Enjoy the Silence

Greetings. My name's Maxen Axel Weston but you can call me Max. I'm 23 and a mechanic at Al's Garage. I'm quiet but it doesn't mean I won't be around if you need to talk.

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: That is true.

Sam: He probably needs one also. Running a bar can't be easy.

Sam: How'd you like you Paris?

Sam: I feel great actually. Like I can conquer the world. Kidding. I do feel good though and I started back school with no hesitations. I needed that little break.

Maxen: It's not and I'm happy to help him whenever I can. In fact I learned a lot when it came to running it while he was away for awhile.

Maxen: It's nice. A lot of people go there which isn't a big surprise. The parts my mom showed me didn't have a lot of tourists.

Maxen: You should conquer the world.

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: Oh yea, I forgot that you're a very patient guy. So I"m looking forward to my lessons.

Sam: Sounds like you need a vacation before it overwhelms you too much.

Sam: I did a little backpacking through Europe, that the parents that I hardly talk to paid for. Then I went to my grandparent's cabin and stayed there for a few months. Just getting my head together. It helped.

Maxen: There is no rush. Why should there be when it’s an activity meant for fun?

Maxen: I do. I’ll mention it to Stephen when he gets home from the bar.

Maxen: I’ve only been to France and I spent that time with my mother in Paris. I didn’t go anywhere else while there.

Maxen: How do you feel now you’re back?

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: Okay, but fair warning, I get confused really easy when explaining things like rules. I tried to play pool on my phone- disaster!

Sam: Do you ever have time for yourself? You seem like you have an awful lot on your plate with the bar and garage. I'm impressed.

Sam: I've been busy dealing with school. Finally finding my groove. I took a bit of a break for about two semesters, but now I'm back and things are doing great.

Maxen: I never considered a pool app before. You've seen the way I taught boxing. It'll be similar to that. Slow and patient.

Maxen: Once I'm home then yes. Until then there is a lot taking place. It overwhelms me some days.

Maxen: What did you do during your break?

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: That would be great! Are there a lot of rules?

Sam: Yea, she is one of the friendliest people in Havenoaks. You're probably right. You know him best.

Sam: How have you been otherwise?

Maxen: There are but they are easy to explain and after a few games you'll get a hang of it.

Maxen: Busy with work at the garage. During the summer months we take in a lot of business. It's about to taper off.

Maxen: You?

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: I never learned how to play pool. But darts sound fun.

Sam: No, it's just a feeling. Like he doens't really say hi when I see him in passing, and he very rarely has a smile on his face. He seems friendly with Chloe, so I just figured he had a problem with me. Though I can't imagine why.

Maxen: Do you want me to show you?

Maxen: Chloe is the girl you live with? She seems friendly with everyone. I'm sure he likes you. He's not one to come out and say so.

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: Oh okay. I never been to his bar, but now since it's becoming more like a bar and grill, maybe I should visit.

Sam: And yea, sampling food works for me, as long as Stephen doesn't mind. I always get this feeling that he doesn't like me very much.

Maxen: You should. I only see good things in the future for Stephen's bar. If you like darts and pool there's a place to play those, too.

Maxen: Why? Did something happen or was said?

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: Seeing as thought I'm still too young for bars, I dona't even know. When I imagine bars, I imagine them just having roasted peanuts or something.

Maxen: Yeah. I remember when it was just that when I first went to Stephen's bar. It's gone through some changes. The addition of the kitchen helped a lot.

Maxen: We can do samples of the food if you want to try them.

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: Sure.

Sam: Oh yea? What are you guys putting together?

Maxen: I came up with a steak sandwich idea. I think if we come up with a dipping sauce for french fries that isn't ketchup that can be good. Easy too.

Maxen: If you were able to eat at a bar what would you like to order?

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: I do. And that's sweet Max. I wish you guys the best in the bar business.

Sam: I am fee.

Maxen: I am, too. Do you want to meet for lunch?

Maxen: Will you like to hear some food items I came up with for the bar? We're in the process of putting together a small menu.

[maxen-weston]

danyelle-adams:

If that is true, then there is something seriously wrong with the people in your high school. I mean you’re tall, dark and handsome with a little mysterious going on. Surely someone would have taken interest in you sooner or later.

What do you put in your own bug juice? And if it doesn’t smell pleasant, then how can you stand being around people who may spray it on themselves?

Thank you. I don’t know how to take the compliment because I don’t get them often from people other than my husband. I thought most high schools had people act that way?

It depends if you like citronella scent. I’ve made it once with grasshoppers but that was a one time thing because it was disgusting. I did find a spray you may like. https://orglamix.com/products/natural-bug-repellent

[maxen-weston]

stephen-murphy:

Stephen thought about a dish that he could have, and figured a nice simple burger and fries combo, might do the trick. “Those are all good suggestion and I will pass it on the chef to see if he can come up with a nice simple steak sandwich or something like that.” Stephen pushed his chair from the desk, to stretch out his leg a bit. “We have some time to figure that out. Do you want me to call the suppliers, or did you want to do it?” Stephen didn’t want to make Maxen feel like he was doing everything, he just wanted him to know how to do everything, just in case he didn’t remember.

Maxen went around behind the chair and laid his hands on Stephen’s shoulders. His hands, rough from years of auto work, firmly massaged the muscles. “I’ll call them.” he said after he worked on his husband’s shoulders. “Do you want me to come up with other ideas for the kitchen? I saw on a show where they came up with different dishes and had the people at the restaurant try them and pick the ones they liked to add to their menu.” Maxen wanted his husband’s bar to flourish and to attract the tourists who were due to arrive for summer in the next couple months.

