1325/Potato Peeling is a Job Skill

Potato Peeling is a Job Skill
Date of Scene:	21 March 2024
Location:	Korma Chameleon
Synopsis:	Rashmi's father tests Bow's skills with the knife to see if he'll be a good fit in the kitchen. He has a job! Yay!
Cast of Characters:	Rashmi Terios, Bow

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Rashmi Terios has posed:
Job interviews don't *typically* happen this late at night. However, even during the slow times, the Korma can't afford to close for very long; the best compromise is to set up an early close, to give Bow the chance to interview without the madness of a full kitchen complicating things. So Rashmi had made sure to text Bow to show up at 8:00 pm, and be ready to have his knife skills tested.

In the restaurant itself, Goro Terios has set out a few full bins of vegetables, and the rest of the kitchen staff relaxing with tea and snacks, winding down from the dinner rush. Goro himself is the very image of a gangly, scruffy Osakan, with a mop of wild hair that fluffs out under his chef's hat, a seemingly permanent three-day beard, resting stern face, and a popsicle stick jutting out of the corner of his mouth. "Just bein' clear," he drawls to his daughter, perched on a stool in the corner, "you're not steppin' out with this one too, right?"

Rashmi flushes, reaching up and picking off a bit of carrot greens from a nearby container to hurl -- ineffectively -- at her father. "No and he's got his own girlfriend, Papi," she says over the snickers of the kitchen staff, "he's just a friend, and he needs the money to treat her right."

"Good enough," Goro replies. "Let's see what-all he's got, then."

Bow has posed:
If Bow had known that they were making special accomodations, he would have probably protested and begged off or tried to reschedule, or any other number of things he would have tried to draw attention off himself. But, not knowing these things, the Etherian teenager is timely, arriving a few minutes before eight. Dressed in his nicest clothes, in this case a button up long-sleeve shirt in black that hide the abs, grey slacks, and shoes that look leather but probably are pleather, he arrives at the restaurant.

And he can't help but to stand out, all six feet dark-skin that is almost a match for Rashmi, and as he notices the redhead, he lifts his hand in greetings, making his way over. "Evening, Rashmi!" he greets, and remembering what he was coached, he offers a polite bow of his head in greetings to her father.

"Hello. I'm Luke Armbruster," he offers in way of greetings. "But most people that know me call me Bow, because of my love of archery, the violin, and presents." He's still testing that out. At least he didn't immediately add that he's from America?

"Thank you for providing me this opprotunity to prove my worth for gainful employment!" he offers. "In the past, my experience was based in training in a wilderness survival group, organizing and planning for a small group, and preparing meals using basic materials and essentials as well as wild and caught game."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...Well that's questions one through four taken care of," the elder Terios drawls. Despite his stern face, he -- and the rest of the staff, it seems -- are more charmed and amused by the utter *earnestness* of this foreign boy. Removing the popsicle stick, Goro nods to the trays set out on the prep counter. "Foragin' experience is good t'have, an' you'd be one of three that ever worked in this kitchen to have any," he begins. "But what I'm needin' most is a prep worker, an' prep work means you gotta move quick, safe, an' be consistent. The first an' the last come with practice, but Rule Number One in my kitchen is--"

And he's cut off by the rest of the staff. "--If you can't care about your own safety, you'll probably get someone else hurt first."

Very clearly pretending to scowl, Goro stabs the stick in the staffers' direction. "...That. My job is lookin' out for all of y'all, an' I do *not* look kindly on folk who'll get my people hurt."

"Basically what he means is," Rashmi pipes up from the corner, "If you've been up all night studying, or you're sick, he'll be happier if you call out, rather than come into work and risk an accident. Some places don't care; they also tend to weasel out of paying for treatment if someone gets hurt."

"Thank you, Sunshine," Goro says, favoring her daughter with a genuinely warm smile, then turns back to the earnest young boy. "Okay... Guessin' as you know what a centimeter is, but just in case y'don't, that first tray's got potatoes for stewin'. I want em peeled an' cubed, one-centimeter pieces. Half an inch if you're as American as you sound."

And a stopwatch comes out, ready to activate the moment Bow starts to work.

