ext_15146 (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
zandra-x.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
summer_of_giles2006-07-26 02:32 pm
zandra-x.livejournal.com) wrote in summer_of_giles2006-07-26 02:32 pm
Entry tags:
Fic Four Pairs of Shoes Giles Never Bought and One He Did, Pt. IV (Gen)
My final entry for today. Two for the price of one.
Title: Four Pairs of Shoes That Giles Never Bought and One He Did
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zandra_x
Rating: Ranging from G to Adult, individual stories will be rated.
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss.
Notes: Thanks toentrenous88 for the original inspiration for this.
Pt. I
Pt. II
Pt. III
Neither of these is betaed because I'm a slow writer and was writing them too close to deadline.
Both rated G.
Part IV
Season Six
When Giles left Sunnydale, he almost made a new friend...
The air was filled with a fine mist that morning. Again. Giles thought he’d just have to get used to that. One must admit that California had had its charms, and that they became more apparent after a week of Bath’s clouded-over skies and never-quite-dry days. Still, this was home now and he felt that he slipped back into this life rather well.
He was dressed to go out. He made it a daily ritual to go out for a walk. Sometimes he had legitimate errands; some were just his excuse to leave the flat. He didn’t want to be come housebound, dwelling on “things”. Best to get out and mingle, if only with the street traffic.
Today’s mission would be to buy a small plant or two at the garden center. Something to brighten up the flat. And something that wouldn’t need much care, in case he forgot to water it.
It was a good distance to walk, but Giles enjoyed stretching his legs and breathing in the damp air. He debated over opening his umbrella but, noting that only the more elderly pedestrians seemed to have done so, didn’t. He reached the garden center and was studying their array of indoor plants when he heard his name.
“Mr. Giles?”
Giles turned to see a woman looking inquiringly at him. “Yes?” he said, turning it into a question.
“Oh, I thought so. I met you the other night at that party. At the Holder’s. You probably don’t remember; it was a terrible crush. Nancy Bayliss.”
“Of course. I’m surprised you remember me.” Giles smiled. He did recall her; she was a very attractive woman.
“Oh, well, someone mentioned you were just back from America and I wanted to talk to you about it. But somehow, I just got swept away.”
“Oh, have you been there?” Giles asked.
“Not too long ago. A lovely trip to Florida. All that sun.” Nancy sighed and threw a look toward the gloom outside the shop.
Giles said, “I was in California, myself. Which is not that much different, I imagine.”
“Fewer alligators, I think,” said Nancy.
Giles laughed, “Yes, I suppose so.” He hesitated and then said, “I met your husband, too, I believe. Nicholas?”
“Oh, that’s my brother. I’m divorced and have taken back my maiden name.” She gestured at the plants. “Are you buying something?”
“I’m thinking of a cactus, perhaps. As long as it will thrive on neglect.”
“Oh, I know. I’ve come to get some bulbs and maybe a few things to stick in pots. But I’m hopeless about plants. I seem to have a withering touch. Thank god, I better with the horses.”
“You keep horses?”
“No hunters or anything exciting. We have two and we board a few” Nancy said. “Do you ride?”
“I used to,” Giles said.
“You should come out to the farm. The horses are always in need of exercise.”
Giles said that it was very kind of her and they began to drift around the room, looking at different plants and chatting about this and that. After a time, Nancy looked at her watch and exclaimed, “Oh, I must go. I’ve never gotten around to buying anything and now I’m late meeting my brother and his wife.”
Giles said, “I’m glad we ran into each other. I really didn’t expect the garden center to be so interesting.”
Nancy colored slightly, and said, “I meant it about coming out to ride. Have you got pen and paper? I’ll give you my number. You could stay for dinner” A worried look passed over her face and she looked down at Giles’ feet. “Do you have a pair of wellies? You probably will need them, if you do any walking around the farm. We could fit you up, I suppose...”
“Wellies? Never go anywhere without them!” Giles said emphatically, as he wrote her phone number in the small notebook he fished from his jacket.
Nancy smiled, “That’s all right, then. Call me when you’re free. Now I really must fly.” She pulled a scarf from her pocket and tying it around her hair, briskly made her way toward the street.
Giles watched her retreating figure, knowing that he felt a little less lonely than he had when he walked into this shop. Then he thought, Now where in Bath does one buy a pair of wellies?
The End
Part V
Season Four
Giles buys shoes...
He goes to the mall. To the store where they sell shoes.
He’s researched the subject. What else does he have to do with his time? There are all types of shoes. Walking, running, jogging, striding.
The store reminds him of something. It’s a place of worship, he thinks. All the different types of shoes mounted on display, like saints’ statues dotting a cathedral. The weak and infirm come to worship, seeking intercession to become fit and strong.
And there are priests. Young and intense, they glide toward you, dressed in their robes or, rather, striped shirts, to help you with your selection, to guide you to salvation. He wanted to say, What do you have for a man who’s aging and alone, who’s lost his job, whose purpose in life seems to have disappeared, who may be quite lost? What do you have for a man who’s determined to put a brave face on it? What do have for a man who wants to...to...stave off things? At which holy shoe’s altar should I light a candle?
