NaNoWriMo Day 9: 7,883 of 50,000
Day 9 and I am suddenly on chapter four! To read previous chapters head HERE! Enjoy my NaNoWriMo pals :)
Chapter 4
As I began to develop a routine I noticed several observable details about the people I live with, the people I work with, and those same people I end up on the Tube with at the beginning and end of each day.
My neighbors are a unique bunch of individuals. Marie continues to speak ever so softly to me asking if any boys have come around- “No Marie, no boys”- and then there is dark and moody Ryan whose words are few and far between on our morning elevator rides. Across the hall is a small family who is constantly not around and I do not blame them.
“Three kids and one on the way is keeping us quite busy,” the father, Charlie, told me when we ran into each other one evening.
Then there is the people I work with not only unique but incredibly ambitious. Rose, the woman who has been training me, works three other jobs besides being a hostess. She has told me she really wants to go to a good uni- as she calls it- and her parents are not able to help her financially. The waiters I work with during my shift- Mark, Nathan, and Jerome- are in a band together that plays all over the greater London area. They are saving money up together so they can record an EP and hopefully travel the world.
However the people I travel with every morning and evening on the Piccadilly Line are the loudest bunch of people I have ever met. For what seems to be an unspoken understanding that one should remain quiet on the Tube these people do not adhere to this standard. They are all neighbors in a building near mine and they seem to get along quite well. On the first morning of my job when I got on they were quite disturbed to see someone new walk into their circle. I had no idea that I had even stepped into their Chelsea clique until the laughter started at 8 in the morning.
I thought about moving since it seemed as if they had a thing going and I am not quite awake at that moment anyways, however I decided against moving. It’s only a 20-minute ride Riley I think you can handle it. That all changed when one of the ladies in the group singled me out on a Tube ride home.
“You live in Chelsea love?” she had asked chopping down on what seemed to be a piece of gum.
I cleared my throat unprepared to speak. “Uh, yeah.”
The lady turned around to the others and they all showed surprised faces. My initial thought was that it was because I didn’t seem like the type to be living in Chelsea- whatever that meant- but then I soon realized it was because of my accent.
“Oh you’re American. Where are you from in the states?” a man in the group asked.
I looked at the curls that fell over his eyes trying to seek some sort of eye contact. “New York.”
I was used to this reaction by now and allowed it to happen. They gasped, turn to each other, and I started to hear those all too familiar tourist destinations- “Times Square!” “Statue of Liberty!” “Central Park!”- and it was a whole 3 minute ordeal from start to finish. I just smiled and nodded my head as they spoke and looked back at me periodically. After the gang got over the initial shock of my, let’s call it, Americanness they became curious about my reason for moving. Once I told them I wanted to become a writer they ceased all formalities and began speaking to me as if I was an old friend returning from a long trip.
It was through these very distinct group of Londoners that the city began to feel like home. I was interacting with creative and inspiring individuals and running into crazy, screaming children along the second floor everyday.
As I reflected upon little Louisa in room 229 I felt the tall frame of Ryan appear next to me as I waited for the elevator to arrive. I glanced over at him and smiled briefly as he caught my eye and quickly turned away. When the elevator arrived he stretched out his hand as if to say, “After you madam.” I giggled softly before entering. Shy, moody Ryan was showing his personality to me a bit.
Again we left and went our separate ways without a word being said between us. The Hospital Club was hopping when I arrived for my mid-afternoon shift.
“Today you get to spread your sweet wings my dearest Riley!” Rose declared as I approached the hostess desk.
“How will I do this?” I inquired pinning my nametag to my polo.
“You will be flying solo at the desk today. Greet the customers, check to see if they have a reservation, and send them to their glorious table that awaits them.” Yeah okay that seems incredibly simple so why am I freaking out?
“Yay! Sounds great!” I said instead really hoping it would be great.
It went well at first. I was able to handle the customers and happily get them to their seats. Then the early dinner rush came and all of the sudden I had 4 parties unhappily waiting for a table. Of course that was when Rose returned with Christopher close behind.
“Oh what is going on here love?” she asked smiling at the upset customers.
I turned away from the customers and made a small, but distinct, huffing noise. “I’m doing everything I can but there are some tables who are seeking to make their meals a tad bit longer.”
