[PRP] Exhibitionist (Fox & Horace)

[The Semblance of Unity]

He poked around in the gift shop. This museum was university run, and it kind of didn't have heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer, but it also currently had an exhibit on various tribes of Native Americans. That was right up his alley. He expected most of the exhibit to feature the Massachuset, but he hoped for some Comanche or even something about the Keetoowah Cherokees. While he'd left Oklahoma far behind, he still regret that his grandmother had never been involved with anything concerning his Comanche heritage. They had even lived nearby the headquarters in Lawton!

But the gift shop, at least, was currently stocked with modern art and accessories made by natives. He hoped he could find something to catch his eye. For the moment, this was very deserted. The clerk had told him the exhibit wasn't too popular. Kind of depressing.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Fox had been to several Native American exhibits over her lifetime. Mostly because her mother and her grandfather were very set in making sure that they connected with that part of themselves, but also because she'd been interested in it all - Cherokee or not. With an evening shift on the horizon, Fox had been given the first half of the day to do what she wanted, and that had been to go see what there had been to see at the University's showing.

And it had been a very empty exhibit. While that had meant she could spend as much time up close and personal with pieces as she would like, Fox found it a little bittersweet. Her grandfather would have had a few words to say about it all. Most of them being to remind Fox that sometimes history only interested those whom it effected. Looking around, she couldn't help but agree.

That hadn't stopped her from taking a selfie with nearly every display there was with a face and texting it to her mother. Fawn Bliskiss could safely say she appreciated such things. 'Make sure you show Grandfather! I'll find a day off to come see it with you both later this week too,' she wrote, knowing that Bear would also appreciate it.

Bear. Fawn. Fox. At this rate Fox was going to name her child Squirrel or something.

Still, she had a feeling her Grandfather's failing health likely wouldn't allow him out in any reasonably timeframe. So she'd made it her quest to stop in the giftshop to look through things. Even a picture book would be a nice gift. Assuming, of course, she could find something that suited the man's tastes. That was always the hard part.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

He fingered a bolo-style necklace, wondering if he could pull it off if he wore it with his pink tank top. Maybe. Taking it off the hook, he stared at the earrings. Most weren't his style, and somehow that made him feel a little sad. With a huff, he turned and stepped forward, brushing up against someone.

Someone that hadn't been there a few minutes ago. Horace sucked in his breath as an electric shock sparked between them. It hurt him, too, always, but that helped him not get so panicked about things. Horace couldn't really explain it. Nevertheless, he stepped quickly back, knocking into the jewelry display. Several pieces flopped to the ground.

"Ah, I'm s-sorry. Are you okay?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Corn Bead necklaces were definitely one of the saddest things Fox saw on such a display, despite all the nice beading of several others. Why would anybody at this exhibit have wanted to get one here (when she knew for a fact many of her people wore them and already had them). She'd been admiring a piece with turquoise beading when the only other person (it seemed) in the gift shop had accidentally bumped into her.

Fox had been ready to step back and apologize when the jolt hit. She recoiled, an expression of surprise. One that was easily replaced. "Well, got quite a build up of static there," she laughed, brushing it off with that reasoning easily. She'd experienced it enough just from walking a grocery cart, no reason to be too suspicious of the source of it at least.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" she assured, almost immediately crouching to start picking up the scattered necklaces casually.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yeah, uh, it's really common for me, actually." He laughed it off. "I'm glad you're okay. I didn't see very many people wandering the exhibit, sadly." Horace knelt down with her and tried to pick up some of the jewelry without touching her. The clerk watched them disinterestedly.

He twisted and hung up a pair of turquoise earrings. "Did you see it yet?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Fox frowned briefly as she hung up one of the necklaces from the floor. "Yeah, it was more empty than I'd like, but I made sure to send some pictures to my family in case they can't come see it." Shame that sometimes they only mattered when it came down to telling big oil companies that no, take your pipeline somewhere else.

"May just be because it's a weekday. I'd like to hope it is, at least." because if the exhibit didn't do too well they'd likely not bring in similar ones in the future.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Does your family like native history?" Horace was suddenly much more interested in her - he didn't find many people into it beyond the whole 'cowboys and indians' schtick. Which was, to be frank, awful.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"I certainly hope so. I think I have at least enough in me to appreciate my history a little bit," she rubbed her nose as she spoke. "Descended from the Old Settlers." Bear always stressed that. Old Settlers. They suffered. "And you?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Your history?" he asked, suddenly about five hundred percent even more interested in her than he was before. "You're native, too?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"On my mother's side, yes." Fox confirmed. "Sounds like it's something we have in common. Which tribe, if I may ask?" she inquired.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Oh s**t," Horace said. "I never meet anyone around here!" Grinning he pushed a necklace back on the hanger. Most of them were cleaned up, thank goodness.

"Comanche - Oklahoma Comanche. You?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Well, our little clan has only been out here for a few generations. At least since my great grandmother married out here. She was from the Keetoowah, though I think her family had left Tahlequah before even that." Fox smiled. "I have been out to Oklahoma, though, to visit."

She had to agree it was a small world.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Tahlequah? That's like a billion hours from where I'm from. Lawton, for me." It was, actually, almost four hours, he thought. Maybe. Horace just knew it was in the northeast and Lawton was the southwest.

He snorted. "No need to go back for longer than a visit. Oklahoma's pretty boring. I like it much better here." A pause, followed by a grimace. "Weird question, but did you ever get idiots singing Cherokee Nation at you?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Well, and I'd prefer to avoid any tornados if I can. I didn't know the sirens were a thing and nearly pissed myself the first time one woke me up," Fox laughed nervously at the thought. She'd jolted herself awake and into a panic in an instance over an alarm test.

Ahahahahaha...

"Oh, I get worse than that sometimes too. See..." Fox trailed off, "My father is the owner of Bombay. Y'know. The Indian Restaurant. Because he's Indian....." she sighed deeply, allowing the implication to go on by itself.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I dunno, I kind of miss tornado weather though, you know? The sky gets all green and the way the pressure drops is pretty awesome." Spoken like someone who'd never been in a tornado, but had watched many whistle past. It was all fun and games and storm chasing until one blew your house apart.

He sighed. "Here we just get the edges of hurricanes and stuff. You from around here then?" Horace shook his head at people's shitty 'jokes'. "They don't get it, then get all offended when I say I don't do anything for Thanksgiving."

demon_pachabel