2580/Goodwill for All (Back at Base Camp)

Goodwill for All (Back at Base Camp)
Date of Scene:	24 September 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Karen Page, Ghost Spider

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Karen Page has posed:
For the end of summer/early autumn, the day had been hot. Swelteringly so. which was something of a problem for those who had been displaced by the invasion. it seemed that the more the responders did, the more they found to do. Now that there was a serious effort to provide aid, people were coming out of the woodwork for help, and food, and water. A second tent had been set up for collecting information: this one specficially to help people get resettled and find things like clothing, or necessities like diapers and toothbrushes.

Karen had begged off at the office. The files were drying out from the basement disaster of broken pipes. There wasn't a whole lot for her to do otherwise as even the court system had ground to a halt during the fighting. It had been surprisingly easy to get the time off work to be here at the staging area for the Goodwill Mission.

Today they'd set up food tables - these with heated pans that handed out actual plates of meals to the folks who wandered in and by. Sandwiches and coffee were still being taken into the disaster area for the workers there, but the staging area had become a much larger, well oiled machine of help.

Karen's job today was directing folks to the appropriate areas. (And she'd remembered to wear her sneakers this time!) She'd just finished helping a young mother with a toddler, pointing her towards the tent that would prioritize them for goods and a shelter space, before calling over her shoulder, "Anyone care to relieve me? I need a break." Like a potty break. And a coffee. And some of whatever that was that smelled so good over there where the food trays were.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "And then Superman swooped in and punched the flying monkey-thing so hard it went all the way into the river! It was amazing!" Gwen tells a circle of small children, their faces rapt with attention at what could charitably called 'BS' created by the blonde girl. "And he'll do it again, I know it! And his cousin Supergirl and all the other superheroes will make it all better in the end. So! Don't worry. I know all this is no fun, but soon everyone will be able to go home, okay?"

    "It was nice to talk to you all. Run back to your parents now and remember that Wonder Woman's looking out for you, even when it gets scary!" she says finally, making a shooing motion. The kids scatter and Gwen smiles to herself.

Karen Page has posed:
Some nice young man whose name was Tony (Karen knew it because of the "Hi I'm" nametag he wore proclaiming it so) took her place and a very tired Karen made her way to the volunteers tent. That was new, too. Now that this was becoming a more permanent fixture for the interim, there was a place just for the volunteers to get out of the sun and put their feet up between shifts. There were a couple of cots in there, and a small table with some folding chairs about it. It wasn't fancy, but it sufficed. Karen wasn't one of the ones, but a few folks had been here for days now, and the tent had been a godsend to them. This was the second half of a double for Karen. She wasn't sure how many more days she could pull those, but it was something, you know? You did what you could.

"OH, god, I needed this coffee." The woman didn't even look around the tent, just took the first empty seat there was and slumped into it.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen's good deed for the day done, she wandered through the camp to the volunteers' tent to poke her head in. "Anyone need anyth.. oh! Karen!" she said, spying Miss Page resting. "You look tired, Karen. When're you done for the day? Can I get you some food or something?"

Karen Page has posed:
Karen looks up with a smile at the familiar voice. A weak smile, but a smile none the less. "Let's see? When does 6 o'clock roll around again? I'm done when the dinner run comes through." Which isn't quite true - the food actually arrives some time before that, near 4ish in the day, but 6 is when the worst of the crush for feeding is through, and thus, so is she.

The mention of food gets a blink. "Damn. Knew I forgot something. Uh, if you're up anyway? Just whatever it is that's being served out there will do fine. I could eat a rubber boot at this point." And she sounds like she means it, too.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen steps back out again and goes to collect a plate for her new friend: roasted turkey, corn, some carrot coins cooked with brown sugar, stuffing and a square of cornbread. She returns with that and a cup of fruit punch. "Here we are. Thanksgiving a little early, I guess."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen's mouth is watering before the plate is even delievered to her. "That is amazing.." She takes up the plate and grabs a fork, quickly stuffing a mouthful of turkey in. "Donations from grocery stores. Most have been a glut on turkeys or something. You not eating?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen shrugs. "I'm good." but her stomach betrays her, audibly growling. She looks down at her traitorous tummy and then smiles sheepishly. "Ah... maybe the warehouses had turkeys and stuff in the freezer already to get ready for Thanksgiving? I dunno." She shrugs. "I want the food to go to people who really need it. I can afford to skip a meal."

