Entry #A-7: "Artisan" [Text, Action]

[dead_black_eyes]

[There is a lot going on right now. Murders in Vegas, police trials staggering to shameful conclusions, and L's own latest case- which he's technically no longer supposed to be investigating, but is- are all very distracting.

It's not like he needs sleep or anything, though; the coffee shop's construction is right on schedule. It just finished, in fact. As promised, he's taking a break from perusing Greek newspapers to make an announcement... and to remind the people who said they'd help a couple weeks ago about their commitment.]

Construction's done on the coffee shop and these are the open temporary positions I need filled immediately.

Movers: Basically just move objects from point A to point B. Some of them are heavy.
Painters: Solid colors and also a mural.
Promoters: Hang out at Urban Outfitters and craft bars to hand out posters and spread the word.

These are the permanent positions I'm taking interviews for starting this evening. Experience is a plus, but not necessary unless otherwise noted.

Manager: Experience required. Job entails scheduling workers and running the shop.
Assistant Managers: Hiring two. Need to be equally comfortable behind the counter and dealing with paperwork.
Baristas: Hiring up to 8 for now. Duties include making coffee and food, running the cash register, and keeping the bathroom really clean.
Bartenders: Hiring up to three. Must be over 21; we have a full bar that opens at 2:00 each day.
Vendors: Sell your handcrafted items and help us support our boarded employees.
A fantastic accountant: Lots of experience mandatory
A fantastic lawyer: See above.

Numbered individuals get priority, obviously. As I mentioned before, if your living situation is complicated, there is an apartment upstairs with six cots, two showers, and lockers for personal belongings. Just mention it during your interview and we can put you up as soon as the cots are upstairs.

Respond here or drop by in person. I'll be at the shop all day today, and... honestly for the next week I'll be there almost constantly.

[And, in fact, he will. He's been neglecting his sleep, though, so when you stop by the newly constructed Espresso Yourself, you're likely to find him dozing on the lone sofa in the empty expanse of the shop, practically buried in paperwork.]

Comments

[dead_black_eyes]

[He jumps slightly, calming quickly when he sees who it is. The chair he's sitting in is one of many; a lot of the furniture has arrived and been placed by those eager to help out.]

Oh... sorry, I didn't hear you. I should probably turn down the TV.

[Though there are a lot of fixtures and pieces newly placed in the coffee shop, a TV, unfortunately, is not one of them.]

[belphe]

[She finds the lack of TV - or any ambiance noise that could be mistaken for it - disturbing.]

When is the last time you've been to bed?

[dead_black_eyes]

[His eyes glaze over for a second as he swallows, then pinches the bridge of his nose in fretful agitation.]

[belphe]

[Yeah, that's what she thought. The food, it seemed, was not his most immediate need after all.]

Come on. [she said, offering a hand to help him get up from his chair] If you don't start taking better care of yourself, you'll kill this business before it even gets started.

[Not to mention himself, for that matter]

[dead_black_eyes]

[He glances uncertainly back at the wall he'd been so heavily engaged in staring at, before using her extended hand to prop himself out of his chair by the elbow.]

I guess it's kind of pointless to ask if I can finish this show, isn't it?

[belphe]

"I'm sure it can wait until you get back." was her answer. "I parked out front, it won't be a long walk to the car."

Clearly she intended on taking him back with her.

[dead_black_eyes]

[He looks uncertain.]

I can't leave, Belle. Other people might show up for an interview. Ray isn't answering his phone, so...

[He trails off, nudging the W2 forms stacked up on the table with a fingertip.]

[belphe]

[Her brow knit in response to the protest]

I understand you still have a lot to do, but you need to sleep, L. I'm not going to just leave you this way.

[dead_black_eyes]

It's not OK for me to leave, Belle.

[There's almost a pleading note to his voice.]

I said I'd be here until the 9th. To hire people who need jobs, and places to stay. There are homeless people who might need jobs...

[belphe]

I think...that you may be investing yourself too heavily into this, L.

[her tone is tight with concern]

What you're doing for the people displaced by what's happened recently is noble, I will give you that. But you can't help anyone in this state, let alone run a shop.

What if I were to stay while you slept? Do you trust that I could take people's information for you to get in contact with them when you get up?

