(1942-04-20) Have a Splendid Day
Have a Splendid Day
Summary: Jesse and Elizabeth meet (again?) and it's a textbook example on how NOT to make friends and influence people.
Date: April 20, 1942
Related: None
Players:
elizabeth..jesse..

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Cooper and Pine Higsi
Thu Apr 20, 1942 — Thu Apr 20 11:39:11 2017


Much like the rest of the street this one is spread out houses belonging to the lower to middle class. There are few cars, but a lot of evidence of foot traffic and kids playing.


Weather:
It is spring. The weather is warm and stormy.

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With the warmer weather, it's much more pleasant to be out and about. After his morning's chores, Jesse decided to make his way into town and see if he could get into talk to Clyde in prison (he's been trying every day), catch Lillie to or from work, or generally be a bit of his usual nuisance before going to work on the McComb Mansion. It's sort of his schedule and with Clyde locked up, he's trying to help pick up some of the slack as best as he can.

It helps when he knows every inch of the town, especially now that he can no longer see it. There's a confidence as he walks down the sidewalk, his homemade walking stick helping to guide, just a little. He refused the ones that they offered when he was visiting the School for the Blind in Nashville recently, but he -has- taken to wearing inexpensive sunglasses pretty much all the time.

And on this particular Spring day, there happens to be a woman that is not normally on this path. Her golden hair shimmers like the sunlight and her blue eyes sparkle like the clearest Kansas blue skies. Of course, all of this is lost upon the man with the stick and the sunglasses. A tip of her head as Elizabeth watches the man for a few moments. In her hand, is her own habit as of late, a picnic basket full of lunch. It's just she's not fully sure what to do with it now or why she packed it.

A slight dark cloud as the thought passes but then Elizabeth's smile radiates out again. Luckily, a smile can be heard on the voice, especially with one with sensitive ears. "Good morning!" She pauses beside him and perhaps more in his path than she means to. She let the stick pass her, but there are still his feet. The woman waves to him and bounces lightly on the balls of her feet.

Jesse hears the pedestrians and the cars but the voice that calls out has him slowing, especially as that voice is so near. He pauses just short of nearly running into the woman and his nostrils flare some as he takes in the fresh air (or a scent). "Good morning to you too," is offered with a cheerful smile. Of the Walkers, he tends to be the less dour. Maybe it's because he's the youngest?

Or he doesn't have a C name, so no one knows he's a Walker? Ohno, what if they stole him and he's not one? He's a Johnson! Elizabeth pauses for a moment and allows her eyes to slide up and down the man. It's not seductive or that form of appreciation. It's as if she's trying to place him. It, like so much, lingers in the back of her mind. "How are you fairing this most lovely day?" She just seems so… happy. It's like nothing in the world is wrong in her world and nothing can get her down. "I'm not sure we've met yet. I'm Elizabeth.." Wait for it "… Higgins." Her hand comes out, but that is likely to be missed.

Jesse doesn't notice the eyes on him, but he can feel the gaze. He doesn't have the same coloring as Clifton and Clyde; his hair is lighter and his eyes, if they could be seen, are blue, but he's got the same run-down clothes and demeanor as the other Walkers about. When she introduces herself, he can't help but smirk, "Yes, I know who you are, Miss Lizzie." He doesn't let on how, but the nickname might give it away. "Jesse Walker. We've met a couple times before," but when he was much younger most likely.

The nickname causes a slight downturn of her lips. This is lost on the man, but it might change the tone of her speech. As well there is a feel of worry coming off of her, but it's not fear. "Oh…" The word leaves her lips like an apology. Then she lowers her brows a bit. "Were we close?" That is an odd thing to have to question, especially as he is a Walker and she is the grand daughter of the town gossip. There is another nod of her head. "Elizabeth, or Liz if you would like. Some have picked Beth or Eliza too." Not Lizzie. That's… someone else's. "How are you fairing? I ran into Mister Clifton yesterday and there was still no news. Are you in need of anything?"

