« Prev 1 Next » Reply Share Thread Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn MySpace Email Go to Previous Thread Next Thread Please make a selection first Author Topic: An unexpected meeting (Santiago) (Read 364 times) connor Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 20, 2009 10:09:22 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Connor wondered why he found himself at the park so often. He let his mind wander, going over all the reasons not to be home right now. He had just fed Mrs. Frisby, his pet rat. He had thought back on a book he had read (braille, of course) and remembered "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh." He loved that story, and so gave the name of the main character to his pet. Her feeding out of the way, she had fallen asleep, and Connor took to one of his walks. He always found himself at the park, and was currently wondering what it was that drew him here. It was a little piece of sanctuary among the bustling city. The cool breeze blew in, and felt refreshing on his face. He found a bench, and placed himself on it. His mind drifted, and he found himself thinking about Berlin, and how badly he had messed up. He had found a connection with a very special someone, and let it fall apart. He was trying to move on, and his friendship with her was helpful. But, it still hurt. She had kept silent about what her work was, but she was healthy, fed, had money, and was happy. That much was a relief. Though through it all, he wished he could have been the one to do that. He forced his mind off that topic as various people walked past. So, when another set of footsteps sounded on the path, he paid it no more attention that any of the others. Back to Top   santiago Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 21, 2009 18:49:09 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top "Guess I got another empty day of nothing to do. At least I made some money today." Santiago said to himself as he walked down the block of eighty-eight street, he hadn't done much today but go to school and chill at home with Berlin for a while, she had gone to dance practice so Santiago decided to go out for a walk and maybe smoke an EL. On his pumping block, he walked into the corner deli and walked over to the counter and shook hands with the clerk behind the counter, the asian man smiled at him and Santiago grinned back at him. Walking tot he back of the store to the coolers he walked over to the beer section, he reached in and grabbed a forty ounce of Colt forty-five, and walked to the front again. Setting it down on the counter, he looked over to the cooler in the deli where cold cuts were and saw no one, (Shit, I wanted some food.) "Hey mister Hong, let me get a pair of Al-Capones, a peach white own in a tube and two vanilla dutches, oh and this forty." Mr Hong: "No problem, Santi. You know kid, you got to slow down with the smoking, no much of my business, but it's not to healthy." Santiago: "I know man, but I do it to keep my thoughts off certain things, plus I enjoy being like that. Don't get me wrong though I do stay sober some days, but I love to stay high son, you know this." The man laughed and handed him what he asked for, paying for it Santiago walked in-front of the store and set his forty down on the floor in the black bag. Standing next to the door he whipped out his white owl and got to work, a few moments later he had an EL ready for himself. Looking up he saw two people in-front of him, both asked for him for some product, casually he handed them both bags and they handed him eighty dollars. before they departed he told them... "This is some new shit, better then the grape ape, so call me if u guys want more." ----Twenty-five minutes later---- Santiago was half-way done with his forty ounce and he had already made two-hundred and eighty dollars, he couldn't be more ecstatic. Closing his forty ounce he walked across the street and into the park. Walking down one of the several paths in the park, he paced himself, sipping on his forty and walking casually, Reaching a bench with a blind guy sitting on it, he sat down next to him and continued to drink... "I hope you don't mind me, chilling here and drinking some beer. Just enjoying this fine sunny day, kind of bored man, not much to do and my girl is at dance practice...What are you up to homie?" Back to Top   connor Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 22, 2009 14:35:23 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top It hadn't taken long for someone else to join him, resting from the day. Connor's oversensitive nose could detect the alcohol, which his new acquaintance made no attempt to hide. But, he also smelled the smoke on him, and Connor knew it wasn't a cigarette. But, he was open minded, and didn't judge. He greeted the boy with a smile, and motioned with his hand that he was welcome. "Sure, be my guest. I'm just resting myself. I come here to clear my head." He smiled, and took a breath. The air was now mixed with the by's scent, but it wasn't repulsive, and so Connor settled. It wasn't that strong, and even if law enforcement showed, he doubted they'd