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31_days2013-11-12 01:28 am
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2013-11-12 01:28 am
[November 12th] [The Rockford Files-related] Chronicles of a Friendship, 12
Title: Chronicles of a Friendship, scene 12
Day/Theme: November 12th - The Four Emperors
Series: The Rockford Files (using characters from The Queen of Peru episode)
Character/Pairing: Ginger Townsend, Lou Trevino
Rating: K+/PG
By Lucky_Ladybug
It was a fairly peaceful evening when Lou wandered into the living room and found Ginger perusing the day’s paper. In particular, he seemed to find the headlining story of interest.
“Hey, Ginger,” he greeted. “What’s up?”
“There’s a new exhibit coming to the local museum of natural history,” Ginger remarked. “The Four Emperors.” He turned the paper to show Lou the image of the quartet of glistening, rare gems.
Lou nodded in approval and sat next to him. “I heard about that. I wondered what you were going to think of it.”
“There was a time when we would have been all over this,” Ginger said. He set the paper down, looking rather longingly at the multi-colored stones. “To pull off a heist such as that would rival even the Borland Diamond theft.”
Lou glanced at the paper again. “Yeah, I guess it would,” he said noncommittally. “But Ginger, you’re not thinking . . .”
“No. Not of doing it. Although I have been mentally imagining how it would work.” Ginger leaned back into the couch.
Lou knew Ginger sometimes planned robberies in his mind that he had no intention of actually carrying out. It was a carryover from those days that he had never been able to fully eliminate from his interest. He liked the stimulation of strategizing, of working out the most foolproof plan for execution.
“You still miss it, huh?” Lou spoke.
“And probably always will, to some extent.” Ginger folded his arms. “But I don’t miss prison and don’t want to jeopardize the fresh start we were given. Don’t worry.”
Lou nodded. He liked the verbal assurance, even though he had full confidence in Ginger.
“Do you want to see the exhibit, at least?” he asked.
“I’ve thought about it,” Ginger admitted. “But no, I don’t think so. It would be too much of a temptation.”
Lou considered that. “Maybe that’s why you should go,” he suggested. “Why we should both go. Let’s see how much of a temptation it really is and if we’ve gotten past it.” He paused, concerned. “Unless you’re really afraid that seeing it will make you change your mind.” In that case, Lou would adamantly speak against going.
Ginger frowned. “Perhaps I am, somewhat,” he said. “But I’d hate to think that I have so little willpower. I like your idea.” He glanced at the paper again. “The exhibit opens in two weeks. Let’s go.”
Lou was starting to regret having suggested it now, but he knew there was no turning back. The idea had been planted and Ginger would keep hold of it and cultivate it.
“Okay,” he said quietly.
****
The attendance was high the opening day of the exhibit. It was relatively easy for Ginger and Lou to slip in amid the crowd and remain unnoticed. That was just as well for them; they did not want to call attention to their presence.
After some pushing and prodding and jostling with the other onlookers, they were able to get a clear look at the displayed gems. The objects glittered in their case, bright under the glow of the museum lights.
Ginger’s eyes glittered too. “They’re magnificent,” he declared. “Imagine what a price they’d bring from a private collector.”
“I’m imagining more the price they’d bring to us if we were caught lifting them,” Lou said.
“Bah. It is a pity.” Ginger studied the case and its contents from all angles before they were asked to move on and let the next in line come through. They went agreeably, neither casting a backwards glance at the exhibit.
Both were silent until they were outside and reached their car. “Well?” Lou asked at last, hesitant, somewhat concerned.
Ginger eased into the passenger seat and waited for Lou. “As you know, I’m not what I would consider repented,” he confessed. “Yes, I like the thought of pulling off another skillful theft. I’m not sure how to rid that from my mind. I like the challenge and also the money involved. But I won’t go through with it, nor will I try to encourage you to do so. What we have isn’t worth the risk.”
“But if we could pull it off without getting caught, you would want to do it,” Lou finished as he started the engine.
“Yes.”
Lou sighed. “Do you want to feel that way?” he couldn’t help asking. “Is that why you can’t make yourself stop?”
“Perhaps.” Ginger leaned back.
“But you know you shouldn’t,” Lou supplied. “Isn’t that why you feel like it’s so crazy to think that God would have anything to do with you?”
“Now you’re a bloody psychologist again,” Ginger grunted. “I suppose that’s part of it. That, and my ill temper.”
“Well . . . at least you know you have problems,” Lou said.
“And you’re not concerned.”
“I know you have a lot of willpower, Ginger,” Lou said. “You won’t let yourself give in, at least not on these jewel heists.”
