Shopping. *DUNH DUN DUNNNNNH*

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... all right, maybe not.

*ahem*

Ray emerges from the bar with April O'Neill in tow, heading along at that peculiar walk one assumes when one is thisclose to running but doesn't want to leave someone else behind. "She's right over there- see? Bonnie's been working on her, I've been working on her, it's been an amazing project- just be careful, Bonnie says she's not completely dry yet and I'd kind of like to be the first one to put a hand on her- anyway, this is her. Ecto-1..."

[Summary: Ray shows off Ecto to April, takes her back to his New York, acquaints her with Louis Tully's creepy product endorsements, and they head downtown to buy Ray a decent suit at Brooks Brothers for his high school reunion. There is also some breaky because the Brooks Brothers store in question is across the street from where the Twin Towers used to be.]

Comments

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"I- yeah, what she said," Ray managed, pulling himself together hastily.

The man looked him over with a skeptical eye, starting to say something- then blinked. "Ah. I believe- correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you one of those Ghostbuster fellows?"

Ray nodded.

"I thought there was something familiar about you. Yes, I believe we can help you- although I'm afraid you've missed our Made to Measure event, we do have some new arrivals that ought to suit you. Would this be an all-year-round garment, or are you just looking for a summer suit?"

Ray cast a helpless glance in April's direction.

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

"Year-round, please, with a selection of shirts and ties as well. Wool?" She cast a quick glance to Ray, really just out of courtesy, and then answered herself. "Wool, in charcoal to start but maybe also navy, and I think perhaps a pleated pant. I'm just not very fond of the flat-front trouser. Oh, and if you have something wrinkle-resistant, that would be aces." April gave Ray's arm a little pat, just to confirm for him that she knew he was there. Amazing the knowledge she had gleaned from reading Esquire for the hot models in the ads, although really, she was just shining it on.

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"Wool it is," said the salesman smoothly, giving Ray a nod and April the sort of sympathetic look that sisters, mothers, and wives the country over had long since come to expect when dragging their male kin out for shopping purposes. "The BrooksEase line should fit the bill, I expect. Mostly they're meant as travel clothing, but they've become really quite popular in their own right- two buttons or three on the jacket, sir?"

"Um. Three, please?"

"Excellent, sir. Give me a moment and I'll be right back."

Ray looked over at April as the man headed off into the store. "Exactly how many options are there on this kind of thing, anyway? I mean, it's not like we're talking about something chemical-resistant, right?"

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April giggled, which was, if you knew her at all, a rather strange if not unpleasant sound. Independant women didn't giggle. Much.

"Well, it depends on what you want to do with your suit," she laughed, automatically reaching up to adjust the lay of Ray's collar even though he was still in his own clothes. "We're looking for something that will suit as many purposes as possible, because you don't need to have a suit for board meetings and a suit for the opera and a suit for putt-putt golf." She grinned. "Just a suit."

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Ray shook his head. "I thought the whole point of being a guy was that you didn't have to care about stuff like this. Or one of the points, anyway. Maybe I should've taken Uncle Lloyd's advice and joined the Army after all. They'd provide all the suits I'd ever need."

Before he could say more, the salesman returned, carrying several suit jackets. "Three-button classic in black and grey; the three-button sack jacket, alas, only comes in grey and navy, or striped variations. The trousers, of course, are sold separately- but I've brought over several in what I estimate your size range to be. What do you think?"

He held out the promised selections for inspection and picking-over.

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April tugged Ray forward a bit so that they could get a closer look. "Well, Ray, what do you think? I think I like the grey." She paused a moment and then looked over her shoulder at a nearby display. "Hang on a sec."

After striding over to the display, April plucked out several different shirts and ties from the selection and then returned with them. "See here, how it completely changes the look of the suit?" she showed him, tucking the shirts into the jackets and then holding up various ties. "The white shirt looks much more crisp and business-like, but if you put something like this-" She switched it out for pale pink. "It dresses it down, but still looks polished." April smiled reassuringly back at him. "Do you like the grey suit?"

