To Kill a Jub-Jub Bird {Open to All}

[Azrael Selas]

Interesting. It was all he could say, it was interesting. The day had been interesting. Unlike a lot of people, he didn't think that the time dragged on while he was at work. He worked in a profession where he wished that time would drag. His love of knowledge drew him to the library position, and as such, every day is a new literary adventure. New young minds to mold, to stuff to the brim with literary classics. Old minds as well.

The day had been interesting. First, he had found a very old but in excellent condition copy of a book that he's owned for many years in his apartment. Which he took to work with him that day to show some of the younger kids that went to that library during the day and after school.

The book was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and it was one of his favorites.

He showed some of the children and a few of the adults, and they ooh'ed and ahh'ed, and stared, and some even read a few pages, carefully mind you, and then returned it. But then in the middle of showing an elderly man the book, he had gotten a distracting phone call, leaving the old man to hold the book temporarily.

When he returned from the call, the man was at the door. When asked about his book, the man said he put it back on the shelf.

Thus began the adventure, or should he say, the quest to find the book before someone attempted to check it out.

Ultimately, he found it, crammed between a Koontz and a King novel, and lovingly put it away in his desk drawer where it remained for the rest of the day until he clocked out in the afternoon.

And now there he was, hungry, walking down the street, when the most interesting name for a cafe caught his eye. The Sip and Nibble. It was odd. New. Cute. Refreshing almost.

"Never seen that before..." He eyed the structure, then walked over to it as he'd peek inside, before pushing open the door and walking inside.

[kayla]

The smells of home baked bread and confections and good old fashioned country cooking filled the air in the Cafe, a warm, pleasant, comfortable smell that tended to take people back to a simpler time. The radio behind the counter played a country song softly in the background as the ceiling fan spun lazily overhead, distributing the delicious aromas as well as the central air conditioning.

A dark haired man with a white apron around his waist cleared a table in the back as a small, brown haired woman refilled the sugar shaker at the counter.

Humming along to the tune, Kayla didn't even notice the door opening as she topped off the sugar in the glass dispenser. As the song hit the chorus she sang along with it, not realizing she had an audience. "Cause there's Vict'ryyyy in the Lord I sayyyy. Vict'ryyyy in the Lord. Cling to the Father and His Holy name and don't go ridin' on the Long Black Train."[/b]

She turned her back, sort of bobbing along with the music as she put the sugar back up and straightened up a row of coffee cups, only her head seen just barely above the counter.

[Azrael Selas]

Well, this place did have a homey vibe to it didn't it? The smell of food was intoxicating. It could draw a person in from down the street if the door was left open long enough to allow the smells to escape. It drew him inside without a single problem. He stepped in, stuck his nose in the air, and inhaled deeply. His chest expanding as he took that deep inhalation and then blew it out as he looked around.

Now THIS was the type of place he'd want to eat on a daily basis. It was nice. Cozy. Cool yet warm all at once. It made him feel welcome. Yet at the same time, there was something about it he couldn't put his finger on. It didn't remind him of home, as well his home didn't look or smell like this, but it did remind him of a person.

A kind, strong person. A male person. He smiled. Biscuits and gravy and country style grits. That's what he loved. Chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. Cole slaw. Good southern home cooking.

He walked around, did a small 360 as he walked, and then stopped at the counter, listening to the woman behind it sing. Odd song, he never particularly was fond of country music, it wasn't his taste, but at the same time it had a pang that hit him.

"The long black train has comfy seats though and excellent service which always gets an excellent tip." He said jokingly, though not meaning to interrupt her singing, or surprise her, as he slid into a seat in front of the counter.

[kayla]

Kayla looked over and saw the man speaking, grinning as she finished up with the sugar shaker before placing it on the counter. "Well I don't know which one you're thinkin of darlin but the one in the song is Satan's train and I don't think I wanna be boardin' it even if they had the most comfortable seats ever.", she said with a smile as she leaned against the counter on the other side."But I betcha find service here is mighty darn good."

There was no pen or notepad that she took out as she handed him a small paper menu with all the regular things on it, moving a little stiffly with that arm. The stitches were healed up now, the healing having happened far faster than normal. She decided she simply was not gonna look that particular gift horse in the mouth. With the way things were going lately at least something good had happened with that.