Karen Page has posed:
There's a quirk of strawberry blonde brow. "No martyrs here, Gwen. Go. Get yourself some food, pronto. You're making me feel guilty." And she is. It's hard to eat in front of someone who isn't. Especially when that someone's tummy is rumbling in hunger. "Likely left over from last season and figured that they could get a tex break. I don't care. If they're freezer burnt, I can't taste it, and food is food. /And../ there's enough for everyone. Shoo. But go fast. I want to chat with you before I have to go back. Karen feeling just enough of a sense of duty that she's not sure how long she feels comfy just sitting here after her food is gone without heading back out to work.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen waves a hand. "Oh, eat. I'll get something after you go back to your shift." she says, lying again. "What'd you want to talk about?" she wonders. Gwen couches, sitting on her haunches next to Karen, listening.

Karen Page has posed:
Karen points. "March thine ass, Fists. Food. Now. Hop-hop." She rolls her eyes and mutters under her breath, "I wasn't born yesterday.. I'll eat later. Right. Like I'll grow an extra head. Or call up Superman and ask for a date." She snorts.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "If you give me his number I'll call him." Gwen says, but she shrugs and heads out of the tent. She returns with a plate of her own, though she's already been eating part of it by the time she returns. She manages to balance a plate and a cup in one hand while eating with the other. "Happy?" she says, grinning. "What'd you want to talk about?"

Karen Page has posed:
Karen has mowed her way through a good half her own plate by the time Gwen returns with her own plate. "So, got a thing for Superman, huh? Well, well. Who knew." Karen's voice is light and teasing, her eyes filled with mirth. "See, I thought you were the type who went for Booster." *That* she just lays out there and waits for Gwen to jump on. Barely holding back her laughter.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen wrinkles her nose. "Not really. I mean, I guess everyone likes Superman a little. I can do without, though." She has a sip of her punch. "Ted Kord? No way, buddy." she replies. "Oh! I bet I didn't tell you yet. I'm going to go try to get an 'interview' with him at Kord Industries... I'm going to pose as a tech writers starting a new 'blog about science and tech in the cities. I should be able to figure out if he's Batman pretty quick."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen laughs at the reaction. "I know, but I had to twit you about it. And really? Damn. Wish I'd thought of that. Uh.. so, what, you write too?" That's news to her. Then again, they've not but barely met - most things about one another are still news. "And you still think he's Batman? I thought you guys were full on joking about that." The other woman shakes her head. "I don't think he is, but now you make me even more curious. Only he'd be suspecious if we both wanted separate interviews. Damn." She shrugs. "Oh well. I guess you thought of it first. More power to you."

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "No, I don't, really. I just thought it was a good cover. Plus, I can whip up a webpage or something to look like a legit blogger." Gwen explains. "I don't know. I mean, who else spends all that time on his body like that? I can't believe he's a bodybuilder... so, who knows?"

    She crushes her cornbread in the remains of the turkey and gravy, mixing it up so she doesn't miss any of the salty brown sauce. "I have to tell you something. That money you all gave me for those drums? It... it didn't seem fair to use it on me when there are so many people needing things right now. So, I donated it. I hope that's alright."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen shrugs. "I don't know. Seems a lot of men are married to the idea of bodies like that..." The rest of Gwen's commentary hits her. "Gwen! You didn't! We - that was for you to get your drums." The woman frowns, even as her voice says she thinks it a wonderfully stupid and terrific thing Gwen has done.

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "I know. I'm sorry." Gwen apologizes. "But I saw little kids with no blankets or anything soft to squeeze tight in the dark and it just broke my heart." Her eyes shine and a silent tear escape, running down her face. She reaches up to rub at her nose and wipe at the offending fluid. "WHere would I put 'em, anyway?"

