Killpop

[Seraphina]

She was actually fairly good at balancing the records and writing things down. Years of being a waitress paying off right there. His number was written on another piece of paper and tucked into her bag. “Great!” always good to have new people to hang out with.

“Oh? How long you been in town? I only moved here a couple years ago myself.” Though maybe that wasn’t considered new anymore? “I don’t come across many people who don’t drink,” she says, “I don’t drink either. Not good for the voice.” Simple explanation. “Everything is always more fun with friends.” Even hunting. Though the whole gun thing wasn’t her style. “Code? Like for work? Computers?” she had to be honest, she wasn’t expecting to hear he coded. “I don’t do a whole lot myself, work seems to consume my life.” She says with a laugh and a shrug. “But at least I love it, so I have that going for me.”

[Matt Joule]

Matt tracks Seraphina's conversation, pondering. "Right before Halloween, last year. It was a full moon." he says.

"Oh. Yeah. I drink. It's just not really fun. I don't drink as much now." he says. "I used to seriously drink. I guess it doesn't hurt my voice for what I use it for." he says, his deep, rumbling voice in evidence. "So what, you sing too?" he asks. "I mean, I don't sing; I meant, you fight and sing?"

"Yeah, I code." Matt says, like wondering why she asks when he just said that. "Freelance. I don't have to go into anyone's office. It's good." he says emphatically."I like it. Like doing complicated puzzles."

Matt pauses, "What's your job, Sarah?" he asks.

[Seraphina]

Seemed the other guy found whatever he was looking for. Though she wished she had gotten to speak with him.

“Well, cutting back is always a good thing. And if it’s not fun, what’s the point! Things should always be fun.” She nods as she says that. “Not as much as I used to, but I sing every now and then. Used to want to do it professionally, but life had other things in mind for me.” She says with a shrug. “So yah, I fight and sing. But not at the same time.” She says with a laugh.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who does that! Looks too complicated to me, but sounds like you really enjoy it. And not having to go into an office is a bonus!” cause who wants to work in an office?

“I own a coffee shop, so I make coffee and tea all day. Not as exciting as coding, but I enjoy it and it pays the bills.”

[Matt Joule]

Matt laughs, "Oh man, for a while, coffee was life for me!" he says. "Well, coke was nice too, but you know..." he says, moving on. He doesn't seem to notice the other guy leaving.

"Coding...is fun for me. A lot of people don't know how they are generating code without even knowing it. I have a friend, she's got a business, and I showed her how guys like Yelp and Google were showing reviews for her business even though she never set anything up and didn't know what they were saying about her. Got her set up, so she sees what people say, and a bot even responds automatically, and flags anything negative, so she can do something about it." he says with satisfaction.

"That was good. Just took one afternoon, and now she's got a web site that her customers can hit up and schedule appointments and pay and see their account balance, without her having to do any of that paperwork. It even sends her a report that she can click a button to file taxes." Matt asserts, earnestly. "The data is being generated and stored either way, it's just whether you control it, and make it work for you."

[Seraphina]

There was obvious interest on her face as she listens, “I’ll confess, I’m not the best with computers. I can find my way around the internet, but I wasn’t aware people could leave reviews without anything being setup.” How curious. "What goes into it?" maybe she could understand. Maybe.

“That sounds very useful. Do you have a business card? I might want to look into getting something like that setup, and I’d rather give you the business.” He seemed like a nice enough guy, a but intimidating, but nice once you got past that. “Something you might be interested in? No pressure or anything.” But might as well ask since he was right there.

[Matt Joule]

Matt smiles, somehow as much feral as friendly, but innocently. "I make plenty of money off big companies, assholes who just want to get rich." he says. "For a coffee house, with a nice owner, I'd do it for free."

Matt grins, "If you give me the name of your place, I can check out your online presence and come by whenever's good, and show you some things I can set up that won't cost you anything. It's easy and fun. No problem." he says

He has a thought, "How do you handle credit card payment now? I mean, do you have a business crowd, that would want to go to a website or use an app and prepay? You don't have one of those crappy old machines with a phone line for credit cards, right?"

[Seraphina]

She couldn’t help but looked surprised, “That’s quite generous of you, but I have no problem paying you.” He said he gave up coffee, so she couldn’t offer him coffee. “Even if it’s not in money, I have various teas and pastries. Does your friend drink coffee?” clearly she was trying to find a way to pay him.

“It’s called Garden Grounds. But you have to let me pay you somehow, you just met me and I don’t feel right not paying you somehow.”

[Matt Joule]

Matt nods, "Okay. I get that. I really do," he says. "I don't mean to obligate you or anything."

"Honestly, I was ready to tear this place up before you came over and talked to me, so I owe you for that. I mean, really if you're okay just calling it a 'friendship' thing, I come out ahead on that deal, making a new friend who's all classy and shit. You're a real class upgrade from my other friends." Matt says, smirking as he apparently thinks of his other friends.

[Seraphina]

Smiling, “Oh, you’re not. I just know what it’s like to run your own business and want to make sure you’re compensated for your work.” She never expected anything for free. Everything had a price.

Laughing, “I was worried about you doing that!” she agrees with a joking tone to her voice. “Still, should you ever want some tea, it’ll be on the house.” She offered.

Smirking as well, “And I didn’t even dress up tonight.” She jokes, “Should bring them by my coffee shop sometime. On the weekends we have open mic night, and it’s really laid back.”

The Treasured then picks a record up, showing it to Matt, "This the one you were looking for?"