Soaked To The Bone (Open)

[Daniel Taylor]

Daniel had returned the books he borrowed from the library. He left the library to find out that it had started to rain. It wasn't a heavy down pour. He would be able to make it home without getting too soaked. Daniel hunched up his shoulders and ducked his head down and darted out in the rain. He walked quickly. Daniel didn't live too far from the library, so it wasn't that long of a walk. But a walk in the rain the distant seemed farther to Daniel. As he went on the rain became a hard and faster rain. A car drove passed and went through a big puddled that formed on the street. A huge splash came crashing on to the sidewalk and on Daniel. The rain was cold and adding a splash from a street puddle made Daniel miserable.

Desperate to get out of the rain, Daniel ran to the closest door to him. Daniel entered the Churchkey Bar. He looked around the bar and it didn't seem too busy. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get some food and wait for the rain lighten up or stop. He reached into his pocket to make sure he had his wallet.

Daniel took a seat at the bar. He took some napkins to dry his face off. Hopefully he won't bother the person he was sitting next. He pinched his clothes trying to get them not to stick to his body. Might as well eat and then go home to change. He still have students' work to go over. Daniel glanced at the menu.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh had wanted to carpool with Sean this evening, given that it was pouring down rain. But rather than driving in a nice, dry car he'd had to ride his bicycle in the downpour. Not because Sean had been unwilling to drive him, but because his partner had an emergency session at Hammel and was running late. And because Josh had wanted to go ahead and save a table lest they end up waiting half an hour (or more) whenever Sean was finally able to make it, he had simply headed out.

His raincoat only helped so much in this situation. His shoes were soaked all the way through, so that his wet socks stuck to his feet, and his glasses clouded up such that he kept having to reach up to wipe them so he could see.

He put in his name with the hostess and then made his way to the bar to wait for his partner. He had only just ordered a water -- he would save the alcohol for when Sean arrived -- when another drenched patron sat down beside him.

He glanced over at the other man, shaking his head in sympathy. "Quite a downpour out there," He commented. "It's too cold to be so wet. But at least it's dry inside, so maybe we won't both turn into icicles."

[Daniel Taylor]

Dan heard someone talking. Dan only half listened because he didn’t realized that he was being spoken to. He glanced over to who was talking. That was when Dan realized the guy was talking to him. The gentleman sitting next to him was also damp from the soaking rain. There was nothing Dan could disagree to with what the man was saying.

“Hopefully, we won’t get sick. Being sick won't make my job pleasant.” Being sick and needing to teach a bunch of teenagers for the day was no basket of roses.

[Joshua Bernstein]

"Sick!" Josh exclaimed, expression turning to horror at this possibility. "Don't talk about being sick!"

He could afford sick days, unlike many other people in the United States, but that didn't mean he wished to take any. Quite aside from being miserable he didn't enjoy having to reschedule trials and client meetings, or asking Janice if perhaps she could cover for him (which often required her to reschedule meetings).

"What is your job?"

He could think of no job where being sick would be a pleasant outcome, but some were worse than others.

[Daniel Taylor]

It didn’t surprised Dan in the least bit that this guy was so against being sick. Come to think of it, Dan couldn’t think of one person who liked being sick.

In the cold lousy weather schools were like giant Petrie dish. If one person were sick it would spread like a wild fire. “I’m teacher.” Teaching a bunch of teenagers wasn’t something Dan wanted to do when he was no feeling well. And if he was ill enough he couldn’t go in, he had to write up a lesson plan for a substitute teacher. None of that Dan wanted to do when he felt like a bus hit him.

“What is your job?” Dan asked out of curiosity.

[Joshua Bernstein]

"Ahh, a teacher."

Josh had great respect for teachers, particularly given how little they were paid despite being tasked with educating the next generation of citizens.

"When I was younger I considered being a teacher, but I don't think I would be very good at it. You have my respect, sir."

The question about what he did brought a smile to his lips and he answered, "Actually, I'm a lawyer."

And, finally, the bartender made her way over to take orders.

"Just a water for right now," He requested, but he slipped her a five anyway; she was clearly overworked, and he doubted her base pay was very much at all.

[Daniel Taylor]

Daniel smiled. It wasn't every day someone told Daniel they appreciated his work. And it was most certainly not everyday he would hear a student say that to him, unfortunately.

Dan told the bartender his order. After she left Dan continued with his conversation with the other soaked gentleman. "What made you decide to be a lawyer instead, if you don't mind me asking." Daniel didn't want to seem like he was prying into the other man's business.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh puffed out his chest in pride when Daniel asked about his decision to practice law. "I saw how hard society is on certain people, how we use the law to grind people into the ground, and I thought, you know, I want to fight against that from the inside. So I help represent people who are wrongfully terminated, or are harassed by the police, or anything like that. The people it's easy to ignore need the help the most, and I wanted to help them."

He caught sight of a tall figure from the corner of one eye and rose to his feet.

"Looks like my partner finally arrived," He apologized, "I hope you don't get sick!"

[Daniel Taylor]

It was wonderful when people were passionate about their work. It made everything much more bearable. “It was nice talking to you. Hope I didn’t get you sick.” Daniel enjoyed the little chat with a stranger.