Picked For Paint Crew

Participants:

kaylee2_icon.gif ygraine_icon.gif

Scene Title Picked For Paint Crew
Synopsis Kaylee meets a new volunteer in the form of Ygraine and promptly tags her to help with the painting.
Date December 05, 2009

Summer Meadows

The low brickwork walls flanking the entrance to this subdivision pronounce it to be 'S MMER ME DOWS', black metal letters pitted by age and each tilted slightly askew by decades of weather and neglect. The rest of the subdivision echoes this theme — pavement cracked, its lines worn and faded nearly into obscurity; small lawns littered with autumn leaves and dying grass, shrubbery poorly pruned or not trimmed back at all, such flowers as there are in most cases long since grown wild. The buildings are a mix of townhouses, duplexes, and quartered apartments, most of them with paint peeling at the edges, a few boarded over and sporting jagged holes where the windows weren't quite protected enough. Feral dogs slink at the back of the streets; their feline counterparts are less commonly seen, usually visible as no more than a streak of motion disappearing into the bushes or someone's cracked-open garage door. This isn't a neighborhood where people are seen lounging on their porches as the sun sinks low in the sky; to stay out as darkness gathers is to risk unwanted attention, and the consequences thereof.


Chilly and breezy as well as damp, the day is far from welcoming, and the flow of volunteers is perhaps a little lower than when the trip out to Roosevelt Island is rather more tempting a prospect. Still, within the "main office" from which the Ferry's charitable efforts are directed, a young woman in biker leathers is chatting to Sam, the site manager….

Being unemployed and with nothing really to do, leaves Kaylee with so much time on her hands that she spend most of it out at Summer Meadows anymore. She's been there for a few hours already rolling paint on houses. Of course, it's a bit awkward with crutches. Bundled in her brown leather jacket against the cold, Kaylee makes her rather clumsy way to the office, crutches creaking when she settles her weight on them. Her jeans look to big for her frame and a bit long, as the backs of the cuffs are frayed where her heeled biker boots step on them.

Luckily this time she doesn't have to worry about opening the door as one of the other volunteers does it for her. "Thanks, Dave." She offers politely, before making her way towards Sam. "Hey, Sam.. " Her tone bright despite her situation. "Running low on eggshell white for the house I'm painting." A look goes to Ygraine and she offers a smile, fingers trail through her hair, pulling breezy blown strands out of her face. "Hey, there… sorry if I'm barging in on something."

The biker shakes her head, offering Kaylee a warm smile. "No, not at all. I'm still finding my way around here, and was borrowing Sam to explain a bit more of the layout of what you're doing."

Stripping off one glove, she offers her hand, accompanying the gesture with another smile. "Ygraine."

"Ah… one of the new volunteers then?" Kaylee asks brightly, leaning heavily on the crutches so that she can let go of one and offer her own hand, cold from being outside. "Kaylee." A grin is flashed, showing teeth briefly. "Welcome to the fun." And there is nothing sarcastic about those words. Hand dropping back to grip the crutch, Kaylee straightens again. "As for what we're doing.. it's anything and everything. I'm not exactly skilled in much, so I've been helping with painting. What are you looking to help with?"

Ygraine shrugs expansively, offering a rather sheepish grin. "I'm not sure. I can run deliveries around the area, easily enough. But… I have the impression that there might be rather more work needing done inside. I'm willing to be kidnapped wherever you think I can be most use."

"Oh yeah.. need people painting.. helping with hitting nails with hammers.." Kaylee offers with a slow nod. "A lot of our professionals are pretty good about telling you how to do something if they need it." Pulling crutches out from under her, she leans against Sam's desk. "But I think for today…. since my normal crew.."

"You mean Jason.." Pipes up Sam with a bland tone, which gets a look from Kaylee. "Hey… don't give me that look.. Man takes more breaks then paint."

"Be nice to the guy…. He's at least doing some work." Kaylee rolls her eyes over to Ygraine. "Okay.. so my crew of one isn't here… So I could totally use an extra hand in painting." She grins, brows lifting, 'If your okay with that?"

Ygraine laughs and nods, cracking a grin at the exchange between Sam and Kaylee. "I think I'll survive the task. What is it that we're painting? Or should I wait till we get there to see the surprise?"

"Nothing really great. Right now it's paint the exterior of the houses that are still in fairly good shape. The owners gave us an idea of what they want.. The one I'm working on wants whate as a main color and a warm gray trim." Kaylee pushes up to stand again as one of the volunteers shows up with a pair of cans in his hands. "Can you grab those? Another day and I don't have to worry about crutches and I can do it myself. " The question directed to Ygraine, as she starts to head for the door. "I'll show you to the site. We've got it half painted, next place is a grey blueish main color and white trin. Should be fun." Glancing back at Sam, she gives him a stiff wave. "Thanks Sam!" is brightly called.

"So… Ygraine. What… or who made you decide to help out?"

Ygraine raises a hand in farewell to Sam, before moving to take the cans in question. "Fortunately, that sounds simple enough. I've never done much decorating. I helped strip wallpaper as a child, I remember, but… that's about it", she says with a swift grin.

