Killing time - Barnaby (open tag)

[barnaby]

Barnaby jumped off the wall. "Never more so," he replied with a grin as he brushed sand off the seat of his jeans. "I live right here on Venice Beach," he added, but I walked here sooo... Can I get a lift? That way I can show you where my place is."

Addison nodded and he followed her to her car...

* * *

"That's it... Miranda Drive," he said as he pointed to their right. "Number 28..." The three storey house had fantastic views of the canals at the back and they could eat dinner out there on the patio... Or maybe the upper floor balcony... Either would be good as the evening was warm and balmy. "What can I get you?" he asked after leading the way inside. "I've got beer, wine, lemonade, coke... squash... or a hot drink... I just need to make a salad and we should be set to go. Make yourself at home."

He glanced at his dinner companion as she walked deeper into the house. It was impossible to guess her age but if he had to Barnaby would place her somewhere between 19 and 22... Thereabouts!

[Addison Graham]

Addison was sort of surprised to hear that he walked for some reason although with him leaving near the beach she shouldn't have been. None the less she agreed to give him a lift so that she had her car with her and he could give her directions. Taking the right as he pointed out Miranda Drive she pulled her car alongside the curb at the front of the house.

Standing on the sidewalk she took in a good look at the outside of the house. It was huge. She wondered if it was all his or if he had roommates, maybe he rented just a part of it. But at the moment she didn't see any other vehicles sitting about. Letting it go she followed him inside standing to the side while he shut the door behind them. Walking further into the house she realized how truly immense it was as she placed her hands on either side of an opening into another room.

"Lemonade would be fine." she yelled back to him somewhere in the rest of the house. There wasn't alot of clutter or anything, just a few personal effects here and there and she took it all in waiting for him to return with her drink.

"You live here by yourself?" Addison hollared back as she walked into the room going to a large window against the back of the house that showed a killer view of the water.

[barnaby]

Barnaby poured them both a glass of lemonade after checking on the roasting chicken. It was almost done and he'd get it out to rest in about ten more minutes. During that time he could throw the rest of their supper togather.

"Here ya go," he said, handing one frosted glass to Addison. "And yeah... all by myself. I rented this place for the time being and apparently I'm free to sub-let if I want. A codicil in the lease agreement. I am thinking of advertising. There's two other rooms and the income would be handy, I admit! Know anyone who might be interested?" Barnaby drifted off momentarily at the thoght of a couple of the female volleyball players taking the rooms.

Sweet heaven right here on earth.

"Soo... are you from Los Angeles? As in born and bred? I'm pretty new to the area. I'm from England originally. Still trying to get used to this strange LA phenomena... What's it called again? Oh yeah... Sunshine!"

[Addison Graham]

Addison took the glass of lemonade and sipped on it for a moment before replying to his inquiry about possible co habitants. She knew people but not really well enough to know who was looking for a new place and who wasn't.

"I don't know anyone personally." She said giving him a look that said she was sorry. He got lucky that they allowed that in his contract because most places didn't anymore. Even if he could only rent out one room that would be money in his pocket and a benefit she was sure.

"This is LA. Put up ads at the colleges, in the paper maybe? I don't think it would take long for you to get tons of replies. Then you can screen them and choose how ever you please." she shrugged her shoulders and took another drink looking in towards the rest of the house. It was massive, it was hard to imagine someone their age living in a place like this on their own. She assumed from that alone he was probably at least out of high school. Maybe from a wealthy family in London, exchange at school?

"I haven't been here long either. Moved in a month or two before summer from Texas. I actually lived in Britain for a few years." She probably could have guessed London from his accent, or at least she should have been able to but it was his food choices that had thrown her off. Her entire time there, she never heard of anyone eating something like that. Can't assume anything though.

[barnaby]

"Good idea about the ads," Barnaby replied. He could even try the school... Not that he'd expect any of the kids to reply but maybe some of the other faculty members could be interested... Or know someone who migh be! Then there was the library, local 7-11.. maybe even down at the pier. Addison was right in that he could check any applicants out and decline if need be. The help with the bills would be seriously good news. After all, it wasn't like teachers' pay was all that high.

Barnaby was interested to hear she'd spent some time in England. "Oh? really! That's amazing. What part? I used to live in Kew... London. That's where I was born. I studied in Cambridge, though. I've been over here for a few months now. Probably you can tell that by the fatct that I still have my accent although I admit I don't really notice it myself. Do you know I've been taken for Australian, South African and also Swedish? I mean, do I *look* Swedish?" Barnaby laughed as he spoke, still not sure if that girl had been joking or not!