Bow has posed:
Oh thank Brightmoon he used centimeters, because Bow has no idea what an inch is. As Goro is laying down his requirements and listening, he gives a nod of his head, a small smile of agreement. "I'm in the band and in archery, so I know how important the hands are, and taking care of them, if I am having issues with school or anything, I will make sure to let you know in advance." he offers quickly. "And where I'm from, if you're lax with your own safety, a whole lot of people can get hurt." With that admission, his attention turns to the challenge.

Tubers! Bow actually seems to relax a little. He's seen so many weird food and things since he arrived from Etheria that he wasn't sure what was going to be thrown at him. But when it's clear he's not being asked to remove the poison sack from a blowfish - potatoes are something he knows.

He was just about to reach for his own blade when he pauses. "Do you have a peeling blade?" He pulls out his own multi-purpose knife from it's sheath, "As you can see, my knife could do the work, but as you don't know where it's been, I'd rather use a tool I can show the proper resepect to!"

And once he has the blade, he checks to make sure the potatoes have been washed first. If so, because he wasn't going to fall into that trap, he washes his own hands. "Alright. Ready!" And with that, he grabs his first potato and starts to peel. As he does so, he starts to hum. It's an aimless little melody, and not one that can be placed. And then he starts to softly sing,

"With a flick of the wrist, and a whisper light,
The skins glide off, in the tranquil night.
No mundane chore, but a dance of delight,
As tubers transform in the shimmering light.

For in Etheria's lands, where wonders abound,
Even the simplest tasks are magic-bound.
And as the potatoes yield to the peeler's might,
They join the feast of moons, in the mystical night."

The first few potatoes are quickly done, the cubes added to the bowl as he uses the melody as a guide, a potato is completed between each little verse that he sings.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
There are indeed a wide array of knives and tools set out for Bow's use, from paring knives to peelers to chonky chef knives and heavy Chinese cleavers. As Bow works, and the stopwatch ticks, Goro looks across the kitchen to a pair of staffers, nodding a silent command.

The two immediately take up station to either side of Bow, one using a cleaver to smash and mince garlic, another peeling and chopping carrots. In every way, it's a good taste of what the pace will be like in the kitchen, but with one subtle tweak;

The staffers to either side are *deliberately* working at their own rhythm, and each is slightly discordant to Bow's in different ways. Subtle, but enough to subconsciously build pressure.

Bow has posed:
The discontent is noticable, as Bow starts to pick up on the subtle changes in cadence and flow. This is not different from being in the field - and having to herd his two best friends most of the time that seem to operate at wildly different wavelengths.

But it does queue the teenager to quiet down, lowering his voice back into the quiet hum he has going. Another tuber taken as he checks it over. A pause. Cutting it open, he looks at it with a frown, before setting it aside. It's rather dark on the inside, and he plans to ask about it later. It just doesn't look right.

And with that, he's back on his little pace to peel and dice the potatoes, feeling the press of the different rhythms and starting to alter his just a bit to try to merge his work with theirs to try to make it more efficent. And he really wishes he had worn a headband at this point.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Good eye," Goro grunts as Bow sets a potato aside, and the tray becomes emptier and emptier. "Good hands, too. When you're done with those, Kenichi'll show you some *extremely* local ingredients, an' how to prep 'em."

From her stool, Rashmi gives her father a slightly jaundiced look. "Papi, c'mon. You know what that means..."

And Goro matches her daughter, hairy eyeball for hairy eyeball. Without breaking eye contact, he taps a finger against a squeeze-bottle of ketchup, then boops Rashmi's nose, prompting a startled *hey!* and frantic cleaning efforts. "So yeah you're hired," he tells Bow. "But you're gonna want to stay an' learn, an' you'll be gettin' paid for your time. Work is work is work, after all. I'll be needin' your clothes sizes by tomorrow, so's I can make sure you got a proper uniform, an' I'll have the contract for you t'sign then."

Bow has posed:
"My dads' told me one time," Bow comments as he works on one of the last potatoes on the tray, "a man that works with his hand is a laborer; a man that works with his hands and his brains is a craftsman; but the man that works with his hands, brain and heart in concert? That's an arist. They always told me to be an artist in all that I do. And I've peeled plenty of tubers."

A quick grin as he hears the challenge, and even if Rashmi is protesting, the Etherian teen rises to the challenge. "I'm always willing to learn something new! Helps expand my repitoire." That offered cheerfully, as he finishes the last of the potatoes, he slides the diced bits into the container. "All ready to be washed and cooked."

