|
  |
Some homecoming, this, right from California to a wintry disaster zone. A smallish young lady wears insulated work-clothes and a watch cap, the former with some garage's name written across the back, an aluminum invoice box-cum-clipboard clasped in a work glove that might be a size or two too big and no stranger to grime, for itself: Julie waves a hand toward a tow-truck that's backing into position with a diesel rattle and rumble, yelling over it, "Yo, Vinnie! There's a stream of Italian and gesticulations, and when the truck pauses, she runs out a cable to some axle hooks previously set out of the ground: a hapless old Plymouth, apparently abandoned with a metal bar through its radiator, is soon hauled into the street by a winch, with the help of a fellow who emerges from the truck cab, presumably 'Vinnie.' A scene perhaps being repeated many times, in the area recently, save perhaps that a young lady is involved: the city or others clearing the streets of stranded cars after weather emergencies. Such things have a way of keeping "Dizzy's" family busy, when municipal services are overwhelmed.
The Plymouth is soon in the process of its front wheels being raised into a towing cradle, apparently soon to depart, after the two confer, clearly talking over the hydraulic sounds, a moment."
Amanda arrived to help with rubble removal an hour or two ago. Left to her own devices, she cast one spell after another, levitating stone into dump trucks, or simply gesturing to make the stone clear the streets and allow passage for vehicles. Sure, it looks a little suspicious to others when they come around to check her progress, but she says nothing. Instead, Amanda just tugs her hood down a little more and hopes she doesn't run into anyone when and if they come visit the circus. Or maybe they won't recognize her. After helping to clear a side street (by hand) she has decided food is necessary, and told the others she was helping that she intended to find food. She's not tired exactly, but casting the spells cost her. She needs a moment or three of rest. And being new to the city as she is, she's wandering a little, her path bringing her right by the hapless Plymouth that Julie's working on.
Julie seems to have… Working-with-wreckers abilities. The man pipes up, "OK, put 'er in neutral, Diz!" Which she slips into the car to do, then leaves a carbon copy of something from her box on the dash before getting out and coming around, looking at the papers. "OK," she says, "Next one's a green Ford on the next block, number 348, apartment 4C, …Sure hope that doesn't mean something threw it in a walkup. How bout I hook her up and wait for you or Mikey." Another set of chains and hooks are soon hoisted on the girl's shoulder and tow truck, Plymouth, and Vinnie are soon gone, leaving the street suddenly seeming almost peaceful. Julie looks around the block, murmuring, "Mammamia. It's beginning to look a lot like…" She lets that trail off as she shifts the chains over her shoulder, coming closer to where the others are. If she had a chance to notice any levitating rocks, she's not showing it.
"Less of a ruin?" Amanda offers. Her accent is terribly hard to place, though sometimes a sound here or thee sounds vaguely German in pronunciation. Despite her words, she's smiling. "It is going to be a lot of hard work, but everyone seems determined to get it done." She's happy she showed up and offered to help. Even if a great deal of that help was done in a sneaky way. It means people can concentrate their energies elsewhere.
Julie trudges a bit, her own accent being rather local, Italian-tinged but New Yorker in a way familiar to the borough, smiles a bit to the lady, rubbing gloved hands together, likely to no great effect. "Welcome to Brooklyn, lady. Guess we're remodeling."
"At least everything can be repaired," Amanda says. Still smiling. "I was helping clear some of the debris earlier." She looks around quickly, frowning. "Do you happen to know which way I go to find a place to buy food? I'm afraid I… forgot to ask directions before I left the others."
Julie ahs. "I dunno who's open, right now, think they got the pizza joint cooking anyway, maybe Scholomo's." She points up the way, further from the Brighton Beach destruction, before doubletaking a bit at the 'clearing rubble' part coming from the lady. But who's Dizzy to judge right now. "Headed that way, myself, I think I could do with some coffee or something. This thing's had all the wreckers hopping, or I could be doing something else."
"Do you mind leading the way?" she asks. Amanda then offers, "I'll treat you to the coffee?" Her smile returns, and as she steps closer, extending a gloved hand. "I'm Amanda," she says. "Forgive my rudeness. I should have introduced myself after speaking the first time."