She wore make-up today, a rarity, to cover up the dark circles under her eyes a bit. This sleepwalking was killing her. She hadn't had a decent night's sleep in weeks. And when she did sleep the nightmares were enough to make her white haired with terror. But she tried to keep on a brave face and solider on. It was the only way she knew how to be. The only way she knew how to keep her sanity.

Smiling at the man at the counter she nodded tothe menu, "So what can I get ya hon? I got some peach cobbler that's becoming a favorite around here. Made from scratch with the freshest peaches this side of the Mason Dixon." She waited to hear his order, her head tilted and hip against the counter.

[Azrael Selas]

He laughed faintly. Azrael had never heard someone talk like that before. It was refreshing. He gave a smile, showing off pearly whites, shaking his head. "Well,I guess that's true. This place smells great, so I'm guessing the food here is top notch." He looked around, just took a quick glance around the establishment. Tables, chairs, booths, windows, counter, doorway that led to the bathrooms.

"Hm, peach cobbler. I've never had that before." He tapped his chin, "Do you serve cheesecake here?" Oh cheesecake. That was one of his many weaknesses. He tried it once and it felt like pure heaven in his mouth (though of course, not literally.)

"I'll take a piece of cheesecake and ...em..Sure, I'll try the peach cobbler too." He smiled over at her.

"Mason Dixon...Where is that specifically?" He'd heard that saying many times but he'd never been there, per se, and had always wanted to know where it was. He'd been to quite a few places while on Earth but the Mason Dixon had been stuck in his head. Well that, the Bermuda Triangle, and a few other places that humans cannot understand.

[kayla]

Kayla looked shocked, standing there with mouth open a bit. "You aint ever had peach cobbler? Oh my word. We'll just have ta fix that little oversight won't we?" she said with a big smile and turned to gather the cobbler from the heated display case that kept it good and warm. The scent of those freshly cooked peaches, sweetened and candied wafted out ahead of her as she moved to get the cheesecake as well from the cooler down below the counter.

"You're gonna need some coffee with all these sweets darlin' I'll get that for ya too. Consider it an introductory bonus for bein' a first time customer here." She knew all the faces that came through those doors. Most of their names as well. It was just who she was to get to know her customers and treat them like family.

She slipped the cheesecake and the cobbler over to him before turning to pour a nice, robust cup of coffee from the old fashioned percolator. "Mason-Dixon Line... that's the invisible line that separated the North and the South back during the Civil War. I've never been real sure the exact location it hits but it's somewhere in Kentucky." , she told him as she turned and slid the coffee over to the man.

Leaning against her side of the counter she smiled. "Nice ta see a new face in here. I'm Kayla...I own this little shop and if ya need anything you just let me know, alright?"

[Azrael Selas]

Peach cobbler, cheesecake, and coffee, which was a free 'introductory bonus', which meant of course, he would have to pay for it next time. But he didn't mind that, he rarely drank a lot of coffee. A cup here, a little bit there. He wasn't a habitual coffee drinker.

Seeing the cobbler, and the pie, and the coffee, he inhaled the different smells, and could almost taste the flavors the smells alone gave off. The peaches, the cheesecake. The mild bitterness of the coffee.

"Perfection." He motioned to the food before him then snatched up a fork and dug in.

"I'll have to go visit there one day." He took a nice bite of the cobbler. Then set down the fork. He motioned to the cobbler. Eating what he had in his mouth and swallowing. He motioned to the cobbler, then at Kayla.

"This, is, by far, the best thing, Ive ever eaten. Ever." He took another bite, then another, eating the cobbler up until the plate was clear, and he took a big gulp of the coffee. "I am remembering this place until the day I put my foot in the grave and maybe even afterward.

Smiling, he then launched a fork attack on the cheesecake, mercilessly devouring it. Of course, table manners were not forgotten. From time to time, he'd peer around the place. He was liking it there more and more. Quaint. Great food. Hospitable people working there. If Heaven were on earth, this place would be the first stop on that heavenly stretch of road.