Zoie - Time Travel Dinner/Log

Seated at a table by himself in the bar area, the waitstaff seems quite attentive to Jackson's needs, knowing full well who he is and how much he might potentially tip. Jackson has a drink and is apparently waiting on his meal, as he sketches on a pad of paper something that looks, if one checks, like a schematic, a series of math problems, and other seemingly smart stuff.

There is a slight stir at the door. "Um.. excuse me.. I.. excuse me.." Zoie's soft and melodic voice carries just above a whisper as she tries to get the attention to get a table. Her left hand comes up to start twisting a piece of hair.

He can't help but notice the younger girl at the door. She's a noticeable type and he's seen her somewhere before. But there are no tables available it seems. Certainly there are open chairs, with odd numbers of guests at various tables. And as luck would have it, one of them is opposite Jackson. He motions to the waiter who comes over and they discuss what is likely Jackson's intent to see if he can invite the young girl to sit with him.

"What?" Zoie is incredibly beautiful. In fact, one would be hard-pressed to rival her beauty and it's the pure kind. The one where she does not notice it. "You.. wish me to sit with..." Bright green eyes move towards Jackson. He can see the blush upon her cheeks already as she looks around the area. "Well.. I mean.. I guess." A breath is taken before Zoie walks over. She's petite and short, as she toes the ground before the man sitting there. "They um.. said.. they.. um.. you would um.. share your table?"

Nodding his head, Jackson gestures to the seat across from him, "Please. If you need a seat, you are more than welcome to one with me. I've ordered already, but I'm sure they will be prompt with some food if you like?" He thinks for a moment, then asks, "I've seen you somewhere before, haven't I?"

Zoie looks uncertain as she takes a seat. "I've.. I mean I don't tend to.. you know." She takes a breath and then smiles sweetly. "I don't sit with strange men normally but.." She lifts up the dessert menu to look it over and hide her face from his view.

Laughing lightly, Jackson stands up as she moves to take a seat and extends a hand, "Jackson Wright. Now I'm not so strange. Odd maybe, but not as strange." Sitting himself back down, smoothing out his clothes as he does so, he asks, "And does my dinner companion have a name? Or will I be left to wonder it, knowing only that she apparently has a sweet tooth?"

Zoie's blush deepens as she takes his hand. Her own touch is limp and weak while her touch is slightly chilled. It's almost like her hands never get truly warm. "Zoie.. Zoie Croft." There is that sweet smile to go with the light words as she looks back to the menu. "Are you sure I am not interrupting?"

Shaking his head he waves a hand dismissively. "Nonsense. I had no dinner plans this evening other than eating. Now I have the company of a lovely young lady. With a lovely name. Zoie. Tell me, Zoie, are you a student at the university? You seem the right age for it?"

There is a silent nod to her head and it's almost like she's not going to offer more info. "Dance." The word leaves with a sweet tone to it. "I am a dance major at the university. What about you? You seem old enough to be out of..." There's a pause as she realizes what she just said. "Not that you are old. I mean you aren't young. No! I mean you aren't a child. I mean you are clearly a grown man. Not that I was looking at you like that. I just meant I.." All of that comes out in one rush before she looks at the table mutely. The young lady sinking more into her chair.

He can't help but chuckle at her sudden stream-of-consciousness speech but he responds with a reassuring tone, "Relax. I'm a businessman, and an inventor. Although I am going to be lecturing a bit at the university. I don't think for dance students, but you never know who might show up." He bends his head down a little bit, "You have nothing to be embarassed about? Just relax, order some food, and join me in some pleasant conversation. What more could I ask for?" What more indeed.

"Well you could ask me to sleep with you. I wouldn't but you could as.." Zoie's words are cut off by a loud SMACK as her hands clamp over her mouth. Those brilliant green eyes that are an easy reminder of a meadow turn towards the menu and just focus there.

"Good to know that you wouldn't at this moment. I think it would be awkward here on a table infront of all these people." He laughs again, clearly teasing her, poking at the girl's discomfort in a somewhat playful manner.

