On A Park Bench

Participants:

paul_icon.gif sydney_icon.gif

Scene Title On A Park Bench
Synopsis New in town, Sydney catches up on current events by asking a stranger.
Date December 4, 2008

Central Park


Sydney has been working quickly to get herself settled into her new home. Still living out of a hotel she's gone and gotten herself a new bike for a means to get around. More importantly she got herself a nice thick arctic coat. Because she has been freezing since she arrived. Curled up on a bench she has been doing one of her other hobbies. Watching people, and trying to learn how New Yorkers walk and act.

It's still a bit above freezing. In a thick wool suit jacket its not that bad for the north eastern native. He whistles to himself and walks down the path with a paper.

Sydney is from the tropics until recently. She has a little notebook near her to put down observations. She is balled up and hugging her legs with her chin on her knees as she watches all the people. Someone whistling often draws attention. Smiling she asks, "good day? How can your lips not be chap…Chapped?"

Paul pauses and looks at the woman who addresses him, he smiles. "Chapped? It's not like its all that cold….I mean this is a milk day……" He sees her status and frowns, "Sorry….I guess your not use to this?

Sydney laughs, "Not that cold? It is freezing. Feels like we're at the north pole to me. It is all I can do to not be shivering. I take it you've had a good day?"

"Relatively." He settles into the bench next to you, folding his paper over his lap. "I'm sure we are quite a few degrees above freezing, compared to Maine this is a warm spring day."

Sydney shakes her head. "I can't even imagine that. I've always been a warm weather girl myself. Name's Sydney by the way." She shifts some to look more at her new bench partner. "You look local."

"Define Local, I grew up a couple hours, and 3 worlds north of here. But I've been in town a while. " He offers a hand, "Paul Heart"

Sydney has a gloved hand to shake as she gives a pretty smile to Paul. "Nice to meet you Mr. Heart. I mean you look like someone that is comfortable in this city and lived here for a while."

Paul grins, "Comfortable, yes, you could say that" He has apparently choosen the perfect angle so that the sun lights him, with a friendly warm glow. "Your new in town?"

Sydney nods her head. "Yeah. Shows still huh?" She is trying to work on that. "I just got in the other day. Still getting orientated and everything. So what do you do in this big city and were you here for the bomb?"

Paul blinks at that question, "That's a loaded question….A lot of people lost family. I wouldn't use it as a conversation starter with most. I'm a lawyer to answer your first question."

Sydney wrinkles her nose some. "I hadn't thought of that. I just wasn't around when that happened and trying to think of what has happened to this city." She does look apologetic some. "I'm sorry if I upset you. So what kinda lawyer? Must be a lot of firms in this city."

Paul looks at the horizen, "I….was less then a mile from the blast personally, I was buried alive with almost 30 other people and remained that way for two weeks, until less then a dozen of us were recovered. We were as close to the radiation zone as anyone who survived, and some of my fellow survivors suffer from radiation posioning still. It's painful to remember, and others would not react as well as I did to the question. I am just watching out for you."

Sydney whispers a soft curse. "I'm sorry." She can't imagine what that is like. "I'm…. " she wets her lips tries to think of what she could possibly say.

Paul smiles and pats her gloved hand, "It's ok. Like I said I'm just watching out for you, New York isn't a friendly city.

Sydney looks around. "So far I've been really lucky. I've met nothing but nice people. But I may not be from a big city but I'm not a fool. Still looking for work but I'm not worried. So what kind of lawyer are you? Criminal or real estate or something else?"

Paul considers, "Contract Law by training, though I have moved more into Human Rights of late. What kind of job are you looking for?

Sydney shrugs her shoulders a little. "Well I got a line on a courier job. I don't have a law degree or anything like that. So Human Rights are like civil suits of hate crimes and stuff?"

Paul nods, "Mostly to do with evolved right these days. It has become a hot button issue.

Sydney looks up and with interest at that. "So you've seen one? I mean an evolved. That must be some serious work. So what do you think about the whole situation?"

Paul raises an eyebrow, "Seen one? Are they like Lion's now? A safari hunters dream? Evolved are just people, people with a slightly different gene in thier genetic code, no different then genes that define color of skin, or eye, or hair, or gender."

Sydney says, "Hey seeing someone fly on their own or something else is amazing. Just people don't do that. I saw one under the water once. Never got his name but he was swimming about fifty feet under the water without gear and neve came up for air in at least fifteen minutes out in open water." Sydney is clearly willing to talk about this. "So is that what causes it all? Just genetics?""

"I'm not a geneticist, or a Doctor, but my understanding is it is exactly what they call it. Evolution, the next step for mankind.

Sydney huhs softly. "Never heard that. So I guess you're in favor of everything about equal rights? Which make sense but what about the registration?"

"There are sides to that. What they call in legal speak, precedents. I can think of at least two off the top of my head. Handgun registration in the United States, and Registration of your ethnic heritage in 1930's and 40's Germany.

Sydney nods her head. "See that's what I was talking with some woman that worked in the Mayor's office. About the Nazi, and she mentioned sex offenders too. Though those are after they committed a crime. So not exactly a fair comparison. So do you support the registration? Seems kinda unconstitutional."

"Personally…." He frowns a little, "I think that publishing the names of evolved publicly, where every person who wants to commit a hate crime on them is not only unconstitutional, but criminal negligence."

Sydney can agree with that. "So you're not in support of the registration then?" Then as if a thought just came to her, "if it is genetics is there a test they can do to know if you're someone evolved?"