Then he gets the affirmation that he desired and he makes a little fistpump. "Yes!" he grins. "Oh, sizes. I uh..." Well. He can rattle of what letters they are, but he's not had a proper measurement since arriving on Earth. However, he does remember his Etherian sizes, and hoping they're the same, rattles those off quickly.

"I look forward to working with you, Mister Terios! And again, Rashmi, thank you so much for letting me know about the opening. I feel bad about Sayaka paying for like... all of our dates."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"See?" Rashmi says from her stool, now that her nose is cleaned off properly, and Goro chuckles... Though the Etherian sizes do give him pause. "...Tell ya what why don't'cha check the tags on your school clothes, an' write that down for when you come back in tomorrow.

The one named Kenichi scrapes the garlic into a container, then fetches a tray full of a half-dozen white root-looking vegetables, another with two different kinds of cabbage, and a third with packages of... something wobbly, off-white, and in a liquid of some sort.

"So there's your daikon, napa cabbage an' bok choy, an' silken tofu," Goro drawls. "The last don't look it, but it's made from beans, an' you'll wanna make sure all the water's pressed out before you cut. Kenichi'll show you how, but with silken tofu you wanna be *real* careful; it's delicate enough it'll tear easy, an' good for developing patience."

After a bit of silence, Goro nods to himself, slowly. "Sounds like your dads taught you right, then... An' they'd probably get along like a house on fire with the missus. People turn their noses up when she calls herself a spice artist... Until they see her work."

Bow has posed:
There's a grin at the interplay between Rashmi and her father - it's something he misses a lot from his own parents. A shake of his head as he returns his focus to the task at hand. "Daikon, napa cabbage, bok choy, silken tofu." he repeats the names to try to grasp them, and is already studying them to figure out where he may have seen them before.

"Made from beans?" That brings a couple of blinks from the Etherian, but he's willing to accept - well anything at this point. He's seen enough strange things in this world to just simple accept it as it is presented to him. That whole trusting naiveity flaw of his, really.

But when Goro mentions his wife, Bow offers a smile. "She sounds wonderful, and I'm sure that they would. After all, you both raised a wonderful daughter that I consider a good friend to have - and I know she plenty of others that think the same."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Oh you'll meet Mami before long," Rashmi chuckles. "'Spice artist' means it's her job to prep and mix all the spices... most of which we grow up on the roof. And she does the managing side, cos Papi's always put the 'vagrant' in 'vagrant chef.'"

And once again, Goro gives his daughter the stinkeye. "...This how you talk about your old man at that school o' your'n?"

"No Papi," Rashmi says sweetly, "this is how I talk about you to your face."

"Good girl," Goro grunts, nodding, then turns back to Bow, watching Kenichi take him through the process of 'skinning' a daikon -- which turns out to be a radish the size of Bow's entire upper arm, and in this restaurant 'skinning' means 'hacking sections into thick rectangles, hacking the rectangles into thin cards, then slicing the cards into noodle-sized shreds -- with his arms folded, and a smile on his face. "Ananda'll love to hear that, Bow-san," he says. "Frankly we're all just pleased as punch, seein' our little book gremlin finally startin' to thrive."

Bow has posed:
"Book Gremlin?" Bow gives Rashmi a slow smile. Oh, that is getting committed to memory. He can't really go into detail about how Rashmi helped save his rear the first night, but he does comment. "Oh, if it wasn't for her, I'd never been introduced to my girlfriend." the teenager explains easily.

"Of course, she's probably regretting that because among everything else that is going on, I'm organizing the Academy's prom." A grin as he continues to pay attention to the daikon, and once it's his turn, he takes a crack at it. It's not going to be as good as his potato work - he's had years of practice with those, after all.

"I hope that someday, she gets to see the library that my fathers curated back home." he comments as he works. "They wanted me to be the next in line, since I was the youngest of thirteen, and figured I'd want to be the next curator of it next."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Yeah we had that thought too," Goro chuckles, as Kenichi moves on to the bok choy; which can apparently be prepared in several different ways, according to the needs of the dish. "But, at the moment, we'll wait to name an heir to the restaurant, until we see if any grandchildren happen to look keen to pick up a knife."

And so the evening wears on, with Bow learning the basics of the ins and outs of the curry kitchen, and Goro proving to be much less stern than his scruffy features might make him seem.

And Bow *absolutely* has a job.