carpool!

[jmkgeb]

Mike turned the key in the ignition hearing the soft sound of the well maintainenced engine. He pulled out of his parking space in the ramp and drove down to the exit, showing his monthly pass before pulling out into the street.

His car had been kept dry by the protection of the ramp until now but the same ccould not be said for the streets that were getting rained on (not heavily but not a drizzle either). He flicked on his wipers and lights starting down the street, glad that his shift was over so he could relax. He was maybe half a mile down the street (the same one Seattle Grace was on, when he saw a man walking ahead on the sidewalk, without even an umbrella to keep him dry. As he got closer he recognized the man as working in the hospital. He figured the least he could do was offer the man a ride.

Mike looked in his rearview mirror to make sure no one was coming up behind him before pulling over by the curb rolling down the passenger side window. "Can I offer you a lift?" He said, raising his voice a little to carry over the sound of the raindrops.

(Dimitri!)

[brthrarnold]

Dimitri had not expected rain. Of course, he probably should have, but he was rather preoccupied with the other things he had been thinking about that morning. Then again, Dimitri was almost always preoccupied in the morning, wondering what excitement his day would bring. Never would he have expected that someone would be offering him a ride this rainy day. The Russian flipped up his collar against the rain, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked on down the soppy sidewalk.

When the car began to pull over near him, Dr. Karloff was caught off-guard and actually a little disturbed. His immediate thoughts were negative ones involving the possibility of abduction, but he immediately rationalized himself and decided that it was probably just a lost-person who needed directions. It was a pleasant surprise when Dimitri saw Michael's face and heard him offer a ride.

"Ah, Doctor Michael Crane!" Dimitri was very excited. "Yes, please!"

With that, he immediately hopped into Michael's car and shut the door. In the process, Dimitri unintentionally hit the door-lock with his elbow, causing an ominous 'ch-chck' as all of the automobile's doors locked simultaneously. Looking a bit shocked, Dimitri said "Oops. I am lockink car doors. So sorry. Unintentional, I promise! Aha ha ha."

[jmkgeb]

Mike watched as Dimitri initially looked almost horrified as he pulled over. He wondered if he had somehow offended the man by his offer? Maybe in Russia it wasn't polite to offer people rides? He wasnt trying to imply that Dimitri couldnt afford a cab or a bus ride, he was just trying to offer him a ride, no implications attached.

Mike was then relieved as Dimitri got in, excitedly accepting his offer and making Dr. Crane less self conscious about making the offer. "Doctor Dimitri Karloff" Michael greeted as the man entered. He then laughed lightly as he heard the locks clicking in place. "Don't worry that's quite alright, we dont want anyone jumping out of a moving vehicle anyway"

[brthrarnold]

Dimitri looked about the car, taking in it's appearance and, in addition, making opinions of Dr. Crane's character. It was a good-looking automobile interior, possibly expensive, and very well-kept. This either meant that the car was new, or that Michael was very good at keeping his things nice (Dimitri guessed the latter.) Of course, the Anaesthesiologist did not seem too concerned with the idea of rain-water getting into his car, and this suggested that Michael was not as preoccupied with material goods as he was with people. The Russian grinned, in spite of himself, taking note of a black Labrador bobble-head thing on the dashboard. Dimitri wasn't exactly sure what to make of it, but he was sure that he'd come up with something eventually.

"I just got here, vhy vould I jump out?" Dimitri asked in a way that could have been either joking or serious.

[jmkgeb]

Mike smiled at first hearing Dimitri's question, thinking he must be joking but then wondering if maybe he wasn't. He didnt sound like it was a joke, but was he being serious, Mike realized he couldnt tell. He had no idea how the Russian had interpreted his earlier comment.

"Umm, you wouldnt...or I hope not...That would be rather dangerous" Mike told. His original intention had been to laugh it off and tell Dimitri he was only joking, but instead his sentence came out rather awkwardly.

[brthrarnold]

Dimitri was amused by Doctor Crane. The man chose to take his statement literally, which definitely said something about him. Michael was, Dimitri decided, a very serious and logical kind of guy and chose rationality over absurdism. At least, in this case he did. However, Dimitri was sure that this case was a small representation of the man as a whole.

"Vhy vouldn't I? I could be like James Bond! --Or Batman. --Or whoever is makink habits of jumpink from movink cars." Dimitri was definitely joking. However, he had half a feeling that perhaps Dr. Crane would still take him seriously.

