From one manager to another [viden]

It’s been a good while since Gabe last seen Viden, but the young man had kindly offered to tell Gabe about his place of business. It was more or less a day off for Gabe today, so he felt like it would be nice to check out  the place that Viden was responsible for. With Gabe being a manager himself, taking a look at how the man tan things would be quite educational for him if he was to pick up on anything new that he could try at the casino.

“This must be the place…”

Gabe would say to himself as he went off to head inside.

“Excuse me…”

Viden, that day, was working in his own "shop". Clients came rarely, just checking the books and not actually buying them. Some even had the nerve to ask for a discount on some books. Viden spent the whole day just checking on the shop, and since nobody came for quite a while, he started reading some stories he himself created, through some notebooks.

"No, this doesn't make sense...Neither does this..."

He mumbled to himself, correcting some plot holes. He considered himself not a bad writer, but everytime he noticed an error, he gets angry and just wants to forget everything.
When he noticed someone was entering the shop, since the door had a bell attached to it, he quickly hid the notebooks under the counter and put the pen on the counter. He then noticed that the person who entered the shop was none other than Gabe, the noble-looking man he met in East Eden.

"Oh, huh. Hello Gabe, I didn't expect seeing you here..."

Viden said, with a bit of a surprised tone.

"So...Are you looking for something in particular? I can help you search it."

Viden said, again. Gabe would have noticed that the shop was pretty well made, with wooden bookshelfs in every angle of the bookstore, but also put in a way that customers would traverse the shop easily. The place was clean, for now, and there were every kind of books.

"Well, I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by. I kind of wondered how a younger manager like yourself was holding up when it came to running such a fancy looking shop in east eden It kind of looks like you had a little work done, like the floors. Good stuff...." Gabe would say this as he gave the man a thumbs up.

Though when it came to a particular book, Gabe shook his head at the notion. "I'm not here for anything like that, not really. Though, if you had a mystery book about ghosts, that would be nice. Or one of those self-help books, I always managed to at least take one thing away from them.

After looking around a little, he looked back at Viden. "How are you doing? "

"Well, I did say that I kept the place clean, but thanks, I guess..."

Viden stated in a doubtful tone. When Gabe asked if there were any mystery books about ghosts or self-help books, Viden slightly raised one of his eyebrows, surprised.

"Uhm, ok, give me a minute."

Viden said, to then turn around with his chair and search on the computer, that held vital informations about the bookstore, and was organized to make it easy for Viden to search the corresponding books.

"Mhh...I'm ok. As for the job, i'm not getting that many customers, because of other shops and stuff. Surprisingly, I see more often students like me than adults going in the shop and buying some books."

Viden said, to then notice on the computer the locations of some books. After searching, he got up and reached out for some books on a shelf placed right above the computer. He then put four books on the counter.

"Well, what were the odds of that."

Viden said, to then get on the chair again. Viden then started talking in an explanatory tone.

"So...You can either rent them for a certain amount of time or just buy them...Anyways, changing topic, how was your day?"

To be fair with you, having anything akin to an online book is pretty much useless to a guy like me. When you receive something that’s a little more concrete, you’re yet lodged in the former ways as to how true it is. Let’s say that there was a power outage and no one can use their cell phones At the very least, to pass the time, they could read while the problem gets fixed. If the technology goes wrong, what answer we have to turn to if we abandon everything else?”

Gabe left the question open-ended, giving viden a chance to answer that on his own. “As for your customer problem, perhaps providing a scheme or a newfangled kind of product or event could produce the masses babbling about your store. Something that makes it stand out above the rest, as well as catering to your loyal base?”

The change of topic was obvious for Gabe that Viden didn’t want to dwell on it any longer, so he backed off on the subject. “I’m, hanging in there. Or so I’d like to think. “

"And that's basically my job in a nutshell."

Viden thought, while hearing Gabe's words. He then listened to Gabe's next words carefully, trying to remember all the useful tips he said.

"That could work. I'll see what I can do."

Viden said, after Gabe finished talking. Viden started talking again, after Gabe's last answer, in a curious tone.

"Mh, it sounds bad, but I won't dwell on it much...So, uhm...Ah, yes. Maybe i've already asked you once, but what do you think of Endymion as a whole?"

"Endymion is a mixed bag of unprecedented opportunities and consequences. With everything that's considered as a benefit, it's good to be sure that there is a price or a fine print that's taken in exchange for our daily pleasures. For example, the local police force has been overtaken by the cadets. Remember the time where we would only see them as a line of protection and to fight crime? All of a sudden, everything petty doesn't matter. Rapes, murderers, armed robberies......extortion......... Unless you are a terrorist, those crimes are too minuscule to garner their attention."

Gabe then pushed his glasses up.

" Our democracy, our sense of the Constitution has been replaced with the rule of kingship, royalty, something that should have been done with in the states, less of a hierarchy in the UK. The only queen I know of is from the UK, we no longer have any elections either. As technologically advanced as we are, our core values, how life used to be, no one really notices that it's gone now. Im not demeaning or bad mouthing anything, but ou way of lie has changed so fast, and everyone born after five years ago will never remember it. I don't really know, how to ... "Belong".... know what i mean?