hassle them about it. "You're girl's in dance practice, huh? I have a friend who dances on a team. From what I understand, their good. Haven't seen them dance myself, obviously." He grinned. "So, I just took her word on it." He realized he hadn't even introduced himself, and almost smacked himself in the head for it. "Oh, sorry. My name's Connor." He offered a handshake to the boy, having no idea who it was he was talking to. "So, you go to school here, or are you actually old enough to drink?" His tone proved he didn't care about underage drinking. Truth be told, he had a fine bottle of sake in his fridge in the dorm. He was simply making conversation. Back to Top   santiago Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 24, 2009 14:13:02 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Guzzling some of his forty ounce, he removed it from his lips and let out a stifled belch, so it wouldn't be as loud as it was supposed to be. Staring off into the sky a moment, he was feeling the buzz from the beer and he thought (I guess after this forty all that left is my EL, might do that later on.) Hearing him speak, Santiago nodded as he took another quick gulp of his ghetto champagne... "I feel you man, It's a nice day to sit back and take in the day, enjoying the beauty of nature or whatever patches of it are left here in the city. Summer is gonna end soon, which sucks, but oh well, actually it is over. That sucks." Looking at his forty inside his plastic bag, he saw it was three forth done, so he put it on his lips and began to guzzle the slightly warmer liquid, relaxing his throat he nearly finished his beer, before taking a breath and then pouring the rest of the liquid in his mouth. Letting out a deep raspy sigh he thought (I don't know if I should smoke my El right now or a little later.) Santiago shrugged and stood up quickly to throw his glass bottle in the trashcan across from the bench, walking back to the bench he plopped down and sighed, hearing the young blind man speak he laughed at his ending remark and responded... "Word up, my girl's dance group is good, hip-hop style and other things, let's her have fun and stay in shape I guess, then again she doesn't need it but she has fun...I feel you, it must be hard to know whats around when your can't see, but i could imagine that it opens your mind to so much more experience and things to imagine. You must have a great imagination." Patting his pocket and feeling the tube that he was going to use in certain occasions, he wondered if it was proper to do what he was thinking, so Santiago just shook his head and looked back at the young man. Taking his hand he shook it firmly and kept a straight face, there was no point in smiling since he couldn't see anything... "My names Santiago, nice to meet you Connor...Well I do go to school here, I got to Fremont high and so does my girlfriend, so in other words I'm not old enough to drink, but I don't care really, I give the corner store where I buy beer lots of business, so they don't mind giving me beer or anything else, they also don't mind me doing my thing in-front of their store as long as I keep it on the down-low. You know how it is man, life's hard, you just make it easier the more you grow." Santiago paused a moment and looked at Connor's face, he seemed content, so Santiago asked him... "So Connor tell me about yourself, when did you go blind? Or were you born so? Do you smoke weed, drink? Where do you go to school?" Back to Top   connor Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 25, 2009 9:40:11 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Santiago's habits didn't bother Connor in the least, and he seemed to feel at least comfortable enough to stay. Connor took in his words, and nodded, noting that life was indeed hard, and alcohol did help to take the edge off of things. "Age is only a number. I do go to school, and it seems to the same one you and your girlfriend attend. I'm a sophomore there. As for the drinking, I do on occasion. Sake, mostly. It is diverse enough to be used for formal drinking, or social. I keep a bottle of it around. Maybe we could share a drink sometime." It was a little unlink Connor to do something like that. But, he was truly on his own now, and he was finding his own path. He had self control enough, or at least he believed he did, so he didn't worry. He also doubted Santiago would do anything to get himself or Connor into trouble. He was careful enough to hide his bits of enjoyment. "As far as weed goes, I don't partake. Though if you want to," he smiled knowingly, "then by all means." He pointed to his eyes, then his nose. "You were right. Being blind does open the mind. It gives me a bit of an edge here and there. You do keep clean, but I can detect a hint of it on you." He shrugged. "So long as you don't force it on me, I could care less if you lit up right here." He grinned. "I'm probably the best one to do much of anything in front of. Not like I can see it to say anything. And, if anyone asks, I can't exactly give them a description can I." He chuckled. He was obviously not embarrassed by his condition and wanted no pity for