|
  |
'Writer's Christmas: Dickens and More' has recently opened as an exhibit at the New York public library. Artifacts and inspirations from the classic 'A Christmas Carol' have been set out and are on display for people to gaze at near the large Christmas tree, who's warm scent currently fills the library as a small local choir is providing some ambient music.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular… Photog for the Daily Bugle, is on the scene. He's trying to expand is portfolio, hoping that JJJ will buy some of his more social shots, instead of always Spider-Man. Get me Spider-Man! Taking a picture of the choir, the young man offers up a warm smile and drops some change in one of the donation kettles.
Surprisingly enough, at least to her, the brunette librarian was elected the event coordinator for the wonderful holiday exhibit on full display. Off to one side, Rosemarie stands, taking notes and furtively checking off a small list beneath a sheath of paperwork. To denote herself as both staff and contact point, she wears a cream-colored sweater and long skirt in red-plaid. Her hair, pulled up to one side with a poinsettia clip, is mostly under control. A few wisps betray a nervous gesture or two over the last few hours.
The clink of coins hitting metal makes her glance up and her pencil pauses as she smiles to herself. Seeing the camera in Peter's hand, she considers the immediate area for points of interest. Ah, there. Quiet steps bring her up beside him and she gives him another smile, this one both shy and welcoming.
"Hello. I'm Rosemarie, the coordinator for this event." She taps at the "HI MY NAME IS" tag plastered on her sweater, her handwriting neat and cursive. "I noticed you were taking pictures. If you go up one flight, you might be able to capture the local elementary school arriving. It's Mrs. Brinkley's class, second graders." Her freckles are on full display with that little grin.
"Peter Parker, Daily Bugle." Peter offers with his own smile to the young woman and offers his own hand. "I'm not the reporter, she'll be buy later, but I wanted to get some setup shots for the social page. Mind if I take your picture in front of the manuscript?" he asks, gesturing towards the glass case where the priceless pages with Dickens' own handwriting.
Her comment about the arriving class gets a smile. "I should do that, good idea." Apparently social photos are not his forte, but he's giving it a good shot. The young man's attention turns towards where the class is as he takes out a small notebook to make notes, including Rosemarie's name as he writes it down next to the current frame in his camera.
"Peter — lovely to meet you," Rosemarie replies as she shakes his hand with gentle pressure. As far as being in a picture? Possibly in the paper? The young photographer for the Daily Bugle earns himself a self-conscious quiet laugh, a blush beneath her smattering of freckles, and a stutter. "Oh, n-no, I don't m-mind, I suppose."
Glancing around, she finds a desk devoted to tourism pamphlets to set aside her official documentation and then sets herself up beside the display. "L-Let me know if I n-need t-t-to do anything other than smile," she adds, attempting to look less flustered and more like the cheery professional she was a few minutes back. What a story she'll have for her coworkers — captured on the social page in printed proof! Smoothing down her skirt, the brunette follows any directions that Peter offers up to make the picture turn out as best it can.
Possibly in the paper. Jameson is notorious about space in his pages. As Rosemarie settles into place, Peter offers up a grin as he watches her set up. "No need to be so stiff. It's just a picture that may be seen by millions." he winks at her good-naturedly, using the girl's smile and blush to get a few candid shots before taking a more official photo. He's learned that sometimes the more natural reaction is the much better picture.
He, himself, is dressed in a nice shirt and a pair of dress slacks, with a jacket to hold against the outside chill. He's already made the mental note to himself that it might be time to wear the thermals beneath his spidey suit as he finishes the pictures. "You set all of this up, then?" he asks curiously. "It looks really nice. I've always enjoyed Dickens and his themes of redemption and taking responsibility. How about you?"
No pressure at all! Still, savvy photographer sense on his part. At least one of those candid shots should capture the Rosemarie's shy twinkle correctly rather than the more demure down-sweep of lashes or mild rise of shoulders.
"Set it up? N-No, m-many of the artifacts are on l-l-loan. W-We had the c-curators from the m-museum handling them. I'm in charge of m-m-making sure n-no one t-tries to…steal anything, I sup-p-pose." Stepping aside to collect her paperwork and to let others in again to look at the priceless manuscripts in Dickens' hand, she carefully walks over to stand beside Peter.
"We h-haven't had anyone c-c-consider it." No jinxing it and saying 'yet' now. "I d-do appreciate Dickens, y-yes. The theme of redemption is alw-ways…reaffirming to the human sp-pirit. Upl-lifting in t-times of trial and t-t-toil." She nods, waving back to one of her coworkers who walks by with a trolly of books to place back on the shelves.