[dead_black_eyes]

[His jaw tightens at the gentle suggestion, and then his shoulders curve even further forward at her followup offer. It's, at the very least, a compromise. He straightens his wrinkled blue shirt as he considers it.

The stress is coming from Cesar's case as well as the coffee shop, the case he was supposed to drop but couldn't. His body is begging for sleep.]

I... guess that would be acceptable.

[belphe]

[She offers him a faint smile, and offers one compromise further]

Is there somewhere here that you can lay down comfortably?

[She recalls brief mention of there being an employee loft set up, but isn't sure if he planned to follow through on it, or if it had been grandiose planning during the excitement of starting his own business]

[dead_black_eyes]

There's the sofa, but... the second floor has some cots. I guess I could take a rest up there... if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me, right?

[He shuffles toward the door that leads upstairs.]

[belphe]

[As he goes, she trails after him, making sure that he doesn't fall along the way. As they make the trek upstairs, she takes in the amount of work that's been done in such a short time. It's quite a sight more involved than the predecessor business...]

[dead_black_eyes]

[The upstairs area is unfinished, but impressive for what it is. It smells like plaster and drywall, the floor is unvarnished wood, and there are two full bathrooms with toilets, sinks and showers that are fully functional, even if both rooms lack doors. There are six lockers and six cots in the open main area.]

So... those are the cots. They got moved up here yesterday. If you need to use the bathroom, you can, but let me know so I can face away from it and plug my ears.

[belphe]

[Duly noted...]

I'm fine for now, thank you.

[Though unfinished, it's all certainly more comfortable than the places the homeless numbered would end up sleeping if left to the city's devices.

She approaches the nearest cot to set the sack lunch beside it]

I don't suppose you have anything to make them up with, yet?

[dead_black_eyes]

No, not yet. There were some sheets but they turned out not to fit.

[He opens one of the lockers, revealing fitted sheets that were, in fact, too large for the narrower frame of the cot.]

I guess it'll do in a pinch.

[He starts attempting to make the bed. His lack of coordination due to exhaustion, combined with his clumsy hands, made it a slow and difficult process to witness.]

[belphe]

[She stands by a moment before moving to intervene, gently taking the fitted sheet from him to attempt to put it on herself. With some cajoling, she manages to get all four corners more or less into place, though the way the sides sag proves well enough what he was talking about

It should be fine for now. [she agrees, moving to take another down to serve as a makeshift blanket]

I have to give you credit...when you initially said you were going to rebuild the business, this is far more than I expected.

[dead_black_eyes]

Yeah... a lot of people are really surprised, because my track record for incompetence is actually pretty remarkable.

[As usual, his attempts at self-deprecation are far too close to the truth to be remotely amusing.]

[belphe]

It wasn't that I didn't think you would reopen the shop, L.

[Actually, yeah, it had crossed her mind]

It's more that I didn't expect you to take things this far. You don't seem to like to deal with others much.

[The spare sheet is held at the ready, waiting for him to climb into the cot so she can drape it over him]

[dead_black_eyes]

[He crawls onto the cot, looking mildly uncomfortable at the prospect of being tucked in by his therapist.]

People aren't as difficult when you sign their paychecks and might stop, if they aren't pleasant. It's also hard to not be grateful when so many people want to help so much. It must be a good cause if everyone's willing to pitch in, right?

[belphe]

[Not that it would be, by far, the most uncomfortable situation created since he'd moved in. As he settles in, she lets the sheet settle over him, listening to him talk.]

That's true...and it IS a good cause, L. It's offering jobs and shelter to people who are, increasingly, going to be drummed out of society as things get more intense.

But please don't lead yourself to believe that you're responsible for all of them. You'll burn yourself at both ends...

[Now that he was actually laying down and sort-of tucked in, her concern was beginning to ease]

[dead_black_eyes]

It is going to get more intense, isn't it? It's probably too much to hope for that everything just settles quietly... but in that case it's good to be prepared.

[He stifles a yawn. He feels even heavier on the cot than he did sitting up, the floating transparency of the caffeine gradually wearing off as his total exhaustion seeped back into his limbs.]

So many are so irresponsible. If I can, and I don't, then my second chance has no point at all...

[belphe]

If you can, then you absolutely should. But don't neglect yourself. It's all right to hand things off to someone else to take care of now and then.

[A hand passes soothingly over his tangled mop of hair]