Adventures in Shopping
by: Quicksilver
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
standard disclaimers
NOTE: This is the third in the Richie at college series. Um, and most of the events described have happened to me in some way, shape, or form (I know someone who keeps her pet lamb skin on the bed, and Professor Laud is A LOT like my chem teacher). Fiction imitates life. All names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Oh, can any of you design an Immortal Dancing Baby?
The professor was making absolutely no sense. Richie watched as the chubby man walked across the floor, waving his hands dramatically. "What kind of world do we live in?" he said, gesturing with his pen-light.
Of course, no one replied. It was the second day of classes and everyone was still shy. The professor frown in frustration but didn't stop in his tirade. "We don't live in an atomic world. We live in a molar world." Professor Laud paused. "And what is a molar world based on?"
Richie felt his eyes begin to glaze. He was in the third row back, so he doubted if Laud would notice if he took a short nap....
He jerked awake when Professor Laud yelled at the top of his voice, "MOLES! That's what it all comes down to! MOLES!"
Richie looked at Dick, trying to smoother a groan. Moles. Big deal. Dick pushed a lock of his long hair out of his eyes, and continued to scribble down everything the Professor was saying.
Richie looked down at his tape recorder and noticed that it had stopped recording. With a sigh, he flip the tape over and continued to record.
Richie waited outside the cafeteria for his lunchmates. Beth had talked him into dragging Alex along for lunch. Alex, though, was off in his own little world, scribbling in his art book. Alex was a very introverted person, and Richie was relieved. Alex didn't asked uncomfortable questions that could get too close to his real identity.
Beth pulled up, literally dragging Darian in her wake. Darian's fair skin was flushed, but Richie couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. Then he caught a glimpse of her eyes. Definitely embarrassment. "Hi!" Beth said cheerily. "Are we ready to try to eat what they consider food?"
Richie smiled and led the way into the cafeteria. He managed to get his tray loaded with food, then went out towards the exit. The cashier stopped him, demanding his card, which he turned over. She slid it through the scanner, smiling as the bell chirped irritatingly. "You're over your lunch limit- but don't worry, I just took it out of your declining balance."
Richie smiled politely, making a mental note to check out exactly what a declining balance was.
He finally sat down at a small table with Alex and the girls. Darian was picking at her food, no saying anything, and Beth was eating a bag of cheese popcorn. Pre-packaged food- might be a safe thing! Richie thought.
"So, are you up for a trip?" Beth asked cheerfully.
"A trip where?" Richie asked. He hadn't had a chance to explore the city yet (i.e. find any good hiding places in case he ran into people with long life-lines), so the idea was tempting.
"South Street," Beth said.
Alex coughed up some of his food. "You want to go down to South Street?" he asked.
Darian looked up, confused. "What's South Street?" she asked, voicing Richie's thoughts.
Beth grinned wickedly. "It's just a place."
Alex shook his. "Yeah, right. And Santa Claus is Jewish."
Richie was surprised to hear Alex's sarcasm. "Could one of you please tell me what South Street is?" he asked.
"It's where the freaks hang out," Alex said quietly. "Lots of street shops, lots of stuff to do, and a lot of VERY strange people."
Richie looked at him. "I've probably been in worse places," he said quietly.
"So you'll come?" Beth asked. "I want to go, but I need an escort. Lone female wandering around down there is just a VERY BAD idea, if you get what I mean."
Richie smiled at Beth, unaware that he was being watched at that very moment. "I'd love to!" he said. "And Darian and Alex will have to come to, of course."
Alex just frowned, but since it looked harmless, Richie ignored it.
"And we came down here after dark because?" Richie asked, hoping for once, to get a straight answer out of Beth. "I have a Chem Lab at eight tomorrow," he griped.
"You have to come down here after dark," Beth insisted. "A lot of the interesting shops are closed until then."
*******
Alex and Darian were standing very close together, almost looking like two lost children. Both were extremely petite and fragile looking. "Um, guys?" Richie said, looking at the two of them. They turned frightened eyes on him. "Can you two try to look a little less afraid?"
Alex smiled hesitantly, but Darian merely looked terror stricken. A man walked by, singing at that top of his lungs. "The Lord is here! Repent, all ye sinners! The Lord knows you!"
South Street was a collage of shops, neon lights, and the freaks who populated it. There was a strong police presence (Philadelphia's Finest were in every other coffee shop), but the place still had an air of freedom. Many people looked perfectly normal, but they only made the true weirdoes stick out even more. He saw someone walk by with a foot-high mohawk. I thought the mohawk was eighties, he wondered.
Tattoo parlors (with names Like The Bloody Mary) and piercing shops seemed to be the order, but Richie walked right by a Gap, which didn't seem out of place. Everything goes on South Street, he thought. It was a fun looking place.
