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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 4, 2008 20:25:51 GMT -5
It had been late afternoon when Jonas arrived at the dock. The boat had been filled with refugees, getting out of an area that would surely lead to their death. He'd hardly believed his luck when he had gotten the ticket, constantly making sure it was safely in his pocket until he'd gotten on the boat. And now..here he was safe. If only he was with his family. He tried not to think about what could have become of them..just wanting them to be alive. Now he was just worrying about finding a place to stay. It was quite a bit later..nearly dark and he could hear thunder rumbling, the sky darkening with clouds.
He adjusted the small bag on his shoulder, looking rather lost. He walked up to someone on the street, "Excuse me," he began, his voice thick with an accent, the person continued on by though. He frowned to himself, continuing on to find some place that offered rooms to stay..cheap rooms at that. He didn't have much money at all to get him by.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 4, 2008 20:58:43 GMT -5
The rain had just started to fall as London left the house of one of her clients, making her smile. She always had loved the rain, but she also didn't want to catch cold, so she opened her clear little umbrella and started her walk home. Walking and rain, two of her favorite things. Today, she wore a slinky black flapper dress with black heels. It was one of her favorites.
She hadn't been walking long walking long when she saw a rather lost looking man wandering down the street. He looked a bit foreign, and London sighed at herself when she found her feet moving towards the man. Stupid, unruly, compassionate heart of hers. "Are ya lost, sir?" she asked him. She couldn't just leave him walking around in the rain with nowhere to go, he'd catch cold, or hypothermia or something.
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 4, 2008 21:05:18 GMT -5
Jonas cursed the rain as it started falling him, soon soaking him through within minutes. His hair, which was curled slightly, dripping the little droplets down his face..beginning to look rather pathetic as he hunched over slightly against the cold rain. He was just about to duck into an alley and call it quits when he heard a voice close to him..a woman. He shifted his eyes to the woman that approached him, frowning just a little. He pushed back his hair quickly, "A bit, yes," he responded with his thick accent. "Or a lot...I've just..arrived here.." he stated. He felt rather like an idiot, wishing he'd spoken to someone before leaving the dock. And not many seemed willing to help a Jewish refugee with thick German accent.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 4, 2008 21:20:58 GMT -5
London sighed, hoping she wouldn't regret this. "Well, if ya don't have nowhere ta stay, I've got somewhere ya can." she said, "Jus' don't make me regret it." she said, unable to turn down someone like him when he was in such need. "Now get under this umbrella before ya catch yer death." she said.
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 4, 2008 21:26:22 GMT -5
He was surprised with her words..never expecting someone to offer up their home for him to stay in. He shook his head quickly, "I won't..and I can pay you.." he added, fumbling with his bag, pulling out the small amount of cash. He held it out to her as he moved under the umbrella, "It's all I have..but I could work too, if you like. Cleaning...doing various repairs..." he offered, looking at her, his brown eyes (which were slightly large at this point) focused on hers.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 4, 2008 21:32:26 GMT -5
She gave a little laugh, shaking her head, pushing his money back to him, "I don't want yer money, and if ya feel a pressin' need, then ya can clean or repair whatever yer heart desires." she smiled, beginning to walk again, "I know how hard it is to come into a city with nothin' and try to keep your feet under ya. I don't have much, but I'll share it with you until ya do." she found his eyes to be very attractive and adorable at the same time, "I'm London, by the way, London Pryderi."
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 4, 2008 21:36:48 GMT -5
He sighed as she pushed the money back at him, glancing at it briefly before tucking it away. He was thinking about just putting it somewhere in her home once they got there. He nodded some, "All right...if there's anything that needs to be done..I'll do it.." he stated. He rubbed a hand through his hair, sighing. "You're too kind.." he mumbled, happy there were some people like that in the world..he'd begun to doubt it. "Jonas Chesed," he responded, "Pleasure meeting you, Miss Pryderi," he added, smiling at her then, though it didn't reach his eyes..it never did anymore.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 4, 2008 21:41:43 GMT -5
"Don't mention it. If ya knew me, really knew, me, ya pro'lly wouldn't be followin' me home right now. You'd pro'lly run away. Decent folks usually do." she sighed, "Not ta worry, though. It doesn't bother me terribly. Ah, here we are." she said, leading him up a flight of outside stairs and into a small, four room flat. "It's not much, but it's home." she said, "Ya can just put yer bag down next ter the sofa." she smiled.
