Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
It was that time of the week where he needed his beer. Work had been more trying than usual, and he couldn't decide if it was because of Heidi's due date and Kasey's self imposed doomed sense from it or the parts taking longer to get store or the fact that the customers have been haughtier than usual about turnarounds. Home had also not been a sanctuary either, his kids bickering between themselves over something to do with a mutual acquaintance and he had to play referee more often then he wanted to this week. Usually, the time for peace meant going hiking or going to go sit on the beach, but the weather had been shittier as of lately so might as well sit inside with a beer. The man didn't like to drink at home, he didn't want to set an example for his kids, so he found himself at the Luna Lounge.
They were probably used to him by now, sulking off in a corner by himself to relax. He never paid attention to who was suppose to play or preform that night. Sometimes he enjoyed the festivities and other times, he didn't. Kasey had no favorites, considering his age, he preferred not to since he didn't know if it would be creepy otherwise and well, he was too old to be picking up women at an establishment now. He also preferred Luna over R&R just because of it's atmosphere. It was quieter and typically not about trying to have a wild night. The staff didn't seem to pay him any mind either, and by now, they typically always knew what he wanted: Obsidian Stout, if on tap. If not, whatever Stout they had. And it always came in a pint. And whatever appetizer was recommended for the evening. Cerulean eyes looked to his phone for a moment, making sure that his kids confirmed that they knew he was getting home later and acknowledged that they would take care of the dog, seeing as he left him home as home security. When the acknowledgement came, he tucked his phone away and sat back, slinking into the shadows of the sparkling place to relax and await his beer. His cerulean eyes watched the other patrons, observing as always like some sort of silent sentinel.
It was odd for Jeremy to not being in a suit. He didn't have any meetings at the Hotel, which meant he could dress a bit more casual. He needed to step away, glad his work was done for the day.
The dark haired man made his way to the Lounge, needing someone else to cook for him and an alcoholic beverage to wind down for the evening. Their Valentine's Day event at the restaurant was a huge hit, realizing a lot of couples were going out to the beach Hotel for their date night. It was wonderful to see, though everyone was busy.
Speaking of busy, the Lounge looked busier than usual. He spotted a man sitting by himself, wondering if the stranger was alright sharing a table with him. "Good evening, I was wondering if the seat across from you was free?" It wasn't someone he recognized, though as a workaholic, he didn't see much of the people in town unless they came to the Hotel. Jeremy glanced at the stranger, noticing that the man looked a bit disheveled, which he didn't know if it was his regular look or if it was a look he usually rolled with.
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
Kasey had gone through one glass of beer and now was on his second before a shadow fell over him. Glancing up, he saw a rather burly looking man, dressed all dapper like, hovering over him. He was never one to openly talk, so cerulean eyes just stared at the man - figuring that he would speak soon enough. And it wasn't long before the stranger proved his case, "Good evening, I was wondering if the seat across from you was free?" Well, that was unexpected to say the lease. Kasey, to his credit, kept his face neutral.
The man mulled over the thought, before realizing, he had nothing to loose on the offer other than peace and quiet. But Kasey always had piece and quiet, and he'll have a lot more of it now that Tally would be heading off to University, "Uh, sure, help yourself." He said now, nodding to seat before him. He took a sip of his beer now, figuring he better start nursing it considering he had company. There was something familiar about him, but Kasey couldn't place it. Not yet at least. Maybe the guy had brought his car into the shop before and he had to deal with it. He certainly looked like the sort that would rather deal directly with him and Heidi at the garage rather than some of the young help that they had at the front desk, "I'm Kasey," he introduced himself now, "Long day?"
When the stranger finally answered, Jeremy smiled and nodded. "Thanks, it seems like it's quite full tonight. Is there live music or something?" It wasn't like it was the weekend, though maybe the bar was busy every night - Jeremy had no idea. He pulled the chair out from underneath the table and sat down, unraveling his scarf and carefully hanging it behind his chair.