Stepping outside, she peers up at the grey sky. "I'm glad to hear it about the crutches. I've spent a little time on them in the past, and I don't even you having to cope with them now…. As for why I'm helping out? Heh. It would keep my therapist happy, for one thing. Helping to validate my existence, and all that…."

Pads of the crutches crunch, while the metal creaks with each step, Kaylee nods slowly. "Well.. this came with the job it seems. There are some people unhappy with what we're doing and who is funding this little endeavor. While some of Mr. Linderman's PR guys were here, someone tried to drop a big banner on my head.. Got hurt when some of the guys pulled me out of the way." She sounds rather amused at the memory.

"Oh… well.." Kaylee starts at the explanation of the why, " Sounds like a good reasons.. Personally, I avoid therapists like the plague. They would probably have a field day with me." Her nose wrinkles a bit… "As for validating your existence… well.. I know what you mean. I've always found something… I dunno… I guess therapeutic about doing things like this."

Ygraine blinks, cocking her head as she shoots Kaylee a curious, surprised glance. "This is funded by Linderman? I didn't realize that. And… yeah. I used to find the whole notion of therapists to be crazy in itself, but…." She shrugs awkwardly, hands weighed down by the cans of paint. "They can have their uses, so long as you find good ones. The bad ones are just… terrifying. But the best solution's generally to work things out yourself, if you can. And being useful's always seemed a good idea."

"Well… he's donated to it." Kaylee amends, with a small smile, "It's not like a Linderman project.. No… This is a whole other group of people… Good people. Still, people don't like that he's given anything to it."Her shoulders lifts in a slow shrug. "I don't keep up with all the political crap really, if he's willing to help give these people a little bit of a better life." Her voice lifts as they pass a house under major renovation.

"Oh, doubts about him go way back before the Linderman Act", Ygraine says quietly. "He's… got a rather unsavoury reputation in some quarters. But… so long as this isn't just some way for him to try to extend his reach, it's a good thing that at least some of his money's ending up doing good. And… yeah. I've met a few of the people behind this in the past. I'm rather surprised by quite who's getting involved in it. Pleased, too, I should say."

Pausing, Kaylee turns a bit to look at Ygraine. "Really?" Continuing on Kaylee nods slowly. "Everyone I've met here so far, I like… and really look forward to working with. Some really good people." She chuckles softly. "A few months ago, I couldn't even begin to imagine I'd be helping these people out. Course, I can thank Pastor Sumter for putting me in touch with the right people." There is a touch of fondness for the man in her tone. "Dunno if you've met him, but it seems like most of the people I've met know the man."

Ygraine cracks a grin. "No, I haven't met him that I can recall. Whenever I've gone to church here, it's been to Saint John's. But I think I have heard the name before. And… there does seem to be a loose network of people who've been trying to help out around the city for some time. Even though it's not official, you'll tend to find that there's a fair amount of overlap at times."
\%r%t "Well… hang around here long enough, chances are you'll meet him." Kaylee offers brightly.. "And I admit, I've never gone to church… I only met him when he dropped some supplies off where I've been living." Her lips pull into a lopsided smile as the approach one of the houses that does indeed look like it's being painted, with windows taped up. Parts of it are a fresh white, the unpainted parts are a pale puke green, with forest green trim that looks sun bleached. "Well… here it is… The people living in it, while not exactly social, haven't argued what we're doing." %r%r%tA small figure can be seen through the plastic covered window, it waves a small hand. "They have a little boy who will watch when we're near a window. Jason tends to entertain him… you know rather then painting." Kaylee's hand lifts to wave in return, her tone amused.

"Well… hang around here long enough, chances are you'll meet him." Kaylee offers brightly.. "And I admit, I've never gone to church… I only met him when he dropped some supplies off where I've been living." Her lips pull into a lopsided smile as the approach one of the houses that does indeed look like it's being painted, with windows taped up. Parts of it are a fresh white, the unpainted parts are a pale puke green, with forest green trim that looks sun bleached. "Well… here it is… The people living in it, while not exactly social, haven't argued what we're doing."

A small figure can be seen through the plastic covered window, it waves a small hand. "They have a little boy who will watch when we're near a window. Jason tends to entertain him… you know rather then painting." Kaylee's hand lifts to wave in return, her tone amused.
Ygraine chuckles softly, offering the young boy a cheery nod and a grin.

"Whose idea was it, do you know, to pick this place to focus on?", the Briton asks as she eyes the part-painted house. "And how did you wind up involved in it all?"

Carefully setting down her burdens, she shrugs out of her biker's jacket, rolling her shoulders. "I always forget quite how heavy those things are. I think I need to spend more time in the gym."

Setting her crutches on the ground, Kaylee lowers herself to start opening the paint can. "Rollers are over there." A head nod in that direction. "Not sure whose idea it was really. When Grace put out the word to the group, I jumped on the chance, drug my housemate Jason with me." Picking up a flat stick she makes sure the paint is well mixed before pouring it into the waiting trays.

