Needing a Chance to Escape

Matt smiled, he ran to the back and opened the fridge. He grabbed two colas and walked back to the counter. He jumped over the counter and took a seat on the stool next to Khaat, passed her drink to her. He listened to her, he closed his eyes and sighed. "I know...but pushing myself to do my work is what keeps me happy really." he said. "I haven't really done anything exciting in quite some time..." he told her. "It is rather sad...I miss golfing actually." he said chuckling. "We invented it, I loved it, haven't played it in years."

"I'd love to go back to Spain..." he told her. "I went there once a while back with my friend. She owns a church over there." he told her. "I'd like to go to France, I've never been there. Nor America, I heard it's not the healthiest place on earth. But I heard in Canada they have forests as far as the eye can see." he told her. "So many things I'd like to know, but I've never done them. I just never liked going places alone, and when I had so much free time."

"I've never tried golf," she smiled, "Other than some of America's odd little putt putt courses. They're sort of fun. I was never very good at them, but I had a good time. I was in Canada once when I was a kid, but I was in the city. Never saw a forest, but I've heard the same thing . Ive been to Paris several times, been to Spain once. Been to America several times. As far as it being unhealthy, well, it can be. It depends on where you go and what you do.

"Perhaps we both could use a break. I have been guilty of making myself indespensible at times, and really, nobody is that important that they cannot take time for themselves. Take tonight as a good example. We had a whole rash of, well, dueling accidents. We were overrun with them. In fact, I think I have all my healers still on board there, working overtime. It took me awhile to realize I had to step away for a bit, which is, really, how I ended up here. Not that I am disappointed in the least," she smiled at him.

" I know all about work making a person happy. After my marriage to Rob broke up, I sank myself as far into my work as I could go. If it hadn't been for the fact that I do have a beautiful baby at home, I probably would not have even come up for air. I like my work, but Abbey is putting a different perspective on that for me. That, and the fact that since I was brought up in the country makes me realize that sometimes we can take ourselves too seriously and that there's more than work. Oh, listen to me!" she laughed. "I'm one of the worst workaholics around--talking about the benefits of taking time off. Something's just not right in that."

"I could teach you to play golf if you like. It's fun, but some people say it's like watching paint dry." he laughed. "I enjoy camping as well, the Canadian forests are good for that. I suppose you're right." he told her about America. "I went to Los Angeles, not a very good city in my opinion." he told her. Maybe a break would be nice, he thought. He did do too much for his work really. Plus he'd take one with Khaat in a heartbeat, vacations are good.

"I wish my work was as exciting." he chuckled. "The most exciting thing that's ever happened here was the stereo wasn't working." he told her. "But it still sounds terrible, and the fact that you're running it all sounds hard." He'd never have to do that much work ever. Besides on the farm anyway, before he started drinking.

"Workaholics unite!" he said chuckling. "We should take a break!" he said smiling. He'd take a chance now, "We should take a vacation...together?" he asked her. "I've always been fond of you." he chuckled.

"And I am very fond of you too," she smiled. " You know, I don't mind doing the work that I do. It must be a Gryffindor thing. Gryffindors tend for some little twisted reason to like to take charge, put others first, jump under the proverbial bus for others, all that business. I think that makes us not only good fighters but good healers. I've never met a Gryffindor that likes to stay in the background--ever. I think if that ever happened, I would seriously think the sorting hat made a mistake.

" I don't know why I didn't see you as a camping sort of a guy, but I love camping. Oh, and you are absolutely right about Los Angeles. Its way too big, too complicated for my blood. I would love to take a trip someplace together. So, I know you like the woods, simple things, the Canadian outdoors. but do you have any place that you haven't been that you would like to go see? Maybe you are quite the world traveller and don't have any desire to explore anything else. Where is it you have always wanted to go, Blaire Murray?" she asked, inviting him to share his travelling dreams with her. Personally, Khaat was flexible. She could take a metropolitan spree as well as a rock climbing getaway. Either worked for her.

He chuckled, a Gryffindor thing. It might be, that or it was in her blood. There was hard work in Blaires blood, and also in his mind and body. He had spent years just doing work. But he liked traveling much better. "Yeah...." he told her. "Hufflepuffs, aren't too bad for that either. Most people believed that we were a bunch of duffers really." he told her. "I hated those people, mainly Slytherins. But they got theirs, ended up cursed in the hallway by some mysterious Hufflepuff." he said grinning cheekily.

"You know, a place I've never been and always wanted to go would have to be Australia or Alaska." he told her. "I know Alaska is part of America, but it's alwayus fascinated me." he told her. "But what would you like to do? Where would you enjoy going? After all, we could be in America one hour and in Scotland the next." he smiled at her.

"Hmm," she said, thoughtfully. "I think Alaska sounds wonderful. I've never been there. I've always wanted to go there and to Hawaii. I've seen pictures of some of the beautiful landscape in Alaska, but for some reason I haven't ever had the proper motivation to go there.

"And I've always wanted to see Diamondhead and Waikiki at sunset. A walk along the beach looking up at the stars, maybe? But I refuse to surf. I understand some of the best surfing is along the north shore of Oahu. But I have no desire to plant myself on a little board. Sailing, however, is an entirely different matter. Brian has taken me sailing a couple of times, and it was a lot of fun. Not that I was any help with the sailing part. I have liked the trips, though."

"What?!? Surfing is where all the excitment is," he told her laughing. "I could try to teach you if you like." he told her grinning. Sailing was alrigt, he'd gone sailing before but had ended up sinking the ship. Thank god for magic, salvaged the boat in less than five minutes. He chuckled, remembering the whole thing. Walking along the beach was also peaceful.

"Yeah, just having a peaceful night listening to the waves sounds nice." he told her. He sighed, he was thinking about going to to Waikiki. It sounded nice that was for sure!

"I think that sounds really divine," she smiled. "And if you think you could actually teach me to surf, then I"m game. Maybe we should do both. Maybe we should start in Alaska and move on to Hawaii--or vice versa. By the way, I have a muggle driving license, so perhaps we could rent a car and do some muggle style driving and sightseeing. But I presume you might have a driver's license too. And as for sailing, why don't we charter something so we can just sit back and drink some sort of nonalcoholic sparkling cider and enjoy the fun in the sun? Personally, I would rather just have a nice quiet seat on the deck with your arm around my shoulders."

He wasn't much of a driver really. He had considered getting his license but never really got it. Preffered broom riding and apparation, or even running or walking places was good too. "Actually I considered getting a license but never did. I preffer walking or broom riding though." he told her grinning slightly. His cheeks went crimson slightly when she said ' I would rather just have a nice quiet seat on the deck with your arm around my shoulders'. "Yeah, a nice quiet evening is good as well." he told her. "We should try that, maybe we could even stop by Canada or America on the way." he told her. "I'd like to go to that muggle amusement park Disneyland. I actually enjoyed those movies," he said chuckling.

"Then we really should rent a car," Khaat grinned. "I love driving--especially fast. I like sporty little cars. I'll have to show you how to drive. It's almost as satisfying as flying sometimes. Except it is a lot more crowded. And I think we could do some time in Canada and Disney. Although the Florida Disney parks are better. I think you'll find it is an interesting thing to see if for nothing more than to observe a bit closer what the muggles' concept of magic is. It is a bit far fetched, but still a lot of fun. You know, if we plan an agenda for this trip, we're either not going to get to spend much time anywhere, or we're going to be gone forever."