Post by Evie Davis on Jan 29, 2007 21:26:40 GMT -5
Accepted. Though I must say that Moonshine Mikes is actually a rather seedy bar.... Kinda like the Hogshead. She would have had a rough time working there
Gabrielle Blagden
Name: Pam
Other characters on the board: Emma Vale, Adrian Martin
Are you over 13?: Yes
Disclaimer: In keeping in Evie's Southern upbringing, there may be certain grammatical errors that were intentionally used. Please disregard these. Also keep in mind that in no way do these reflect upon Southern culture, but rather they are solely this writer's interpretations and opinions. Thank you.
Name: Evelyn "Evie" Marie Davis
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Birthday/Sign: November 28,1968/Saggitarius
Blood Type/Purity: Half-blood
[li] Hair Color and Style: Thick black hair, wavy, hanging a bit past the shoulders.
[/li][li] Eye Color: Blue
[/li][li] Height and Build: 5"10, slender but with some meat on her bones.
[/li][li] Regular clothing style: Casual jeans with a camisole blouse of sometype for work, possibly with a jacket. Jeans and a T-shirt promoting some product when at home.
[/li][li] Other characteristics: White teeth, dazzling smile, oozes charm.
[/li][/ul]
Personality: Evelyn, or Evie as she prefers to be called is an easygoing girl. She takes things in stride, viewing them with the optimistic in which she encounters all of life. While Evie is a down to earth girl, she is very aware that she is considered to be a looker or to have been so anyways, and uses it when she can. It has come in handy over the years, and while she doesn't use it to make trouble, life certainly has gone easier for her.
She was raised Southern Baptist, and taught to be a good girl from her parents. They were a fine example of loving parents, and Evie has never had any cause to hate them other than them not letting her date Jimmy Darton just because he had some kind of 'reputation' back home. While she grew up as a naive little girl, Evie certainly has learned somethings of life, but she still maintains an almost innocent outlook.
She's never had a relationship lasting longer than six months, and while she does 'get around,' she's not 'that kind of girl.' Her favorite outfit is a pair of comfortable worn-in jeans with an old fishin' tournament shirt thats two sizes two big. She also has a good-sized hat collection, specializing mainly in trucker cap's and tournment logos, all gotten for free. Evie is very laid-back, not overly organized or deadline oriented. While this drives her bosses crazy, she always gets it done on time, just in her own way. If life has to be rushed, then it just isn't worth living was her dad's motto and fits Evie as well.
History:
Until she reached the age of six, Evie didn't know her 'house' was actually a 'trailer.' At the age of seven she learned it was also called a 'mobile home,' even though Evie had never in her life seen it move. Growing up in Holmes County, Florida, Evie thought most kids lived in the same type of house, and was shocked to find that there actually was a difference between a house and a trailer, no matter how nice and house-like their doublewide was. The kids at the daycare never teased her as others might have, and although she never experienced any shame from it, it was the start of the naivety that typified Evie's life. Evie is a Southern Baptist, born and raised, although the raisin' had more to do with her Grandma's influence than anything else. She was also "Lil' Miss Dixie" two times running, until Sherry Cartwright's grand young-un' was old enough to compete. However, Evie is still known for her dazzling smile and dark hair that won her the competition rather than her intelligence; that wouldn't come about until she had something to prove. A "lil' bulldog," her daddy called her, but her Poppa was the one who taught Evie how to bark, which she did at every home football game (The Bulldogs) until she was old enough to cheerlead.
Evie was also told that there wasn't nothin' she couldn't do, a motto Evie proved many times to the dismay of her parents. After the third time she broke her arm falling out of the oak tree out back, they finally put their foot down. During her elementary school years, Evie was cheerleader for the pee-wee leage Cowboys. It always irked her teammates that she could maintain her hair despite a long, sweltering game. It iddn't help that in the second grade her 'boyfriend' Pete Smith was quarterback after David Henshaw mysteriously broke his leg in a practice. Nor did it help that Davie was Brandie Carthwright's sweetheart as well. Needless to say, the two girls were rivals throughout their childhood. All in all, Evie had a sweet childhood like any other girl, with only a few mishaps.