"Close? Not really. You were visiting your aunt and I was one of the town kids stealing her baked goods when she set them on the sill to cool." Some things never seem to change. Jesse, however, seems amused by it. At the name correction his eyebrows lift, "Oh? Because Clyde always calls you 'Lizzie' to us." That's sort of how he knows her by now. "Faring? Oh, we're fine. And what news are you looking for? About Clyde? Last I knew he was still being held in jail. I figured if he wasn't let out soon, we'd get the guy rebuilding the McComb mansion to help out. Heard he was a big shot Lawyer."

Elizabeth blinks slowly. She's not sure how she feels about Clyde referring to her at all. There is a shift that can be heard by the swoosh of her skirts as she she moves a bit uncomfortably. "Well if you need help with that let me know. I believe the man is a fellow Bostonian, so maybe I can ask for a fav— I can ask for assistance as well." A hand comes by to smooth her skirts and then she frowns at her picnic basket. These little motions may be missed on Jesse, but they are still as they are. "I heard that you frightened my Grandmother something fierce. I would ask that perhaps you not do so again." It's not an angry tone, but a querying one. "She is quiet old and I am afraid her heart is not as strong as it use to be. She is also the only family I have here." So the silent addition is not to scare the woman to death.

"I will…if we need him. I figure Clyde wouldn't like it unless it was necessary." So he's waiting. When Elizabeth mentions him scaring her aunt, he looks surprised again, "Me? She tell you she was waving something at me? I couldn't tell what, but it wasn't her hands, that's for sure. And she was the one threatining me when all I asked was that she please stop saying mean things about Lillie. She tell you that I didn't even go past her doorway? I stayed on the stoop?" He then frowns, "That woman's stronger than you think she is, Miss Liz…abeth."

Elizabeth tips her head to watch him for a moment. "I am not saying that she was fully in the right, either Jesse. My grandmother can be a gossip and.. well she is stubborn." Elizabeth probably gets that from her. "She is in most times a good woman and you.." She looks over the man. "..are a fearsome person to take to task. She's my family, Jesse." The last four words are said softly, almost like a plea. He should understand family. If nothing, Walkers should get that sort of blind protection — pun intended.

"I know that she was sincerely scared. I am sure some of it she brought on her own. Also, I know you did steal from her as well. I also know that people need to eat and hunger drives a person to things they would not normally do." Elizabeth's lips quirk just a bit. "She does make the best bread and baked goods. I only hope to be half as good as her in such things." Her eyes flick to her basket a moment. Clyde's normal lunch. "Are you hungry, Jesse, by chance? I made this basket to go calling on someone and they were not available. It's nothing too exquisite I fear. It's just some beef stew, fresh bread and coffee."

"Fearsome? Me?" Jesse crosses his arm, his stick still in hand, "I'm a poor, blind kid from the Hills. How in He…How is that fearsome?" His frown remains some as well as some confusion, "We made a trade. I didn't steal." per se. It was an involuntary trade, but goods were given in exchange for the bread he took. As for whether or not he'd normally take things, well…she obviously hasn't heard stories of his past escapades. Usually he was the one being held by the Sheriff, not Clyde.

At the questioning of his hunger level, that confusion intensifies, "First you're telling me that I'm fearsome and now you're offering me food? I'm not sure what to expect, Miss Lizabeth." But his stomach growls as he's sort of always hungry.

Welcome to Clyde's misfortune of the various turning sides of Elizabeth. There is a nod of her head to this as she considers. "Jesse, you are a powerful looking young man." Oh lord, she feels the blush. The young woman looks up at the sky. "I don't mean that in a flirtatious manner. I have all manner of respect for your relationship with Lillie. I just mean you could be seen as a strong, able…" Nope that's still not coming out right as her blush intensifies. "I mean I am sure you are good with your han— I mean one could see you have ski— I —"

Elizabeth blows a bit of air from her lips that cause a ringlet or two to sway in that hot breath. She then chews her lower lip. "You just scared her. Sometimes one isn't sure what makes a woman scared or an old woman. She's an old woman, Jesse. As well, she didn't see it as a trade. So maybe if you need bread or need to trade for baked goods, you could do that through me? It would help more." It's almost like she has no recollection of any of the town's people or their escapades. He could probably tell her she was in jail with him, and she's believe it.

