious."

She catches Robin's hand movements out of the corner of her eye and turns toward him as she signs back, <<Everything ok?>> A soft, friendly smile curling her lips as she moves her fingers and hands.

"Not 'kinda'. Full performer, yes. I perform. Usually not the little kids; the maze is for teens. I'm not a real monster. Just work as one," Rhett's protective of his ego here, he doesn't like being seen as somebody that makes kids cry. An edge of frustration about that lingers, and is a major reason he keeps trying to move the subject off of what he does. He's self-conscious of assumptions about his job.

"I'd like to see the chainsaw sculpt in person, hell yeah. Sign me up." Rhett flips the skillet in his palm unnecessarily. He does catch it, but it wasn't with a flourish or anything.

The question about 'big bad wolf' makes Rhett tap his nose once at her with a cheeky half-smile. Avery got it: that's exactly it. He does villain wolf role.

"Gifts, ehhhh." Rhett has shut his mouth in terms of the fang show. "Just means I'll be stuck in villainy forever. That's where you stick your wolves. A power to spray rainbows would have opened up more career options." Rhett laughs. It isn't a cruel sound (some of his other noises have been), this laugh is a kinder one, as he self-deprecates. "Tini's a great name." Oh, his name-- "Rhett," Rhett labels himself with an upwards waggle of the skillet towards himself, for Shirley/Tini's benefit.

Rhett glances at Robin but doesn't know sign language or pick up that it's being used, so his gaze returns to Avery.

Having released Shirleys hand she turns her attention to her, "Thats cool. I'll have to check it out." Considering that with Shriley's shoes on right now they were about the same height while Avery was in flats she is tickled by the name in multiple ways besides just the martini route. "Martini's are my favorite, have to be Gin though and extra dirty."

"Nah, Dude, I never thought you were a real monster, and the 'kids' was just a word used for people that were younger than me." Not that they were little. They could have been teens or small, but it's clearly made known that it's for the teens and she leans into that. "Thats cool though, I use to be scared of wolves and you'd probably still scare the shit out of me if I walked through that maze." she grins. Amusement is further shown in the response to the chainsaw show, "Sure I'll give you my number and you can text me when you can come by, I'll make sure I can take you on back and show you some stuff."

Avery also did not know ASL, but she recognizes Robin from a painting class she took way back when and she smiles brightly at him. Waving a hand at him. It just happens to be the hand that is bound in a paper towel and bleeding... Oh, uhhh..

"I'm ok." while she didn't know ASL, she knew the sign or idea of a sign for OK and she attempted it. "There was a dish that fell and I went to pick it up and then one of the pieces cut my hand... my brother went to get bandages."

That... was a lot. She looks over at Shirley since she seems to be better at this than Avery is.

Curious robin picks up the gauze from his cart and holds it out with two fingers and a faint smile offering it to Avery if it is going to be needed today. He looks to Shirley with a knowing nod; the grin being a bit wry. He signs with his left in a very casual way letting floating letters hover like subtitles in the air.

'You work with chainsaws-' the pauses and physically moves the subtitles lower as if drop-dragging them before finishing his thought with total amusement, 'and you got punked looking for eggies?' Looking to Rhett at his statement he admits 'Literally got me out of the body shop.

Looking to Shirley he signs back to her in brief <<Great ears. They give you those? you have to make yourself?>> He does make a gesture indicating the ears as he drops his things back in his cart. There's a mess but no one's really talking about it so his slack posture continues in a lack of alarm as he continues to lean on the cart.

Shirley speaks as she signs, <<"Oh? My ears? I have had these since just after New Year's Eve. I was wearing fake ones until these came in and the tail. But I do sometimes change the animal representation. I am Shirley. I was mentioning how I am called Tini at work because I work at Tales and Tails Bar as a bartender.">>

She looks to Avery, "Oh I can make those, easy. I sometimes do little bar tricks here and there when I get excited. They are fun." She pauses before things click, "Wait, you actually work with chainsaws? That is pretty boss. I wanna come watch is Rhett to. I'll wear protective stuffs."

