Who: Agatha Timms and Stubby Boardman
What: She's in deep shit and requires his help
When: Earlier...this...week >>
She was in
such deep shit.
Agatha felt like she was going to hurl all over the display of pineapples. Oh
hell. Oh---
HELL, how could she be so stupid? How could she--she wasn't a liar, she
never lied---OKAY THAT WAS A LIE BUT! Never over
serious things like this! How could--how could that have just blurted out of her mouth? She was so--so--
screwed.
How the
fuck was she going to get the bloody
Hobgoblins to put on a free concert for SETMAC?
It had just---it had just BURST out of her mouth when the official kept going on and on about how her committee was just not living up to expectations, how the donation from Winston Baddock covered the last's six month's rent and she didn't have enough to keep it up for the
next six months and--and---
She was
so screwed.
But--Agatha Timms was a determined woman. It was why she'd hunted down Stubby Boardman, yes,
Stubby Boardman and had been trailing him through the various aisles of the grocery store. It was a wonder no one else was following him, but Agatha mused that maybe she was just bad at being undetected. Still--she kept close, keeping her sunglasses and hat on tight. She'd trap him when he moved to the usually empty dairy section.
Stubby Boardman was spending a nice quiet afternoon tending to his groceries. It was too often that the boys came over that he had run out of food supplies. Oh, he could just hear his mother's voice now.
Stuart Ashley, what happened to all your food? You can't survive on 'rock and roll' alone despite what you believe. What if a war suddeny broke loose? What will you eat then? Inwardly cringing, Stuart's efforts on filling his cart doubled.
With every step, however, it felt as if someone was watching him. It wasn't something new, however; it was part of the job description and he has come to a point where the burning sensation on his skin that cam with being watched had become a constant nowadays. None of them were evr harmful, so he just dealed with them with a shrug. After stocking up on sweets, he checked his list and pushed his cart to the end of his deserted aisle where he found the dairy section. Now, where was that non fat milk...
Time to make her move. Agatha darted past a women with way too many tubs of ice cream in her cart and circled closely behind Stubby. Here went---everything.
"Hi! Hi, Mister Boardman? Right? Did I say that right?" Of course you said that right you bloody
idiot, how can you mispronounce
Boardman? "I'm Agatha Timms, and I run a committe for the ethical treatment of animals and---it's a
pleasure to meet you!"
How the hell was she supposed to go about this? Beg and plead? Businesswoman-like? Cry? Agatha tried her best to smile, but she was nearly wincing with her nerves. This was absolutely ridiculous.
With wide eyes and cold hands clutching a milk carton against his chest, Stubby Boardman turned and looked at the girl in front of him, who seemed to have jumped out of nowhere. After his initial shock had subsided, Stubby let out a sigh and smiled brightly at his new companion.
"Hello there, Agatha." he said, placing his milk on his cart. He wiped his hand on the leg of his torn jeans before offering to shake her hand. "And yes, you said that right. You can just call me Stubby though. Mr. Boardman seems too formal." When the other mentioned she was part of some organization, he laughed softly. "Am I in trouble or something?" She looked so... scared of him. Did he do something wrong?
"Trouble? Why--oh! No, no, no trouble," Agatha said quickly.
God, she was normally so cool and calm and collected, why the hell was she acting like such a twit
now? It
could be because her life depended on his response or it could be that she was standing less than a meter beside Stubby Bloody Boardman. Hell, she had no idea anymore.
"I just--I. I wanted you ask you something, and---it's kind of a business matter, and I
know I should have gone through your agent or--or whatever it is, but I haven't been able to make any contact and all I get back are these pre-printed fan letters and---" Agatha sucked in a breath, "I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time?"
"Oh, Thank Merlin." Stuart said, sighing in relief, one hand reaching up to clutch his chest. "You made me nervous for a second there." he admitted. At the mention of the word 'business' a thoughtful expression crossed his features. Stubby wasn't someone who could just easily say no to things. That was perhaps why it was more that he
needed that just simply wanted people to sort offers and business proposals for him. "Alright. But I'd have to pay for my groceries first though. Would that be alright?" he asked kindly, starting to push the cart and motioning for her to follow.