It wasn't until the fifth grade that all of it was taken away from Evie. One day she came home from school only to find her parents just sitting in the living room, waiting for her. Daddy was never home from work that early, and well, it just filled Evie with dread to see them both waiting there ominously. That afternoon revealed a startling truth to young Evie: her father was a wizard. All her life she had thought magic to belong to fairy tales along with thumb-sized cinderellas and evil frog kings. It turned out magic actually existed, and that Evie had some. Suddenly Evie grew very afraid of what was going on. Ok, so maybe life had gone a bit too well for her. Tiny incidents that she had merely passed off as coincedences were coming back with a bit too much clarity. It had been odd that Brandie's sweater had ripped in the middle on picture day, just after Evie walked in wearing the same thing. And anytime she broke out, well, her acne had gone right away, in just a few minutes even. She had just supposed she was lucky, but maybe there was something behind it after all. With such power, Evie knew nothing would ever be the same.
Three months later, Evie found herself facing something worse than middle school: Coven schools. While she thought she was pretty special, going there made her realize that in the bigger picture she was just a tadpole in a pond full of goldfish. Brooms and wands were all foreign to her, and yet those were the very things every one was talking about. She didn't even know what to do, and at the school it seemed as if everyone else had been casting spells before they could walk. She didn't know a single soul, and for the first time in her life, Evie felt very alone. Fortunately for her, another girl slammed right into her while Evie was busy gawking at the place. They instantly became fast friends, and luckily Sarah was just as ignorant as Evie. The two made their way through the school, eventually becoming just as familiar with their magic as everyone else had the first day. She even scored a couple of points in the social realm, relying on the few things she knew that transferred from the real world to the magic one. Lil' Miss Dixie made her return, and although it caused a small rift between herself and Sarah, the two were still good friends. With her laid-back attitude, and optimistic view of things, Evie found most people coming to her just to talk or complain about things. She'd simply listen, nod her head, and then ask for help on last night's Charms homework. Evie made friends and soon life was back to normal.
Of course at that moment Evie was pulled out of her comfort zone and pushed into yet another new world. This time, fortunately, Evie was prepared. And with Sarah at her side, Evie swam her way through SWIM, refining the skills she had already learned at the coven school. Of course Adam helped her through Alchemy, and even Patrick turned his parchment in her direction during Astronomy. All in all, Evie passed with flying colors, albeit dimmer ones than Sarah's. While they still remained friends, both knew it was more of an surface relationship than anything. They were drifting apart, and were headed in two sepearte directions. Although they roomed together in the Merlin dorms, it couldn't fix the underlying division. After graduation, Sarah went on to Europe to study the German methods of Transfiguration while Evie kept meandering in indecision. She didn't have anything certain in mind, and in the meantime, Evie rented an apartment over at Salem's Peak. She thought of going back home, but Evie knew she couldn't face her parents, telling them that although she had the educational opportunity of a lifetime, she was no more fit to take on the world than with a Holmes County High School Diploma.
For a while Evie simply offered to babysit children, needing something to pay the rent besides waitressing at Moonshine Mike's. She briefly considered opening a home daycare, and as feasible as it sounded, Evie knew she just didn't want to go down that road. There didn't seem to be anything she was particularly skilled at, and Evie desperately wanted to have a successful career. However, baby-sitting wasn't cutting it anymore, and Evie ended up changing her part-time job to full-time. The tips were alright, and some of the company made her homesick, but Evie knew it wasn't for her. She needed something professional, something successful, she needed to leave Salem's Peak and make her own way in the world. And so two years after her graduation at the ripe age of 19, Evie made her way to New York. She was going to act. Although her jaunt as Miss Dixie opened a few doors for her, Evie soon realized just where those doors led. With a firm 'no' or a backhanded slap across the cheek, Evie removed it from her resume, and eventually landed a part as a chorus girl for some play in a town-house theater that was barely making its own rent. She enjoyed the work, but Evie knew it was just another dead end. She didn't have the talent nor the skills to make it big, and eventually began scouring the city for other jobs. The city itself frightened her, having never been in a town larger than 20,000. Finally she caught a break. It seemed Adam from Alchemy had been into journalism as well. He was a writer for The New Yorker, and it seemed there was a need for a gofer there. With a few smiles and an 'Oh I always like you...I was just shy back then,' the job was hers.