“Have you considered placing smaller groups at the bar? We can still serve them food from there,” Christopher offered advice.
I put my fingers through my hair angrily. “No I didn’t. Goodness I gotta get this down.”
“Deep breaths Riley you’re doing great,” Rose remarked.
We began to coordinate the four parties and happily got them to a seat within 15 minutes. Once everyone was happily seated I returned to my post just in time for a new arrival. It’s like it never ends.
This new arrival however was not necessarily new. In fact I would call him a regular. I had not caught his name yet but he always arrived at 5 on the dot simply for a pre-dinner tea. We had develop a short repertoire with each other that usually consisted of the weather, a quick fact about each other, and if the tea menu had changed-it never did- before we reached his table.
However today something was different with this regular. He was asking me a lot of questions about why I was in London as we walked to his table.
“Um I have a break in about 10 minutes if you really want all of the juicy details?” I said sort of jokingly.
He clapped his hands together. “Oh wonderful! I am looking forward to it.”
I smiled and returned to my post. When Rose joined me I told her about my break plans.
“Oh that is Ron,” she remarked.
“Ron,” I said testing out his name, “what do you know about this Ron fellow?”
She laughed at my humor. “Not much. Just that he is a regular and loves tea.”
Well she didn’t know more than I did. “Hmm ok. Well I guess I’ll know more later.”
Turns out the conversation was going to be all about me.
“You’re from New York? Wow! I’ve always wanted to go there,” he said romanticizing that city like people always did. To his credit I suppose there was always something about the city that made me wonder how I was lucky enough to have grown up near it. However there were other times it unnerved me to no end- the constant traffic and loud noises and so many people.
“Where are you from?” I asked thinking it was only fair.
“Oh um Manchester?” he said almost in a sort of asking way as if to say “I’m not sure if you know where this is but I am going to say it anyway?”
“Ya know I’ve heard of it, something to do with football?” I asked inquiring a little more.
“Ah yes you have your pick: Manchester City or Manchester United,” he explained making me chuckle.
“City or United huh? Guess I’ll have to check out a game sometime,” I said his eyes lighting up.
“Oh you should it really is a fantastic atmosphere! Truly!” he lit up.
Well I guess I knew what he enjoyed doing in his free time.
“So I told you what I am doing here in London, what are you doing here?” At my words he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“I, uh,” he cleared his throat, “I am a photographer- freelance photographer.”
“That’s awesome! Anything specifically you photograph or just like family photos and what not?” I leaned in always interested in photographers and the way they worked.
He twisted his mouth around his bushy eyebrows moving along with his lips. “Ah sort of. I don’t know I am kind of just exploring right now.”
I nodded hoping I didn’t stumble upon something terrible. “Well that’s pretty great Ron.”
When Rose appeared in my peripheral I knew my break was up. I stood up taking my small cup of half-finished tea with me. “It was nice chatting with you Ron.”
He smirked up at me. “You as well Riley.”
As I walked away he spoke again. “We should do this break time conversation again soon!”
I smiled and nodded my head in agreement before following Rose back to the desk.
“I see that went well,” she added as we made changes to the dinning map as customers left.
“He is an interesting fellow that’s for sure,” I remarked not wanting to say anymore.
By the time my shift finished I was really looking forward to getting back to my flat and gorging on Easy Mac. The only thing that stopped me was hearing Ryan speak to me for the first time since our initial encounter.
“Look I am really sorry about the other day,” he spoke almost above a whisper.
I feigned shock. “Oh you’re talking to me?”
When I laughed a small chuckle left his lips as well. “Please forgive me. I feel terrible.”
I waved my hand as the elevator approached our floor. “Oh no worries. I just hope I am minding those paper thin walls.”
He smiled as we stepped out. “I haven’t heard a peep,” he paused outstretching his hand. “Can we re-do introductions? I am Ryan.”
I smiled wide as I shook hands with him. “Riley. Nice to meet you.”
When we reached our doors we took one last look at each other.
“Have a good night,” he said before turning his knob.
“You too Ryan.”
With the wonderfully weird conversation I had that morning with the Tube gang, the interesting conversation with Mr. Regular Named Ron at work, and now melting some of the crisp, cold ice with my neighbor Ryan I felt a small semblance of peace pass over me.