it. "I wasn't born totally blind. From what I was told, my eyes never fully developed right, and so I was born with some kind of rapid loss of eyesight. I was completely blind by five. I got used to it, and I managed to get by alright. I even had the benefit of having some martial arts training from a patient instructor. I actually just got back from a trip to Japan with him." His expression changed briefly, remembering the original reason for the trip, and how badly things had gone. Though he had managed to get some training in, the trip had done nothing much more than ruin a major part of his life. He changed his mood, forcing away the bitter thoughts. "I learned all I can from him, and so we parted ways, and I came back here." He smiled. "So, what about you? What's the story behind the laid back guy who's sharing the bench with me." He sat back, pleased that the story being shared would be his, and he could maybe get his mind off of his former sensei, and Berlin. Back to Top   santiago Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 25, 2009 23:55:36 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top “Sounds good man, I enjoy a nice bottle of sake as well, don’t drink it to often though. I can’t seem to find it very much around…Share a drink you say? Hey how about we do that? You cool with it, tell me where to get it, I’ll buy another bottle and we head to your place. Not much to do on this day, but relax. You up for it homie?” Santiago grinned and patted Connor’s back lightly. Hearing his speak, he nodded as he spoke it indifference about him smoking weed, and that he could smell a bit on him. Also saying he didn’t partake and he didn’t mind if Santiago did so. Laughing a bit as he added a remark to the end of his statement, Santiago nodded and he thought (Maybe I should just spark up right now, he said he doesn’t mind….Nah I’ll wait.) Santiago listened as he spoke about his return from Japan, he nodded and remarked… “Well Connor my man, I don’t think that it would be a good idea to burn something in this park. I think I’m gonna wait…I see, Japan. How was it out there, I heard it’s pretty crowded but it’s an interesting place to visit. I myself have been to Europe, not Asia really and South America.” Noticing his expression changed, he raised an eyebrow, seeing that his expression was a serious one he assumed that his trip hadn’t been to fun, so he decided to not ask. Seeing his expression change back, Santiago nodded to him speaking and said “I feel you.” Hearing Connor ask Santiago ask him about several questions about himself, pausing a bit he smiled and gathered his thoughts before he answered… “My story…Well my man, for starters I was born in South America, which makes me Colombian and There’s not really that much to say, my dad went to jail when I was very young and left my mom with me, had a rough childhood and got involved in some pretty sketchy things, started making money for them and then started growing up, kept that on the side and went to school till I moved to New York City. In New York I met the culture of Hip-Hop and fell in love with it, I started rapping, doing graffiti and break dancing, I haven’t stopped since, and I was a teen when I moved here to the U.S. The rest was just making money, school, Graffiti, rapping and a girl. Later on I picked up martial arts and had my mishaps here and there, I got involved in some heavy things later on and then I moved here to California, taking my mother, business and money with me. Now I just chill, school, school, business and girlfriend. That’s pretty much it, guess there was a bit more to say.” Smiling he paused and then asked Connor… “So what do you feel like doing my friend, up for the drink?” Back to Top   connor Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Sept 26, 2009 22:05:28 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top He smiled. Things were going well. It looked like he might have met a new friend, and he nodded at the re-mention of the drink. Connor, for some reason, felt like going for it. "Yes, I am up for it. Bottle is on me." He stood, and walked with Santiago to the nearest liquor store. He took a breath, and walked in. He knew he was under age, but he had been in here before with Suichi, and the owner knew Connor and remembered him from that day. It wasn't all the time he had blind customers. The owner was familiar with Santiago as well. I'd like another bottle of the fine Sake you sold to my sensei that day a few weeks ago." Connor was greeted with a polite acceptance, and when the price was mention, Connor didn't even flinch. He simply handed the man his bank card, had it swiped, and entered his pin. A paper bag and imported wine later, Connor and Santiago were off to Connor's dorm room. Connor was thinking about his one and only girl. It was the trip that had ruined that opportunity. "Hey, nothing wrong with making money. And good on being vague." He grinned. "Keeps both of us out of trouble." He chuckled and kept walking. "As for the girl, just make sure... make sure to keep her happy. I had a girlfriend before I went on my trip." Connor shook his head. "It could have gone much