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"I gotta admit," Ray said, peering down, "the grey seems to work better. There's something kind of unnerving about black suits. Maybe I've just read too many studies..." He reached for one of the ties, an orange-gold one with diagonal stripes. "This isn't bad. But, uh, not getting the pink shirt. That's just too much like that episode of the Simpsons."

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April laughed. "Okay, okay. I like the pink, but it's your suit." It wasn't as though any of her boys would have okayed the pink, either. Well, maybe Mikey.

"Well, go ahead. Go with the nice man and try it on," she grinned, patting Ray heartily on the shoulder. "I want to see how it looks."

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It didn't help that Ray had been to a universe where pink was Egon's civilian-clothing color of choice. The prospect was permanenty associated with physically impossible hair in Ray's brain.

"Right this way, sir," said the salesman with a sympathetic smile. "We'll do the alterations on the premises."

"Alterations? I thought these things were supposed to fit?"

"In general, sir, but we do hem them to fit the individual measure..."

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April laughed. "It's okay, Ray. This is normal. Just trust the man." She followed to the dressing rooms and then stood outside beside the bank of mirrors inspecting her hair while she waited.

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Ray sighed but nodded, following the salesman into the back of the store. Eventually they emerged, the tie having (mercifully) been knotted by the clearly long-suffering salesman. "Sir, I realize it falls extremely short of our usual standards of service to say so, but that would have gone much faster if you hadn't wiggled so much."

It sounded very much as if the salesman had grandsons.

On the other hand, the suit was a damn nice piece of work.

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April gasped in glee when she caught sight of him. "Oh, Ray. Ray. My God." She ran forward and caught hold of his closest arm, dragging him over to stand in front of the mirrors.

"Look," she breathed over his shoulder, busy hands smoothing his collar and lapel and then brushing his hair back just so.

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The last time Ray had been quiet for that long in front of a mirror, he'd been presented with the doctoral robes for his graduation from the Columbia engineering program.

"There, you see?" asked the salesman, eventually. "I did say the tie was vital to the whole thing."

Ray swallowed. "Yeah... yeah, you did. April? Uh... I realize it's supposed to be traditional to take a long time and go in and out of stores when you're shopping, but can I get a pass and just swing at this particular pitch? I think we hit pay dirt on this one."

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April would have hugged him, but for fear of wrinkling the suit. "No need to go anywhere else if you've found what you've looking for," she agreed, grinning now from ear to ear. "I love it. It looks fantastic. You're so dapper." There was that giggle again.

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"Not a word I ever thought I'd hear applied to me..." Ray glanced over one shoulder and down at the back of the trousers. "But... yeah. Yeah, I think we can go with this. Thank you, sir- where do we go to pay?"

"I suggest, first, that you go back to the fitting room. Then, follow me."

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April snickered, watching them go. While waiting, she roamed the store, occasionally passing her fingers over fabric that caught her eye. She stopped just before a mannequin in a crisp black suit, her eyes slightly unfocused as she regarded it.

When she heard Ray approach behind her, April snapped from her reverie and turned to smile at him. "Because you've done so well, I won't make you go shoe shopping today," she told him with a wink.

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"Shoes?" Ray blanched. "But I've got-"

"Dr. Stantz," said the salesman, "I mean you no offense, truly, but if you put up as much fuss about trying on shoes as you did about the tie, someone is going to have to phone the police by the end of the day. Take the lady at her word, and follow me to the counter. I'm quite sure the footwear will wait."

[the-damsel.livejournal.com]

April laughed brightly and then followed as well, leaning her arm on Ray's closest shoulder.

"You did good," she praised. "And what did I tell you? As quick and painless as possible, right? This wasn't bad at all."

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Ray smiled a little. "Thanks," he said. "And thank you for helping. NOw, let's get this back to the firehouse, so I can give you your tour and we can get back to Milliways..."

And it's a wrap, folks.