The waitress came over quickly after she realized that a new customer had arrived. He ordered a water and a light beer, having eaten already at home before he left. "Nice to meet you, I'm Jeremy." He quickly shrugged his wool jacket off as he waited for his beverages. "You could say that. I'd go as far as saying it's been a long week. What about you? Do you come here often?" The man glanced around the establishment, it was a little more casual than the bar at the Hotel though he really didn't mind that. "I have to admit, I wasn't sure what to expect when I drove here." He could count on his hand how often he had been there.
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
Kasey watched as the other man took in their surroundings. They were a little off the beaten path as far as view of the stage went, but it gave them a full view of the overall establishment, to include the bar, and the people who were dining and drinking for the evening. If nothing else, it was excellent for people watching, and for Kasey, sometimes that was far more fun than watching any of the girls preform. "Yeah," he responded gruffly, cerulean eyes flickering to the stage for a moment, "I think one of the girls is preforming tonight, singing or something." Who though, he wasn't sure. Unlike some of the other men and women here, he didn't exactly come to drool over performances.
Eyebrows arched at Jeremy's order, "Light beer?" he asked wryly, "You already ordered your water..." It was a joke, given that the man liked to think that water and light beer were essentially the same thing. Who was he to judge though, its not like dark beer was everybody's cup of tea either. As the other man sat down with him now, Kasey still couldn't shrug that nagging feeling that he knew Jeremy from somewhere, and yet, it still escaped him. Jeremy admitting to having a long week hardly eluded to what he did for a living, other than he did look the part of being a workaholic, "I work over at Heidi Hunter's garage as the manager there," Kasey explained, "So I think it's always a busy week for me. People are shit at taking care of their own cars. You?" And seemed shocked when vehicles needed routine care. As for the other question, "I come here maybe once a week, or every two weeks. It's more my speed than R&R."
Plus, it was hard to imagine someone his age trying to hang out at the club that was frequented by young adults and uni students, "I take it you don't come here very often?"
He wasn't one to have the schedule of the performances memorized. Jeremy was way too much of a workaholic to go out anywhere after work. "I didn't even know they had performances here. Have you heard any of them sing before?" Not even in his youth did he go to any parties - his parents were way too protective of him to allow that.
Jeremy quickly caught the joke and laughed. "Not a fan of it I take it?" He didn't really enjoy a dark beer - it was too heavy for his taste. "Sometimes I don't even know what to order." Great, now he sounded like an inexperienced adult. "That must be enjoyable. Do you enjoy fixing things then?" Now that he got a closer look at the man, he did seem to recognize him. "I help run the Lost Shores Hotel. My parents own it still but there's always something to do." Sometimes the guests were very overdramatic which didn't make his life at work any easier.
"That's way more often than me. I've maybe been here once or twice in my years of living here." It wasn't really his kind of place, though he was trying his best to branch out his hangout spots. "Can't say I've been to R&R either. Way too old for that crowd now though."
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
Kasey listened as the other man pretty much confirmed that he didn't come to Luna Lounge very often. It became obvious when Jeremy noted that he didn't even know that the Longue had performances, "I don't come here enough to know the schedule, but so far, everyone here can sing. I think it might be illegal in the owner's mind if she hired someone who couldn't." He didn't talk with Esther Muller very often, not that she was rude, in fact she was far from it, but the woman tended to be a little over the top for Kasey to handle in a conversation.
At least Jeremy appeared to be someone who could take a joke, since light beer tended to be an issue that some people could get sensitive over. Kasey thought that was stupid, but at the same time, he knew he was a different generation to most, "Don't know what to order half of the time?" The man questioned, taking a sip of his drink as his cerulean eyes glanced back over the other man. He took another look at that suit, and began to wonder if this was the sort of guy that overworked himself to the bone and didn't do much else. At the prompted question, Kasey just shrugged, "It's what pays the bills and what I'm good at. Used to fix things in the Army back in the States. Once my daughter is out of school and on her two feet, I'll probably retire out to a cabin in the middle of the woods with my dog." That dream always felt like a catch 22 for Kasey, on the one hand, he couldn't wait to do it, on the other hand, it meant that Tally was finally an adult, technically, and he didn't know how he felt about that.
