Forums » General Roleplay » Summer Soiree: Modern Slice of Life BBQ

He looked at Gary and nodded to him. "Yeah, I have a few properties in the area. I always try to connect with the people around town when I'm not out on business." He said to him smiling. "I wish I could retire, but work has just been getting busy as of late. You worked your whole life, you know what I'm talking about." He sipped his beer, then looked around at the party. "You have a nice place here Gary...looks like you really care about the people around here too...that's respectable." As he spoke to Gary, he'd reach over patting him on the back, before sliding his shades off, hooking them over his left pocket. As he looked at Gary he had a kind smile, looking back to the others as he smelled the grill cooking. "I love summer cook outs..." He sliding his free hand in his pocket just relaxing and enjoying the conversations. "What did you do for a living before you retired?"

He looked at Gary and nodded to him. "Yeah, I have a few properties in the area. I always try to connect with the people around town when I'm not out on business." He said to him smiling. "I wish I could retire, but work has just been getting busy as of late. You worked your whole life, you know what I'm talking about."

"Believe me, I understand! I did enjoy my job and miss it, but things were getting a bit unstable, Gary replied. "I wasn't sure what was going to happen with the company after the bankruptcy and didn't think they'd make it through."

He sipped his beer, then looked around at the party. "You have a nice place here Gary...looks like you really care about the people around here too...that's respectable." As he spoke to Gary, he'd reach over patting him on the back, before sliding his shades off, hooking them over his left pocket.

"Thanks," Gary said feeling a bit embarrassed. "But this isn't my place. Our host, Ed, is the owner and the one that put this thing on." Gary pointed to Edward who was talking to other guests. "I only just met him. I live a couple of streets over and hadn't met anyone in the neighborhood before and thought it might be nice to get to know some of the neighbors."

"I love summer cook outs..." He sliding his free hand in his pocket just relaxing and enjoying the conversations. "What did you do for a living before you retired?"

"Me, too. I'll be honest, though, grilling out is a lot of work. I'm more of a fast-food kind of guy or take-out. The only cooking I do myself is with a microwave," he admitted. "As for my job. I worked for a children's pizza place. You've probably heard of it. Chuck E. Cheese? I started in the late 70s in California when it was known as Pizza Time Theatre. The franchising exploded between 1980 and '82 which sent me out to Texas. I worked for a guy kind of like you... an entrepreneur who owned real estate and had a few businesses. I helped open his first store in late 1980. Then in 1982, he opened a few more and next thing I knew, I became a sort of district manager, and then came the video game crash of '83, and well..."

Gary realized he was rambling and stopped. He chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "So, uh... you said that you own properties? Residential or commercial? "

Agate was wandering around wondering whom she could talk to, when she noticed Gary. He looked friendly enough, so she decided to interact with him.

"Hello there!" she said. "Enjoying the BBQ?"

"Oh, hi there," Gary replied as he was fixing a plate. "Yeah, I am. How about you?"

Gary paused to add a few items to his plate before turning to face the girl. He sat his plate down and extended his hand.

"I'm Gary, by the way. I live a few streets away and moved in about 2 years ago. Do you live in the area? How long have you lived here?"

"My name is Agate Hoshino." Agate responded to Gary. "We just moved into this neighborhood last week, into the street a few yards away."

"I see. So you're very close to Ed's house," Gary remarked. "How do you like the area so far?"

"I like it, it seems to be very peaceful and friendly." Agate said. "I can say, its quite different from the big city of Toronto where I originally lived."

"Toronto, that's way up north, eh," Gary commented. "One of my favorite bands, Rush, is from that area. I saw them live many times. I'm originally from California but moved to Texas in 1980. I retired from my job and decided I needed a change of scenery so I moved here. My problem is I don't get out and meet people often so I figured this was my chance."

"For me, it was change in my fathers job." Agate responded. "I myself just got graduated from high school, so I am also seeking a job here. At first, I was a bit nervous to leave the familiar ground behind and meet new people, but now I see that it may have worth it."

"Ah, yes. I had a friend who was a little younger than you are now that moved all the time because her father's job kept her moving from place to place," Gary said understandingly. "It's always hard to pull up stakes and move to a strange new town. I felt like it was something I needed to do and then didn't really take advantage of it. I'm glad you feel you've made the right choice, though. "

Gary finished the food on his plate and his Diet Coke.

"Well, this was certainly enjoyable. Our host seems to have gotten a bit busy greeting everyone. It appears he didn't have time to get to that tour of the garden," Gary noted. "Well, nice meeting you, but it's probably time I get back. Good luck on your job hunt."

Gary waved to their host who appeared to be busy greeting new guests and grabbed his cooler and made his way to the gate and headed back down the sidewalk toward his house.

"Thanks a lot and have a nice day." Agate smiled to Gary. "Lets meet again sometime!"
She waved after him as he left. The short-haired girl then grabbed some diet Coke, while thinking on what Gary said. She made the right choice? Well, regarding that the locals are quite friendly, it seemed the case.

Alizha had mostly stayed on the sideline for the majority of the party; she now wandered about in the big crowd, searching for someone to converse with before it became to late to have really gotten much out of it. "Even if I don't make a good friend, it's a solid social interaction, right? Totally so..."
She soon approached a young lady with short hair and a dainty style of dressing, waving hello and attempting to make conversation.
"Enjoying the barbecue? I don't get out much... I thought I'd say hello before I had to leave. How's your ... Drink?"

“Oh, hello.“ Agate turned to Alizha, who was speaking to her. “Yes, I am enjoying it pretty much.“ she nodded. Though she didnt expect someone else to interact with her, it was a pleasant surprise.

"It was nice to say hello. I'll chalk this up as a pleasant social interaction and make it a highlight on my calendar. Thank you very much. I am sorry I did not converse longer, but rather than sit upon regrets, I shall make my way forward. Perhaps next year we may meet once more. Fare thee well!" She bowed, and having exchanged the last of the pleasantries to be reasonably expected of one who had hugged the wall for such a long time, Alizha said goodbye and made her way out of the party.