Working at a magazine was fun for Evie. She enjoyed the whirlwind rush of it all, and even though Evie never wrote anything, she enjoyed being there. Unfortunately not even Adam could convince her to stay in the city for a third year. She had had enough, it was time to go back to where she belonged. Evie remembered Salem's Peak having a newspaper, and decided to go apply for work over there. Besides, it meant she wouldn't have to keep toying with Adam. It had grown tiring after the first month, and Evie was running out of excuses to keep him at bay, especially since living with him made avoiding him impossible. With her savings, Evie managed to get a better apartment at Salem's Peak, closer to the residential area than before, she applied straightaway at the Screamer. Having The New Yorker on her resume made her a shoe-in, and Evie was shocked to even be offered a column. Knowing she could never write anything substantial, Evie was pleasantly surprised to see they had an advice column. Now that she could do. Five years later, Evie was a pro at the business, giving advice to the unsatisfied wives and nervous teens of Salem's Peak. She had established a credible base of needy people, and using her Southern background to her advantage, Evie had made "Now, Sugah" a hit. Finally Evie was successful, and she didn't have to go off to a big city to do it, either.
Two years into her career at the Screamer, Evie's father passed away from liver failure. After attending the funeral, Evie tried to persuade her mother to come live with her, but was refused. The next year, her mother followed as well, dying from a broken heart. The two were buried side by side at Rosemary Baptist, and although Evie mourns the loss, she never forgets the advice they always gave her. After taking what was left her, Evie gave the rest including the house to the rest of the family, letting her relatives squabble over the rest.
Likes: People, children, nice animals, chocolate, winning
Dislikes: Rudeness, mean/dirty animals, coconut flakes, losing, big cities
Special Abilities: Cooking, giving advice.
Wand: Oak, Unicorn Tail, 12 inches.
Broom: None.
Pet: A tabby cat named Tabby.
Department or Field: The Salem Screamer
Position: Advice Columnist
Years in profession: 5
Experience: Spent two years working at The New Yorker. Five years with the Screamer.
Word Verification: *Shh*
Writing Sample:
((You are out on your lunch break and you see someone that is acting in a way you suspect is illegal. Write your characters reactions, thoughts or dialogue. You may have NPCs but keep Godmodding to a minimum))
It was just another day at the Screamer, and once more Evie was wondering just why she had to come in. She could answer letters at home just as well as she could in the office, but she just assumed they wanted to make sure she was working instead of sleeping. At least she had her lunch break now. Yelling out to the receptionist that she was headed out for lunch, Evie climbed into her dad's old pickup to head over to Mike's. It was one of the few things other than her Momma's recipies that Evie was glad for, the old truck making transportation a pleasure rather than a burden. As the rusted orange hulk went down the road, Evie pulled her radio out of the glove compartment. One of these days she would find a way to replace the truck's old dead radio with it, but for now Evie just simply pulled it out and let it rest in the front seat after turning it onto a local station. It was some new band, one of those Evie hated and that everyone else loved, Ban...something, something weird anyways.
As she pulled up to Mike's Evie wasn't surprised to see it looked full. It was always full, and always with the type that especially paid attention to her, but Evie had learned to ignore it. Mike's had burgers that were to die for, and though Evie frequented other places for lunch as well, Moonshine Mike's had burrowed a special place in her heart, and there lay one of his fat juicy cheeseburgers. "Hey Mike," Evie called, out, sitting up at the bar. "Tell them to bag me up a couple of burgers," she added, calling out towards the back. They should have known she'd be coming anyways, and as Mike gave her a smile and a nod, Evie sat back and listened to the radio. She'd have to ask what station it was on, it sounded much better than what she had turned off in her truck.
Glancing about, Evie's eyes stopped on a figure in the back. He had nothin' on his table, not even a bottle, and he seemed to be staring at the floor. As Mike returned from the kitchen with a greasy brown bag in hand, Evie watched someone else come through the bar and sit at the stranger's table. "Hang on a sec," she replied softly, watching the pair intently. At that moment the first one looked up and saw her, giving her a fierce scowl. Instantly she looked away, returning to the moment at hand. "Hey Mike, you might wanna watch them two," she added, lowering her voice as she nodded her head back towards their direction, "They look like trouble." She had certainly seen enough trouble during her waitressing days to know a pair when she saw them. Evie only hoped she was wrong. "Well thanks again, Mike," she added, saying good bye as she took the bag and swung herself off the barstool. Climbing back into her truck, Evie headed back towards the Screamer, the scent of freshly grilled patties filling the air.