What he said was, “I need a pair of shoes. For running.”
The End
Thanks to the mods for a great community. Thanks for reading.
Title: Four Pairs of Shoes That Giles Never Bought and One He Did
Author:
zandra_xRating: Ranging from G to Adult, individual stories will be rated.
Disclaimer: Joss is Boss.
Notes: Thanks to
entrenous88 for the original inspiration for this.Pt. I
Pt. II
Pt. III
Neither of these is betaed because I'm a slow writer and was writing them too close to deadline.
Both rated G.
Part IV
Season Six
When Giles left Sunnydale, he almost made a new friend...
The air was filled with a fine mist that morning. Again. Giles thought he’d just have to get used to that. One must admit that California had had its charms, and that they became more apparent after a week of Bath’s clouded-over skies and never-quite-dry days. Still, this was home now and he felt that he slipped back into this life rather well.
He was dressed to go out. He made it a daily ritual to go out for a walk. Sometimes he had legitimate errands; some were just his excuse to leave the flat. He didn’t want to be come housebound, dwelling on “things”. Best to get out and mingle, if only with the street traffic.
Today’s mission would be to buy a small plant or two at the garden center. Something to brighten up the flat. And something that wouldn’t need much care, in case he forgot to water it.
It was a good distance to walk, but Giles enjoyed stretching his legs and breathing in the damp air. He debated over opening his umbrella but, noting that only the more elderly pedestrians seemed to have done so, didn’t. He reached the garden center and was studying their array of indoor plants when he heard his name.
“Mr. Giles?”
Giles turned to see a woman looking inquiringly at him. “Yes?” he said, turning it into a question.
“Oh, I thought so. I met you the other night at that party. At the Holder’s. You probably don’t remember; it was a terrible crush. Nancy Bayliss.”
“Of course. I’m surprised you remember me.” Giles smiled. He did recall her; she was a very attractive woman.
“Oh, well, someone mentioned you were just back from America and I wanted to talk to you about it. But somehow, I just got swept away.”
“Oh, have you been there?” Giles asked.
“Not too long ago. A lovely trip to Florida. All that sun.” Nancy sighed and threw a look toward the gloom outside the shop.
Giles said, “I was in California, myself. Which is not that much different, I imagine.”
“Fewer alligators, I think,” said Nancy.
Giles laughed, “Yes, I suppose so.” He hesitated and then said, “I met your husband, too, I believe. Nicholas?”
“Oh, that’s my brother. I’m divorced and have taken back my maiden name.” She gestured at the plants. “Are you buying something?”
“I’m thinking of a cactus, perhaps. As long as it will thrive on neglect.”
“Oh, I know. I’ve come to get some bulbs and maybe a few things to stick in pots. But I’m hopeless about plants. I seem to have a withering touch. Thank god, I better with the horses.”
“You keep horses?”
“No hunters or anything exciting. We have two and we board a few” Nancy said. “Do you ride?”
“I used to,” Giles said.
“You should come out to the farm. The horses are always in need of exercise.”
Giles said that it was very kind of her and they began to drift around the room, looking at different plants and chatting about this and that. After a time, Nancy looked at her watch and exclaimed, “Oh, I must go. I’ve never gotten around to buying anything and now I’m late meeting my brother and his wife.”
Giles said, “I’m glad we ran into each other. I really didn’t expect the garden center to be so interesting.”
Nancy colored slightly, and said, “I meant it about coming out to ride. Have you got pen and paper? I’ll give you my number. You could stay for dinner” A worried look passed over her face and she looked down at Giles’ feet. “Do you have a pair of wellies? You probably will need them, if you do any walking around the farm. We could fit you up, I suppose...”
“Wellies? Never go anywhere without them!” Giles said emphatically, as he wrote her phone number in the small notebook he fished from his jacket.
Nancy smiled, “That’s all right, then. Call me when you’re free. Now I really must fly.” She pulled a scarf from her pocket and tying it around her hair, briskly made her way toward the street.
Giles watched her retreating figure, knowing that he felt a little less lonely than he had when he walked into this shop. Then he thought, Now where in Bath does one buy a pair of wellies?
Part V
Season Four
Giles buys shoes...
He goes to the mall. To the store where they sell shoes.
He’s researched the subject. What else does he have to do with his time? There are all types of shoes. Walking, running, jogging, striding.
The store reminds him of something. It’s a place of worship, he thinks. All the different types of shoes mounted on display, like saints’ statues dotting a cathedral. The weak and infirm come to worship, seeking intercession to become fit and strong.
And there are priests. Young and intense, they glide toward you, dressed in their robes or, rather, striped shirts, to help you with your selection, to guide you to salvation. He wanted to say, What do you have for a man who’s aging and alone, who’s lost his job, whose purpose in life seems to have disappeared, who may be quite lost? What do you have for a man who’s determined to put a brave face on it? What do have for a man who wants to...to...stave off things? At which holy shoe’s altar should I light a candle?
What he said was, “I need a pair of shoes. For running.”
Thanks to the mods for a great community. Thanks for reading.