Cart lunches [Maddrox]

[Sunshine]

Penny had finally saved enough money to purchase a little lunch cart thing. Between selling food and crafts she was on her way to her own business. She was thrilled. It took a bit but she got whatever permits and stuff she needed and today was the first day she was going to be able to use her new cart. Since she'd never been there she decided to hit the shipyard. There was bound to be some hungry guys there and her roast beef sandwiches were made from a roast she cooked herself. None of this deli roast stuff, not for her. On top of that, instead of chips she had those potato wedges. Again something that she had made herself. Then were was the coffee pot she had attached to the thing, and sodas on the cooler side, along with the cheeses and veggies.

The chunky little girl had bundled up and was wearing fingerless gloves as she made her way to the shipyard. She parked the cart next to one and looked at the time. Noon. Time for lunch, she hoped. "Roast beef sandwiches and coffee! Fresh, Homemade and Hot! Potato wedges! Fresh and Hot!" She actually rang a little dinner bell that she had put onto the cart as well. Then she waited. Penny also had homemade chocolate chunk cookies for desert. The entire meal would only cost them five bucks. Drink and cookie included.

[Multiple]

It wasn’t necessarily anything that Jamie would have preferred to do, but Arthur Madrox (Well a clone of James Arthur Madrox that chose to go by his originator’s middle name) actually kind of liked the shipyard. Sure, it was one of those jobs that a person never really returned from without feeling like they were going to pass out, but Jamie was actually nice enough (or selfish enough) to let Artie sleep it off before absorbing him again. On the bright side, both of them were starting to learn how to weld; even if Jamie was learning it by way of osmosis. And Arthur had at least developed a bit more time on his own. He reaped none of the benefits of the job but it didn’t matter. They sent the money they made back to their grandmother, as if to repay her for taking care of (and putting up with) her grandson for as long as she had. Good Lord that woman was a saint.

Arthur finished unloading the last of his section of cargo when he finally exhaled a breath that was in dire need of a break. His stomach couldn’t agree more. Actually, Art was kind of shocked he hadn’t fallen asleep while he was at work. Well, as he hopped from the freight ship to the dock, he knew why he hadn’t passed out. “There’s always that whole ‘drowning’ thing,” he muttered to himself as he stuck his hands in his pockets as he tried to think of what the hell he was going to do for food. He made his way into the cabin where his locker resided with the words ‘J. Arthur Madrox’ taped across it. He undid the combination and looked inside to see that there was absolutely nothing.

God. DAMN. It.

Art’s slightly stubbled jaw clenched as he slammed the locker closed and fished out his wallet. Shouldn’t be doing this, he muttered to himself mentally. But what else could he do? Sure he would be fine if he were absorbed again, but Jamie was back at the Academy and Arthur was freaking starving! He found his way to the end of the line as he heard the call of a lunch cart. The words ‘hot’, ‘coffee’, and ‘fresh’ caught his attention and made his stomach snarl as he waited. He’d been there since five a.m. and wasn’t leaving until about nine p.m. and that didn’t count the commute back home. Arthur longed for a nap, but right now he longed for food even more. As much as he wanted to cut in line, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He let out a long yawn as he watched some shove past him. It was then that the dupe outstretched a hand and caught the back of his shirt. “Sorry. You diabetic?”

“Well, no. The hell you care?”

“Well,” Art said through grit teeth as he yanked the man back. “Some of us have been waiting in line. Some of us have been here since five a.m. And some of us, would like to pay this nice dame,” he gestured to the vendor, “the goddamn courtesy of waiting patiently in line and not making her feel rushed.”

“Screw you,” the man said as he jerked from Art’s grasp; which only inspired Arthur to yank his sleeve back a little rougher. “The hell is your problem, man!?”

“My problem is that we’re waiting in line and you’ve got some sort of self-entitled agenda that makes you think you deserve your food faster. Like I said before,” he pushed the man towards the end. “Back. Of. The. Line.”

[Sunshine]

Brown eyes got wide when she saw the line. She wasn't worried about running out of food, she had plenty. it wasn't one of those tiny little hot dog stands. It was one of those bigger ones and it had like a golf cart attached to it. She loved that thing! Penny was all smiles and serving up the food when she heard the commotion. Her head tilted to look down the line and her brow furrowed. The young man who was trying to get the guy to back off caught her attention, but she dismissed it. He was way too cute for a girl like her. Again she smiled and continued serving the food.

When the man wouldn't stop, she heard the boy and held up one hand. "It's simple really. He gets to the back of the line or he doesn't eat. I don't serve people who cut in line unless I tell them to." She nodded her head and that was that in her mind. But she kept the boy in her thoughts, and figured she'd give him an extra cookie for helping out. It didn't take long before she was about to come face to face with the young man. The smile she gave him was extra bright and extra warm. "Hello, what can I get you today? We have, roast beef, potato wedges, chocolate chunk cookies, coffee and soda. We also have, roast beef, potato wedges, chocolate chunk cookies, coffee and soda." Her smile widened at her stupid little joke. Kind of like what Mr. Ford said. "You can have any color you want, as long as it's black."

[Multiple]

Arthur waited in line patiently; knowing that his turn would come and that he’d caused too much of a commotion over the prospect of lunch. In his defense, it smelled damn good and he had split energy with nine other dupes, ten if Jamie counted, so to say he was hungry would have been an understatement. He heard the line jumper muttering in the back in regards to the young duplicate, but he ignored it. It was lunch time. Which mean he had to scarf as much food as he could down before clocking in early to go right the hell back to work. As the line moved, he could barely even think straight while his brain funneled in with what the dupes were going through and what Jamie was napping through in class. His mind drifted a bit until he realized that he was next.

When he came face to face with the girl running the stand he couldn’t help but smile a bit sheepishly considering how he’d acted while in line. He thought for a second, pretending to weigh in his choices before grinning full on. “Well, tough one,” he hummed and tossed a wink in her direction. He placed an order that may as well have been two of everything and rubbed the back of his neck before pulling out his wallet. “Thanks. You have no idea how wrecked I was when I forgot my lunch,” he said with a slight laugh as he looked at her. She seemed nice enough. “Oh… sorry about the scene I made in line,” he added as his eyes averted to his work boots. Hrm. Somewhere in James Arthur Madrox there was still a decent guy… it just happened to come in the form of Arty.

[Sunshine]

Honestly, Penny thought that was the sweetest and coolest thing when he made that man go to back of the line. She was tempted to turn the man away when it was his turn, but she might just charge him double instead. Teach him not to cut in front of the line. The young man was really cute and she swallowed a sigh. She helped the people before him with a soft and warm smile like she always did. Her smile stayed as he seemed a bit preoccupied, but she didn't rush him. Up close she found out he was way more cute than she had thought. Oh dear, she hoped she didn't make a fool of herself.

Penny couldn't stop the blush when they were actually face to face and he was smiling at her. She giggled a bit at his comment and then wanted to kick herself for being a twit. She made him up two plates, effectively, and gave him four cookies and two coffees, she also threw in a soda. Then she smiled at him. ”That will be five dollars please.” Owner's prerogative, she could give him what she wanted for how much she wanted. In her mind he earned it. ”Thank you for that. Not many people would stand up to guys like him. So, yeah, thanks. I uh.. I'm Penny.” He didn't ask and she doubted he cared, but she told him anyway, and blushed the entire time. She put his food in a bag so it would be easier for him to carry and gave him his two cups of coffee. ”I hope you like it.” She chewed her bottom lip and wondered if he worked tomorrow.