Gabrielle Blagden
Name: Pam
Other characters on the board: Emma Vale, Adrian Martin
Are you over 13?: Yes
Disclaimer: In keeping in Evie's Southern upbringing, there may be certain grammatical errors that were intentionally used. Please disregard these. Also keep in mind that in no way do these reflect upon Southern culture, but rather they are solely this writer's interpretations and opinions. Thank you.
Name: Evelyn "Evie" Marie Davis
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Birthday/Sign: November 28,1968/Saggitarius
Blood Type/Purity: Half-blood
[li] Hair Color and Style: Thick black hair, wavy, hanging a bit past the shoulders.
[/li][li] Eye Color: Blue
[/li][li] Height and Build: 5"10, slender but with some meat on her bones.
[/li][li] Regular clothing style: Casual jeans with a camisole blouse of sometype for work, possibly with a jacket. Jeans and a T-shirt promoting some product when at home.
[/li][li] Other characteristics: White teeth, dazzling smile, oozes charm.
[/li][/ul]
Personality: Evelyn, or Evie as she prefers to be called is an easygoing girl. She takes things in stride, viewing them with the optimistic in which she encounters all of life. While Evie is a down to earth girl, she is very aware that she is considered to be a looker or to have been so anyways, and uses it when she can. It has come in handy over the years, and while she doesn't use it to make trouble, life certainly has gone easier for her.
She was raised Southern Baptist, and taught to be a good girl from her parents. They were a fine example of loving parents, and Evie has never had any cause to hate them other than them not letting her date Jimmy Darton just because he had some kind of 'reputation' back home. While she grew up as a naive little girl, Evie certainly has learned somethings of life, but she still maintains an almost innocent outlook.
She's never had a relationship lasting longer than six months, and while she does 'get around,' she's not 'that kind of girl.' Her favorite outfit is a pair of comfortable worn-in jeans with an old fishin' tournament shirt thats two sizes two big. She also has a good-sized hat collection, specializing mainly in trucker cap's and tournment logos, all gotten for free. Evie is very laid-back, not overly organized or deadline oriented. While this drives her bosses crazy, she always gets it done on time, just in her own way. If life has to be rushed, then it just isn't worth living was her dad's motto and fits Evie as well.
History:
Until she reached the age of six, Evie didn't know her 'house' was actually a 'trailer.' At the age of seven she learned it was also called a 'mobile home,' even though Evie had never in her life seen it move. Growing up in Holmes County, Florida, Evie thought most kids lived in the same type of house, and was shocked to find that there actually was a difference between a house and a trailer, no matter how nice and house-like their doublewide was. The kids at the daycare never teased her as others might have, and although she never experienced any shame from it, it was the start of the naivety that typified Evie's life. Evie is a Southern Baptist, born and raised, although the raisin' had more to do with her Grandma's influence than anything else. She was also "Lil' Miss Dixie" two times running, until Sherry Cartwright's grand young-un' was old enough to compete. However, Evie is still known for her dazzling smile and dark hair that won her the competition rather than her intelligence; that wouldn't come about until she had something to prove. A "lil' bulldog," her daddy called her, but her Poppa was the one who taught Evie how to bark, which she did at every home football game (The Bulldogs) until she was old enough to cheerlead.
Evie was also told that there wasn't nothin' she couldn't do, a motto Evie proved many times to the dismay of her parents. After the third time she broke her arm falling out of the oak tree out back, they finally put their foot down. During her elementary school years, Evie was cheerleader for the pee-wee leage Cowboys. It always irked her teammates that she could maintain her hair despite a long, sweltering game. It iddn't help that in the second grade her 'boyfriend' Pete Smith was quarterback after David Henshaw mysteriously broke his leg in a practice. Nor did it help that Davie was Brandie Carthwright's sweetheart as well. Needless to say, the two girls were rivals throughout their childhood. All in all, Evie had a sweet childhood like any other girl, with only a few mishaps.