[maxen-weston]

Text || SMax

Sam: All day those three days, unless Michael or Chloe wants to do something.

Sam: That's really cool that you guys can work together and not get tired of seeing each other.

Max: Do you have that one person in your life who you never tire of seeing or talking to? That's Stephen for me.

Max: Are you free this upcoming weekend?

[maxen-weston]

danyelle-adams:

I’m not a football fan either, but going to games is a nice experience. That was very generous of your dad. Did his donation make you popular?

I use OFF spray, when I can remember to bring it. And yea, that’s my term for people who love nature and camping and things like that.

In a way. To this day I’m convinced it’s the only reason I got a girlfriend while I was in high school.

OFF doesn’t work on me. I have to make my own type of bug juice. If you want to use it one day I can make enough for you. It doesn’t have the best smell but it works.

[maxen-weston]

detective-ainsley:

Liam didn’t notice the vacant look in the other man’s eyes. He was too busy focusing on his beer and trying to explain the flavor to him. A stout was a class all its own and if one hadn’t had it it was hard to explain. His eyes canted from his beer to the man beside him and he shook his head. “Naw, but I’m not in often. Can’t take the chance I’m caught drink on call.” At least he couldn’t when he was younger and still a beat cop. It was rare nowadays that he got called in before his shift started. “I’m risking it tonight though. I’ve seen you around before… Max, right?” It was his job to at least know a little about most of the people he crossed paths with. 

He blinked a few times when the man knew his name. “Yeah. Max. I prefer Maxen,” he set his drink down and extended his right hand across his body to offer to the man next to him. “Sorry but what’s your name? And what type of job do you have?” He thought he knew most of the people in the town but since he moved to the mountains with Stephen he’s lost touch with most of the people around the area. “Since you know who I assume you’ve been here for a couple months at least. Unless people talk about me, which I can’t imagine is the case. I’m no gossip worthy.” He pulled his hand back after some time and chuckled. When he was in his late teens that was another story. Thankfully that was mostly behind him.

[maxen-weston]

stephen-murphy:

Stephen love how perceptive Maxen was. He noticed a lot. “Signature dish?” Stephen wasn’t a cook, so he had no idea what went into a signature dish. But it maybe his chef had some ideas. “I have no idea where to start with a signature dish. I can do signature drinks, maybe, but not food.” Then an idea came to his mind. “What about one of your camping dishes? Like Salmon or Trout or maybe the Chef has some ideas that he can present to us. It’s just that I have this brand new kitchen, but I’m not really doing anything with it.”

“When you watch shows about restaurants they have one dish people talk about. The one that brought them to the establishment in the first place and then they stay because of the service and other foods.” He said as he sat down on a stool which was close to the desk. “I think Duel can maybe be known for it’s hamburger or if the chef can cook a great steak it can be that. Or even a steak sandwich.” Maxen threw a few suggestions out for Stephen to think about. “Salmon works. Don’t know a lot of people who readily order trout if there’s other options but I don’t know much when it comes to eating out. I usually cook my own food.”

[maxen-weston]

stephen-murphy:

“I have to make a few calls and see if they can switch them out or buy it back from me for a low price. And if they don’t want to do either, then what I can do is order some of the other stuff, and just sell this real cheap to the customers to get rid of it. I think I have two cases left.” Stephen shrugged. If it was just him remembering random things, that would be a good asset also. It’ll come and hand. “I did, the shift is covered, so that’s one thing less to worry about it. I wanted to ask you about plan to make this into a bar and grill. We are half way there with the new chef and the few food items. But I was thinking of expanding it a little more. Not just serve the hot wings and fries, but serve more finger food, and fast food stuff.”

The bar & grill was an idea Stephen bounced back and forth with for quite a while and the kitchen expansion was a good call but there was still room for more and he took a moment to think this through. “With the amount of people who walk through that door, they are mostly men who don’t have anyone to go home to and I imagine their meals are made up of TV dinners or whatever they can grab that’s still open.” This was based on what he’d seen since he set foot in this bar. Even the one before Duel was mostly working class guys. Most single. “Hamburgers and fries are good. If you can find a signature dish that might get people outside of that in here.”

[maxen-weston]

stephen-murphy:

Sam looked over Maxen’s shoulders at the list to get a better idea of what items he was referring to. “I actually had been thinking about that. I’ve noticed that anytime I do inventory, I don’t re-up on those because I still have quite a few cases. And they haven’t expired yet. So we can go with your idea.” Stephen stepped back from Maxen and leaned against this desk. “You ran the bar for about a month, and helped me here and there, and you already noticed what is the preferred drink of choice and what is least popular? I think you have a knack for this.” Of course Stephen noticed it, but he has been preoccupied with other things to really address the issue. This is why he is glad he has Max by his side. He is really aware of things like that.

“Do you think those can be returned to the supplier for a discount? Or if they have other items in their inventory it can be switched?” Maxen didn’t know the ins and outs when it came to these things and he supposed, in due time, he’ll be a pro at it. “I’m not sure it’s a knack or the fact I remember random things.” He liked the praise but he had a hard time accepting it. It was something of his he struggled with. “How’s the schedule? Did you find coverage for that shift?”