Participants:
| Scene Title | One Of Mine That Makes It. |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Luke's probation officer shows up at his shelter to get a bit more personal. |
| Date | June 28, 2010 |
Queens - Outside homeless shelter.
Luke's met the guy more than a few times. Especially when his anklet went off, fritzed, melted and otherwise malfunctioned thanks to his ability and for his check in to see how his community service and other requirements were going. Tomorrow is when his regular meeting is, but it's a surprise visit today. Knowing that Luke was present and accounted for, Danny Schwimmerfarb, a man of unfortunate name and the looks to very much match it in girth, curly pepper hair, mustache and nose, waits outside the shelter, someone sent to fetch one of his many people under watch and care.
Luke is at the shelter, looking bored, and then here comes his nice, friendly probation officer. "I didn't break it this time." he tells the man by way of greeting, hovering just under the threshhold of being outright rude to him. No need to piss off the guy who could arrest him.
There he is. Danny pushes away from his spot leaning against a wall, pretzel in hand, salt liberally sprinkled over the whole thing. "You know kid, you say that every time, but the thing is, you do break it. Don't know why they give you the thing when each time you use your ability, it sends out a bleat to us and we gotta go through the whole exercise of having you come down or tracking you down. Have you ever thought about microwaving your popcorn the way god intended? You know, in a aluminum foil pie plate over an open flame instead of in your hand?" He'd had luke do this to demonstrate that no, really he hadn't actively tampered with it. "How you doing kid? Sleep good?"
Luke sneers. "And what century did people do that? It's a safety hazard to cook anything over an open flame, don't you know? Especially in a place like New York. Want me to get arrested for attempted arson?" ok, so maybe just over the borderline to rude.
"We've been using flame since the dawn of man kid. How about you stow the attitude, take a walk with me, I'll buy you a pretzel. Cause we gotta talk and I got a ten o'clock that I put off just to come down here" His hand clamps down on Luke's shoulder, steering him off towards the sidewalk proper. "You been doing your community service kid, on your own?"
Luke scowls. "Yes." partially truth, but mostly lies. He's been doing a little, but nowhere near as much or as helpful as he should have been. He frowns at the hand on his shoulder, but it'd be a bad thing to meltify his probation officer, so he follows the guy, especially since free food is in the offing.
"Good, don't forget to bring your sheet tomorrow, I got a few places arranged for you to go so that you can get some more hours down, picking up trash in the park, along the interstate. Helping plant some flowers at some of the smaller green spaces that the city has been working at sprucing up." Non negotiable it seems and the hand doesn't come off of his shoulder, still steering him.
"You strike me as a kid with issues Luke, you got issues? Because I get a lot of kids Luke, and they have anger issues. I got a lot of kids with abilities that sometimes, they need a bit of an outlet. You got an outlet kid?"
Plant flowers? Does he seem like a 'I'm going to go plant flowers! :D' kind of guy? Luke rolls his eyes at the man. "Really? I seem like I have issues? Y'think?" what, being a walking weapon of mass destruction isn't grounds for issues? "Would killing puppies count as an outlet?" not that Luke does, but it'd be funny to see the guy's reaction.
"Killing puppies? No, no, not a good outlet. You ever box kid?" There's a gesture to Coco's gym. "I like to go sometimes, get the gloves on, beat around a bag now and then. It's really good. You see, they got shrinks that sit you down, and they just yap yap yap at you. Tell me about your mother, tell me about your father, were you breastfed, all that crap. Now, that's got it's place, but sometimes? That talking just ain't what a guy needs. Now my late wife, rest her soul, all she needed was a shopping mall and she'd be fine, but guy's? Sometimes, we just gotta beat something up. You following me Luke?"
"I get in street fights all the time." yeah, like that's a smart thing to tell a cop. He's not going to tell the guy about the underground fights though, since he's pretty sure that's illegal. "Boxing, huh." Luke shrugs in response to that. "Beating people up sounds good to me."
"I didn't get those nose kissing my wife" Danny points out. "Listen kid. I want this to work. A bunch of others I work with, they couldn't give a damn. It's a job, and they'd have likely run your ass in already for the herky jerky mess with your anklet. But me? Sometimes, you just need a little understanding. You got a year on your probation, and seeing me once a week. From here in, I want you to meet me here. At this gym."
There's one last clap of his hand on Luke's shoulder then he lets go. "Bring your sheet, do your work, planting tree's, picking up garbage, dishing out food, get your hundred hours done. But you're gonna meet me here. You're gonna get a job, and a place other than that shelter. Yer registered, they got the octogon down on Roosevelt island. Cheap housing, really nice. I already got one of my other kids in there. But you're gonna meet me here and keep your nose clean. I think you're gonna be one of mine that makes it."
"A job? Doing what? I didn't even finish high school. And there's no way in hell I'd work at a fast food restaurant." as for the news that he'll be 'one of mine making it', Luke snorts slightly. "So you want me to box with you?"
"Kid, I wouldn't make anyone work in a fast food place. I got a cousin" No surprise there. "He has a dry cleaner. He pay's decent, and it's not McDonalds. You game? You'll meet some of my other kids. See how they're keeping their nose clean. Making something of themselves" He turns, hands into the pockets of his khaki's. "Whaddya say kid?"
Aren't most dry cleaners run by mafias or gangs or whatever? Luke shrugs. "Don't know what the hell they do in those places so I wouldn't know what to do. But what the hell, why not."
"Gotta learn sometimes kid. Rome wasn't built in a day. Get on with you kid, you got a day ahead of you" He digs an envelope out of his wallet, passing it over. Business card inside, address for the Octogon, enough cash for a cab to the place. "You need help with the first months rent, you call me, I'll see what help we can get you. Tomorrow" A gesture to the club. "Be here"
Luke glances at the club, then takes the envelope. Maybe he can mug someone for their iPhone and sell it for rent money, the new one just came out, right? He goes through the envelope, then nods at his proby.
"Good luck kid, keep your nose clean" His parting words as he turns, heading off to presumably, his office, for his 10 am appointment.