"I have a boyfriend!" Zoie blurts out loud enough that others turn to look at their table. It causes her to slink further down. "Well, he's not really my boyfriend, but we've gone out on dates and stuff. I mean.. he's a good guy. He's a bartender. I'm not sleeping with him either." It seems the more she talks the less she can stop herself.

Jackson gives a smile and an "Ohhh." as the waiter approaches to take her order. Seeming to ignore the waiter as he, well, waits for Zoie to make her selection, Jackson continues, "Going on dates is always fun. And a bartender? Lots of interesting stories to share I'm sure. But haven't slept with him? Oh, no. Well you must be a good girl then?"

Zoie is more than a little mortified and now she thinks she's being talked to like a child. It shows on the petulent pout of her lower lip. Then she looks up at the waiter. A clear 'save me' expression before she points to the menu. This leaves her to ordering the kahlua cream brulee. She doesn't speak as she tries to look anywhere but at Jackson.

Sensing her discomfort growing, he pulls back a little, "I'm teasing aren't I?" He shakes his head ruefully, "I do that sometimes, get a little too direct. A little too playfully blunt. Forgive me, Zoie. I'm sure this boy of yours is a wonderful guy. And treats you with nothing but respect and adoration."

Long, feathery lashes fan upon Zoie's hot cheeks as she seems to ponder this. "Water too." The words are croaked out before she spares a glance towards Jackson. "It... it's okay. I'm use to .. being made fun of." She gives a soft smile. "What.. wait.. you are that inventor from the ice cream place, right?"

Smiling broadly, he's glad she remembered it, cueing his memory. "That's right. That is where I saw you before. Although I was a bit distracted at the time." He reaches across the table, not in an attempt to touch her, just patting at the table, "I didn't mean to make fun of you. Just was pushing a little bit." He seems genuine, "I am sorry."

"You were with your girlfriend." Zoie looks around for this said person. There is a look of consideration. "Am I in her chair? I could move, I don't want her to get upset at you."

A loud laugh erupts from his lips as Jackson's head falls back in his mirth. He tries to stifle it a little, but he really can't. Even when he speaks there are hints of laughter in his words, "She is not my girlfriend. Not in the slightest. Just a friend. And no, I had no dinner companion until you."

Zoie jumps at the loud laugh as she is clearly startled by it. There are a few moments of silence, but her eyes are impossibly large in those moments. It's like stepping on the cat's tail or something. Then she chuckles much like someone not really getting the joke. "Ha-ha." Awkward. "Well I um.. I'm glad I'm not um.. interrupting." Thank you for voting for Jackson. Your input is greatly appreciated!

He explains, clearly able to pick up on her lack of understanding, "It is possible for a man and a woman to be intimate, and just be friends. Or even to merely be companions for an evening, without any promise of intimacy. I don't mean to lecture, just giving you another perspective, my young Zoie."

That blush previously? It is electric now. Da-da-da-it's-electric! Zoie stares at him for a few moments of something. It could be disgust or horror. Then she clears her throat and nods her head. "I.. you... see."

Smiling devlishly, there is a hint of pride in getting such a lovely shade of red in her face. It does wonderful things to most women you see. And he knows ALL about electricity. Still, he doesn't press his point. "To each their own, Zoie. To each their own."

Zoie is silent but as her mouth finally opens as if to say the first of many witty things, her dessert is brought to her with a glass of ice water. Thankfulness fills her features like a road map. There is very little manipulation in this dainty thing.

For his part, the waiter brings Jackson a steak, medium rare by the looks of it and a lovely baked potato. It seems he was in the mood for dinner this evening and will save desert for later. "You have a sweet tooth, Zoie?"

The blonde hair rustles as she nods her head. "I know I really shouldn't have it, but I burn it off like mad in dance class, so I figure it is okay. I mean you are only young once, right?"

Laughing lightly this time, he nods again and Jackson replies, "They do say that. Whoever they are. I'm still trying to find a way to get young again but it isn't working." Zoie stops eating to look him over thoughtfully. "Why?" The simple question leaves her lips as she looks at him like an inquisitive cat.

