Shot 02 - written

[easierdonethansaid]

[In the late morning, Sebastian Moran opens up his Journal. Today, he just writes in it. Easier than switching between writing and talking right now.]

I don't mean to be a bother, but I did have a question for all you fine folks.

See, I've been craving a little taste of home, and today seems as good a day as any. I know what I need, but I admit I don't know quite what your shops around here carry.

I've got a list, though, and I'd be much obliged if anyone could tell me what you know the shops don't carry.


Coriander
Turmeric
Cumin
Fenugreek
Red pepper
Cinnamon (powdered and stick)
Mustard seed
Ginger
Garlic
Black pepper
Peppercorns
Cardamom

Tomatoes
Onion
Rice flour
Olive oil
Chickpeas
Salt

Plain yoghurt
Olive oil
Distilled vinegar
Chile peppers
Mint leaves
Chicken
Basmati rice
Bay leaves


Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Col. S. Moran

Comments

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

[Yes she is, and she huffs a laugh of agreement.] I can't imagine how they felt about all the sun.

You don't strike me as much a fan of Imperialism. [Which is good. Living on a tiny island isn't as glamorous as being part of an empire, but other cultures have a right to be there too, thanks.]

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

[He makes a quiet sound, thinking about that one.]

Not against expandin' the Empire, I don' want it to sound like that. [After all, he'd been a loyal soldier with a perfect career. He loved the Empire.] But it's no so impressive when it's just seein' how far you can spread one thing. One people.

The laws, the order? O' course. But that doesn' mean everythin' has to change. [A few moments' thought on how to put it as he mixes dry ingredients for the curry powder.] I think of it like with those fancy jewel necklaces. All diamonds is lovely, o' course, but y' put rubies and sapphires with the diamonds, and they all show off each other a little better.

Don' know if that makes any sense. My father never took much to that kind of thinkin', so 'haps it's me off in the head. [But he's jovial enough about it.]

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

No, I think it's an excellent point, and not a bad analogy. In the future - well, I can't say everyone's attitude has changed, but the idea of wiping out other cultures and supplanting them with strictly British ideas is a lot less popular.

In fact, we take things from other cultures and mix them in with our own. [She laughs.] Like the food, for instance.

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Always amazed me, how people could look at somewhere like India and just see somethin' that needed to be wot they called British. My father spent years as a Minister to Persia. Never had a good word to say about the place. Went with him a few times as a young man, before I left for the Army. Couldn' understand wot he didn' see 'bout it.

Lovely place.

[1891, earlier when he was a boy. Speaking in that easy Cockney. Yet talking about a Minister to Persia father? Odd, at least, probably. But it's not something he's meant to hide. Just something that doesn't come up often.]

Same with my superiors and India. Most couldn' wait to get back to England. I wished I never had to leave. Plan to go back, too.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

Sounds like you found yourself a home. I've never been, myself, but I've seen footage and everything and it does look lovely. Maybe I'll take a trip sometime, when I get back. I always wanted to do more traveling.

[Having said that, she registers something he said and gets stuck on it.]

Hang on, did you say Minister to Persia?

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Yes, ma'am.

[He didn't mean to use that word, Sally. It's just what comes out.]

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

[Totally not focusing on the "ma'am" right now, so you're off the hook.]

Wow. Sorry, I just wasn't expecting...

[There's no way to finish that sentence without sounding classist, is there?]

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

[It takes him a moment and then--]

Ah!

[He chuckles. For several moments. Then, composed, takes another few seconds to actually think about how he speaks. What comes then is a calm, natural-sounding Surrey accent.]

I picked it up in Army. The men responded better when I sounded more like one of their own, and it had the added effect, on the rare occasions I did return home, of irritating my father. After a few years, it became more natural than how I'd been raised.

My father, Augustus Moran, was the Minister to Persia. Our family estate is Arlington Grange, in the north of Chersty.

[He's certainly not ashamed of his family's wealth. Lord knows it's helped him more than once.]

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

[For a moment, she's flabbergasted at his sudden change. Then, she laughs.]

That's uncanny! I never would have guessed. An estate and everything. Never met a proper gentleman who can cook.

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Army meals all taste the same. [The Cockney is back, more natural to him now than the other.] So I wanted somethin' that I could actually stomach, had to learn to make it for m'self.

Didn' really start learnin' until the war. Had a cook before that, after all.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

Oh, of course. I wish I had a cook. Not that, erm, that wasn't obvious. [She laughs a little, poking at some ingredients.] Really; you can put me to work on anything here, if you want. I'm not a master cook myself, but I'm perfectly competent at chopping things.

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Got quite a task for you, actually. [He chuckles and offers the bowl of powder.] Have a small taste. Tell me if it's to your likin'. Too hot, not hot enough... so on.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

I get to be the ingredients taster? What an honor. [She smirks and scrapes a bit off the edge of the bowl with one finger, which she then sticks in her mouth for a taste.] Hmm...I can stand mine with a little more cumin, actually, but I'm sure whatever you want is fine.

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

[He has to smile.]

Actually like yours with a little spice. Wonderful.

[A chuckle.]

My employer? Would hardly touch anything Indian unless I favoured cinnamon and garlic over cumin and pepper.

So I'm thrilled to actually give it some flavour.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

I wouldn't go for proper Indian if I didn't like a little spice, so I'm happy to indulge you. And even if he didn't like it, your employer was lucky to have you. A bodyguard and a cook.

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

I'd have had to learn to cook with him. Like I said-- paranoid. Sometimes he'd have a meal out, but usually?

He didn' see it cooked? He didn' touch it.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

Mm. So you're used to people watching you make supper, then. [She grins.]

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

And very unused to help being offered.

[He chuckled then.]

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

Well, luckily for you, I haven't hired you to cook for me. Although maybe I should, seeing as you're clearly better at it than me. What's your going rate?

[She's smirking, just in case he hasn't picked up that she's joking. Although having a person chef would actually be pretty cool.]

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Wouldn' do much good, tryin' to get paid here.

[A laugh.]

But I'm happy to. No reason to let it go to waste.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

That's what I was afraid of. Although, this is good, actually - if nothing else, being stuck here gives me a chance to learn.

[A thought occurs to her.]

I guess it would be strange if a woman who wasn't wealthy didn't know how to cook in your day and age. They all got married young and cooked for their husbands, right?

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Good deal of 'em did. Wot was expected, and most didn' see much of a choice.

Met a few exceptions, but, well... [He shrugged his shoulders.] Didn' meet too many young ones in a military set-up in India. An' when I came back, ran mostly in the pr'fessor's circles.

Not too many 'round the university.

[Then there was Adler... But she was better left unmentioned. Too strong a tie to Holmes and, from there, to the criminal world.]

So not quite as strange to me as some of the more city gents might find it.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

Well, it's nice not to be classified as shocking.

So you're not married, then?

[action]

[easierdonethansaid]

Met one in India, widow of an eccentric man with too much money. Fancied 'erself an explorer and by God if she wasn' as fearless as the best of 'em.

[It might not be the most glowing of praise... But it's not bad from a Victorian.

At the mention of marriage, he shook his head, but there was no chuckle.]

Never found the time for it. Or not the girl for the time, at least.

Re: [action]

[cop_an_attitude]

I bet she would have been fun to know.

[Strong women from before it was okay to be a strong woman are a favorite subject of Sally's. It puts the crap she puts up with at the office into perspective.

Okay, not married. No family.] That's good.

[...]

I meant-- Oh god, that sounded terrible. [She laughs at herself in embarrassment.] What I meant was that some people come here and leave their wives or husbands or children behind, and it's...well, it isn't fun.