"It really is. Do you think the ghosts were real spirits, or just parts of Scrooge's own subconscious addressing him in his own guilt with images of what he left behind, what he had become, and what the path would be like if he remained as he was?" Peter asked, because really, he does to like to talk about books and all.
There's a grin towards Rosemarie as she mentions that she's here to make sure noone tries to steal anything. "I'm pretty sure you're perfectly fierce as a protector." She hasn't done anything to put his senses on edge, but there does seem to be something about the woman that he can't quite put his finger on, but that's just as easily considered to be a roomful of people and small kids.
As the kids start coming down the stairs, he's already starting to take pictures as the children are looking around in wide-eyed wonder and excitement.
Rosemarie has half an eye on the sudden influx of second graders, leery of small hands and over-exuberant curiosity, but the teacher and her assistants seem to have a leash on the level of excitement being displayed. A good number of the younglings actually keep their gloved hands in their pockets — well done.
"Me? F-Fierce?" She glances over at Peter and the smile is a bit more knowing if not still hesitant. "W-When I n-n-need to b-be. W-Which isn't often, thank g-g-goodness, seeing as this is a l-library." The brunette has no indication of anything odd in regards to Peter; the Shi'ar Warbird blood-sense is lulled to complacency here…and frankly bored to death of manuscripts. Nothing exciting about them. Where's the fight? It lifts its head in her subconscious before settling down again.
"I th-think that the m-mind does odd th-things s-s-sometimes, especially in d-dreams, and th-that the visions c-could be actual spirits m-means little as to the whole of the tale. Dickens may have been taking advantage of the interest in the spirit world at the time. It was clever on his part. Scrooge definitely learned his lesson, one way or another." Look at that! Stutter all gone; she must be getting comfortable again.
"I didn't even consider that. Charles Dickens, occult writer." Peter says with a swift grin over at her as he glances towards the second graders to take pictures. "Think those children will see the nuiances of it all?" he grins a little. "I know when I was their age, I was spooked by the idea of ghosts spiriting me off on adventures."
As he slips more into a work mode, the young man quiets down just a nootch as he tries to get a picture of the kids near the choir as he does so. "What takeaway would you want these kids to have?" he asks her, "If they could learn anything from today."
"I'd want the children to consider that having less doesn't mean that you can't share — that if you have more, you should be able to help the less fortunate and not just during the holidays," Rosemarie replies softly, aware that he needs to focus on framing and taking his shots. "Even if all you have is a smile, share that, because it takes so little to make someone smile back and you've already brightened someone's day."
She watches as a little boy shouts "Boo!" loudly behind his classmates and a few of them jump; one cries foul and Mrs. Brinkley bustles over to quietly castigate the younging as well as remind him of library etiquette. Covering her mouth with a hand to half-hide her smile, the brunette shakes her head in mild dismay nonetheless. Still, a soft chuckle. "I think a few of them will ask their parents about ghosts tonight, but not many. There's too much cheery festivity for them to worry for long."
"I think it will help that Christmas Present looked a lot like Father Christmas." Peter responds with a grin, as he hears the shouted boo, his camera moves over to catch a few shots as well, before he finally lowers the camera for the time being. Film and processing is expensive, and he has to make sure he has the priper shots.
"I'm sure I've taken enough of your time up, Miss Rosemarie." he finally offers to the brunette. "I should let you get back to being a fierce protector. The Mouse that Roars." he winks over at her as he moves to put the lens cap on his camera so that he can head off.
She nods in silent agreement to Peter's thoughts on Father Christmas. Indeed, anyone looks more inviting in comparison to the wraith-like aspect of a future devoid of cheer. As to his comment about roaring? More like screeches, Rosemarie thinks to herself, her lips taking on a wry twist and giving her a knowing air. The Warbird perks and a thinnest ring of peachy-gold appears about the center of the librarian's cinnamon-brown eyes. Down, prideful thing, shush. She wills the ticklish influence away from her blood.
"Thank you, Peter, it was lovely speaking with you." With clipboard held to her chest, she offers out a hand to shake, giving him a more winning smile now in true comfort. "I hope your photographs turn out well. I don't think we'll have any trouble, but one must always hope for the best. You're welcome back any time. I'm normally at the podium by the Sciences section," and she points off in that direction with her pencil.
"Well, even if Jameson doesn't buy them, I'll make sure to send you a copy of a few." Peter offers as he accepts the hand and his brows perk at the mention of the section she works in. "I'm actually studying chemistry at NYU, so you may see me sooner than you think." he offers up with a chuckle. "I'm a bit of a bookworm when it comes my studies.
He doesn't even have to look in that direction, he's already a pro at knowing where the sciences section is. "But thanks, I'll keep my library card up to date." A winning smile is offered to the warbird, before the young man is heading off to take care of the processing of the pictures - and probably some web-slinging later.