Polly Want A Cracker? -open-

[Rosemary Mendoza]

It had been another useless day, and once more she was still out of a job. As Rosemary walked through the park, she tried to think about what she was going to do for food. the money she was getting from the landlord at the Four Crowns was decent but it was just enough for her month;y rent. She didn't want to take advantage of the woman's kindness and so... she had lied, saying she would have a job to pay for her meals, regardless of the fact she was, otherwise, essentially homeless. Her particular cross to bear.

Scoffing at the thought of the cross and God made her crinkle her face and hike her messenger bag higher up on her shoulder as she pulled her coat around her tighter for warmth. What did God do for her anyway? Except cause her and her family so much pain. God wouldn't let her brother die on the streets, not the God she once believed in. He wouldn't have given up on her, keeping her form holding onto the strength she needed to get through college. He wouldn't have let her fall...

So much she blamed on Him, so much. Perhaps that was why she was walking towards the frozen lake, hoping to make a little hustle from the people having fun ice-skating. Perhaps, but don't bug her about it to see if it was true.

Staying a decent distance away, but close enough to the path, she set her bag down and pulled out a worn pageboy hat. With that placed at her feet, she started to sing the songs she heard on the radio, gathering some attention and those kind enough to drop some spare change and dollar bills into the tattered fabric. She sang her heart out, so that she might be able to have something to eat later that night.

[Joshua Marks]

" Gah!" was the only sound uttered from Joshua's mouth as he walked out onto the sidewalk. He had to shield his eyes from the sun, and pull his jacket closer together to keep warm. He had been in his apartment for weeks, trying to come up with a new song for his band. If there was even still a band, as he had not heard from anybody in it for quite some time now. It was useless hanging around the apartment, as he was getting no work done. So he figured he might as well join the real world for a while, and see if inspiration hit him then.

He decided to head over to Jefferson Lake, he had always liked that place and it always relaxed him. And when he was relaxed he was better able to get lyrics and words out. So that is what he did...he got into his car but not before throwing his guitar and papers in the back seat. Within about 15 minutes he arrived at the park, he parked his car and got his guitar and papers out. Slinging his prized possession over his shoulder, he began to make his way over to a spot where he always went.

As he began down the path that would lead him to the lake, he smiled to himself as he heard the sounds of laughter and the sound of skates against the ice. This was perfect....perhaps he could get some lyrics out of stuff he saw, that was always a good thing. But as he got closer he picked up another sound, the sound of singing. He arched his brow as the voice was female and it was very good. She was singing random songs that he had heard on the radio, he walked over to a nearby bench and set his things down and turned around to look for the source of the voice.

Within seconds he had found her, he watched as people passing by dropped money into the hat that was set down in front of her. Ah...so she was singing for money, and with a quick glance into the hat she was doing quite well. He smiled once again as he slung his guitar over his shoulder, and stuffed his papers into his pockets as he made his way over to her. As he made his way over, he reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. When he got close enough he slipped a few bills into the hat, and then stepped aside and waited until she was finished with her current song.

For some strange reason he felt the need to talk to her.

[Rosemary Mendoza]

Rosemary was surprised at how generous everyone seemed to be this particular day, her hat starting to fill rather quickly with change and small bills. As long as she sang the songs that everyone liked, for the young and the old school, she was doing rather well. She made sure to smile and nod her head in thanks every time something was dropped into her hat, which sometimes made people stop to listen and possibly add more when she was done. By the time she reached maybe her fifteenth song, she had a nice little crowd forming around her.

One particular guy with a guitar walked over to her and dropped a generous amount of bills into her hat (anything above one was generous to her) and she smiled and bowed a little as she continued to sing to usher in a bit more. It was getting tiring by now, though and she believed she had enough for a couple meals now so when she finally ended her last song to kind applause, she walked her hat around to collect any last minute coins and bowed in thanks. It was perfect! She had to come back again maybe later in the week. No point in squeezing a spot dry when it could feed for weeks.

What she didn’t realize at first was that guy with the guitar was still waiting as she knelt by her bag and quickly counted her change before leaving for the day. A good forty bucks! She could eat for a few weeks at least now if she went grocery shopping. But the first thing she was planning to do was heading to the nearest rib shack and see if they are anywhere as decent as the ones back home. Something she had always wanted to do but hadn’t been able to afford it since she began to struggle.

So when she turned around and almost walked straight into the guitarist, it surprised her enough that she almost dropped some of the bills in her hand. Almost. Like hell was she going to drop her well-earned money when she just acquired it. Instead, she quickly folded it up and slipped it into her back pocket, pulling her coat over it so she wasn’t easily pick-pocketed. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she smiled softly and decided to be nice and speak, since, well, he did donate to her I’m-homeless-and-broke-fund. ”Um, Hi. Thanks for the change,” she tried, testing out the waters.

[Joshua Marks]

He smiled to himself as he stood back after he had dropped some bills into her hat. He nodded his head when she smiled and bowed to him afterwards, he had to admit she was doing quite well for herself, and she had quite a crowd around her. Though he could tell she had been at it for a while, he could hear how tired she was in her voice. Not something the crowd around her could pick up on, but he could because he was a fellow singer.