(OOC LOL! He hasn't really cooked ostrich By 'ostrich proportions' he meant it was a huge chicken ;P)

[Addison Graham]

Addison was sure she had to have been in Kew at some point but she didn't really go memorizing every city or county she visited while they were overseas because it would number in the hundreds she was sure.

"We were in Suffolk. Near the military bases." They had never really chose to live on base unless it was only a temporary fix and england had been no different. Her father had to go ahead a week or two and picked out their house for them before she and her mother had followed. Their things though, took an unusually ridiculous amount of time to arrive behind them.

"I loved it. It is beautiful, tons of culture, and well shopping of course." she laughed. She couldn't help it, she was a girl, and being in Europe had its benefits. She smiled as Barnaby tried to find the reasoning for someone mistaking him for any other nationality but his own. She wasn't sure she could believe someone had mistaken him for Swedish of all things but who was she to judge.

"I guess people who have never really been there wouldn't have the slightest idea outside of people they may have met or the movies. You can't blame them." Addison joked. There were still times she wasn't sure of the sounds and accents of different places either and she herself had lived many of them.

"Did you need help with anything?" She made sure to ask not wanting to seem unappreciative or willing to help. She wouldn't mind at all, would even do the dishes afterwards if he asked it was just courtesy.

[barnaby]

Barnaby felt sure if Addison had visited London during her stay she probably would have at least heard of Kew. The gardens were a huge tourist attraction. Almost as much as Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. “Suffolk, eh? I know that country well,” Barnaby replied. “Ive got relatives in Newmarket. The home of the racecourse,” he added with a grin. “Which base were you at? I can only really remember the names of a couple. There’s Lakenheath and... what’s its name again...” He thought hard... “Middle... Middle... No... Mildenlhall. Oh and Woodbridge. Pretty sure those are all RAF bases though. Were you at an American one?”

“Ah yes,” Barnaby went on. “The shopping in that part of the country is pretty good. as I recall Ipswich has a good shopping centre. Hold on... you call ‘em malls here... right?” Addison had lived in a nice little corner of England. That said, Barnaby *was* a tad biased!

“As for help... I reckon we’re about done. Head on through and out the back and grab those knives and forks as you go. I’ll be right out with supper.”

It was good to find someone to a) share the chicken and b) talk about England with. He’d definitely struck it lucky with Addison... and if he was even luckier she’d agree to going out with him on a proper date!

In high spirits he carried their food outside and to where she was waiting. “Breast or thigh?” he asked with a straight face.

[Addison Graham]

Addison wasn't really sure how to explain why she was at a Royal Air Force base because she wasn't really sure the rules and all that. It was a mixture of both Us Air Forces and British somehow. She had never honestly really thought to ask questions about it because it wasn't something that had mattered to her.

"Umm. I think it is like a joint thing?" her eyebrows arched in a really confused sort of twist. Addison was sure she sounded like an idiot as she grabbed the utensils and headed out the glass door onto the back porch. It was a beautiful day out, the wind blew just barely enough to feel and cool your skin from the rays of the sun. Not balmy at all.

Addison set the silverware at each of their places and then took one of the seats waiting for him to join her. "Oh!" she exclaimed as he finally appeared a few moments later. "We were at Lakenheath. I got so caught up in trying to explain the joint thing I forgot to tell you where we were." It was slightly embarrassing but not enough to give her a flush face, just wish she hadn't done it.

[barnaby]

"Lakenheath, eh? Nice neck of the woods," Barnaby replied as he set a plate
down before her. "I wasn't all that far from you when I was at Cambridge.
How weird is that? Maybe we were even in the area at the same time." Talk
about coincidences!.

"There's plenty more chicken... and I mean *plenty*!" he emphasised with a
short laugh. What had he been thinking when he'd bought that bird? It was
insanely huge for one! Thank god he'd stumbled across someone to share at
least SOME of it with him!

"So...Addison... " he began, handiong her the dish of vine tomatoes and
whilst simultaneously nudging the salad bowl closer as well. "... what do
you like to do in your spare time? Other than play beach volleyball, that
is! Oh, and do you like strawberries? So many people seem to be allergic to them!" Barnaby realised that sounded like a pretty random question and so added, "I have a punnet in the fridge if you like them... ya know, for dessert."