By The Numbers: Back From Manc
Jul. 24th, 2006 05:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiat_knoxWell, Saturday I finally got to meet 198505, or as he likes to call himself, Numbers.
It was a hot, crowded, sunny day, and the trains to Manchester were packed in both directions. This was to be expected, I suppose, because it was the Great British Getaway Weekend, where the holidaymakers from all over make their way toward the airports, seaside resorts and other locales with their kids.
In this case, there were crowds heading off the Liverpool to see the Open at Hoylake, whole scout troupes off to some Jamboree or other, and people getting together to head off to public anti - war rallies being held in the major UK cities, including Liverpool and Manchester, in protest against the Lebanese conflict going on at this moment.
So you could say things were a little bit tight on board those trains ...
Nevertheless, I managed to get into Manchester, a little later than I'd wanted, but I got there. I managed to make it to FB3, but no Numbers.
And then he walked in. Instant Predator's Taint.
Took a while of asking, but eventually we established our identities. And I caught that sense of "expecting somebody taller" again. Last time, with kris_40000, it was the look on his face, as if he'd just bumped into Lt Columbo. Almost the same here. A little different, but same theme.
However, I think we both got along well. We shared a look at the WoD core books I'd just bought: 13th Precinct and Skinchangers. It looked as if I'd managed to snag the last copy of the latter in the shop, but there were a few unsold copies of Tales on the shelves.
Basically, we chatted about the books on hand, Numbers' plans for his ongoing Chronicle (which sound very interesting) and his queries about what Promethean: the Created is about. And then he had to go. Myself, I had something I needed to take care of elsewhere in town, so I bade him adieu.
In all, I think the meeting went well on my part. I hope Numbers came away with as good an impression of me as I have of him.
He's as nice a chap IRL as he is online. I'm glad I brought him on to SnE, and I'm glad to have met him.
The rest of the day went well. In Forbidden Planet, I became acquainted with their magazine ordering service (which might prove to be needed, since my local newsagent's going all nasty with me because I'm an older man reading 2000AD and the monthly Judge Dredd Megazine, something they've firmly decided is for kids only.
And then someone asked me if I was "that bloke off't' telly that speaks Klingon".
Cautiously, I said yes - and that was it. They went wild with enthusiasm. Rarely have I had such an overwhelmingly positive response.
Anyway, that was more or less it. I managed to pay a brief visit to New Aeon Books, where I bought a black felt bag for my Tarto cards, with a silver pentagram and white silk lining, before I got another text from yet another client and I had to make my way home early for an emergency Tarot reading. Duty was calling.
Not so crowded on the trains back, though. And I am enjoying both the books I bought: Skinchangers and Tales of the 13th Precinct.
In all, then, it was a good day.
It was a hot, crowded, sunny day, and the trains to Manchester were packed in both directions. This was to be expected, I suppose, because it was the Great British Getaway Weekend, where the holidaymakers from all over make their way toward the airports, seaside resorts and other locales with their kids.
In this case, there were crowds heading off the Liverpool to see the Open at Hoylake, whole scout troupes off to some Jamboree or other, and people getting together to head off to public anti - war rallies being held in the major UK cities, including Liverpool and Manchester, in protest against the Lebanese conflict going on at this moment.
So you could say things were a little bit tight on board those trains ...
Nevertheless, I managed to get into Manchester, a little later than I'd wanted, but I got there. I managed to make it to FB3, but no Numbers.
And then he walked in. Instant Predator's Taint.
Took a while of asking, but eventually we established our identities. And I caught that sense of "expecting somebody taller" again. Last time, with kris_40000, it was the look on his face, as if he'd just bumped into Lt Columbo. Almost the same here. A little different, but same theme.
However, I think we both got along well. We shared a look at the WoD core books I'd just bought: 13th Precinct and Skinchangers. It looked as if I'd managed to snag the last copy of the latter in the shop, but there were a few unsold copies of Tales on the shelves.
Basically, we chatted about the books on hand, Numbers' plans for his ongoing Chronicle (which sound very interesting) and his queries about what Promethean: the Created is about. And then he had to go. Myself, I had something I needed to take care of elsewhere in town, so I bade him adieu.
In all, I think the meeting went well on my part. I hope Numbers came away with as good an impression of me as I have of him.
He's as nice a chap IRL as he is online. I'm glad I brought him on to SnE, and I'm glad to have met him.
The rest of the day went well. In Forbidden Planet, I became acquainted with their magazine ordering service (which might prove to be needed, since my local newsagent's going all nasty with me because I'm an older man reading 2000AD and the monthly Judge Dredd Megazine, something they've firmly decided is for kids only.
And then someone asked me if I was "that bloke off't' telly that speaks Klingon".
Cautiously, I said yes - and that was it. They went wild with enthusiasm. Rarely have I had such an overwhelmingly positive response.
Anyway, that was more or less it. I managed to pay a brief visit to New Aeon Books, where I bought a black felt bag for my Tarto cards, with a silver pentagram and white silk lining, before I got another text from yet another client and I had to make my way home early for an emergency Tarot reading. Duty was calling.
Not so crowded on the trains back, though. And I am enjoying both the books I bought: Skinchangers and Tales of the 13th Precinct.
In all, then, it was a good day.