Beth smiled at Richie. "You know, I've been wanting to get my tongue pierced. You'd look awfully cute with an eyebrow ring, Richie," she said. She started to walk down the street, totally oblivious to the fact that the rest of her crew was hanging back.
Richie, even though he was Immortal, didn't like pain all that much. And he though he'd have a hard time explaining why the hole closed before the needle was out of his skin. Not a good thing!
A woman waltzed across the street, wearing bits of leather sown with loose ribbons, and not much else. Richie watched her, wondering why only the ugliest people felt compelled to display their bodies in such a ways....
He watched Beth cross a street towards one of the most scary of the piercing shop. Inferno, its sign read. Richie exchange glances with Darian, then followed.
The shop was all in bright reds and purples, deliberately clashing. Darian was almost curled in on herself. Alex, for once, was brave, squeezing Darian's arm reassuringly. She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. A large man with tattoos all over the visible skin (of which the black leather left quite a lot of bare), smiled. Richie noticed that he was missing a tooth. In other words, a refugee from Hell's Angels. Beth bounced up to him boisterously.
"Hi!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "Do you do tongue piercing here?" she asked.
He nodded. "Indeed we do, young lady," he answered, his voice surpassingly rich and deep- James-Earl-Jonish. Richie blinked a few times. The voice did NOT fit in with the overall persona. "I just need two forms of picture ID, and we can do it."
Beth frowned thoughtfully, then pulled out her college ID (the oh-so-important card that was the focus of her existence, according to Guidance). "Will this do?" she asked hopefully. "I forgot my driver's license."
The thought of Beth driving was enough to make Richie gain a few gray hairs on his Immortal head. God save the world! he prayed
Tattoo-man took it in a meaty fist, then shook his head. "It doesn't have your date of birth. I could loose my license. Come back when you have a form of picture ID." Beth sulked, but led the way out of the shop. Richie looked back once, noticing the man giving him a cheerful wave.
"Is there anything you want to do while down here?"
Beth shook her head. "A little shopping, but nothing in particular. Darian said something about buying some pictures for our room."
"It's so empty!" Darian exclaimed, coming out of her shell a little. "Except for a little of Percy's things, but I don't even want to THINK about them," Darian said with a shudder.
Richie remembered the comments about the dead thing on Percy's bed. "Is there anything worse than that?" he asked with a shudder.
"How about a pentagram?" Beth asked.
Richie had more experience with things of that nature then he even wanted to think of. "Let's just go to the poster store," he said hastily.
On the way to the poster store, Beth started to laugh. "Condom Kingdom!" she exclaimed happily. "I haven't been in there in ages!"
Richie glanced where she was pointing, and sure enough, there was a store that's neon sign proclaimed itself as such. "They have stores just to sell condoms?" he asked, surprised.
"Of course they do! Sex sells! Let's go!" Beth declared happily, starting across the street. Richie followed her, and he himself was tailed by two extremely embarrassed teenagers.
Beth waltzed in, as flighty as ever as she admired one display after another. "Ticklely Wiglers?" Richie thought, horrified. He heard someone's labored breath, and turned to watch Darian flee from the store. Alex followed her, almost as bright. Richie grabbed Beth's arm and pulled her out. "The others can't handle it," he said quietly.
"Darn. I was going to get some Lickin' Lemon-" Beth began, but Richie firmly clamped a hand over her mouth as they walked up to the two other members of their group.
Alex was coaching Darian. "If you don't start breathing right, I'll have to call the paramedics," he was saying quietly. "How about you sit down and put your head between your knees?"
Darian shook her head. Her breathing was gradually becoming more even. "My mother would flip if she knew I'd been in a store like that," she said.
Beth looked contrite. "I'm sorry. Next time SAY you don't want to do something."
"I will," Darian said. "Can we go home now? Please?" she asked.
"Sure," Beth answered. "We'll grab the El at Fifth," she said, referring to Philly's subway.
It was about an eight block walk back, which gave Richie plenty of time to reflect on the past events, South Street had been interesting, and it would be fun to explore- preferably without Beth. Much as he liked her, Beth was a little too careless to survive hanging around an Immortal too long.
About two hours later, Alex and Richie stumbled into his room. The subway had been temporarily closed (something about a man jumping in front of a train, which reminded Richie of Mikey), so the group had been forced to wait. And wait. And wait.
Subway's weren't Richie's favorite thing. Far too easy to become trapped in a cart with a lunatic. Never mind that some people would consider HIM the lunatic, what with his sword and all....
Richie collapsed on his bed, and quickly fell asleep. Tomorrow would be his first Chemistry lab, and he had the feeling he was going to need it.....
THE END
Part Four in the Works!
