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*
It's noon in Central Park. Consequently, the park is full of bodies — some on lunch, others just catching up on needed RnR. The Park, as most New Yorkers call it, operates as a central hub of activity, and one of the largest green spaces in the city.
One lunch eater just returned from a stint in New Mexico, and looks worse for wear for it. Creases form along Bruce Banner's eyes as he sits at one of the many park benches tossing pieces of his sandwich towards the birds (who, ironically, are in front of a sign advising not to feed the birds). The five o'clock shadow lining his face gives rise to the already-haggard appearance Banner sports. If it weren't for his sports coat, complete with elbow patches, people might think him a vagrant.
A hand runs through his mop-like hair, and he tosses the last half of his sandwich back at the birds. He leans forward in his seat and pinches the bridge of his nose.
*
It'll be a little while before her college courses begin but Katie has moved to the big city a little early. Of course that means paying rent and to do that a girl has to make every saving she can. Like walking all the way across the city to check every pawn shop to buy as many cheap radios as she can carry.
Aside from the sack of radios she seems like a perfectly normal young woman taking a stroll through the park. If, perhaps, far less concerned about the shabby looking gentleman on the bench than a proper young lady should be. And while many of the other park goers take a wide birth she pauses and dumps the bag down. "You don't mind if I rest this bag a moment? Only it's quite exhausting to carry."
*
A slow inhale of breath has Banner canting his head to eye the young woman a moment before managing, "Knock yourself out." He shoots her a tight-lipped smile followed by a long sigh. His eyes turn back to the birds and the water. After a few beats, he manages another tight lipped smile, "Seems like you have quite the load." He shrugs and allows his eyes to return to the water.
He rests an ink-covered hand on the bench — complete with multiple digits that read like phone numbers.
*
Katie shrugs. "It's too expensive to buy the things I need at retail and have them delivered. So I have been visiting pawn shops and buying second hand damaged radios which I can strip for parts. Also people are often telling me I should get out more and meet new people." She shrugs. "People run shops. This allows me to carry out two tasks for my summer in a single trip."
*
Bruce blinks hard, almost like he just woke up. "That's awfully…" he struggles to find an ideal word, finally landing on, "…efficient of you." Katie earns a side-long stare at the notion of radios. "What are you using the radios for? I can respect the reuse of something old." Katie earns a small finally-genuine, smile, "Have definitely capitalized on the pawn shop hunt before."
*
"Have you heard of Ground-penetrating radar before?" Katie asks, rolling her shoulders now the weight is off. "I like efficiency. It's my favorite virtue. I would not be surprised if you are unfamiliar with it. No-one seems to be considering all the interesting uses it could be put to."
*
Now that catches Banner's attention. "Not an expert by any means, but the theoretical potential of finding things using radio waves — " he whistles and leans back in the bench, finally making himself a little more comfortable. "It has some interesting applications. What are you hoping to use it for?"
*
"Use it for…?" Katie repeats with a frown. "I… uhm…. I have to admit I haven't really thought about using it for anything in particular. I suppose that I0 was just curious to see if I could make it work. Are you an academic of sorts?"
*
There's another flicker of a smile followed by a nod. "If you can get it to work, that's a success in itself. And if you can't," Bruce shrugs. "Not a big loss. Just learned a way that doesn't work, I guess." The question draws Banner's lips upwards. "I used to be something like that." His hand instinctively rubs his chin, "My interests were more around radiation. Gamma rays. That kind of thing." Again he shrugs. "So where did you become interested in radio waves?"
*
Katie shifts the sack of radios on to the ground, then perches on the edge of the bench. "Radiation research, interesting although not something which I would ever want to study in my own home. I imagine it's the sort of field which puts someone under a great deal of pressure," she ventures. "Perhaps you are overdue a vacation?"
*
A mirthless chuckle emits from Banner's lips: "Yeah, I wouldn't suggest studying it from the comfort of your own home. Only in really shiny labs." Pause. "And even then…" He shoots Katie an appreciative smile, "It's easy to get wrapped up in your work. And I'm not sure a vacation would help me, but definitely advice worth remembering down the road."
*
"In answer to your earlier question it's something that started to interest me at boarding school. Too many people were obsessed with the songs on the radio and I thought it was a terrible waste of radiowaves. So I worked my way through various libraries book by book," Katie offers, along with a smile that seems poorly practised.
*
World weariness melts away and Katie earns a kind smile followed by a nod. Banner rubs his temples and offers, "Just remember the two aren't mutually exclusive. The science and the music are both useful. Intrinsically and extrinsically." His cheeks puff out with an exhalation of breath. "Generally useful." His eyes lid. "In any case, I hope your home experiment works out. Been doing kitchen chemistry for my entire life, and I know enough to know things don't always turn out in home-experiments."
*
Katie keeps smiling, it even looks sort of like a regular person smiling and not like she's under duress. "If I wanted music I'd play the violin rather than listen to a radio. I've always felt if you want something you should be prepared to make it yourself. I'll be happy so long as my work does not burst into flames or cause problems with my landlord."
*
The comment is met with another chuckle. "Radio waves aren't likely to be noticed by your landlord. And if your work bursts into flames," Bruce cringes and shakes his head. "Well, I wish you luck with your experiments." A glance is given towards a nearby building and Bruce slips off the bench. "Unfortunately, I've gotta run. Nice talk to you — " he never caught her name, and so he leaves a place for it.[[/size]]