Mark, a towering, perennially upbeat presence, relentlessly gabs away; Jay, short and bearded, lingers alongside.
I feel a strange urge to linger alongside a need to hurry past, like a house on the corner the kids say is haunted.
They point out that China's slowdown is just one of many factors worrying investors alongside lingering political problems in the eurozone, signs of weaker global growth and vast sums flowing out of fragile emerging markets such as Brazil.
Sarah Ferris: "The House Budget Committee is planning to unveil a long-awaited budget resolution next week calling for a spending boost to the Pentagon alongside cuts to domestic programs, despite lingering disputes within the GOP conference.
There is a crunch of snow that varies according to the temperature... Linger alongside a bird-feeding station whose display of sunflower seeds has just been replenished, and the soft, rapid-fluttering whirr of chickadee and titmouse wings will come in closer and closer, like a drawing of curtains on all sides.
While echoing these concerns, our poll, which attracted 3,218 respondents from across the continent, found a lingering belief in Europe as a driver for peace and freedom, alongside a growing frustration at the direction and effectiveness of the EU.
In a twist, despite the lingering recession, the percentage of students receiving financial aid has not increased alongside tuition.
The president defined by his response to Sept. 11 standing alongside the one who has tried to take America beyond the lingering, complicated legacy of that day.
Even in a lingering recession, "sex will always sell," said Analena Graham, an owner of Dascha, where cone-shaped vibrators and jewel-tone fur ticklers are showcased alongside made-to-order corsets and aromatic oils.
On a recent visit I found myself lingering in the fragrant gardens with their trellises where one can read in the shade and walking through bamboo groves on a path alongside a stream.