"Lost Shores? That's one of the fancier ones in town, right?" Kasey asked, and suddenly, Jeremy made sense between the suit, the lack of a social life, and the comment about working all the time. If memory served him correctly, the Kirbys owned that and they were up there. The other man seemed to confirm as much that he didn't come here often since living here, "Don't you get tired of dealing with people if you're working all the time?" Kasey knew that he did himself, his broody attitude tended to get worse as the day went on. "I personally don't think you're missing anything at R&R unless you want a girlfriend under the age of thirty," Kasey offered as the waitress delivered Jeremy's beer. He lifted his own beer as a toast and nodded, "So here's to being old."
"You would think but most people don't think that way. I thought maybe you meant they did karaoke or something." People had different meanings of singing - there were too many factors for it to be a concrete answer. "Do you know the owner well? I didn't know she was a woman." Wow, that sounded sexist. He was more accepting of it than his old school father, though he was part of a different generation.
Jeremy sighed, he had to admit to someone that he worked way too much. "Yeah, like in terms of alcohol. I don't tend to go out and drink. Work takes up way too much of my time." Dahlia kept telling him that too - though his father wasn't getting any younger. He was the focus right now. "Army huh? How long were you there for?" Jeremy would much rather sit in an office than be somewhere an fix bikes. "Fixing bikes and cars sounds fun though. Definitely something different to do."
He raised an eyebrow, living in the woods felt a little odd. "I take it you enjoy being on your own then?" Jeremy didn't want to read too much into things either. "Yes, that's the fancy one. Sometimes I do get tired of dealing with people, but it makes the job interesting." It was often he didn't see the same people over and over again - except his employees of course.
"That's a little young for me. I'd like to date someone who knew what it was like before the internet existed." He lifted his glass and tapped it gently against Kasey's. "To getting old." He took a sip and set his glass down. "You have kids? How old are they?"
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
"Ah...I think this place is probably too classy for karaoke," Kasey replied. Not that there was anything wrong with the past time, he could see how people get joy out of it, but it felt like something more for dive bars verses Luna Lounge or R&R. At least, that was his interpterion of how both places were run. At the question about the owner and Jeremy's admittance that he did not know the owner was a woman, caused the man to raised an eyebrow, "You didn't? You weren't joking about not getting out much then." Maybe it was sexist of him to think this way, but he couldn't imagine a man coming up with the décor or atmosphere that came with Luna Lounge, "Anyways. I guess I know Esther Muller in the fact that she's poured me a glass before, but we are not friends. Merely acquaintances." He was fairly certain that his interactions with her had mostly been grunts and very little talking on his part anyways.
He listened as the sigh escaped Jeremy, well, at least the man was well aware that he appeared to work too much. But who was Kasey to judge? Everyone had their strengths and weaknesses, some people's just appeared to be both sometimes, "I guess a hotel would take up a lot of time." Kasey mused out loud, "Props to you. It wouldn't be my cup of tea." Hospitality was never his cup of tea nor conversation, both which were required when running a hotel. He was better off at the garage, hiding out in the office dealing with paperwork, ordering parts, and making sure the mechanics stayed in line. As for the army, "I joined the army when I was eighteen and didn't look back. I was probably in it for fifteen years or so. But yeah, working at the garage here is way more low key." And had zero reminders of happier times.
This conversation felt like it all was getting a little personal for Kasey's tastes, but he also had to remember that when two strangers sat next to each other and converses, thats how it tended to go. Lots of talking about yourself and feeling the other person out, "Yeah. I like the peace and quiet of being alone. I take it you do not?" He could understand how it wasn't for everyone. Rex seemed to be taking after Kasey as far as being anti-social went, but he couldn't imagine Tally deciding to hole it up in her room - she was far too vibrant for that. A chortle did escape the man when Jeremy commented that someone 30 years or younger would be too young for him, at least they could agree on that. Their classes clinked as Jeremy joined his toast about getting old, and Kasey took a long swig, "I have two: a twenty two year old and a seventeen year old. You?" Jeremy likely was kid free, but figured it was polite to ask rather than assume.