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 4, 2008 21:45:27 GMT -5
He shook his head, following her along to her home. He glanced around before following her inside. He took a quick sweep, dropping his bag down where she said. He shook his head, "It's better than any alternative I could have.." he stated, staring at her a moment. "Thank you," he said again.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 5, 2008 17:02:30 GMT -5
London smiled, "I'm glad ta help, but ya've got ta stop thanking me." she said, walking into her bedroom and grabbing a pair of men's pants and a shirt, bringing them back out to him, "Ya shouldn't stay in those wet clothes. See if these fit ya." she said, handing them to him. "The bathroom's that way." she pointed towards the back. Those clothes were just some of the various things men had left behind throughout her service to them.
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 5, 2008 17:07:09 GMT -5
Jonas shook his head slightly, "Sorry, it's..difficult to not thank you. I'm just very grateful to find someone who is helping me.." He watched her go to the bedroom, returning with the clothes. He took them, nodding some, "Thank you," he said again, then gave her a slight smile, "Sorry.." he added for thanking her once again. He went to the bathroom, shutting the door softly behind him before he changed into them. They were a little big on him, but didn't look too bad. He came out, looking down at himself as he walked. "They fit well enough," he stated, looking up at her. "They'll do until my others dry.." He lifted up the ball of soaked clothes he'd been in.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 5, 2008 17:34:38 GMT -5
She chuckled, shaking her head as she watched him go into the bathroom. "They don't look too shabby." she said, grinning again. She took his wet clothes into her room and hung them on her cast iron bedposts. "They should be dry by morning." she said. She turned back to him. From the moment she had first seen him, she had known he was a Jewish refugee. "I think I should tell you, I don't believe in your god." she said, "And I know that's putting it bluntly, but I wanted to put it out there before it became an issue. I don't believe in any god. Please don't let that affect your judgement of me as a person." she said, though, if he knew what she did for a living, that would probably affect his judgement of her as a person...
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 5, 2008 17:45:59 GMT -5
He gave her a slight smile, smoothing the outfit some while she went to her room and hung up his clothes. He nodded a little, about to ask where he'd be sleeping before she startled him with her statement. He blinked at her, head tilting a little. He gave a little laugh, "I have no issue with that," he said quietly, looking just a little amused by her blurting out her beliefs. "I'm quite open to people that are different from me.." he told her, unlike the Nazis. He rubbed a hand through his hair. "It wouldn't have become an issue..I'm not going to try..converting you or anything," he added with another small laugh. He was feeling better than he had in months, but he was sobered thinking about his sisters and mother.
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Post by London Pryderi on May 5, 2008 18:23:08 GMT -5
"Good," she said, smiling, "Then I think we'll get along just fine." She wondered just how open he was. She doubted he'd much approve of her work, and she'd probably drop drastically in his sight when he found out. The change of his expression made her feel sorry for him now, though she hated pity, given or received. She didn't envy how he must be missing his loved ones now, though. At least she could go see her mother whenever she wanted.
"Hey..." she said, walking over to him and putting her hand gently on his shoulder, but there was little she could say to make him feel better about this, because she doubted than any of them would ever be ok after this. "The only thing you can do for them now is work and earn money to support them if they return home... And to live for them... And pray to your god that they will be safe..." she said, rubbing his shoulder.
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Post by .Jonas.Chesed. on May 5, 2008 18:40:21 GMT -5
He stared at her as she approached him, placed her hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying hard to just forget about it right then..he didn't want to start getting emotional in front of her. He lifted his hand, taking hers. He gave it a brief squeeze before moving it from his shoulder, releasing it. "I should have tried getting us out...right when my father disappeared.." he mumbled, his heart aching. "But now..I'm here..safe. While they're probably in some..hell somewhere," he mumbled.
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