The question of how she ended up involved, Kaylee presses her lips together and is silent, taking that time to climb back to her feet, using on of her crutches as a prop. "Lets just say… I ran in bad circles… and well… ended up getting afflicted by something by some one evolved and well… I was taken in by people in this group and sheltered until I was back on my feet… So when they look for help, I give it." She flashes Ygraine a grin. "Now it just feels right, so it's kinda become a fulltime thing for me."

Ygraine winces, offering Kaylee a distinctly sympathetic look. "Infected, huh? That sounds bad. I've seen a little of what's gone wrong in New York in the past few years, though I've missed out on the last few months of chaos. I went back to the UK early in the year, and have only been back for a few days since then…."

Moving to inspect the rollers, she selects the first one she finds that doesn't rattle when lifted, or require immediate cleaning to be of use. "It's good that you've found somewhere to settle in. I'm glad. There are so many… dislocated people and communities now, especially in this city."

" Not.. exactly.. infected.. It was more like.. The person, messed with my brain.. now my former boss kills me to be around…" Kaylee chuckles a bit at her own words as she loads on of the rollers with paint. "Sounds really weird and rather like something from the Twilight Zone.. but.. It's like that person made me allergic to him."

The roll slaps wetly on the side of the house and the first strokes of the roller are made. "Anyhow.. so you missed all the chaos of Humanis First kidnapping and torturing evolved? Burning down the pastor's church and hanging him and two others?" The smile on her face, fades some, replaced with small hint of anger. "Be glad.. it was a pretty dark time. Still not great… but at least Humanis seems to be keeping it's head down some. At least, not anything on the scale they were doing."

"I left not long after the attacks on tbe bridges and the power plant", Ygraine says quietly, starting her work with the roller rather carefully, clearly anxious not to slop paint around needlessly.

"But I read about the lynch-mob at the church", she adds worriedly after a short pause. "I… it was at the church that I bumped into Colette for the first time in months. Do you know her?"

Rolling slows at the mention of Colette. "Yeah.. I know her." Kaylee comments with a lopsided smirk. "We got off on the wrong foot. I made her nervous..well.. my… ability did, but we worked it out. She's a good person." Balanced on one crutch she works fairly quickly.

Ygraine laughs, shaking her head and grinning at her companion. "Colette often seems to get off on the wrong foot. What did she do? And, if it's not to rude to ask… what can you do?"

"Oh.. lets just say… She does a lot of shouting.." Kaylee lifts a finger to tap it to her temple, giving Ygraine a knowing look. "So I was hearing her when I was trying not too hear anyone… So when she found out, she freaked out." The telepath, chuckles softly. "And well.. I'm sure from that you can guess, I'm a telepath." She glances over her shoulder. "I don't exactly broadcast it outside the group.. cause people think, if you read mind.. you'll be all up in their heads… which is exactly what Colette thought. We worked it out, though."

Ygraine sighs and nods. "She used to have a huge hang-up about the Evolved. Among other things. She's been a very confused girl for some time. But now… she seems to have grown up, fast and hard, even in only a couple of months."

Offering Kaylee a rueful smile and a shrug, she sighs again. "I hope that she wasn't too much of a pain."

Nodding a bit, Kaylee hmms softly, "Well, she doesn't seem to have settled into it.. but seriously, everyone has hang ups with telepaths." Kaylee, gives a small smile. "And no.. She wasn't a pain at all. Once we had long talk, she was okay.. I even stayed over at the place she was staying so that I could put her at ease about me. I…. it bothers me when people stereotype me cause of my ability." Her head shakes slowly, and she looks amused while bending down to fill her roller again. "Anyhow… How about you? Any hang ups about evolved?" Her eyes narrow a bit, but there is a smile on her lips. "Knowing what I do, didn't make you run the other way at least. So if you do, it isn't much of one."

Ygraine laughs softly. "My wife's a registered Evolved", she says quietly, "so no… no hang-ups. Wariness about some abilities, but also… an awareness that the really scary ones are ones you can't do anything about. So why worry? It's like fretting that there are illegal sniper rifles in the hands of criminals. You could, theoretically, be shot at any time… but honestly - what are the chances? It's like panicking about being hit by a meteorite."

Studying her, Kaylee gives a short nod. "Well… good answer.. I think best I've ever heard." She grins a bit. "Wish the government thought that way, maybe things wouldn't be so bad for the evolved that get labeled and locked up wrongly." She sighs softly, her roller pausing. "I know some of those. People that were deemed dangerous even if they are good people." Glancing at Ygraine, she shakes her head. "Sorry.. I'm… not registered.. and I plan to keep it that way till I know that I won't get thrown in a deep dark hole for what I can do." Her smile is a bit sheepish. "Another reason I don't exactly tell people outside of the group." She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, she gives herself a shake and starts rolling about. "Okay.. moving on!"

"Can't say I blame you", Ygraine says gently. "I wouldn't register with any government remotely like this one, whatever their excuses for wanting it. And… so. What should we talk about instead?"

The woman gets a surprised look and then it falls into a friendly smile as Kaylee hmms softly… "Well…. tell me about who you know in the group?" she asks softly, moving to paint, her expression turning thoughtful. She listens to Ygraine as she talks… Letting things fall into a getting to know a new potential friend.


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