It wasn't until the fifth grade that all of it was taken away from Evie. One day she came home from school only to find her parents just sitting in the living room, waiting for her. Daddy was never home from work that early, and well, it just filled Evie with dread to see them both waiting there ominously. That afternoon revealed a startling truth to young Evie: her father was a wizard. All her life she had thought magic to belong to fairy tales along with thumb-sized cinderellas and evil frog kings. It turned out magic actually existed, and that Evie had some. Suddenly Evie grew very afraid of what was going on. Ok, so maybe life had gone a bit too well for her. Tiny incidents that she had merely passed off as coincedences were coming back with a bit too much clarity. It had been odd that Brandie's sweater had ripped in the middle on picture day, just after Evie walked in wearing the same thing. And anytime she broke out, well, her acne had gone right away, in just a few minutes even. She had just supposed she was lucky, but maybe there was something behind it after all. With such power, Evie knew nothing would ever be the same.
Three months later, Evie found herself facing something worse than middle school: Coven schools. While she thought she was pretty special, going there made her realize that in the bigger picture she was just a tadpole in a pond full of goldfish. Brooms and wands were all foreign to her, and yet those were the very things every one was talking about. She didn't even know what to do, and at the school it seemed as if everyone else had been casting spells before they could walk. She didn't know a single soul, and for the first time in her life, Evie felt very alone. Fortunately for her, another girl slammed right into her while Evie was busy gawking at the place. They instantly became fast friends, and luckily Sarah was just as ignorant as Evie. The two made their way through the school, eventually becoming just as familiar with their magic as everyone else had the first day. She even scored a couple of points in the social realm, relying on the few things she knew that transferred from the real world to the magic one. Lil' Miss Dixie made her return, and although it caused a small rift between herself and Sarah, the two were still good friends. With her laid-back attitude, and optimistic view of things, Evie found most people coming to her just to talk or complain about things. She'd simply listen, nod her head, and then ask for help on last night's Charms homework. Evie made friends and soon life was back to normal.
Of course at that moment Evie was pulled out of her comfort zone and pushed into yet another new world. This time, fortunately, Evie was prepared. And with Sarah at her side, Evie swam her way through SWIM, refining the skills she had already learned at the coven school. Of course Adam helped her through Alchemy, and even Patrick turned his parchment in her direction during Astronomy. All in all, Evie passed with flying colors, albeit dimmer ones than Sarah's. While they still remained friends, both knew it was more of an surface relationship than anything. They were drifting apart, and were headed in two sepearte directions. Although they roomed together in the Merlin dorms, it couldn't fix the underlying division. After graduation, Sarah went on to Europe to study the German methods of Transfiguration while Evie kept meandering in indecision. She didn't have anything certain in mind, and in the meantime, Evie rented an apartment over at Salem's Peak. She thought of going back home, but Evie knew she couldn't face her parents, telling them that although she had the educational opportunity of a lifetime, she was no more fit to take on the world than with a Holmes County High School Diploma.
For a while Evie simply offered to babysit children, needing something to pay the rent besides waitressing at Moonshine Mike's. She briefly considered opening a home daycare, and as feasible as it sounded, Evie knew she just didn't want to go down that road. There didn't seem to be anything she was particularly skilled at, and Evie desperately wanted to have a successful career. However, baby-sitting wasn't cutting it anymore, and Evie ended up changing her part-time job to full-time. The tips were alright, and some of the company made her homesick, but Evie knew it wasn't for her. She needed something professional, something successful, she needed to leave Salem's Peak and make her own way in the world. And so two years after her graduation at the ripe age of 19, Evie made her way to New York. She was going to act. Although her jaunt as Miss Dixie opened a few doors for her, Evie soon realized just where those doors led. With a firm 'no' or a backhanded slap across the cheek, Evie removed it from her resume, and eventually landed a part as a chorus girl for some play in a town-house theater that was barely making its own rent. She enjoyed the work, but Evie knew it was just another dead end. She didn't have the talent nor the skills to make it big, and eventually began scouring the city for other jobs. The city itself frightened her, having never been in a town larger than 20,000. Finally she caught a break. It seemed Adam from Alchemy had been into journalism as well. He was a writer for The New Yorker, and it seemed there was a need for a gofer there. With a few smiles and an 'Oh I always like you...I was just shy back then,' the job was hers.