[jmkgeb]

Mike chuckled lightly at Dimitri's next comment. Even if it was meant to be serious he was hoping that a laugh would not be offensive. At this point Dr. Crane honestly wouldnt have been surprised to see the pathologist jumping out of his car.

"Yes a lot of movies do seem to have people jumping out of cars lately, but unless you've had stunt training I wouldnt recommend it" Mike said with a smile, praying the man was joking.

[brthrarnold]

Of course Dimitri was joking. He was glad that Michael had sense of humor enough to laugh, as it was appropriate to laugh at jokes. For some reason, Dimitri had a fascination with joking. Perhaps he should have been a paediatrician instead of a pathologist, but then he would not get to solve mysteries or talk to the dead people. So few medical students developed interest in morgues or the deceased and Dimitri knew his calling when he heard it.

"Vell, I have not exactly had trainink, but -- you are a physician, are you not? I hurt myself, you fix me! Is good deal, yes?" Dimitri grinned and added, "buuut doors are locked, so perhaps I vill have to first figure out how to unlock them, I think."

[jmkgeb]

Mike laughed again when Dimitri said since he was a physician he could fix him if he got hurt. He REALLY hoped this was in fact all a joke. The grin Dimitri was giving was a good indication that it was so Mike felt okay about laughing.

"Well yes I am, but I'm off duty, don't want you suing me" He smirked. He laughed again as Dimitri mentioned figuring out how to unlock the doors. Just in case Dimitri wasnt joking, Mike hit the child lock button on his door so only the drivers side controls would unlock them. "You could try..."

[brthrarnold]

"I think I vill try after car is stopped and is safe to be lookink for locks," Dimitri answered, allowing himself to confirm that he had indeed been joking the whole time.

Thinking that it was time to add another topic to the conversation (lest an awkward silence ensue), Dimitri said, "And so vhat are ve doink this mornink? Ve go straight in to vork? Do not let me interrupt schedule if you like to do thinks first. I vill not mind! Or ve just go straight to vork. Vhatever you like! Is your car. Is very very nice car."

[jmkgeb]

Mike laughed again with relief as Dimitri had confirmed he had been joking. "I think that's a good idea" He responded.

When Dimitri asked if they were going straight to work and then complimented his car Mike smiled. "Thank you, it gets me where I need to go" He told Dimitiri. "I was thinking about stopping at Starbucks on the way, but if you're in a rush to get there, I can always get coffee at the hospital cafeteria" He gave Dimitri the option in case he was due in soon.

[brthrarnold]

"Today, it gets me vhere I need to go also," Dimitri replied, patting the door of the car in an affectionate way.

On the subject of coffee and whether or not he was in a rush, Dimitri said, "No, I am in no rush! I am never in rush. I vas valkink. If I vas in rush, I vould have fast car! Aha ha. -- Okay, ve go to Starbucks! You are coffee-junkie?"

Dimitri didn't mean to make assumptions about people. Really, he said things like that in an attempt to start up conversation. You can't blame a guy who hangs out with corpses all day for not knowing how to have a proper conversation.

[jmkgeb]

Dr. Crane continued to laugh as Dimitri mentioned that if he had been in a hurry he'd be in a fast car as opposed to walking. Mike figured that had been true. If he had continued walking, even with the stop they were going to make, he'd still probably get there sooner in Mike's car.

He smiled as Dimitri called him a coffee junkie. "Well, yeah I guess you could say that. I am pretty addicted, need it to get me through my shift...what about you? Do you drink coffee?"

[brthrarnold]

Dimitri was an interesting guy because he somehow managed to always be busy, but never be rushing. He liked to plan himself a lot of activities, but he was also the sort to schedule himself more time than necessary to actually get these tasks done so that he would have plenty of time for things like walking and purchasing coffees.

"All doctors drink coffee!" Dimitri replied, thinking that Dr. Crane was rather silly to suggest otherwise. "Yes, yes. I am likink coffee. I am likink it very much, thank you! Addictions are not good. . .but coffee is healthy think to be addicted to, I am thinkink."

[jmkgeb]

Mike smiled. "I'm glad that you do. Believe it or not I have met on a couple occaisions doctors who don't drink coffee. Some who think that caffeine isn't needed to stay awake and is just another stimulant. I think its a pretty safe addiction though myself. I'm much less likely to say something I shouldnt if I've had my morning coffee" Dr. Crane joked. Though he did rely on his coffee, he was too polite to ever lash out at others, even in his most drowsy state...unless they really deserved it.

"Starbucks it is then, my treat" He told the other doctor.