better, but I screwed that up. She deserves better than me." He shrugged. "Can't change things now. And from the sound of it, you don't have those troubles. Whatever you're doing, keep it up. You are doing something right." It was about then that they got to his dorm. He unlocked the door, and opened it. "There's not much here, as I don't need to make navigating my room difficult. Hope simple is alright." Simple was an understatement. But, what would a blind kid need with pictures or a tv? There was, however, one of the most extensive music collections around, one that could rival any local music store, and a very expensive stereo with a room wide surround sound. Music was universal, and Connor was thankful he wasn't deaf. He headed to the fridge, and got out his own bottle. He headed then to the stove, and began heating up a pot of water, his bottle of Sake inside. He adeptly manged himself here, and was thankful to the school for providing him with a room like this. Sometimes his handicap got him more than he thought it should, but here he wasn't complaining. He poured two glasses, larger than you would normally drink out of, and handed one to his new friend. The bottles in hot water were close, one of them still unopened. The new one he would send home with Santiago. That is, if they didn't polish both of them off. Connor lifted his glass. "To new friendships. May the Sake..." he paused, and grinned. "... fill us up, and make the night smoother." Back to Top   santiago Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Oct 2, 2009 18:46:50 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Arriving to his dorm in his car, Santiago turned off his car and walked outside of his car to help, Connor, but seeing him get out on his own he walked onto the stoup, after he closed the door Santiago engaged the alarm and walked inside with Connor. Getting to his dorm room he asked if it would bother him that his apartment wasn't to furnished, Santiago just shook his head and said... "Don't worry homie, I just appreciate you letting me come thru and chill out with you and get tipsy." Santiago snickered a bit and walked inside, looking around at the very simply furnished apartment he shrugged and walked over to his dining area and sat down in a chair, he saw his extensive music collection and his surround sound system and smiled, he wondered if Connor would mind if he threw some music on, he also thought (I wonder if he’ll let me burn my EL down, in his crib as we drink. I’ll ask him in a little while.) Seeing Connor come over to the table and hand him a large glass of Sake, raising his glass with him and nodding at the toast he added… “Amen to that, may this night be eventful and full of laughs, to our new friendship as well.” Sipping a long sip from his glass he looked at Connor as he sat and took a sip as well, he looked back at the surround sound system and then back at Connor and asked… “So what kind of music are you into dude, I see that you have a very extensive collection there…Hey would you mind if I smoke a little something as we drink?” Back to Top   connor Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 An unexpected meeting (Santiago) « Oct 5, 2009 11:51:11 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top He smiled, and shook his head. "Play whatever music you like. I'm pretty open. Just don't blare it, and were good." He also nodded to the smoking. "Won't bother me, so long as you don't blow it directly at my face." He chuckled. "Not trying to have too many rules, but my hearing and sense of smell are a bit... sensitive." It was his edge, after all. He didn't need anything crippling him. New friendship meant something good. Connor would much rather friends than enemies. Santiago had the benefit of being smooth, and he guessed maybe even a bit influential. Not that it mattered much to Connor, but Santiago seemed like he could fit in better with a crowed than Connor could. That was always a plus. Maybe he could help Connor learn to stay out of trouble, at least with the students at school. That, or he could wind up getting Connor into deeper trouble than he ever had been in before. Se la vi, right? Santiago had driven them there in something Connor could only guess was an expensive car. It sounded it, and the ride had been unusually free of any discomfort, from the road or otherwise. The seats had been nice and cushioned, too. That Connor had appreciated. The last thing he needed was a sore back or neck from a bumpy ride. The problem here was that Connor was at a loss now as to what to say. He wasn't exactly used to hanging out with other people his age. He had the mannerisms of someone older, and the mentality similar to the Asian culture he had been brought up into. An American boy with Irish blood, raised mostly by an Asian mentor. Connor was, for all intents and purposes, a mut. Currently, he drank his Sake, enjoying the warm wine flow down his throat. He hoped Santiago would be more accustomed to conversation. Back to Top   Reply Share Thread Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn MySpace Email Go to Previous Thread Next Thread Please make a selection first