Working at a magazine was fun for Evie. She enjoyed the whirlwind rush of it all, and even though Evie never wrote anything, she enjoyed being there. Unfortunately not even Adam could convince her to stay in the city for a third year. She had had enough, it was time to go back to where she belonged. Evie remembered Salem's Peak having a newspaper, and decided to go apply for work over there. Besides, it meant she wouldn't have to keep toying with Adam. It had grown tiring after the first month, and Evie was running out of excuses to keep him at bay, especially since living with him made avoiding him impossible. With her savings, Evie managed to get a better apartment at Salem's Peak, closer to the residential area than before, she applied straightaway at the Screamer. Having The New Yorker on her resume made her a shoe-in, and Evie was shocked to even be offered a column. Knowing she could never write anything substantial, Evie was pleasantly surprised to see they had an advice column. Now that she could do. Five years later, Evie was a pro at the business, giving advice to the unsatisfied wives and nervous teens of Salem's Peak. She had established a credible base of needy people, and using her Southern background to her advantage, Evie had made "Now, Sugah" a hit. Finally Evie was successful, and she didn't have to go off to a big city to do it, either.
Two years into her career at the Screamer, Evie's father passed away from liver failure. After attending the funeral, Evie tried to persuade her mother to come live with her, but was refused. The next year, her mother followed as well, dying from a broken heart. The two were buried side by side at Rosemary Baptist, and although Evie mourns the loss, she never forgets the advice they always gave her. After taking what was left her, Evie gave the rest including the house to the rest of the family, letting her relatives squabble over the rest.
Likes: People, children, nice animals, chocolate, winning
Dislikes: Rudeness, mean/dirty animals, coconut flakes, losing, big cities
Special Abilities: Cooking, giving advice.
Wand: Oak, Unicorn Tail, 12 inches.
Broom: None.
Pet: A tabby cat named Tabby.
Department or Field: The Salem Screamer
Position: Advice Columnist
Years in profession: 5
Experience: Spent two years working at The New Yorker. Five years with the Screamer.
Word Verification: *Shh*
Writing Sample:
((You are out on your lunch break and you see someone that is acting in a way you suspect is illegal. Write your characters reactions, thoughts or dialogue. You may have NPCs but keep Godmodding to a minimum))
It was just another day at the Screamer, and once more Evie was wondering just why she had to come in. She could answer letters at home just as well as she could in the office, but she just assumed they wanted to make sure she was working instead of sleeping. At least she had her lunch break now. Yelling out to the receptionist that she was headed out for lunch, Evie climbed into her dad's old pickup to head over to Mike's. It was one of the few things other than her Momma's recipies that Evie was glad for, the old truck making transportation a pleasure rather than a burden. As the rusted orange hulk went down the road, Evie pulled her radio out of the glove compartment. One of these days she would find a way to replace the truck's old dead radio with it, but for now Evie just simply pulled it out and let it rest in the front seat after turning it onto a local station. It was some new band, one of those Evie hated and that everyone else loved, Ban...something, something weird anyways.
As she pulled up to Mike's Evie wasn't surprised to see it looked full. It was always full, and always with the type that especially paid attention to her, but Evie had learned to ignore it. Mike's had burgers that were to die for, and though Evie frequented other places for lunch as well, Moonshine Mike's had burrowed a special place in her heart, and there lay one of his fat juicy cheeseburgers. "Hey Mike," Evie called, out, sitting up at the bar. "Tell them to bag me up a couple of burgers," she added, calling out towards the back. They should have known she'd be coming anyways, and as Mike gave her a smile and a nod, Evie sat back and listened to the radio. She'd have to ask what station it was on, it sounded much better than what she had turned off in her truck.
Glancing about, Evie's eyes stopped on a figure in the back. He had nothin' on his table, not even a bottle, and he seemed to be staring at the floor. As Mike returned from the kitchen with a greasy brown bag in hand, Evie watched someone else come through the bar and sit at the stranger's table. "Hang on a sec," she replied softly, watching the pair intently. At that moment the first one looked up and saw her, giving her a fierce scowl. Instantly she looked away, returning to the moment at hand. "Hey Mike, you might wanna watch them two," she added, lowering her voice as she nodded her head back towards their direction, "They look like trouble." She had certainly seen enough trouble during her waitressing days to know a pair when she saw them. Evie only hoped she was wrong. "Well thanks again, Mike," she added, saying good bye as she took the bag and swung herself off the barstool. Climbing back into her truck, Evie headed back towards the Screamer, the scent of freshly grilled patties filling the air.