J E F F R E Y BROOKS
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Walking through the city wasn’t Jeffrey’s idea of a good time; there were too many people, too many noises, and the overwhelming anxiety that he was going to get lost. He was from a city, of course, but it was nothing compared to New York. He felt a little homesick, at times. Indiana seemed so simple in comparison. But especially when he knew he would be spending his birthday by himself. He was sure his friends would talk him into going out and doing something, but it just wasn’t the same. He had always tended to lean too much on his family, and though he and his sister constantly competed and argued with one another, he missed her the most. Most of the time, it didn’t bother him, he was pretty used to being away, but this was the first year they hadn’t used some form of creative scheduling to make it work so that they could somehow, even if they were on facetime, celebrate together.
Jeffrey had found the music store entirely by accident; he wasn’t super into music (he liked it, sure, but it wasn’t a passion of his), and didn’t typically go into music stores, or even actually buy albums. He’d happened upon the store while he was trying to find a gift for his sister, though the moment he stepped through the doors, he knew he was in way over his head. He’d never heard of even a fraction of the bands he saw on the shelves, and didn’t have a clue where to begin.
He slowly walked through the store, feeling lost and useless for a good thirty minutes before he decided he should ask for help. Did he even know what kind of music his sister was into? He couldn’t ask her, that would be weird. They didn’t even actually text one another, the most communication they regularly had was sending the occasional meme. He tried to think of her general vibe, anything that might help, but ultimately he knew that she just liked her music loud and obnoxious.
With a smile, he walked up to the counter, “Hi, you work here, right?” Stupid question, don’t dwell on it, “I’m looking for something for my sister, our birthday is coming up, and I can’t be there this year. I’m still not really used to not celebrating with her, so it just feels weird knowing that I won’t be there.” He paused, realizing he was oversharing, and attempted to reign his story in, “She just likes music a lot, and I am not an expert. At all. But I thought that maybe getting her something she doesn't already have would be really cool.” He briefly laughed at himself, and shrugged, “Could you help me?” He smiled at her; he was going for charming, but it was perhaps coming off as desperate. “I would really appreciate it.”
Walking through the city wasn’t Jeffrey’s idea of a good time; there were too many people, too many noises, and the overwhelming anxiety that he was going to get lost. He was from a city, of course, but it was nothing compared to New York. He felt a little homesick, at times. Indiana seemed so simple in comparison. But especially when he knew he would be spending his birthday by himself. He was sure his friends would talk him into going out and doing something, but it just wasn’t the same. He had always tended to lean too much on his family, and though he and his sister constantly competed and argued with one another, he missed her the most. Most of the time, it didn’t bother him, he was pretty used to being away, but this was the first year they hadn’t used some form of creative scheduling to make it work so that they could somehow, even if they were on facetime, celebrate together.
Jeffrey had found the music store entirely by accident; he wasn’t super into music (he liked it, sure, but it wasn’t a passion of his), and didn’t typically go into music stores, or even actually buy albums. He’d happened upon the store while he was trying to find a gift for his sister, though the moment he stepped through the doors, he knew he was in way over his head. He’d never heard of even a fraction of the bands he saw on the shelves, and didn’t have a clue where to begin.
He slowly walked through the store, feeling lost and useless for a good thirty minutes before he decided he should ask for help. Did he even know what kind of music his sister was into? He couldn’t ask her, that would be weird. They didn’t even actually text one another, the most communication they regularly had was sending the occasional meme. He tried to think of her general vibe, anything that might help, but ultimately he knew that she just liked her music loud and obnoxious.
With a smile, he walked up to the counter, “Hi, you work here, right?” Stupid question, don’t dwell on it, “I’m looking for something for my sister, our birthday is coming up, and I can’t be there this year. I’m still not really used to not celebrating with her, so it just feels weird knowing that I won’t be there.” He paused, realizing he was oversharing, and attempted to reign his story in, “She just likes music a lot, and I am not an expert. At all. But I thought that maybe getting her something she doesn't already have would be really cool.” He briefly laughed at himself, and shrugged, “Could you help me?” He smiled at her; he was going for charming, but it was perhaps coming off as desperate. “I would really appreciate it.”