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
FEEDBACK! FEEDBACK!!!!!!
by: Quicksilver
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
standard disclaimers
NOTE: This is the third in the Richie at college series. Um, and most of the events described have happened to me in some way, shape, or form (I know someone who keeps her pet lamb skin on the bed, and Professor Laud is A LOT like my chem teacher). Fiction imitates life. All names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Oh, can any of you design an Immortal Dancing Baby?
The professor was making absolutely no sense. Richie watched as the chubby man walked across the floor, waving his hands dramatically. "What kind of world do we live in?" he said, gesturing with his pen-light.
Of course, no one replied. It was the second day of classes and everyone was still shy. The professor frown in frustration but didn't stop in his tirade. "We don't live in an atomic world. We live in a molar world." Professor Laud paused. "And what is a molar world based on?"
Richie felt his eyes begin to glaze. He was in the third row back, so he doubted if Laud would notice if he took a short nap....
He jerked awake when Professor Laud yelled at the top of his voice, "MOLES! That's what it all comes down to! MOLES!"
Richie looked at Dick, trying to smoother a groan. Moles. Big deal. Dick pushed a lock of his long hair out of his eyes, and continued to scribble down everything the Professor was saying.
Richie looked down at his tape recorder and noticed that it had stopped recording. With a sigh, he flip the tape over and continued to record.
Richie waited outside the cafeteria for his lunchmates. Beth had talked him into dragging Alex along for lunch. Alex, though, was off in his own little world, scribbling in his art book. Alex was a very introverted person, and Richie was relieved. Alex didn't asked uncomfortable questions that could get too close to his real identity.
Beth pulled up, literally dragging Darian in her wake. Darian's fair skin was flushed, but Richie couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. Then he caught a glimpse of her eyes. Definitely embarrassment. "Hi!" Beth said cheerily. "Are we ready to try to eat what they consider food?"
Richie smiled and led the way into the cafeteria. He managed to get his tray loaded with food, then went out towards the exit. The cashier stopped him, demanding his card, which he turned over. She slid it through the scanner, smiling as the bell chirped irritatingly. "You're over your lunch limit- but don't worry, I just took it out of your declining balance."
Richie smiled politely, making a mental note to check out exactly what a declining balance was.
He finally sat down at a small table with Alex and the girls. Darian was picking at her food, no saying anything, and Beth was eating a bag of cheese popcorn. Pre-packaged food- might be a safe thing! Richie thought.
"So, are you up for a trip?" Beth asked cheerfully.
"A trip where?" Richie asked. He hadn't had a chance to explore the city yet (i.e. find any good hiding places in case he ran into people with long life-lines), so the idea was tempting.
"South Street," Beth said.
Alex coughed up some of his food. "You want to go down to South Street?" he asked.
Darian looked up, confused. "What's South Street?" she asked, voicing Richie's thoughts.
Beth grinned wickedly. "It's just a place."
Alex shook his. "Yeah, right. And Santa Claus is Jewish."
Richie was surprised to hear Alex's sarcasm. "Could one of you please tell me what South Street is?" he asked.
"It's where the freaks hang out," Alex said quietly. "Lots of street shops, lots of stuff to do, and a lot of VERY strange people."
Richie looked at him. "I've probably been in worse places," he said quietly.
"So you'll come?" Beth asked. "I want to go, but I need an escort. Lone female wandering around down there is just a VERY BAD idea, if you get what I mean."
Richie smiled at Beth, unaware that he was being watched at that very moment. "I'd love to!" he said. "And Darian and Alex will have to come to, of course."
Alex just frowned, but since it looked harmless, Richie ignored it.
"And we came down here after dark because?" Richie asked, hoping for once, to get a straight answer out of Beth. "I have a Chem Lab at eight tomorrow," he griped.
"You have to come down here after dark," Beth insisted. "A lot of the interesting shops are closed until then."
*******
Alex and Darian were standing very close together, almost looking like two lost children. Both were extremely petite and fragile looking. "Um, guys?" Richie said, looking at the two of them. They turned frightened eyes on him. "Can you two try to look a little less afraid?"
Alex smiled hesitantly, but Darian merely looked terror stricken. A man walked by, singing at that top of his lungs. "The Lord is here! Repent, all ye sinners! The Lord knows you!"
South Street was a collage of shops, neon lights, and the freaks who populated it. There was a strong police presence (Philadelphia's Finest were in every other coffee shop), but the place still had an air of freedom. Many people looked perfectly normal, but they only made the true weirdoes stick out even more. He saw someone walk by with a foot-high mohawk. I thought the mohawk was eighties, he wondered.
Tattoo parlors (with names Like The Bloody Mary) and piercing shops seemed to be the order, but Richie walked right by a Gap, which didn't seem out of place. Everything goes on South Street, he thought. It was a fun looking place.
