13-09-2019, 07:51 AM
Mander entered the market and held the door open for Helen.
"It doesn't do it automatically?" She puzzled to him as she stepped through the door.
"Not always. They ain't all like in the States." Mander told her. He then got a look of realization. "Has Your Countessness really not been in a market since then?"
"I can burn water." Helen replied. "I lived off Spaghetti-Os and ramen until my friends taught me how to eat at any restaurant for free. Then I married a man who had servants to take care of those things. I know there's a thing about twelve items or fewer. Does a six-pack count as one item or six? That's a question I'd legitimately like to know the answer to, Mander. Because of The Thing and being me, paying for alcohol hasn't been a thing I've even had to think about since Wade got locked away. What's in the drink? Of course, I ask that. But not the price. Liquor is something that people who want to fuck me spend money on, then give to me."
People were getting their phones out at seeing La Contessa enter the store. Like Dietz, Mander was wanted in enough parts of the world to have an aversion to cameras. Helen's blanket pardon meant that he was less concerned about it in San Finzione than elsewhere, but it was still a safety concern. He simply kept a safe distance and all cameras got pointed at La Contessa rather than him. Some were shocked by her casual profanity. The locals who'd encountered their Contessa before were well-accustomed to it.
She felt almost as uncomfortable as she imagined Mander was feeling at being "seen out and about with La Contessa" and the oohing and ahhing that accompanied her when walking into a shop in the marketplace "like it was nothing." Vincenzo I liked to go out in public occasionally to hear what The People had to say to and about him. Helen had decided to wait until she had better poll numbers to listen to what the public thought of her a second time, which was another reason for the Citizens' Grievance Office.
She knew that a European market would differ enough from an American supermarket to not expect the same experience. They didn't have greeters like many big American stores to welcome the customers and thank them for shopping while making sure they didn't steal anything before they leave.
La Contessa walked up to a blonde cashier who smiled silently, afraid to say a word.
"There's no need to be afraid." Helen told her. "I hate to be one of those women who comes into a store and demands to speak to the manager. So, are they around? Nobody's done anything wrong. I've just got a question that you'll have to ask them about anyway."
She called the manager, then pointed toward his office at the end of an aisle.
Helen looked at all the prices of items as she walked, marveling. Since one way or another, not paying for things had been Her Way her entire life, prices for everyday essentials weren't a thing she'd ever had to look at and consider. Prices in US dollars would have confused her as much as prices in euros were doing now. Everywhere she went shopping these days, she had unlimited credit and many of the things they sold could not be described as "essential" or "every day." Some people were still following her with their phones out, recording or taking pictures. Halfway down the aisle, Helen stopped and turned to them.
"Stop recording." She commanded them. They did so. "Put your phones away, go about your shopping experience, and welcome to San Finzione."
The people returned to their business as she and Mander approached a brown-haired man.
"C... Contessa," he stammered. He then dropped to one knee. "It's an honor to have you in our store. How may I help you?"
She looked down at him, then back up to Mander with a "yeah, this happens sometimes" look. Although he was in Bodyguard Mode, Mander cracked a smile.
"Nobody has to kneel for me unless I tell them to or they're being really nice to me, Sal." La Contessa responded, motioning for him to get up while reading his nametag.
"It doesn't do it automatically?" She puzzled to him as she stepped through the door.
"Not always. They ain't all like in the States." Mander told her. He then got a look of realization. "Has Your Countessness really not been in a market since then?"
"I can burn water." Helen replied. "I lived off Spaghetti-Os and ramen until my friends taught me how to eat at any restaurant for free. Then I married a man who had servants to take care of those things. I know there's a thing about twelve items or fewer. Does a six-pack count as one item or six? That's a question I'd legitimately like to know the answer to, Mander. Because of The Thing and being me, paying for alcohol hasn't been a thing I've even had to think about since Wade got locked away. What's in the drink? Of course, I ask that. But not the price. Liquor is something that people who want to fuck me spend money on, then give to me."
People were getting their phones out at seeing La Contessa enter the store. Like Dietz, Mander was wanted in enough parts of the world to have an aversion to cameras. Helen's blanket pardon meant that he was less concerned about it in San Finzione than elsewhere, but it was still a safety concern. He simply kept a safe distance and all cameras got pointed at La Contessa rather than him. Some were shocked by her casual profanity. The locals who'd encountered their Contessa before were well-accustomed to it.
She felt almost as uncomfortable as she imagined Mander was feeling at being "seen out and about with La Contessa" and the oohing and ahhing that accompanied her when walking into a shop in the marketplace "like it was nothing." Vincenzo I liked to go out in public occasionally to hear what The People had to say to and about him. Helen had decided to wait until she had better poll numbers to listen to what the public thought of her a second time, which was another reason for the Citizens' Grievance Office.
She knew that a European market would differ enough from an American supermarket to not expect the same experience. They didn't have greeters like many big American stores to welcome the customers and thank them for shopping while making sure they didn't steal anything before they leave.
La Contessa walked up to a blonde cashier who smiled silently, afraid to say a word.
"There's no need to be afraid." Helen told her. "I hate to be one of those women who comes into a store and demands to speak to the manager. So, are they around? Nobody's done anything wrong. I've just got a question that you'll have to ask them about anyway."
She called the manager, then pointed toward his office at the end of an aisle.
Helen looked at all the prices of items as she walked, marveling. Since one way or another, not paying for things had been Her Way her entire life, prices for everyday essentials weren't a thing she'd ever had to look at and consider. Prices in US dollars would have confused her as much as prices in euros were doing now. Everywhere she went shopping these days, she had unlimited credit and many of the things they sold could not be described as "essential" or "every day." Some people were still following her with their phones out, recording or taking pictures. Halfway down the aisle, Helen stopped and turned to them.
"Stop recording." She commanded them. They did so. "Put your phones away, go about your shopping experience, and welcome to San Finzione."
The people returned to their business as she and Mander approached a brown-haired man.
"C... Contessa," he stammered. He then dropped to one knee. "It's an honor to have you in our store. How may I help you?"
She looked down at him, then back up to Mander with a "yeah, this happens sometimes" look. Although he was in Bodyguard Mode, Mander cracked a smile.
"Nobody has to kneel for me unless I tell them to or they're being really nice to me, Sal." La Contessa responded, motioning for him to get up while reading his nametag.
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