"Anyway, the supermarket isn't exactly the ideal setting for discussing business, it is?" By this time, they reached the end of aisle where they luckily found a cashier with no line. Casually, he started stacking his groceries in the counter, then chanced a glance at his new companion. "Do you need water or anything?" he inquired, mild concern passing his features. The other looked like she was about to have a breakdown of sorts. "Look." he started. "I'll make you a deal, Agatha. Help me take my groceries home and we can discuss whatever you want to talk about over tea afterwards? How does that sound?"
Huh, she was touching Stubby Boardman's groceries. Agatha numbly nodded in response and helped pack the food into the plastic and paper bags (huh--she had
no idea if wizards did the same thing...God, she'd be pitiful if she finally moved out of her parents' house). Well! This was good. She was going to get to sit down with Stubby and lay out her...poorly organized proposal (but she was a good improviser, five minutes ago doesn't count because she was speaking to a celebrity) , and hopefully he would bring it back to his 'people' and they'd agree to put on a concert.
For free---for
charity.
Ugh---she didn't even have the money for a bloody venue big enough to house a crowd the Hobgoblins were definitely going to draw. Agatha held the bag full of carrots and milks and other things to her chest as she followed Stubby out, nearly holding her breath as she tried to figure out a deal.
Stubby's gaze kept darting to his new companion while they bagged the groceries, his shoulder bumping against hers occassionally. There was an uneasy air around her that unsettled him as well. It was one that he could feel from someone who was about to ask something of him that they're not sure if they would approve. But surely she didn't
look the part of a manipulator, though who was he to judge?
It was an uncomfortable trip back to his house. He, of course carried the heavier load, and a few more bags than she did. It was his groceries after all. "So Agatha..." Stubby wasn't at all a fan of awkwards silences. "How old are you?" was the first thing that popped in his mind.
"I'll be---twenty, in." Holy hell she couldn't remember her birthday. "November."
Agatha put his groceries on the counter, feeling mighty awkward to be standing in Stubby Boardman's house. And it wasn't only the fact that it was a celebrity, it was---well. She had experience with boys, but not
that much, so being in a bloke's place by herself--well, with
him was completely unnerving and--well. It wasn't as if Stubby was looking at her strangely because of
that, so.
"I---okay, I'm not going to waste anymore of your time," she said with a determined nod, pulling out the packages slowly. "I run a committee for the ethical treatment of animals, and we're not doing so hot--actually, the Ministry wants to shut me down." Agatha's face and ears grew bright red at the thought, but she pushed through, "Your bandmate, Win--he donated money a few weeks a go, and it was very generous, but I'd been late with rent for our headquarters and--"
"We
are probably going to have to shut down," which is why she said they'd throw the concert, "and the idea that---seeing as one Hobgoblin was already generous, I'd thought---that maybe you guys would...want to help a struggling charity out." Agatha was nearly wincing, ready for Stubby to shut down her proposition completely--maybe even write a song about it.
"Well, I'm going to say happy birthday in advance, just in case we don't see each other by then." He offered her a wink, before stacking apples on a display bowl.
Stubby believed all proposals, no matter how casually or formally they were presented required attention and silence, so this was exactly what he gave her the moment she started to speak. His expression changed from one of curiosity, to one of mild surprise at the mention of Poo, then to one of careful consideration.
He spared a few moments of thought when she was done. His gaze fell to the floor, even as his hands refilled the sugar canister with a new bag he just bought. In truth, helping the girl was something he would like to do, given that someone he trusted believed in this cause. Still, he was in no position to give out any assurance.
"Agatha, I think we should sit. You must be tired from all that walking." he started in his normal casual tone, gesturing for her to follow him in the long table just across the kitchen. He pulled her seat for her before taking his own seat beside her. "Thanks for bringing my groceries, by the way." He laid his folded arms on the table surface. "So love, I have to tell you that I would like to help. I'm a big lover of animals and see, I have a critter of my own. " One of his long spidery hands pointed at a spot by the window where little Red was curled up in a ball, apparently asleep. "But before I say yes to anything, you have to clear up a few things for me. How exactly would you like me and my boys to help your charity?"
