Office on Offer

[Tobias Xayarath]

"Well then." Tux looked around the office, which he'd already been working from since the previous barn manager had left. Someone had had to pick up the slack, after all, and the work couldn't just be foisted onto another barn manager. The administration, in their infinite wisdom, had recognized this (or been told about it), and here he was, now with an office and pay increase to cover what he'd been doing anyway. He would have preferred another manager being hired, but, well, that hadn't happened.

At least he'd still have his foal handling class, and nothing much would change otherwise. And he could rearrange the office to fit his needs better. He ran a hand through his hair, and then started planning how he would do that. The desk would definitely have to be moved, though. He didn't want people sneaking up on him as he worked.

[Katherine Carr]

With two travel mugs filled with coffee in hand, Katherine made her way down the path to the broodmare barn. She felt slightly guilty for what she had set into motion as to the manager of that barn, but she also wanted to speak to Tux about a couple of new additions to the broodmares. She had a friend who was downsizing their own barn, and the woman had two Black Forest broodmares who needed new homes. They weren't exactly Haflingers, like the other mares, but they were both more chestnut than black.

Entering the barn, she whistled as she walked, pausing to talk to the mares and finally arriving at the office. "Is this a bad time?" She asked with a smile once she had knocked on the doorframe. "I come bearing gifts."

[Tobias Xayarath]

Tux turned from his contemplation of the office as he heard a knock at the door, and smiled as he saw Katherine (and what she was holding), "Never a bad time when there's coffee." He grinned, "If one of those is for me, of course. Otherwise, yes, this is a bad time." He stepped away from the door, leaving enough space for Katherine to step inside.

"And you can say you were the first one to be welcomed into my office." He chuckled, "Wouldn't happen to know whose idea that was, would you?" Not that he would blame her, or Gwen, if either woman had brought this about. Heaping the running of this barn in part onto their plates wasn't fair either.

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine smiled as she held out the mug with Size matters, no one wants a small cup of coffee printed on it, before wrapping that hand around her own I don't trust trees, they're shady mug and stepped inside.

She paused as she was about to lift the mug to her lips and shrugged. "I could say I had nothing to do with it." She said as she looked around. "But I always encourage my students to tell the truth. And you deserve the office, you've been barn manager for a while now, just without the title to go with it." Which was the point she had brought up; if he was doing the damn job, his pay and position should reflect it! "How are things going? Do you need help getting things where you need them?"

[Tobias Xayarath]

Tux smiled and took the proffered mug, "Thank you kindly." He took an appreciative sip as he stepped aside, listening to her 'confession' as it was. He chuckled, "Well, I don't know whether to thank you or not yet, but I appreciate the thought."

As for the other question, he shrugged, "I don't know yet, I just got back from that meeting. Although I was thinking of shifting the desk to minimize people sneaking up on my bad side." He was glad that at least one person at this school knew - And apparently didn't let that knowledge influence her thoughts of him. Now to see if he could keep his secret with his increased responsibilities, or if he should just give up and wear the badge proudly. He considered the space and then pointed as he spoke, "Maybe if we pushed the desk against that wall, and then that would leave this section of the office open more for discussion too?"

[Katherine Carr]

She gave a sheepish smile as she took a sip of the hot liquid. "I believe in you." She said. "And you were already doing the job." She shrugged.

She nodded as he spoke, as he was making perfect sense. Her eyes moved around the room, picturing where he wanted the desk moved to and could see that it would not only benefit him, but would actually open up the entire office - which is why she liked her desk hard against the wall in her office. "That would be a good idea. And while we're on the topic of being open for discussion." Ok, they hadn't been, but she saw it as an opportunity. "Would you be interested in a couple of broodmares? And when I say couple, I actually mean two."

[Tobias Xayarath]

Tux laughed at the sudden change in topic, "With that sort of segue, I am certainly intrigued." He listened to Katherine's question, considering the current stock and their budget. "I might, depending on their background and why they're looking for new homes." He pulled out one of the two armchairs and gestured at the other, "Care to share more information?"

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine grinned as she sat down in the chair offered to her. "They are both Black Forest mares, though one could easily pass as a Haflinger in colour. They've kind of done everything, Windi, still does everything, though Call is more focused on dressage now. They are both great mothers, and until Call lost her foal recently, there haven't been any issues to mention. Windi is in foal to one of the studs from where they are; a very stunning Haflinger." She paused as she realised that she really was talking the mares up quite a bit, and the last thing she wanted was to come off like a used-car salesman. "Grace and Hunter, who have owned and run Horses are Forever for the past four decades have finally realised that they are too old for the business and none of their children want to take it on." She shrugged as she felt her cheeks heat up. "When they called to tell me of their decision, and the two mares, I thought I'd come and talk to you before I said anything to them." So, while the couple knew that she was interested in the mares she hadn't said she actually wanted them yet.

[Tobias Xayarath]

Tux set down his mug of coffee and steepled his fingers as he listened to Katherine. He has the space for more mares, he knew, and the budget could easily accommodate another two. Especially since they would be getting a new reproduction teacher soon, and interest in the class might increase.

He let the silence linger after Katherine had finished speaking, considering. "Would they be able to provide us with pedigrees?" He questioned the choice to cross the breeds - He would want to look into that, because it was a mark against the couple. However, he didn't want to say that since they were Katherine's friends. "I would potentially be interested, pending some more information. Would you mind passing along my information and asking them to contact me directly?" Then he could ask questions without playing 'telephone'.

[Katherine Carr]

Katherine shrugged. "I'd say so." She replied. "I'm sure they could even put you in touch with the owners of their previous foals if you wanted to know what they are like." Even if the temperament of a horse came from both of the parents, it was still good to know what the foals were like when assessing the mare for future breeding.

She nodded about giving them his number, much better than him trying to get hold of them and neither of them being home, ah the fun of playing phone-tag. "They're keeping their two stallions, a Black Forest and a Haflinger, because they bred them. Grace says she feels it would be like selling their children." She shook her head, know that she would do the same thing if in their shoes.