The growling of his stomach causes her lips to curve up. That is something she can help with. The basket is pushed into his free hand. Her fingers touching his lightly for a moment. "Well fearsome things need to eat too." There is a teasing tone that comes to her voice. "Perhaps I am feeding you so you do not eat me."

Jesse lets Elizabeth go on about how he's a 'powerful looking young man'. He's going to have to tease Lillie about that later. As Bernice comes back into the picture he gives a sigh, "So I can't be asking someone to quit talking bad about a fine, upstanding, kind person like Lillie?" There's a shake of his head, "Nevermind. You're not gonna listen to my side of it anyhow. Just like the rest of this town." It only takes a moment before he resigns it to the fact that he's a 'dirty Walker' and the town just refuses to see the good in them.

Even if he was inclined to take the basket before, the teasing about eating her has him taking a step back, "Thanks, Miss Higgins," he goes all formal, "But I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation by someone seeing you being kind to one of us."

There is an immediate shift in her being, perhaps Elizabeth has been around Clyde too much and that growly side is taking root somewhere within her. The smile leaves her lips immediately. "No." The one word comes out like a slap. "You don't get to stand here and do that, Jesse Walker. Nor will I stand and listen to it. I don't know what all happened because I was not there." Her tone is now less friendly, as if for once, someone has caused the blonde to actually anger. In fact, her blue eyes flash with that anger. "I know that my family and a woman of considerable age is sincerely scared of you. So do not act as if you are blameless. I have said that I do not think she is blameless either, but be man enough to accept your role in the actions. I did not say don't come to us. I said if you had need to come to me and I'd even barter with you."

He's done something to raise her hackles alright. "And don't you ever tell me my thoughts or my opinions. I happen to like your family. I happen to try to look out for them when and how I can. So don't you dare insult me when you know nothing of it." He can probably feel the look burning in against him. She's pissed. The basket swings back. "I'm not worried about my reputation. If it is so easily darkened by who I choose to befriend, it wasn't much of one to start with." He can hear the sweep of her skirts. "So in regards to your insult and lack of even admitting you might share blame, but mainly for your insult. You can go right to hell, Jesse Walker." It's clear that she's going to be storming off.

"So you're not gonna listen to my side of the story or you're just not gonna believe me?" Jesse starts but then shakes his head. "figures. Just like your aunt…always thinking you got the right way and everyone else is wrong. If your aunt is scared by a blind nineteen year old, well…that ain't my problem, is it?"

What -does- Clyde see in her?

"You ain't the first person to tell me to go there and you ain't gonna be the last. Have a nice day, Miss Lizzie." He is probably going to be in trouble once Clyde gets out of jail, but he's not going to lie down and admit fault when he did absolutely nothing to Bernice. He didn't even touch her or whatever she was brandishing at him!

Elizabeth snarls. Yep that just happened and no one is going to believe him on that one. Elizabeth spins around to look at him. The basket swings and might hit his stick. Which is sure going to be his fault for hitting a girl if the town hears about it. That blind bully! "You know what, Jesse Walker, until you can admit you did something to scare an old woman. I don't want to hear your side. It's not even that it's not the truth of the matter, but it takes two for there to be an altercation and both are wrong. You, hide behind your blindness but you aren't a fucking cripple." OOoooooo. She dropped that word.

Clyde doesn't see anything in her, so it's all good.

"Well stop deserving your one way ticket and people would stop wishin' ya there. Also, don't call me Lizzie." She looks ready to bash him with that basket but instead she just stomps her foot. "You are so infuriating, Jesse Walker." A toss of those ringlets. "You have a splendid day." Clomp. Clomp. Female angry stepping. He probably knows that noise.

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