Julie nods, continuing along. Takes off a grimy glove to reveal a woolen one underneath to offer a hand. "Everyone calls me Dizzy. Guess you're new around here, some kind of engineer or something?" She hoists the chains a bit. "I'll hook these up on the way and then we'll see what we can get. I'll call in when we get there." That must have something to do with her job, whatever that is beyond the obvious.
"Me? Oh, no. I just heard they needed volunteers to move the rubble, so I showed up." Amanda shakes the hand firmly. "My day was free." She had to run it by Circus Management, but thankfully she has not been the only one to go out and help the city. Seems like a lot of people thought it was a good idea.
Julie nods, trudging along through the snow. "Any idea what really happened over there, anyway? Kinda heard on the radio on my way into town, next thing I know I got my cousins and the trucks called up with Civil Defense or something. "
Amanda shakes her head. "I'm… not entirely certain. We don't get the newspaper or have television where I live, and people have been reluctant to talk about it." Scared, almost. "I'm just happy to help, even if my curiosity won't be sated." She follows, trudging through the snow. "Something that scared everyone, from what I can tell."
Julie nods, carrying the chains along up the block, glancing up and down the street for traffic as they come to a corner, as if out of old habit. "Sounded like the War of the Worlds, to me. Who knows?"
Amanda is familiar with the novel, even if she never heard the radio show. She nods, frowning. "I hope not. People are scared enough as it is." The prospect of a reinvasion might not have occurred to anyone yet. "You're helping clear the streets of the cars?"
Julie nods. "Some's broke, some people just want back and all." Shows the aluminum job-box as though it'd mean anything, but it seems to have some kind of license on it." Indicates with her head the direction of the old Plymouth. "Looks like that one only got so far when they got in to run. Someone's got a story this Christmas, or, maybe the hannukahs, back there."
Amanda looks back at the old Plymouth, nodding slowly. "I've always been curious how they work," she admits. She should learn. Or try to. She can't stay cooped up at the circus her entire life, right? Sorcery or not, another skill could be interesting to fall back on. Then again she does know how to help take care of a lot of animals… "I know more about horses and other animals than vehicles."
Julie ahs, looking over. "I suppose they're better company, horses. I suppose cars fill some of the same space, though, at least as far as we're concerned. Hard not to sympathize when they're broken, but they don't really die on you if they get broken. Animals, well, you can't just leave them waiting for a tow and all. That's good stuff to know about."
Amanda smiles big and bright. Ah, she can talk about the circus animals for hours! She never did lose that childhood fascination with animals, especially 'exotic' ones. "This is true. We've had to take them to a vet before," she says. "Very involved, from what I was told. Almost more complicated than a human seeing a doctor." How accurate that is, she has no idea. She knows she hasn't tried using her magic to heal animals before. Maybe it wouldn't work. "But I'm sure that knowing about vehicles is just as important too. Cars are everywhere in this city."
Julie nods, "The whole country, too. Cars, well, I love em, but sometimes there really are too many in town, …parking emergencies being a big example." They begin to approach a mint-green Ford. "Not that this is anyone's fault."
"I've never been anywhere so… /big/," Amanda explains. "We usually stayed around small towns and villages in Europe. Very few cars. So many people and so many cars…" Amanda shakes her head. "It's… overwhelming." She came to help Brooklyn, not completely realizing it was part of New York, and that it would be this easy to get lost. Oh well.
Julie nods, smiles. Says expansively, "Well, a bit of the whole world's* here, bound to get crowded." She holds up a finger as they approach an address and a green Ford, looks something in her box over under flashlight, and claps it shut, then peers inside with the same light. "Hydramatic, going back here. She indicates the rear of the car, where she sloughs the chains off her shoulder, and crawling under there, says, "Just gonna leave this set for Mikey." There's a couple of clanks of hooks over the axles. Soon she's underneath and leaving a note. "Now let's see about that coffee, how bout."
Amanda watches Julie intently, as though she is positive she's going to learn something from the watching. She would offer to help, if she was sure her presence could add anything. "All right," she says, nodding her head. She doesn't mind taking time. It's nice to meet someone else, to talk to someone else. She adores the other Circusfolk she lives and works with, but sometimes, outside voices are needed. New social experiences! "Any recommendations from this place? I've… not actually eaten much in the way of American food."
