Fall Break

The receptionist waits at the desk with a hand nervously resting on their set of keys. Ahead of their desk are the large windows looking out from the dark lobby. He sees no one outside but can hear someone's steps as they wrap around the side of a building. Soon enough they walk into view. Now heading through the door towards him is a tall nonferal owl wearing a hoodless cloak that reaches all the way to the ground. He looks up at the owl entering with respect and fear, "Mr.Warren, I thought you were leaving."

The tall owl smiles as he puts a white gloved hand to his chest, "I already said you can call me Hoax. I simply forgot to grab my keys." Hoax looms down at the keys in the receptionist's hand as his smile widens, "Ah! I see you went ahead and fetched them for me from my desk!"

The receptionist quickly nods and holds out the keys to Hoax. Hoax takes the keys from him and inspects them with one hand. He keeps a calm tone, "Mighty warm. Sweaty palms I see?" Hoax looks back at him expectantly.

The receptionist nods, "I just have alot going on at the moment."

Hoax stuffs his keys into a pocket inside his cloak, "Perhaps you could use the time off then?"

He tilts his head with concern, "Pardon?"

Hoax scoffs, "You can take the rest of the day off. Just make sure the doors are locked up tight and the window shutters are down before you leave."

The receptionist stares at Hoax in disbelief, "But... You're not firing me are you?"

Hoax lets out a chuckle and swipes his hand dismissively at him, "Don't be silly! You're one of The Warren's hardest workers. I just think it's best if we close up shop early today."

The receptionist furrows his brow, "Isn't today the best day for business? It's fall break. There's bound to be people walking in with something."

With a hint of hesitation Hoax responds, "Like you said. You have a lot on your plate right now at the moment. The last thing you need is a hoard walking in here and troubling you. And the last thing I need is my main man getting burnt out from work before the next auction."

The receptionist thinks a moment before nodding and standing up from his chair, "I suppose that makes sense. Thank you sir."

Hoax turns his body to the doors, "If they really want to hand in an antique so badly that they can't wait one day, they can leave it outside and pray that midnight thieves don't want it either. Besides, if they care so little about an antique as to leave it outside like that, then it's hardly worth our time."