She looks to Rhett then as she says, "It is a pleasure to meet you Rhett. As for being the big bad wolf, when I come visit, I switch up to be more of a bunny to make it more fun for others who watch. I don't mind people making me scare from scaring me, its fun." She beams for a moment as she peeks down and aisle before she asks, "Have any of you seen a mixer in here? I don't care if it is a handheld or a standing but I am dying for one. I want to make cookies and my hand whisk just isn't cutting it."

She the signs to Robin, <<Have you seen a mixer in here? Hand or standing?>>

"Show me stuff. Backstage.... sure. I'll leave the wolf out. For now." Avery's choice of words made Rhett's answer amusedly play-flirty. Rhett's quick to get his phone out.

However ... Rhett doesn't have a lot of 'chill', so Robin's magic is very distracting. The subtitles is a new experience to Rhett, and new surprises always get a response. In this case, blinking and looking at it. Usually he'd react aggressively, but this isn't something startling.

He stops dragging Avery's cart at all, and stops to just read the subtitles as if it were an interesting show to observe, unrelated to him. The reaction isn't negative, but more a curious one. Rhett isn't sure what to make of Robin's magic words. He doesn't, perhaps, follow what Robin is talking about with the body shop, or that it was directed at something Rhett said, because Rhett reads all of the subtitles as one big long sentence. Read that way, it's nonsensical. If Rhett had a subtitle, it'd be '?'.

Rhett hasn't seen a mixer, so there's a headshake to that. And a delayed, ".....Bunny? Yeah. Maybe with a red hood and basket."

The words that floated into the air and Avery was reminded about that from the paint and wine night and she smiled. It was an awesome gift and clearly Robin at then and now understood her when she spoke and so she does so now again freely. "Yeah, I work with chainsaws with the ice sculptures. Works out really well to get that aggression out when you need it."

For a time she had been completely transfixed by the floating words that Avery forgot to respond to the gauze that was being offered to her. "Oh, yeah." Looking down at her hand and then toward the direction of the pharmacy, but the gauze was right there. Unwrapping the paper towel from around her hand, the slice on her hand was clean but it was red and looked like it wanted to bleed again if she opened her hand up just a little further.

There is a brief pause while Tini signs to Robin so Avery looks over to Rhett, his words were noted, her eyebrow draw together just for a second at the meaning of his words, but she does give out her number to him.

Then she looks back Tini and says, "I'm a sucker for a good one - I'll have to come try yours out." The chainsaws also seem to grab her attention and she laughs, "Yeah, you can come too. I can make a couple of different things and make it fun."

Mixers?

"Um, I think they might be to aisles over? I saw the kitchenaid stand mixers over there."

Looking to Shirley signing back, but allowing the letters to translate for him too 'Can hear. No voice.' he points to Avery as she remembers arching an eyebrow 'Shit maybe I should try that. I have no shortage.' Not that he shows any sign of this now.

Looking over the top of Shirly's head the lanky painter wiggles his discoloured fingers at her in a hullo getting the New Years change situation himself. Avery mentions a few aisles over and Robin agrees to that holding up two fingers and a thumb pointing down that way. 3 aisles. He hands gesture like a shark cutting through water <<Turn right, three down, that aisle, left side...maybe??>>

Rhett gets a wave and a curious look trying to imagine a bunny basket hood situation perhaps.

Shirley smiles as she responds to Rhett, "I am sure I can easily make that happen. Play into the fairy tale of it. It will be gold. I just have to get the outfit together. Shouldn't take me long though."

Her ears perk up again as Avery mentions the chainsaw ice sculpting, "Yeah, absolutely dangerous and boss." She does a happy bounce as she is told she can come to the show too, "Yay! I am so excited, I'll find my black and blue dress for the occasion." Her whole face brightens as Avery mentions she saw a kitchenaid two aisles over.

She looks back to Robin as she says, "Oh, I see. I like practicing anyway so I don't mind." She watches his hands and says, "Ok. I am going to go grab that, I'm on a mission to make a kitchen sink cookie." She skips off down the aisle for now to go and acquire her desired mixer.

Rhett notes that Avery doesn't continue a flirt playtime, and lets it go without any issue or insult. Maybe he misread that she was starting to flirt. Not a problem, moving on.

