[Open Post] ..Tuesday afternoon..

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot feels that things have been a strange mix of tumult and routine. This is probably because they have. But today, so far, is routine in all respects. His day has proceeded apace through his usual steps -- drills, tending to Rivelin, coffee, lunch with Susan -- and the afternoon is now stretching out before him in a very satisfying way. He feels good, settled.

And so it is that he's in the café, reading (or mostly reading), with more coffee at hand. Given that he seems to be splitting time equally between having his eyes on his book and gazing out the window, he will not be bothered if anyone comes to chat.

Comments

[futaille]

"It's entertaining enough, on the whole, when done well, and sometimes even more so when done badly." He flips back to the the theater chapter. "I would like to know what plays this gentleman has seen, though, because those look to be far more entertaining than any I have attended."

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot is trying to decide if it was foolish of him to try to read about this, but he shakes that off. "It is a bit mad that-- there is nothing good."

[futaille]

"There are some people in the world who seem to find distaste in the very idea of enjoyment. And clearly all the time they spend not enjoying anything can be devoted to writing books about how nobody else should be enjoying themselves either."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Oh, I suppose that some things are sinful," Lancelot says thoughtfully, though he doesn't sound particularly concerned about sin in and of itself. "But most amusements are useful in some way."

[futaille]

"Agreed. And honestly, judging by the amusements this book excoriates that I know of, I clearly have to look into the ones that I don't. To become a more well-rounded individual."

[lanselos_du_lac]

He laughs at that, "Which ones dost thou know? I know chess, and dancing, and horse racing of course. Some others. But every day here it seems there are a dozen new things that I haven't even words for."

[futaille]

"I know those three as well, although I've never played much in the way of chess. I know some card games, and billiards, and novels. Base ball must be new, though. This book appears to be from a few decades after me."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"So-- this book is unhelpful. It's not that I don't understand. Aye?"

[futaille]

"The book is completely unhelpful. Not good for anything but laughing at, although it is fairly good for that."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Very well," he laughs, "I was beginning to feel frustrated."

[futaille]

He grins. "Understandable. The library was clearly making sport of its own, and you were the unlucky target."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"Susan did explain, and I saw the talent show, and I clearly could ask you-- or probably nearly anyone. But-- I thought there might be a way for me to envision it."

[futaille]

He leans back in his chair. "Huh. Now you make me wonder if the house might decide to offer up a small theater some time."

[lanselos_du_lac]

A little shrug, "Or the café. I was just trying to imagine what might be involved."

[futaille]

He stands up with a grin. "Right. I'll do what I can to assist." He heads to the side of the room opposite the counter and starts pulling chairs away from tables.

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot gives a surprised laugh, "What-- Grantaire."

[futaille]

"No, no, I have an idea." Once the chairs are out of the way, he then starts pushing the tables against the wall, their legs scraping against the floor.

[lanselos_du_lac]

"That much is obvious."

[futaille]

It takes a moment, but eventually the collection of tables against the wall satisfies him and he arranges the chairs facing them. "For audience seating, obviously." He then heads back to the tables, pulls off one of the tablecloths, and climbs up onto the table.

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot rises and comes to sit in one of the chairs in front of the 'stage'. "Dost know," he says lightly, "thou'rt a madman."

[futaille]

"No more mad than any other man, I think, but certainly more of a fool. Now." He holds up the tablecloth at arms length in front of him. "Envision a curtain covering the stage as you wait for the play to start. Perhaps some music playing, if it's that sort of production."

[lanselos_du_lac]

"All right, aye." He gives Grantaire a warm grin.

[futaille]

He lifts it so that he's hidden behind the cloth. "Ladies and gentlemen, your humble company is pleased to present the Tragedy of the Noble Young Jean... Baguette." In the absence of a method to raise the 'curtain', he drops it instead, before swiftly picking it up and throwing it over his shoulders as a makeshift cloak, stepping to one side of the makeshift stage. "I, the noble young Jean Baguette, am off to seek my fortune!"

[lanselos_du_lac]

Lancelot stifles a laugh -- he has been told this is a tragedy. While his look is glowing with humor and affection, he makes an effort to look seriously considering.

[futaille]

Grantaire promptly treks in a loop across several tables. "Oh, who is this I see before me?"

He quickly moves a couple tables down from his spot, shifting the tablecloth around his waist as a makeshift skirt and adjusts the pitch of his voice upwards. "Oh noble young traveler, perhaps you can help an old woman lost in these woods."