And sure enough she had finally sung her last song, and he clapped along with the crowd and watched as she walked around with her hat for any last minute offerings. When the crowd finally broke up and she walked over to her spot and began gathering her things, she looked over at him once again. He offered her another smile and continued to watch as she counted her money, biting his bottom lip as he wondered if he should go up and talk to her.

He reached his hand around and moved his guitar higher up his back as he looked around, before returning his attention back to the girl. He was taken by surprise when he turned around and they almost collided, he hadn't realized she had walked towards him as his hands shot out to steady her. He lowered his hands when he knew she was nice and steady, watching as she pocketed her money.

Another smile graced his face when she thanked him for the change, he shook his head and chuckled softly. "No problem...it was money well spent. You are quite good...have you ever thought about going professional?" he asked as he smiled and wondered if he should invite her to come and sit with him for a while, but then after a few moments he decided not too. She probably had other places to go.

[Rosemary Mendoza]

A blush came and went on her face at the embarrassment of not watching where she was going. In those couple seconds she had also noticed he had reached out to help her remain steady, which had been another reason for the rather brief blush. Besides fighting for street corners and dealing with people on a daily basis, she wasn't used to someone being decently nice, past what people decide to put into her hat while she sang for their entertainment.

As soon as the embarrassment went away, an eyebrow rose up at the question she was asked. That was a first. Besides family, who's supposed to say things like "you could be famous" or "you're amazing" she had never been asked that before. Then again, the area she was from, not that many people exactly made it to "fandom". Yes, there were those rare anomalies from all different "poorer" areas of cities that got their big break in some shape or fashion, but you still didn't expect it to be you, especially her. All Rosemary did was sing what she heard on the radio, practicing a few times beforehand. Not like she had been singing any of her actual work.

"Me as a professional? Naw, I don't see that as a possibility. No one wants to hear me sing anything besides what they already enjoy. Even then, its only to get pity money." Before she could say anything else, her stomach growled loudly and she sighed. She knew she was hungry already, but did it have to do that right then and there? Right when she was having the first slightly decent conversation that she's had in years? Shaking her head slightly, and rubbing her stomach, she looked back up at the guy. "If you still want to talk, mind if we keep it moving? Unless you have something else to do here. Obviously, my body is in need of nurishment."

[Joshua Marks]

Joshua couldn't help but smile at the blush that appeared on the girl's cheeks, after she had tripped into him. He had no clue why women always got embarrassed, when things like this happened. It was an accident pure and simple, of course he knew that women were different from men when it came to certain situations. He thought it would be pretty weird to see a guy blushing after bumping into him, but then again if the guy had a thing for other guys then the blush would be explained. He shook his head a bit as his mind had gotten off topic, which was him thinking about the blush on the girl's face. Man he thought about the oddest things sometimes.

He tilted his head to the side, and kept the smile on his face as the girl seemed to go into thoughtful mode after he had asked her about being a professional. He was pretty sure she was running all kinds of thoughts, and pros and cons through her head. Probably stuff like ....no way not me, and I am not good enough and so on. Well he was not sure that, that was what she was thinking. He only assumed that because that was one of the many thoughts that went through his mind the first time someone ever said that to him.

Either that, or that he was lying to her to be kind. Which he wasn't, he really though she was good. After years of being in a band and singing and writing himself, and the few classes he had taken he knew talent when he saw or heard it. His eyes locked onto hers as she began to speak, he chuckled softly after she finished. "Well you never know what people are going to think unless you try it. Sure people enjoy hearing songs that they already know and like, but then there are always people out there that enjoy originality as well. I'm sure if you sung something that you wrote, you would get a lot of attention for it. And I don't think it is pity money, I'm sure those people gave change because they thought you were good." His brow raised as he heard the sounds of her stomach growling, and he felt a bit guilty that he was keeping her from getting something to eat.

He smiled at her next words and nodded, he had intended to come to the lake and work a bit of his own music but now he would rather sit and talk to her. "Sure...if you don't mind me tagging along with you. Lead the way and I shall follow. I'm Joshua." he said as he reached out his hand to shake hers.

[Rosemary Mendoza]

Rosemary nodded slightly to his remark, rolling the words around in her head. But she was constantly doubting herself when it came to her own music, and ever since her brother died... Just wasn't something she'd ever consider anymore. He was the only one to actually critique and enjoy her music, regardless he knew about that much of music. It never seemed to matter when they were sitting at the piano in the house...

She quickly pushed that from her mind as soon as it began. It still hurt to remember and she rather not dwell on the past. Her brother was gone, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her stomach growling a second time brought her back to reality completely and she smirked up at the guy who was willing enough to keep her company. At the outstretched hand, she took it and shook firmly before shoving her hands back in to her pockets. "Rosemary. Nice to meet you. I think there's a burger joint nearby."

A final look around to make sure she had everything, and she started walking down the path towards the street, thinking about what he told her not too long ago. "What makes you think anything I've written has enough merit to be heard? I doubt it's worth hearing my scribbling," she questioned, keeping her eyes ahead of her for now.