says,
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The Pawn Shop
Finegan and Joey are walking through a business district of a small
flooded city. The business district is above the water line, though
most of the small city and its suburbs have been flooded. The area
appears deserted and has as usual been devastated by quakes and high
winds. Shingles have been ripped off roofs, masonry buildings have
collapsed, frame buildings have been thrown sideways, and any signs not
painted on the buildings themselves have been blown about and are in
the street. Portions of the signs can be read, saying things like
“Insurance” or “Municipal” or “Handy Mart”.
It is drizzling, so Finegan and Joey are steadily becoming damp, their
clothing starting to stick to them. They arrive at a former pawnshop,
the fading sign painted on the wall above the door. The door open, and
they hear noises of someone bustling around inside. Finegan says,
The pawnshopman is rearranging shelves, moving items off a shelf,
dusting the shelf, then returning the items. For all the clutter, the
place is immaculate, all except for the pawnshopman himself. He is
short, has an extremely dirty white shirt on, rolled up at the sleeves.
He wears a gray-stripped vest, also covered with dust in places. His
gray striped pants are bagging and stretched out over the knees from
too much kneeling. His black leather shoes are scuffed, the shoelaces
flapping under foot.
The pawnshop is filled with items, so every shelf is crowded and every
corner piled high. Items line the front of the counter and are piled on
the counter top. These are all items formerly of value, when a monetary
system was in place and people were not starving. Jewelry lays in
piles, though some is placed under the counter for safekeeping.
Electronic equipment is stuffed into the shelves behind the counter,
with some speakers placed along the front of the counters. Fine
ballroom dresses and tuxedos are hanging on a rack toward the back of
the shop. Dish sets, fine pottery, glassware and crystal are displayed
on one shelf, the boxes containing the full place settings behind these
display items. Leather cowboy boots and matching belts are on another
shelf, along with accompanying items such as cowboy hats. Under the
counter in one spot are displayed metals of honor from past wars or
with a presidential seal, given in appreciation.
Finegan and Joey are gawking, looking around in amazement as they
slowly walk down the middle of the shop, between the counters. They
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look high and low, not saying a word, taking it all in. The pawnshopman
says,
Finegan says,
The pawnshopman says,
He walks over to a counter top piled high with video games.
Finegan says,
To which the pawnshipman replies,
Both Finegan and the pawnshopman stop the conversation and just stare
at each other at this point, as Finegan is stunned at this delusion and
the pawnshopman does not want to get into details. Finegan leans an
elbow on the counter, leaning toward the short pawnshopman who is
standing proudly behind his wares, fingertips resting on the counter
edge and back ramrod straight.
To which the pawnshopman replies,
Just then a man wearing his Sunday best, suit and bow tie and shined
shoes and hat walks into the pawnshop. He is carrying a small wooden
box, which he sets on the counter. He opens it carefully and music
plays. He almost visibly breathes a sigh of relief, as though he had
expected it might not work right. He looks at the pawnshopman, who
says,
The man in his Sunday best looks a bit worried as he is going to try
for food instead of the usual – cash.
The pawnshopman replies,
He gestures at the pile of video games.
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