".......you gave John your credit chit. So that he would buy booze."

"Yep."

"For... you?"

"For himself."

"Starting to reconsider this interaction. You may be clinically insane."

"Oh, don't be like that. It'll be fine!"

"He hasn't managed to hold onto a single double dollar in years. It all goes to booze. He'll drain you dry."

"Then I guess I'll learn a valuable lesson!"

"Well, I'm not putting any coffee on any tabs. ...do you not have cash?"

"Oh, I do, but I didn't want to sound like a country bumpkin in this modern town that has its own bank."

She snorts. "You were just trying to get out of paying."

"Or I was looking to have a character-revealing interaction with you!"

"...you're very odd, Z. Anyway, here we are," she says, pushing the door open for Zash to walk into the small cafe she's been leading him to.

In he goes. "Any recs? I'm not much of a coffee guy."

"Hmm. You look sweet." She walks in after him and, seeing as there's no line at this time of day, walks straight to the till. "My new friend here will have a double caramel moccha and I'll have the usual. He's paying."

The man behind the till turns to smile at Zash. "That'll be $$5.60, sir."

Zash gives him a ten. "Keep the change."

Jill leads him to a small table next to a wall and takes a seat there then gestures at the seat opposite hers. "You're a bit too nice."

"Am I?"

"Lending drunk men your credit chits. Helping people out with their jobs at no charge. Letting the barista keep the change. What's your deal?"

"I'm an outsider, and I don't want to be the kind of outsider that contributes nothing to the place I'm visiting."

"Patronising our businesses is a contribution."

"...true, but it costs nothing to be kind."

"Costs your time and energy and whatever else you'd be doing with them. Also your literal money."

"I like people. I enjoy spending time with them, helping them out. And, well, if you want a selfish motive, you're a lot more willing to tell me things about Frank Marlon than you'd otherwise be because of how nice I seem to be."