Beth smiled at Richie. "You know, I've been wanting to get my tongue pierced. You'd look awfully cute with an eyebrow ring, Richie," she said. She started to walk down the street, totally oblivious to the fact that the rest of her crew was hanging back.
Richie, even though he was Immortal, didn't like pain all that much. And he though he'd have a hard time explaining why the hole closed before the needle was out of his skin. Not a good thing!
A woman waltzed across the street, wearing bits of leather sown with loose ribbons, and not much else. Richie watched her, wondering why only the ugliest people felt compelled to display their bodies in such a ways....
He watched Beth cross a street towards one of the most scary of the piercing shop. Inferno, its sign read. Richie exchange glances with Darian, then followed.
The shop was all in bright reds and purples, deliberately clashing. Darian was almost curled in on herself. Alex, for once, was brave, squeezing Darian's arm reassuringly. She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. A large man with tattoos all over the visible skin (of which the black leather left quite a lot of bare), smiled. Richie noticed that he was missing a tooth. In other words, a refugee from Hell's Angels. Beth bounced up to him boisterously.
"Hi!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "Do you do tongue piercing here?" she asked.
He nodded. "Indeed we do, young lady," he answered, his voice surpassingly rich and deep- James-Earl-Jonish. Richie blinked a few times. The voice did NOT fit in with the overall persona. "I just need two forms of picture ID, and we can do it."
Beth frowned thoughtfully, then pulled out her college ID (the oh-so-important card that was the focus of her existence, according to Guidance). "Will this do?" she asked hopefully. "I forgot my driver's license."
The thought of Beth driving was enough to make Richie gain a few gray hairs on his Immortal head. God save the world! he prayed
Tattoo-man took it in a meaty fist, then shook his head. "It doesn't have your date of birth. I could loose my license. Come back when you have a form of picture ID." Beth sulked, but led the way out of the shop. Richie looked back once, noticing the man giving him a cheerful wave.
"Is there anything you want to do while down here?"
Beth shook her head. "A little shopping, but nothing in particular. Darian said something about buying some pictures for our room."
"It's so empty!" Darian exclaimed, coming out of her shell a little. "Except for a little of Percy's things, but I don't even want to THINK about them," Darian said with a shudder.
Richie remembered the comments about the dead thing on Percy's bed. "Is there anything worse than that?" he asked with a shudder.
"How about a pentagram?" Beth asked.
Richie had more experience with things of that nature then he even wanted to think of. "Let's just go to the poster store," he said hastily.
On the way to the poster store, Beth started to laugh. "Condom Kingdom!" she exclaimed happily. "I haven't been in there in ages!"
Richie glanced where she was pointing, and sure enough, there was a store that's neon sign proclaimed itself as such. "They have stores just to sell condoms?" he asked, surprised.
"Of course they do! Sex sells! Let's go!" Beth declared happily, starting across the street. Richie followed her, and he himself was tailed by two extremely embarrassed teenagers.
Beth waltzed in, as flighty as ever as she admired one display after another. "Ticklely Wiglers?" Richie thought, horrified. He heard someone's labored breath, and turned to watch Darian flee from the store. Alex followed her, almost as bright. Richie grabbed Beth's arm and pulled her out. "The others can't handle it," he said quietly.
"Darn. I was going to get some Lickin' Lemon-" Beth began, but Richie firmly clamped a hand over her mouth as they walked up to the two other members of their group.
Alex was coaching Darian. "If you don't start breathing right, I'll have to call the paramedics," he was saying quietly. "How about you sit down and put your head between your knees?"
Darian shook her head. Her breathing was gradually becoming more even. "My mother would flip if she knew I'd been in a store like that," she said.
Beth looked contrite. "I'm sorry. Next time SAY you don't want to do something."
"I will," Darian said. "Can we go home now? Please?" she asked.
"Sure," Beth answered. "We'll grab the El at Fifth," she said, referring to Philly's subway.
It was about an eight block walk back, which gave Richie plenty of time to reflect on the past events, South Street had been interesting, and it would be fun to explore- preferably without Beth. Much as he liked her, Beth was a little too careless to survive hanging around an Immortal too long.
About two hours later, Alex and Richie stumbled into his room. The subway had been temporarily closed (something about a man jumping in front of a train, which reminded Richie of Mikey), so the group had been forced to wait. And wait. And wait.
Subway's weren't Richie's favorite thing. Far too easy to become trapped in a cart with a lunatic. Never mind that some people would consider HIM the lunatic, what with his sword and all....
Richie collapsed on his bed, and quickly fell asleep. Tomorrow would be his first Chemistry lab, and he had the feeling he was going to need it.....
THE END
Part Four in the Works!
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
FEEDBACK! FEEDBACK!!!!!!