Julie nods as they continue on. She does eye the lady again, just cause she doesn't look like she's been involved in rubble removal. Still "Nothing's American food, everything's American food. Somewhere in between, you get American food. Hey, looks like there's some lights on at Mario's. That's a pizza joint, that'll make a good start."
Amanda has heard of this 'pizza' but never tried it. She perks a little bit and nods. "Lead the way," she says, gesturing with a hand. Even if it's across the street. Without a recommendation, she'll probably look and see what's available, then choose something that has ingredients she is familiar with. Otherwise? She'll go with whatever Julie recommends.
Julie nods, hands and gloves sort of stuffed in pockets. There's a glow coming from the pizza place, though the neon signs are dark: it must be candles or lanterns. as they approach, 'Dizzy' peers in to see some people in there. "Here we go, gas lines must not be out." Glances over. "Heard things got pretty like this over there in Europe after the war and all, worse, even. Let's see."
"I… wouldn't know," she murmurs quietly. Amanda shifts uncomfortably for a long moment. She's sure the horrors of war played a disastrous part in her family history. "…I was little then." She settles on that and focuses on trying to look into the interior of the pizzaria. "Lucky for them… I imagine other places are not so lucky."
Julie nods slightly, as they enter, "Yeah, …actually my Papa died over there in the war and all, never really met him, but I heard what kind of mess it's been since, mostly. Can't really un-bomb things and all. Except maybe in New York." The somber thought's banished abruptly as she holds up a hand a bit to someone about her age behind the counter, "Ayy, Niccolino! how's about a pie, or half ofa large, and if you got coffee on, people are freezing here!"
Though winters aren't anything new to her, Amanda is relieved to be indoors. "Coffee would be much appreciated," she adds with a small smile. The fact that Julie knows the man in here surprises her more than a little. Big city like this, people are still familiar with their neighbours? "What do you usually have on pizza?"
Well, high schools may shrink neighborhoods anywhere, but perhaps in this neighborhood, they are. Julie tilts an ear toward Amanda saying, "I guess make it 'roni, then!"
As she keeps coming toward the counter, the young man behind the counter looks a bit surprised, and "Of all times, now you come in looking for coffee, Diz, what is it two years? I got your coffee."
Amanda murmurs her thanks for the coffee as she looks around the pizzeria, eventually choosing a chair to sit down in. She's still a little chilld, so keeps the jacket on. She assumes pizza takes a while to make, so deals with her lightly rumbling belly. She can wait. "Are there many more vehicles you must help move?" she wonders, as she watches Julie. Probably a lot more, now that she thinks on it. Maybe some buried under all that rubble, too.
Julie hrms, there, stopping to peel off her gloves and stuff them away, also taking a sip of her coffee as she maneuvers to sit down in the process. "Good question," she says, pulling out that clipboard-box and flipping through the invoices inside. It's then, perhaps, she looks somewhat tired. "All this happened on the way back from California, …I get here, could have been flaming ice monsters from Mars in Mamma's pantry or something, for all I knew. I dunno what I thought I was going to do, but there were enough calls for all the family so all's a sudden I'm doing this." She winks, like this is something she should have expected. "So, how bout you, you from Switzerland or something? Jeez, Louise, you must be wondering which end is up yourself."
"Germany," Amanda explains. Switzerland wasn't a bad guess - they do speak German there too! "It… feels a little confusing, yes," she admits. "Mostly trying to get used to the difference between small cities in Europe and the big city here." New York is just far more massive than any city the circus had been to - they never hit London at all, too much competition. "Just in time to see this mess."
Julie nods, cradling the coffee. "Guess it's good you're trying to help, then. Sometimes it's like there's a bunch of little cities all scroonched up next to each other, here." She tilts her head back toward where they came, and Brighton Beach, "Lot of nice Jewish folks up that way, kinda wonder if it's *Nazi* ice monsters looking for some way to settle a score. I dunno. Kill the President, then all this stuff, all's I know is they picked the wrong neighborhood if they think they'll get further."
Amanda falls quiet at the notion of 'Nazi ice monsters'. She has nothing to offer there. Nor does she know much of the President's assassination, beyond hearing about it. For a moment she cradles the coffee, staring into it before she dives in, chugging it all back in one go. …She really was thirsty! Or cold, maybe. Then she watches and listens to Julie, waiting for that pizza.