Karen Page has posed:
Karen looks over at the girl, her expression that same odd mixture of 'you idiot' and 'damn, that was nice'. "You're just a softie, aren't you?" She smiles and nudges Gwen with her foot, her hands and lap busy holding her dinner. "And I don't know, in your room at Juliard? You have a room, don't you? Somewhere you sleep.."

Oh, there's a thought. The girl /said/ she was going to school there (which Karen is now wondering about), but she never mentioned where she lived. She's not even sure why this thought is occuring to her, but she can't help asking, "You have a place to live, don't you, Gwen? I mean, you do right? You'd tell me if you didn't?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "I was living on campus, but they cancelled classes and kicked everyone off while this disaster is going on. Then they have to go through the whole place and make sure there's no damage or things from beyyond time and space lurking in closets and stuff." Gwen says. "That's what the email says, anyway. 'We will update you when we have more information' was the last update."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen blinks, "They kicked you off campus? Just where the hell do they expect you all to go? There are students from all over the world there." One can see and hear the indignation in her voice. "That's it. You're coming home with me. I have a couch. It's a lumpy couch, but it's not bad to sleep on. No arguments!"

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "I couldn't..." Gwen starts to protest, but she knows when she's beaten. "Alright. Thanks. I don't know... I guess they don't want to be liable if a god or demon or something knocks down a building and crushes people inside." she posits. "I'll do stuff around the place to make up for it. I'll clean and stuff. I can cook, a little. Might not be fancy but it'll be hot and probably taste okay."

Karen Page has posed:
"Didn't ask if you could," Karen asserts again. "I'm telling you that you are. And don't worry about that. Not unless you want to. Besides, might be fun to have company." She smiles at her newfound friend. "Say, can I ask you something?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen scoops the last bit of food from her plate into her mouth. "Sure." she says, munching. "Yeah. It'd be fun. I've never really had any roommates or anything. I was an only kid."

Karen Page has posed:
That puts a smile on Karen's face. "Well, neither have I. I think it will be fun, though." She munches on the last bit of her own meal. "Okay, so, here's the thing I was wondering. That night, right? In the bathroom?" She waits till she has all of Gwen's attention. "What you did to Booster - that wasn't just adrenaline, was it?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
    Gwen looks around for a moment, seeing who might be nearby and thus overhear. "No." she says finally, looking down and scuffing the dirt with a toe. "But the adrenaline made me not think. I shouldn't have shown off like that. At least you and Canary were there and talked me down. I wanted to toss him through the tile wall or pound him and that would've been bad. Like, bad bad."

Karen Page has posed:
There's a slow, thoughtful nod from Karen. "I wondered. I mean, right then I didn't think a lot about it. Or later." Like when they were grifting those pool sharks. "Damn we were good at that game. Elevator has some skill. Probably shouldn't encourage her, though. But yeah. I wondered. Uh..Anything you want to talk about?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "No. I guess not. Though... hmm. I need to try to find a job or something. Like filing or typing or like making coffee." Gwen says. "I don't think anyone will take me as a session musician, so that's out. I guess I could do security or something somewhere. Hmm."

Karen Page has posed:
Karen grows thoughtfully serious. "Damn. I wish our office were doing better more of the time. We barely tread water some months. I mean - we're not going under or anything, but even I don't get a regular paycheque. Everyone just sorta.." Karen shrugs. "I can pass your name along? Someone might need a bodyguard. I just can't promise much."

Ghost Spider has posed:
    "Oh, don't worry about it." Gwen says, ditching her plate in the appropriate receptacle. "I'll be fine." she reaches up to adjust her hair in the elastic she's using to hold it back. "I'll figure something out. Besides, your office might be really busy once all this is over... there'll be lawsuits out the wazoo."

Karen Page has posed:
That was something Karen hadn't thought about. "You might be right at that. But anyway, as long as the rent is paid and we have food, don't worry so much about the money." Gwen gets a grin as she gets up from her chair and throws her own plate out. "I know you're good for it. Or we could take Elevator out again." The thought of which makes her grins. "We'll be fine."