He wasn't completely shutting her down. He wasn't telling her that it couldn't happen, and he wasn't telling her that she was an idiot for even thinking about it. Agatha let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and folding her hands together in a clasped manner, looking very much the business woman. She could do this.
"Well--we're still in the early stages, but the main concept would be---a concert, I'd think, we could," she put her hands out in an offering gesture, "we could always go another way with it, whatever you guys want, but I mean---your tickets sell as fast as snitches disappear, it would be such a draw and all benefits would go to---"
This was the tricky part. Could she say that everything would go to SETMAC or would she have to make a deal? Or---this is why she needed a treasurer. "Well--it would benefit the committee greatly," she finally settled on. "I'd be able to do probably--all of the arranging. If that'd help."
"A concert would be a good idea." Stubby nodded, considering the options in his head, even though he hasn't really said yes. The fact that she faltered when she was trying to explain where the money would go exactrly, did leave him just a tad suspicious, though "Where would the money go exactly?" He's heard of scams before that left bands taken advantage of. He surely wouldn't want that to happen to him and his bandmates. "Because we would need to know these things. Perhaps on paper?" He leaned back, clasped his arms at the back of his chair and balanced the seat on its hind legs. "If you can promise to show me the papers, we can arrange a meeting back here and I can invite the band to come and take look at it, too? I'm not the only one who is going to play, yeah?
"So far you've convinced me about 60% of me, so that's almost 35% of the band, if we include Poo... I mean Win since he invested on the Cause already." Stubby wasn't really good with numbers, and this, he suspected became pretty evident at that moment. "I... admire that you're doing this, by the way. You're pulling all resources to save something you hold dear. I think that's pretty ace. How long have you been in that institution?"
"I will! I will set up contracts, I will set up---every sort of paper your agent needs, I will---make charts that move and shout out wonderful things about you and--" Agatha said this all a bit breathlessly, simply amazed that she hadn't been kicked out on her arse. "--and I will just--I will do whatever you all want, follow every rule and...just. I need the time, I need the--okay. Whatever you want."
"Shiny paper, even," she managed to blurt out after she thought she'd finished. Agatha forced a smile, "Shiny---neon colored paper. With stars and stickers and
glitter."
Okay, maybe she was joking now, and an actual grin did cross her features. Agatha looked down at the counter for a second before tilting her head back up with a great sigh of relief; this had gone so much better than she could have ever hoped for, "Thank you, Mister. Boardman, just---not calling the hitwizards on me in the grocery store, I can't thank you enough. I
promise not to embarrass you guys."
Stubby could only smile at the other. "Oh, I do like neon colors." he nodded. "And glitter. That would be a nice touch. It adds that extra special flair don't you think? And who doesn't like shiny things really?"
He suddenly, quitte visibly cringed when she had addressed him so formally. "Agatha. Call me Stubby. Please. I feel like a senior when someone calls me that. Oh, and tat's no problem at all. I'm going to tell you a little secret." He leaned in close. "I don't know any hitwizards. But shhh, don't tell anyone else that, ok?" he added with a hint of feigned urgency.
After a lazy stretch, Stubby turned to the girl. "I promised you tea, right? But I'm in the mood for ice cream. Would you like one or the other?" he asked, standing. "or both perhaps?"
Right---she definitely needed to go out and buy every last Hobgoblin album. And tee-shirt. And pillowcase cover. Stubby Boardman had just saved her life---or at least, put her death off for a few more hours. Oy, she owed him so much for even agreeing to
attempt to try. What the hell could she do for a musician who had millions of galleons and could buy whatever he wanted?
Hrm. That'd be her next adventure.
"I would love some ice cream, Stubby," she said with a very obvious wink, rapping her fingers playfully on the table counter.
--yes, her life was definitely going to last until tomorrow.
