Re: Of Course It Hurts (Judy/Saya)

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

"We still have a good 20 minutes to go, but I guess it's always better to be prepared early," Judy replied. "I guess I could also go a little faster."

Judy gradually brought them up to a higher speed, which the silent electric motor did splendiferously.
"We actually used to have an old, diesel-powered boat well into my lifetime," she recounted. "Much worse performance, pricier, and stinkier. Don't miss it one bit."

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

With a nod, and a gentle nudge of a corgi out of his way with one leg, Kyo opened the box of fishing gear and began to sort through the various items. He pulled out the parts of several fishing poles and began trying to piece two of them together.

I think that goes with that one, Saya said, pointing to a different handle than the one he had, having moved closer to help if she could.

Kyo switched the parts and found Saya had been correct. He nodded his thanks and proceeded to fit another pole together as Saya reached into the box and withdrew a reel of fishing line. She examined the completed pole, determined how the reel attached and began running the line through the loops along the pole's length.

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

Judy shot a glance back and chuckled to herself a little. She'd spent years trying to assemble those dang things, and was now more than content to delegate that duty to younger generations. If the price she had to pay for this privilege was her jowls, then she was more than happy to let those droop to Nixonesque levels (they were, thankfully, rather faint at this point in her life).

Then, another thought crossed her mind.
"Why do I have a sneaking feeling there's no can opener in there?" she asked.

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

Kyo had gotten the second pole assembled and was in the process of threading line through its loops when Judy asked her question. A can opener? he asked in confusion. I don't think so.

He and Saya both leaned forward to check in the box at the same time, bumping heads. With mutual 'Ouch'es, they pulled back and rubbed their now sore heads.

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

"For the lu..." Judy began to explain, when she was cut off by the little accident.
Her first instinct, being a parent, was to get up, boat be damned, her hip be damned, and check up on them. Thankfully, her hip slowed the standing-up portion of this instinct enough that her brain had time to stop it.

"What happened back there?" she asked.
The corgis, too, came closer, to investigate.

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

We're fine, Saya said, still rubbing at the top of her head.

Yup, all good, Kyo agreed, reaching down to ruffle Tunnel's fur as she sniffed at him. We just smacked heads when we both tried to check the box. What were you asking about?

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

"I was just saying, the lures, the bait, they're in a can, so we'll need a can opener," Judy explained. "If there isn't one there, I have one of those folding knife multi-tools in my purse, but it's much less convenient to cut the can than to just open it."

She looked back. The "kiddos" seemed mostly okay, but not entirely.
"You sure you're fine? No need for chocolate back there?"

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

Kyo raised his eyebrows comically at Saya to ask if she was well. She responded with a nod and a single raised brow and gestured for him to check the box.

With a grin, Kyo leaned forward again and lifted out the can, saying, Yes, we're superb. He gave the can a puzzled look. This is a stupid way to sell this stuff. I think we'll need your knife. There's not anything here.

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

"More chocolate for me, then," Judy concluded.

Then, she grabbed her handbag and set it on her lap, inadvertently beeping the boat's horn in the process. This, naturally, scared the dogs a little.

"I've got the knife right here," she informed Saya and Kyo once she found it. "I also have a bar of chocolate and some chocolate-covered prunes, if you do change your minds."

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

Saya jumped, too, when the horn sounded, quite shrill to her sensitive ears. She reached forward to take the knife from Judy and held her hand out for the can.

Kyo handed it over willingly enough. While he had some skill with fine knife work, having made his own reeds for the bassoon for years, opening the can was a little more in Saya's engineering wheelhouse.

He went back to stringing the fishing rod while Saya looked through the different knife options and choosing the largest blade. Kneeling in the bottom of the boat, she braced the can between her knees so it wouldn't slip and put the point of the knife to one edge of the lid, smacking down with the palm of her hand to make an initial puncture.

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

Judy popped a prune into her mouth and happily consumed it. She didn't care that it was such a stereotypical older-people food - they helped keep her digestive tract running, and goddammit, she liked the taste of 'em!

"Doing fine with the knife back there?" she asked. "I know it's not the most convenient of tools."

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

It will do, Saya said shortly as she changed her grip and began carefully moving the knife, blade facing away from her, around the inside edge of the lid to cut it free. Her hands were steady. This wasn't the first time she'd had to improvise tools.

Kyo finished prepping the second fishing pole and set it aside, leaning forward to push a curious Bridge and Alieth away from Saya's work.

After a few moments, the lid was cut enough for her to use the knife blade to pry it up and out of the way, exposing the tangle of lures inside. Saya held it up for the others' inspection.

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

Judy spun back in her chair to inspect the lures. She'd completely forgotten that she could do that.

"They look fine from this distance, but I should probably inspect one from a little closer."

Judy reached into her handbag once more, for a pair of readers. These were small and round, with a black wire rim. They had a more auntie/granny vibe, and less of an imposing one compared to some more rectangular styles. She motioned for Saya to come a little closer, with the lures.

[Ozu Saya]

[Boat]

Saya got to her feet and carried the can closer for Judy to peer inside. I really have no idea what I'm looking at, she said wryly. I have no experience with fishing or its various accouterments.

Behind her, Kyo dropped the fishing pole he'd just finished putting the line on to snag Bridge as he leapt up on a seat and made for the side of the boat.

Saya jumped and glanced over her shoulder to see Kyo holding the corgi upright on his lap momentarily as Bridge squirmed to get free. Once Kyo was sure he had a solid hold, he lowered the dog back to the deck.

[Judith Eastman]

[Boat]

Judy inspected the lure closely with her experienced eyes.
"This is a lure. It looks vaguely like a fish, and it moves like one in the water, which tricks the fish we want into biting onto it," Judy explained. "It works because fish are morons."

While Judy spoke, Tunnel moved closer to her, as if trying to draw her attention to Bridge. Eventually, Judy finally noticed.

"What did that dog of mine do?" she asked.
Then, Bridge approached her.
"What did you do, you little rapscallion? What did you do?" she asked as she gave him some of the attention he wanted.