Rhett has caught up now on the subtitle thing. His reaction is to be charmed by it. To the whole subtitle thing. "That's damn cool. That stuff." Rhett gives a general wave of his skillet at Robin's magic 'stuff' that probably is overly aggressive, but that's just Rhett. He doesn't mind the signing conversation or try to follow it, he just uses the printed subtitles.

And maybe finally remembers the skillet and the whole reason he came to this store in the first place. "Speaking of, I've got a night shift. I have to go. Make sure she doesn't bleed out, alright?" Rhett asks mainly to Robin, with a gesture of hand at Avery's hand. He flips the skillet pan (for no reason at all other than some nervous energy), but pauses before actually leaving, to be sure Avery IS going to be okay, looking at her.

"Hey, if you need it, I could give you a sledgehammer and you could break up some old melting sculptures too." Avery offers to Robin. Not everyone showed their aggression or the need to get it out on their sleeve and so there was no shortage of people at were looking for a release. Who was she to deny someone some fun ways to do that?

The black and blue dress has her eyebrow brows raising, not something Avery would have suggested for a chainsaw type of experience but then again, she wasn't going to let Tini touch the chainsaw, "And I'll come to find you at the Tales, and Tails..." Or was it Tails and Tales? Either way... "I'll get a drink." Saying so before Tini hops away to get her mixer.

Rhett draws her attention and she lifts her hand, "I'm good. I promise." She appears be sincerely touched that he had seemed to make sure she was ok and even stopped to look at her to make sure before he left. "Really!" laughing, "I'm not going to bleed out. Duncan and Robin wouldn't allow it." Besides the fact that the cut really wasnt that bad.

Robin stands up from leaning on the cart bringing his hands together to mimic a bit hop hop hopping gesture to Shirley to encourage her to chase that thing down. He signs to Rhett and Avery 'Hoping kitchen sink means like with all the things in it and not stainless steel.' Sometimes one never knows.

Responding to Rhett he shakes his head making a texting gesture and wiggles his thumb. 'Thanks. Useful. Save me from a lot of texting.' Avery's words get a panned look to her at the wonderful offer. 'Really??' That would be a yes, absolutely, I am interested in this offer look.

As Rhett is assured she won't perish away and he's been volunteered one hand goes to his head and the other- well that's not a Boy Scout gesture, it's throwing the horns, but it might be a more solid promise there.

Rhett takes Avery at her word. Maybe he wouldn't have if she'd had a head injury, but a hand cut? Yeah, he'll trust she's got it. And Robin's gesture is taken with correct intent: positive. "Well, if you promise, then alright."

Rhett smirks, and turns away with just a simple wave.

Shirley comes walking back very carefully carrying the heavy stand mixer, looking like she just found the best present ever as she nuzzles her face against the kitchen item. She blushes as she realizes she was still doing that as she walks back up on the group. "Found it!, both of you were great with the directions. I can't wait to make those cookies now."

Avery knows nothing about baking so to Robins magical words she just shrugs and hopes for the same thing.

In the middle of two departing people she upnods at Rhetts retrieval, a promise was only as good as you knew something and Rhett had just met her, so the promise only went so far. She had to smirk at his final words. "Text me and we'll set something up." She calls after him.

Looking back to Robin, "Really, I'm ok. Between the gauze and my brother... he's a firefighter. Was a firefighter? I'm not really sure which term I'm supposed to use right now. But he works here now and he's not a firefighter now. Anyway, He'll make sure I get the right bandage."

With that settled she goes back to, "So, Smashing ice, ah?" Maybe a bit of her Canadian accent pops out when she says it. She'll blame her brother for showing up that her accent is making an appearance.

Robin assures Avery with a silent chuckle that's more of an amused huff of air, 'having been a patient doesn't make me EMT. I can text for help and food delivery like a MF tho' The change of past and present tenses gets the 6'1 painter on his toes to look over the top shelf signing back , Was. Past. nothing on fire now-now. Of it is present and he's ever vigilant. Did not know you two knew one another.'

Looking to Shirley he wonders signing curious 'Which you get? We talking sugar or peanut butter cookie? Do you have a test group for these because I can think of a few volunteers.'

Shirley hmms softly, "Oh! Right, the cookies. They are called kitchen sink cookies, my grandma used to make 'em all the time. It is a chewy, chocolate chip cookie with pretzel pieces, and chopped caramels with some other key things mixed in. Seriously delicious cookies. But I don't have a test group yet. I am happily taking volunteers though."