Ginger nodded. “Whether I like it or not, we have retired from that occupation.” He leaned back. “And with a choice between that and our current lives, I am perfectly alright with that.”
Lou smiled. “I’m glad.”
Day/Theme: November 12th - The Four Emperors
Series: The Rockford Files (using characters from The Queen of Peru episode)
Character/Pairing: Ginger Townsend, Lou Trevino
Rating: K+/PG
It was a fairly peaceful evening when Lou wandered into the living room and found Ginger perusing the day’s paper. In particular, he seemed to find the headlining story of interest.
“Hey, Ginger,” he greeted. “What’s up?”
“There’s a new exhibit coming to the local museum of natural history,” Ginger remarked. “The Four Emperors.” He turned the paper to show Lou the image of the quartet of glistening, rare gems.
Lou nodded in approval and sat next to him. “I heard about that. I wondered what you were going to think of it.”
“There was a time when we would have been all over this,” Ginger said. He set the paper down, looking rather longingly at the multi-colored stones. “To pull off a heist such as that would rival even the Borland Diamond theft.”
Lou glanced at the paper again. “Yeah, I guess it would,” he said noncommittally. “But Ginger, you’re not thinking . . .”
“No. Not of doing it. Although I have been mentally imagining how it would work.” Ginger leaned back into the couch.
Lou knew Ginger sometimes planned robberies in his mind that he had no intention of actually carrying out. It was a carryover from those days that he had never been able to fully eliminate from his interest. He liked the stimulation of strategizing, of working out the most foolproof plan for execution.
“You still miss it, huh?” Lou spoke.
“And probably always will, to some extent.” Ginger folded his arms. “But I don’t miss prison and don’t want to jeopardize the fresh start we were given. Don’t worry.”
Lou nodded. He liked the verbal assurance, even though he had full confidence in Ginger.
“Do you want to see the exhibit, at least?” he asked.
“I’ve thought about it,” Ginger admitted. “But no, I don’t think so. It would be too much of a temptation.”
Lou considered that. “Maybe that’s why you should go,” he suggested. “Why we should both go. Let’s see how much of a temptation it really is and if we’ve gotten past it.” He paused, concerned. “Unless you’re really afraid that seeing it will make you change your mind.” In that case, Lou would adamantly speak against going.
Ginger frowned. “Perhaps I am, somewhat,” he said. “But I’d hate to think that I have so little willpower. I like your idea.” He glanced at the paper again. “The exhibit opens in two weeks. Let’s go.”
Lou was starting to regret having suggested it now, but he knew there was no turning back. The idea had been planted and Ginger would keep hold of it and cultivate it.
“Okay,” he said quietly.
The attendance was high the opening day of the exhibit. It was relatively easy for Ginger and Lou to slip in amid the crowd and remain unnoticed. That was just as well for them; they did not want to call attention to their presence.
After some pushing and prodding and jostling with the other onlookers, they were able to get a clear look at the displayed gems. The objects glittered in their case, bright under the glow of the museum lights.
Ginger’s eyes glittered too. “They’re magnificent,” he declared. “Imagine what a price they’d bring from a private collector.”
“I’m imagining more the price they’d bring to us if we were caught lifting them,” Lou said.
“Bah. It is a pity.” Ginger studied the case and its contents from all angles before they were asked to move on and let the next in line come through. They went agreeably, neither casting a backwards glance at the exhibit.
Both were silent until they were outside and reached their car. “Well?” Lou asked at last, hesitant, somewhat concerned.
Ginger eased into the passenger seat and waited for Lou. “As you know, I’m not what I would consider repented,” he confessed. “Yes, I like the thought of pulling off another skillful theft. I’m not sure how to rid that from my mind. I like the challenge and also the money involved. But I won’t go through with it, nor will I try to encourage you to do so. What we have isn’t worth the risk.”
“But if we could pull it off without getting caught, you would want to do it,” Lou finished as he started the engine.
“Yes.”
Lou sighed. “Do you want to feel that way?” he couldn’t help asking. “Is that why you can’t make yourself stop?”
“Perhaps.” Ginger leaned back.
“But you know you shouldn’t,” Lou supplied. “Isn’t that why you feel like it’s so crazy to think that God would have anything to do with you?”
“Now you’re a bloody psychologist again,” Ginger grunted. “I suppose that’s part of it. That, and my ill temper.”
“Well . . . at least you know you have problems,” Lou said.
“And you’re not concerned.”
“I know you have a lot of willpower, Ginger,” Lou said. “You won’t let yourself give in, at least not on these jewel heists.”
Ginger nodded. “Whether I like it or not, we have retired from that occupation.” He leaned back. “And with a choice between that and our current lives, I am perfectly alright with that.”
Lou smiled. “I’m glad.”