"That is still under discussion, research is being done on it. But there very well might be. I beleive that if we are going to…register people, why stop at the evolved? Why not register those who own knives, or guns, those who speak foreign languages, or register based on your religious faith?

Sydney chuckles a bit. "Well some of those things you listed include me." Not going to say which. "City like this must have a lot of evolved in it. What abilities have you seen or heard of I mean you can find stuff on the net and papers but I don't believe half of it."

"What do you know about the evolved? Or the laws about registration?

Sydney shake her head. "Pretty much nothing. I know people just stated to show up with abilities. I know some are scary what they can do. I guess like people they are all kinds of evolved. No idea about the laws."

"It depends…if you power is…harmless, nothing happens really….if you have a power that is…useful, a tool you could say. Then you name, photo, and hometown are made public knowledge to every psycho out there. If your power can be weaponized, then they also include your homeaddress and work address.

Sydney can't help but make some notes. "If I write something down I remember it better. Who determines if it is 'useful' or a 'weapon'?"

"Homeland Security. They have the discretion to make that choice.

Sydney frowns some. "I don't like them. Nothing but a bad rep from what I've heard. I mean how do you even contact them? They don't make themselves know and friendly really do they? And I've heard that people go disappearing."

Paul smiles softly, "Rumors….do say there are people who register and are never seen again, but rumors say aliens abduct hill billies too. Contacting Homeland is not all that hard, having reason to contact them is the question.

Sydney shakes her head. "I don't believe in aliens. Scary men with power in government I do believe. Look around and you can see suits and stuff around right? I don't wanna talk to Homeland at all."

He grins, "Suits? Is that how you define evil?" He looks down at his otufit.

Sydney shakes her head. "You're in a suit but you aren't a suit. I used to be near somewhere…" She hesitates. Not one to talk about herself. "Suits are those guys with that look. Cobra Bubbles only not fluffy. They always got that bulge in their coats, or tailor them wide. The melt menace. The guy you can see in combat gear in the desert killing people or stuffing someone in a black bag to never be seen again. You look more like a white hat to me."

Paul grins a bit, and shakes his head, "Maybe I just have good lighting, I'm just a lawyer, not exactly a hero.

Sydney shakes her head. "Heroes don't exist. Least not in my mind. People help others only out of selfish reasons." She looks at him and smiles. "Lighting huh? Guess that can help. I'd settle for some good heat."

He smiles, "So why am I sitting here, helping you understand?

Sydney pauses at that. "You know that's a really good question. Why are you?" She could make guesses but better to just ask. "You said you're not a hero."

Paul grins, "Well, maybe I am trying to change the world one vote at a time. Or maybe I am bored, and in need of entertainment. Or maybe I am secretly a serial killing stalker, and trying to get your name and number for my next victim. And maybe, just maybe, no everyone is as selfish as you think.

Sydney shivers at that and not just cold. "I really hope not. I don't have a number and have no wish to tell you my name now Mr. Heart." She shifts a bit in the bench and glances at her locked up new bike.

Paul shakes his head, "I'm sorry Sydney, I didn't mean to scare you. But this is New York….you need to be careful in this town, it really is a concrete jungle." He does look very trustworthy, "I really don't mean to scare you…."

Sydney shakes he head. "I'm careful. Really I am. But I've had some real looser boyfriends." She has no intention of going into more details. "I'm just trying to learn about this. I mean the world is changing fast."

Paul asks, "Why did you come to New York?

Sydney doesn't like to talk about herself and what she is up to. "Looking for someone and some answers." Being vague as possible. The lighting shift isn't noticed by her as she stays curled up to keep warm on the bench.

He nods, "Anything I can do to help?

Sydney shakes her head, "Not sure how. Kind of need to get my roots done and set up before I can really look. I don't trust any private investigator. That's just hundreds of dollars I don't have."

Paul hmmms softly, "Is it a family member? an Old Boyfriend?"

Sydney keeps it vague. "Friend of mine. I think they may have been getting mixed up into something bad. I got tired of getting jerked around so I'm here."

Paul nods, "Well….good luck then." He starts to get up, "I wish you well.

Sydney nods her head slowly. "Thanks. He question really quick. Is there a nickname for Homeland Security or the CIA? I mean besides their titles? Isn't there a slang term for them?"

Paul shakes his head. "Homeland is the only slang I have heard.

Sydney pouts at that. "What about for the CIA or FBI? I could have sworn one was called the company or something else."

Paul pauses a second at that, "The Company? There is no official organization of any type, claimed by the governement, or with any funding from the government by that name."

"Whether or not thier is a rogue organization out there hunting down evolved by that name, noone can prove."

Sydney pouts some. "Figured if anyone would know it be a lawyer. They always do the best on Jeopardy! and stuff." When Paul adds more she frowns some. "Is that talk from you hearing rumors or something?"

Paul smiles and nods, "You hear a lot of things, doesn't mean they are all true.

Sydney asks, "What have you heard then?"

Paul shakes his head, "nothing concrete…nothing important.

Sydney nods her head slowly. "Seems to be the situation. Well it was nice to meet you lawyer Paul Heart. Maybe we'll see each other again."

Paul nods, "We will see. Miss Sydney. We will see. You should get in out of the cold though. Before you freeze solid."

Sydney nod her head at that suggestion. "Great idea. Some coffee and a meal will help warm me up. Goodbye."

Paul smiles and heads off himself, whistling to himself.


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December 4th: Ride Around the Town
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December 4th: You're a Cheap Date, Abigail
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