She looks back to Avery as she says, "You are so lucky. I am an only child, I always wanted siblings but my parents had other plans." She shrugs her shoulders softly.

Avery turns to see Tini come back with her prized possession "You found it!" Not at all excited about the possibility that she might get cookies because she helped with the directions of getting her that mixer. "Thats awesome."

Looking back at Robin she eyes the words on display and then realizes there might have been a mistake. "Oh, Rhett is not my brother... my brother is Duncan, he went to the pharmacy to get bandages. He was a firefighter in Canada and just started working here."

"Mmmm..." she sounds at the mention of being lucky and then laughs, "Nah I'm only kidding, he is just older so we had very different childhoods, but we're actually really close."

Robin arches an eyebrow and points toward first aid aisle and shakes his head to where Duncan went and makes a no-no gesture with claw gestures indicating not the wolf-one. He signs to her with a nod. 'I got to see his work. Remembered name.' Certain things he remembers.

Looking to Shirley he signs 'Same. Many cousins. This a southern recipe? Southern grandmother recipes for some reason are the best.' He pulls out his phone and works on finding this recipe asking 'Might try to make these for roomies. is just kitchen sink cookie?'

Shirley blushes as she says, "Oh, still lucky, either way." She laughs a bit, "I see. My mistake. And i bet the different childhoods makes things interesting though. I would hope maybe help with different perspectives maybe?" She then offers, "You can test out the cookies too if you want. I am pretty sure I know the recipe by heart."

She grins as she responds to Robin, "Yeah it is. I am from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Which is still far enough north in Florida to be considered part of the south, according to my momma anyway. Grandma was born and raised in Atlanta though. And it is called a kitchen sink cookie yes. At least that is the only name I know it by. I can write it down after you taste to it make sure you like 'em first."

Robin considers this listening curious about where these things come from apparently as Shirley with the kitty-cat ears talks of the family migration up and down the SE. An eyebrow arches as the story goes all the way to Florida. He points to her curiously pointing to her when she talks about it. 'You from Florida then?' He points around curious wiggling his fingers making the illusion of snow come down. 'Bit cold for ya?' or so he keeps hearing.

He looks at the phone finding not her recipe but a recipe and asks 'Caramel chips in that or no?' there may not be rules on what 'everything' entails.

Shirley nods as she says, "I am yes. And I managed to stay away from all the crazy Florida man stories thankfully. And it is a bit chilly but the fishnets are thermals that look like they are just on my natural skin. I love them!" She shows off one of her legs, it is truly hard to tell. "And I usually grab the bigger caramels and chopped them up. I haven't tried it with caramel chips before but suppose I could try a recipe of each. One with the chips and one with the chopped bits and see what is more of a favorite. I can write it down and text or email it to you. Promise. Oh, I think I forgot to ask, what is your name. I am Shirley."

Robin signs with some amusement 'Stills ad you didn't bring us the good Florida Man stories but I think some of my former co-workers will keep us both from missing out too much on that. Robin's got a few that might easily be Florida Man candidates. Robin looks down and nods slowly catching her eyes again signing back 'Bad for wind, but oddly great for keeping heat. Keep running into that at club. I dig it.' Because Robin seems every bit the sort to be a club rat.

Pulling his phone back out he pulls up his contact info page and holds it out to her. It's a 313 number that says Robin Hasek as the account name. He points to the screen and then himself but shares his name sign back with her. <<Nice to meet you too. Would love to catch up when the cookies are done. These sound really interesting. Pretzels are like nacho cheese- make things better.>>

Shirley laughs softly as she says, "Yeah, I am sure we could all tell some interesting stories. Maybe on the rooftop some night? Also, if you ever wanna go out dancing, lemme know. I could try and get someone to cover my shift and work one of the dreaded daytime ones." She laughs softly, she just likes sleeping in and getting up when she wants is why she works the later shifts.

She pulls out her phone and begins to put the information into it as she says, "I'll text you when I am done perfecting them, who knows, maybe the first bake will be the right one. Just text me back when you want me to swing by or what have you. See you soon Robin."

She heads off to the check out, super happy to have acquired her new favorite kitchen equipment for baking.