Viden began listening to Gabe's words. Viden listened in shock about what he was saying. Viden thought that Gabe had been already extorted of something, since he slowed down when he said that. Viden kept listening, almost not accepting that the goverment are letting something like murders go free.

"Belong...Yes, I know what you mean."

Viden stated, after hearing the last words Gabe had said.

"I think I know exactly what you mean..."

Viden thought, to then shake his head, trying not to think about his past. Viden then thought of a slightly stupid question, but he wanted to ask it anyway. With a neutral tone, Viden would have said:

"Well...If there are terrorist, then that means that they are doing the things you mentioned, right? Or are they in some way different?"

"People that act on their own justice don't represent the people of Endymion. I'm not a law and order nutcase, but i'm not as stupid to believe that anything labeled as terrorism should be in the peoples best interest. By definition alone, it's all political agenda through guerrilla warfare. the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims. Once more Viden, Civilians! You and I are in danger of this. Even the most iconic terrorist attacks never ended in the way that they intended it to. "

Gabe didn't want any part of the bullshit, anyone passing by could see that. " It's likely to ask me what the real answer is? Right? But I don't have one. All I know is that... people are people... and monsters are the ones who ruined our home...my heart is simply somewhere else when it comes to what id expend efforts towards. "

Viden wanted to say "but you still didn't answer my question", but Gabe's sort-of rant brought up some very good but overused points in the talk of justice, law and etcetera. Viden didn't know what to say, simply because everything Gabe said was right, if what he said about the Cadets was true. Viden also wanted to avoid this argument as much as possible. Although he was curious about Cadets, terrorist and other stuff, Viden realizes that he's a person in the masses, non-important, so why even bother talking about it?

"Well, uh. You've basically explained what I think about these types of situations, so..."

Viden stopped, thinking about what to say. He didn't want to ignore Gabe's words and sound like he wasn't listening or he didn't care, but continuing the argument would have brought an headache to both, probably. Viden then got up from his chair. Viden then would have asked Gabe:

"So, do you...want something to drink?"

Did i? Oh, I’m sorry about that, usually, I’m not so passionate about things. No, that’s a lie. Usually, I’m not so emotional about things being said or talked about, most people have their own opinions and I leave it to be that. However, I think it’s just as important to be engaging about things that you care for. It’s the only way you could really get a chance to understand people without having to filter yourself, or be understood in return. “

Though, if the conversation should be dropped here, Gabe had no problems in doing so. “Apple juice if you have any. If not, water will do me just fine. Though, with the talks that came up not too long ago, I honestly wish that I am wrong. You know I kind of wish that I am completely wrong and delusional, I want to hope for the positives more than anything. I’m actually embarrassed about my cynical nature.”

Gabe laughed it off a bit, hoping that he didn’t upset Viden with his words or anything.

"Ok, beee right back."

Viden said, to then head upstairs. While he was taking a bottle of apple juice, that he had fortunately for Gabe, he was wondering about his words. You and I are in danger of this. Those particular words actually scared him, even though he didn't show it. And that same fear made Viden think to only live a "normal life", not interferring with the Cadets or Terrorists. Or at least, he hoped that he wouldn't have encountered Terrorists.
He then returned with a bottle of water, two glasses and of course apple juice. He then put it on the counter. He then opened up the apple juice bottle and poured it in one of the glasses, to then do the same with the bottle of water and the other glass for himself.

"Huh. I can't find a topic to discuss. Maybe that's what I get for being in that orphanage for 5 whole years."

Viden thought. He then would have said, in an honest tone.


"Sorry if I seem to ignore your responses or not respond back. I'm not trying to, but it's just that I don't know how to respond because...I'm getting the...'hang' of it again. At talking, I mean."

"Talking huh? Well, i wouldn't necessarily call myself a charismatic person." Gabe would then take the glass and gave Viden a sharp nod. "Thank you, i appreciate the hospitality. " After taking a small sip, Gabe would continue to talk. "I don't think that i've told you, but when i was a lot younger, i contracted a disease that kind of made me live in a controlled environment for a while. I couldn't go outside, i was home schooled. This went on util my 16th birthday apparently. Imagine how socially awkward i was, right?"

Gabe only laughed at that past occurence now, it didn't seem so bad anymore.

"You DO seem like a charismatic person, though. And no problem."

Viden simply said, answering Gabe when he thought he wasn't a charismatic person and when he thanked for the hospitality. Viden took a sip from the glass of water he had.

"I can kind of relate...Kind of."

Viden said, trying not to remember much about his past, yet again. Viden then would have said:

"So, why bring this up all of the sudden? Does the apple juice make you remember those times, or something like that, or just pure trivia?"

"Why bring it up now? Well, I guess, socially, I can see that you haven't really.... broke out of that air bubble yet. Sorry for the assumption, or if it seems rude, but if a charismatic person can recognize another, I feel like there is a lot that you can give, with you not breaking out of that shell yet. However, once you do, you'll notice that this business will start to change, as well as the people around you. "

Gabe then lifted up the glass in a cheers motion. "As for the juice, it reminds me of my childhood, drinking either this or grapefruit juice all the time. So there's that. "