Gipo easily located the coffee shop Lulu had indicated and arrived there about fifteen minutes after they had spoken. Glancing around he saw her sitting at a table and working on some writing. He walked over to the table.
"It's so nice to see you again. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."
Glancing up at the sound of approaching footsteps, Lulu lay her pencil and paper aside, smiling as Gipo greeted her. "I hardly noticed," she said, gesturing for him to join her. "It was good of you to come."
If her experience as an escort led her to suspect him of ulterior motives, other than a little sympathy between humans, it also kept any hint of it from showing on her face. "I trust the holidays have not been treating you unkindly?"
Gipo watched as she set the writing aside and assured him that she hadn't been waiting long. He returned her smile at her and took the seat across from her.
"Not at all. It's been an interesting and busy time since I arrived. Although I suppose we could have done without the earthquake. If not for that though I might not have met you," he paused and his smile broadened. "Although I will say my party was a bit quieter than it usually is. No matter though. I also hear there have been some other interesting events afoot."
A victim of circumstance, perhaps it should not have surprised him that she put it that way. After all isn't that what had happened to him. He'd refused to accept it and taken hold of his own life. Yet now he was almost back in the same place despite the additional financial security his activities had given him. He wasn't going to give up though.
"Changing the world then? Something it seems we think we can do, only to find ourselves sadly mistaken so often. Yet still we try because it's the only thing that we can do."
"As for the future of Reggio, it's only important in that it affects our individual futures. Making the place better can only be as a consequence of helping ourselves not an end in itself."
Another sigh. Lulu knew all too well that there was little anyone could do but make the best of whatever situation they were given for as long as they were able.
"I suppose it's just a wild hope," she said, "A foolish hope to see things change one day, when really, all we can change is ourselves. Still...I will do do what I can."
He saw her sigh again and wondered where this would lead. He had no doubt as to his own feelings on the matter. To say he didn't care what happened any longer might indeed be an understatement. Yet there was that small bit of hope still and he wondered if that was enough to save him.
"Yes hope," he said suppressing his own sigh. "Maybe foolish, maybe not." Could he change himself after everything that had happened? That little bit of hope was perhaps his only chance.
Shaking her head, Lulu laughed lightly, as if she could brushed away their worries just like that. Gipo hit it well, but she could tell there was much on his mind that he left unspoken, and far be it from her to lead anyone to examine thought or memories they were not ready to face. She had said her piece. He would take it, or leave it, as he willed.
"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," she said, "Less chance for disappointment. On the other hand," she added, raising her coffee cup as if in toast, "They say high expectations are what give us the opportunity to rise to the occasion. So...Here's hoping for a profitable collaboration. May the new year bring...pleasant surprises."
Comments 44
"It's so nice to see you again. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."
Reply
If her experience as an escort led her to suspect him of ulterior motives, other than a little sympathy between humans, it also kept any hint of it from showing on her face. "I trust the holidays have not been treating you unkindly?"
Reply
"Not at all. It's been an interesting and busy time since I arrived. Although I suppose we could have done without the earthquake. If not for that though I might not have met you," he paused and his smile broadened. "Although I will say my party was a bit quieter than it usually is. No matter though. I also hear there have been some other interesting events afoot."
Reply
"Interesting is one way to put it," she said, "But that's Reggio for you. If it's not one thing...it's another."
Reply
"Changing the world then? Something it seems we think we can do, only to find ourselves sadly mistaken so often. Yet still we try because it's the only thing that we can do."
"As for the future of Reggio, it's only important in that it affects our individual futures. Making the place better can only be as a consequence of helping ourselves not an end in itself."
Reply
"I suppose it's just a wild hope," she said, "A foolish hope to see things change one day, when really, all we can change is ourselves. Still...I will do do what I can."
Reply
"Yes hope," he said suppressing his own sigh. "Maybe foolish, maybe not." Could he change himself after everything that had happened? That little bit of hope was perhaps his only chance.
Reply
"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," she said, "Less chance for disappointment. On the other hand," she added, raising her coffee cup as if in toast, "They say high expectations are what give us the opportunity to rise to the occasion. So...Here's hoping for a profitable collaboration. May the new year bring...pleasant surprises."
Reply
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