An interview- Onyx

 

“Good morning! Thank you for taking the time to sit down with me. How are you doing today?”

“It’s a beautiful day,” he said with a smile as he sat on the couch. “I feel great. What about yourself?”

“I’m doing very well, thank you. Shall we get started?”

“Please,” he said, gesturing to continue.

“How do you take your coffee?”

“Brewed strong with a splash of caramel macchiato creamer, but I do drink it black pretty often, too,” he said as he propped his ankle up on his knee.

“What dictates the choice?”

“Convenience mostly. If I’m at home, the creamer is available. Drinking it black is just easiest if I’m out on a job. No stirring required, and I don’t have to give additional instructions if someone else is grabbing it for me.”

“Where is your favorite place?”

“That’s tricky,” he said, drumming his fingers on his thigh. “There are a few places that bring me some peace. The place I spent the most time in is a little spot in the woods by train tracks. It’s recently become even more special. However, I really like bookstores. Every city I go to, I find at least one bookstore to decompress in. Grab a coffee and a book. You can just get lost for a short time. So, I guess it depends on the context of the moment.”

“That spot in the woods sounds great! What made it become more special to you recently?”

“A date with a very special girl,” he said as a smile lit up his entire face.

“Want to elaborate?”

“She is just someone very important to me. Seeing how much she loved it there… Well, it just brought me a sense of home, ya know? Have you ever experienced that?”

“I can’t say I have, but it sounds perfect.”

“It really is,” he said, leaning back and stretching his arm out over the back of the couch.

“What’s your favorite book?”

“Depends on who’s asking,” he laughed. “I usually tell people Tom Sawyer is my favorite. Sounds very adult and mature, right? I actually like anything with vampires in it. Sawyer is still a good book, don't get me wrong, I’m just fascinated by vampires. Seeing the different way they are portrayed, the lore they pull on, and how in the world they could exist.”

“I like the dichotomy of being a member of a secret sect of people while doubting there could be others.”

“Well,” he said with a Cheshire grin. “Being one of the secrets in life makes you more open to others. If something like vampires existed, we’d be the ones to know.”

“What if they do exist and know about the elementals but have the same mentality you have with humans?”

“That would be interesting, wouldn’t it? One of the reasons I like to read about them.”

“If you discover any proof, be sure to let me know.”

“Will do,” he said with a wink.

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“Hmm,” he started, tipping his head to the side. “I don’t know that I can just pick one. I tend to like comedies. With everything else in my life, it’s nice to just let go and do something fun. Happy Gilmore is a go-to. So is American Pie.”

“I’m not sure what I expected, but that wasn’t it.”

“I’m full of surprises,” he said with a grin.

“What’s a hobby you have?”

“I like cars. I like building and restoring them when I have time. I taught myself how to work on them when I was a teenager. It’s harder now, though. So much of it is computer-based. I still do it. When I get the time, I pick up the newer tools meant to help diagnose cars now.”

“What got you started?”

“I don’t really know. I always found it interesting. It was just something I wanted to do. I took an automotive class in high school, which gave me the needed stepping stones to teach myself the rest.”

“What skill do you have that might be surprising?”

“I took choir in high school, too. So I can sing pretty well. I’m not going to be winning any awards for it, but it’s a cool skill to whip out from time to time.”

“Any chance there will be a display of that in the not-too-distant future?”

He slid his foot back to the floor and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. A child-like grin grew.

“There is a very distinct possibility. We’ll see how it goes.”

“I’m looking forward to it! What does the perfect vacation look like to you?”

“Time to relax with people I care about.”

“What about the location or activities you’d want to do?”

“None of that matters so much with a vacation. Sure, time on a beach is great, fancy hotels are great, but just having time without the pressures of my job with people I like to be around is a vacation in and of itself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to say no to a day on the beach sipping Mai Tais, but it’s not a requirement for a good vacation.”

“What about a perfect date?”

“Hiking to somewhere beautiful, cooking over a fire, and spending the night counting stars.”

“That sounds lovely.”

“I haven’t ever been able to achieve that. Either time wasn’t on my side, or I just didn’t feel like it would be appreciated.”

“What about now?”

“We’ll see,” he said, leaning back and grinning.

“Well, thank you so much for your time. I’ll let you get back.”

“It was a pleasure,” he said as he stood and stretched. “Let’s do it again sometime.”

“I’m sure we will.”

He sauntered off and slipped out the door.