Jeremy nodded, glancing around at the Lounge. It didn't take him long to realize that Kasey was right. "Call me old, but I definitely didn't think the younger generations would like fancy things.' He also had very little interaction with younger people. His niece Jaana was about the only one but they didn't see each other that often either. "Is Karaoke something you enjoy though?"
He took a sip of his drink before setting it down on their table again. "I really don't. The Hotel is my home too so I feel like I have to force myself away." Coming from a business oriented family meant he was curious about how others were run and the personalities behind it. "So she's a hands on owner. You don't find those very often any more." His own father was someone the hotel guests often found wandering around chatting away. "And what do you think of her?"
Jeremy hoped he didn't trauma dump on a stranger, though Kasey did ask what he did for a living. More and more people were telling him he needed to work less - but the hotel couldn't run itself. "It's not something for everyone. The industry runs in my family so I only had a small choice." He didn't like speaking badly of his father, but the hotel did run in the family.
He raised his eyebrow - being in the Army wasn't exactly easy either. "Wow. I can imagine that wasn't easy either. British Army or American?" There was a possibility for either. It wasn't something he had considered for himself, running the hotel was always his plan. "Ah. I usually take my car there. Are you there full time?" He couldn't remember if he had seen him there when he got his oil changed.
"Honestly, either is fine. But after a long day of dealing with employees and guests makes me want to just watch tv by myself." Usually he was still working on his phone but at least no one could bother him. "Oh nice, do they live here with you? I do not have kids. Haven't really had time for a relationship lately." Though there was someone who caught his eye.
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
Kasey couldn't help but to arch an eyebrow at the other man, "I must be doing something wrong if you think I look like the karaoke type," he replied. He took a large drink of his beer now, before placing it down. Cerulean eyes clocked that somehow he was already half done with the pint and made mental note that only one more was allowed before he closed his tab - either that or he was going to have to order food soon enough, "Not that karaoke is a bad thing. Just...not my thing. Maybe the right person could make me do it...if I have enough beer in my system." Although Kasey tried really hard now to not feel anything from alcohol any more, he didn't even want a buzz.
It was a little interesting to hear Jeremy say that he pretty much had to force himself away from work. Guess he was a workaholic then, although if the Hotel was his home, the other man probably had a hard time staying off the clock as well. Kasey wasn't sure if he would be able to handle living where he worked. Emelia, his lady friend, did the same thing, although maybe the campgrounds were a little more relaxed than the Sea Side Hotel, "Sorry to hear that. I would find that annoying." At Jeremy's observation about the Luna Lounge owner, the older man merely nodded, agreeing with his assessment before being asked to elaborate. A shrug escaped Kasey as he leaned back in the cushiony chair now, "I don't know. She's nice. Doesn't judge. I'm sure she's listened to me a few times at the bar when she's head to fill in. Why? Just curious?" Granted, he supposed that's how bar tenders were suppose to be.
There seemed to be a pause in the conversation as the other man's brown eyes stared at him. Kasey wondered if he asked something that pushed the line, an ability that appeared to happen more often than not as of late. Kasey remained quiet though, given he wasn't the type to awkwardly try and change a conversation if he thought it was going to crash and burn. That was up to the other individual, and Jeremy finally found his voice: "It's not something for everyone. The industry runs in my family so I only had a small choice." Ah. Now the moment made sense. Kasey was tempted to remind him that everyone has a choice, that's how he got out of his own living situation when he was a teenager, but thought better of it. He wasn't Jeremy's older brother or friend, he was merely a stranger, "Ah. I see. I get what you're saying." If the other man wanted to elaborate more, that was now up to him.