Smirking, Jackson responds, "It was mostly a joke. But wouldn't it be great to go back to our youth, knowing what we do in later years? I suppose you don't really know yet, do you?"

Zoie seems to give this question far more time than it truly desires or needs. She chews a bit on the dessert with a crunch of sugar. Then she shakes her head. "No. I think that if we look back and look at what we have overcome and the knowledge that we would not want to go back. Sure, we might wish to change a choice.." There is a look of pain to her eyes before she blinks it away. ".. but then we would not come to the same wisdom without it."

There is a momentary pause there, as Zoie goes on with her thoughts. A pause that lingers a few moments after she's done. But Jackson does comment eventually, "Interesting philosophy. I can't say I disagree with anything you said. Still, it would be fun regardless. And can you ever really change the past?"

Zoie nods her head to this and leans forwards. "Of course you can. If you went back in time and had the knowledge that you possess, you would make different daily choices. Those choices would then have a ripple effect across others. For example, you wouldn't have dated that person that hurt you so much. Well in that basic date and change, you alter how they view others because they were never a jerk to you. Maybe you were the change they needed to become nicer. As well, you might find that you are getting holes in your wisdom because in using the wisdom from your future self in your past self, you deprive yourself of the way you got the knowledge."

Leaning forward, he seems more and more interested now, "Are we seriously discussing time travel paradox over dinner? Be careful Zoie. You might actually turn me on. And I don't think you want that."

Blink. Blink. Blink. It takes a moment, but that one she finally does get. There is a soft laugh that bubbles forth and can't be contained. That means even when her hands clamp over her mouth to try. "Yes, I wouldn't want that." She gives another giggle and then offers. "I'm sorry, I tend to babble on endlessly about my thoughts."

His smile is broad and genuine, for whatever reason, he keeps it to himself. "Well you should continue with the thoughts you just shared. Those are quite interesting. Maybe other people don't find them such, but it is good you have something going on up in that skull of yours. Keep those wheels turning."

"I fear that I was just more to books and studying when I was growing up." Zoie offers softly. Which is odd for a dance major. Then she grins. "I don't think that most people want to discuss it though. I mean the idea is more simple than people make it. I mean you hear all the time, if I knew then what I know now. However in the most simplified terms, you simply cannot have that. It is a false statement that allows the biggest of flights of fancy. It is more probable for you to have a prince sweep you off your feet and let you live happily ever after than it is to make that statement." Yes, she just compared fairytales to a statement people make everyday... and called the fairytales more clued in. "I mean, it's easy to deduce why on that. For you simply will never know now if you didn't know it back then. If I took my knowledge of fire being hot and never touched the burner, the question then comes do I ever learn that fire is hot? If not because I negated the experience, then that loss of knowledge is created in my future self. Thus, if my future self is my present self than my present self does not remember that either and my future self may never learn it. So it seems to reason that if you went back in time with the knowledge you had, that when you aligned back to that same point in your alternate life, you would truly be doing so at a deficiency in your intellect."

Jackson listens. And listens. And then listens some more. He actually leans in and seems genuinely interested in what she has to say. When she's finally done, and he doesn't seem the least bit bothered by the length of her manifesto, Jackson does respond a little, "I think you've hit on why time travel simply cannot exist. At least not into the past. It's very existence could invalidate or eliminate those persons who created time travel in the first place. And lacking in knowledge, one might not be able to undo the thing you were sent to undo, which means it cannot be undone, which means the knowledge remains. It is all good for science fiction, but in reality, time travel is really just a myth."

"Oh! I don't think it can exist in the future either. I mean if you go forwards in time, than your past self gets the information of your future self and the future world. That then alters in the exact same manner. Now there is the concept of string theory and there being alternate realities. That one might be more true. I mean the idea of what could happen in the world if I did not decide to sit here, may truly be happening right now on another plane of existance." She watches him for that zoned out look or that 'you are a freak' look.

