Happy now, Caution? :3
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Main Story Line Six
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Name: Giovanni Vespucci
Status: Healthy
Inventory: IDs; Teaser(Charged, fairly high in quality)
Karma: 0
Location: Wallack; Highler Ridge Dispatch Office
Objective: None; Narrative (Current Day)
Cash: $150 ($1,236 in the bank)
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*The last month has been slightly productive; Amedea has had a full recovery and is now active in the taxi company, in addition to the expanding status of Highler Ridge Taxi Company. SeQuence has quieted down, in addition to Claudio, and is slowly repairing the nuclear island. A new cab driver, Joesph, has been added to the company. He is an older man, dark skin and complexion, with gray wisps of hair only partially around his head. Slightly over weight and with a limp, the man had a surprisingly small impact on a room. He remains quiet as he can, unless he has something important to say - in which case, his sweet yet assertive tone overpowers the listeners and brings to him their full attention.*
"So, Joseph..." I started, grasping for common grounds between a man 30 years my senior and myself "anything interesting happen on your route?".
"No." He gave a weak smile, knowing I wanted things as comfortable as possible. "Uh, you wouldn't happen to have any pets, would you?"
"I do!" Amedea chimed in "A lovely tabby cat. Such a beauty. What about you?"
"A bird." Joesph sighed "I had two, but the other passed away a short while ago. She's all alone now."
"She?" Amedea inquired - I tried to be kind as possible, but Amedea always could brighten a day without even attempting to. She was a natural conversationalist and used every essence of her being to know someone better.
"Yes. You see, the birds I had were two very sweet mockingbirds. Both were yellow with beautiful white streaks; Small, blue beads for eyes and rustic gold talons. They were a girl and boy; A husband and wife." Joesph explained
"How sweet." Amedea's teeth glistened, her mouth gesturing a half-somber, half-comforting notion. Joesph's face grew weary and his eyes slightly watered.
"Yes...every morning I would wake up and hear those birds singing beautiful songs. They always echoed throughout the house..." Probably because it was empty, I thought "but one morning I didn't hear their songs. One morning I woke up and heard only the faint chirps of the girl, Vivian. I went to the cage, wondering what was wrong, and when I got there..." His voice trailed off and his body slumped over.
"When I got there the boy, Will, was laying on the bottom of the cage. He died in the night. Vivian was alone, all night, her first night alone. I buried Will in my backyard inside a small oak box. She hadn't sung for a long, long time after that." Amedea's eyes grew tearful, just as Joesph's and even my own. But he continued, now with a small smile. "For almost two years she hadn't sung one song. She just gave gentle chirps. But then, amazingly, she began to sing again. I guess she mourned for long enough.
"I always considered getting her another bird, but she is old now and...and I don't think she wants one. So few ever get to find Love more than once in life and she got hers. Vivian is happy. She doesn't need another bird in her cage, since, I believe, she still has the wonderful memories of the music she and Will made."
Amedea smiled and recognized that Joesph could not go on any further. She walked over and gave him a hug. Promptly, most likely from embarrassment, he hobbled out of the room and threw back a "Nice talking to you all. I'll go finish my route for the day". Amedea walked into the back office as I sat there stunned, staring at the walls of the dispatch room. It's odd how such little things, upon reflection, are really the grandest.
Characterization and foreshadowing, yes.