At the admission that Kasey didn't look like one who would have been in the army, a chuckle escaped him, "Yeah, I don't really fit the look any more." Longer hair, a beard. All write ups that would have happened had he remained, "American. Retired now though, obviously." If one could consider dishonorably discharged as retirement. As for his other job, "Yeah? Thought you looked familiar." After all, there wasn't much that Kasey didn't know about the garage's clients or their cars, "I hide in the back. Usually let the young folk up front deal with the customers. I only come out from my office if someone tries to take advantage of them or there's a problem." When Jeremy went on to admit that all what he wanted to do was sit at home and watch tv, a gruff laugh couldn't help but to escape him. He raised his glass in cheers to that as he took another sip now, "Yeah. Daughter's entering University in the fall. My son lives on his own now, he's an....artist." It was still weird to say that, "I'm sure the universe will tell you when you have time for a relationship." He added on now, it's not like he could judge. Kasey had firmly remained serious relationship free since Morgan, although lately, he found himself growing found of Emelia, even if it had been a freak accident that caused them to meet.
Jeremy shrugged. He wasn’t one to judge other people for what they did in their free time - as long as it didn’t harm anyone else. “See, I thought anyone would sing karaoke if they had enough alcohol in their system. I take it you don’t like singing in public then?” He didn’t go clubbing much back in the day, his parents dragging him to fancy galas to keep him away from the karaoke scene. Part of him wished he could have tried it at least once, but that wasn’t ever the case.
“It’s alright, just hard to switch off. Do you not enjoy living where you work? Or have you not experienced that before?” He was honestly used to it, having lived in the hotel before he moved away for University - it was nice having a place away from his parents. “Oh, just curious. I often wonder what the owners are like in local businesses like this." Jeremy was unsure how Kasey would take his comment. It wasn’t a family situation everyone was familiar with. His father was pretty strict when he was younger. “No, I can see the Army scruff in you. How long did you serve for?” Jeremy didn’t think of being in the Army as an option as a career. He was too much of a people person to deal with the blood and guts of war.
Jeremy took a sip of his drink and nodded again. “Ah, so you are the old watch dog then? You must fix a car or two though?” It would be boring for him to be in an office all day. Jeremy happily wandered around the hotel to help deal with problems hands on. “Oh nice, what does your daughter take?” He set his drink glass down and raised his eyebrow. “Artist? I feel like you hesitated on that one.”
Give Me A Day or Two, To Think Of Something Clever.
Kasey couldn't help but to laugh, "No, I'm not much of a singing in public guy at all." He wasn't sure if he was really much of a public person at all, then again, he was sitting at the Luna Lounge. The man offered Jeremy a wry smile now, "Honestly, you don't look like much of a sing in public kind of guy either." He took the finishing sips of his pint, and stared at the empty glass - both mulling if he wanted one more drink and thinking over the other man's question.
Finally, Kasey shrugged, "I'm not sure if I had something like you - living at the hotel. It was more like, I lived on bases and such." He thought it over a bit more, "I don't think I could live at the garage though...granted, I prefer more remote than the hustle of city life. Even here sometimes feels like a bit much." The man leaned back in his chair now, deciding that one more beer was not needed as his cerulean eyes studied Jeremy, "God, I can't even remember now...I should ten, fifteen years or so. I ended up getting battered on a mission and had to retire." Still, he had to laugh, "What makes you say that I got the 'army scruff'?"
He smiled wryly, "Old watch dog? But yeah, I suppose you're right. Heidi's the boss boss, not me. But I used to fix, now I just bark at people. I step in when its short hang, but any fixing is just for personal pleasure now." He leaned back in his chair now, sighing a little, "I think she's arts and something else...Tally is a first year though, so maybe it will change." Kasey couldn't help but to cringe as Jeremy called him out on how he described Rex, "I mean...he paints. Somehow he affords an apartment, so I can't complain...it's just...something I don't understand." Granted, Kasey didn't really understand his son at all.