Instead, Jackson just nods his head in agreement, "I've thought about that. But it would require somehow infinite amounts of separate universes or existences. Assuming that were possible, where is the energy to create an entirely new existence each time a decision is made, no matter how small or meaningless. There would be an infinite number of realities, all of which are capable of spilling out their own. I can believe a lot, but that? I cannot fathom."

"Why do you think that the energy is not already there? What if the energy to create these new existances are already around us and always have been?" Zoie inquires as she watches him. There is a bite of the brulee as she offers with a smile. "If we are living on stacked layers if you will, then perhaps to keep our layers from bleeding we are not allowed to know the energy is out there. What if in the spacial relations, that we are but a minute of energy in something deeper and more complex?"

Tsking a little, Jackson shakes his head, "Now you are starting to venture into science and religion meeting, a place I will not follow you. But I will say that the string theory assumes for each action, there is a separate universe. But shouldn't those separate existences be subject to the same rules as they are born of this one? Hell, we don't even know if ours it the original and it is arrogant to assume we are the point of existence among infinity. So I refuse to believe. A nice theory, but not one I can buy into.

Zoie wiggles her fingers at him in that 'magic spell' manner. "Well when you find out I'm right." Then she blushs. "Oh! I was making a joke. I shouldn't be so forwards in my own arrogance. I am most sorry."

He looks a little displeased at that, not the arrogance, but the apology afterwards, "Don't /ever/ apologize for being smart. Or knowing it. And," he adds, with a smile this time, "Don't apologize for making a joke. It is quite cute."

"Oh, I don't believe in hiding my knowledge, it is just rare that it comes up." Zoie offers before she looks around. "You know.. I should pay for my stuff dessert and probably get back to the dorm."

Jackson pulls out his wallet, he's finished his own meal while they talked actually and takes out a few large bills, "It's on me. Please. And if you like, I can give you a ride back to the dorms." No, he's not implying anything by that. Is he?

Zoie looks a bit nervous about that. "It isn't a date.. right? I mean I don't want to give the wrong impression and um.. my um... roomie is there so um.. you cannot come up or anything." Zoie's so cute when she fails at lying.

Smiling playfully, perhaps with some mischief in him, "No, of course it isn't a date. Just a friend buying another friend some desert. And taking her home afterwards. And I won't come up if you don't want me to. Besides, it wouldn't look good to have a young woman like yourself bringing a lecturer at the university up to her room, now would it?"

Zoie looks at the time. "Well.. Jacob is still at work.." The joys of dating a bartender. "Okay, but really. I don't want any moves put on me or anything. I really am a good girl."

Jackson holds up his hands in protest, "Me? Put moves on you? Whatever would give you that impression?" He gives her a little playful wink and smiles then, "No moves. Got it. Just a friend taking a lovely girl home."

"Well it's really the hostel." Zoie offers. "I haven't found a place to stay yet. I'm thinking of maybe seeing if anyone needs a roomie or something." There is a large smile as she comes to her feet to signify that her dessert is done.

Frowning a little, Jackson shakes his head, "The hostel? Really? That won't do. At least let me get you a room somewhere. Somewhere nice. You shouldn't be staying there. Who knows what sorts of people are there. And then your boyfriend and you can have some alone time as well."

Zoie turns bright bright red. "We don't.. I mean.. I don't.. he might. I .." She shakes her head. "It's okay. Really. Nothing bad is going to happen." So speakth the optimist.

"Really," he says, "It's no trouble. Let me get you a room at a hotel or something. For a few nights. We can work on finding you a place. Besides, the hostel is no place to study. And a girl like you, well you should be studying."

"Do you think I'm stupid? As well, I would rather not. I mean.. my um.. dating person might think wrong on it." Zoie grins to that. "It's fine, there are people that don't have a roof over their heads or food to eat. So I am more than lucky and that is all that I need."

Shrugging he seems to give up, "Well I guess that is your choice. I wasn't trying to take advantage. At least not at that moment, Zoie." A playful grin is all she'll get, "Let me take you back to the hostel."