Players:
Summary: Rashmi and Travis reflect on what it means to be helping out.
Date: January 20, 2011
Log Title: Doing Something
Rating: PG
Africa - Rundown Village
The lush green trees of the rainforest hide the small village, with only one road that leads out. The road clearly doesn't get much use, high grass growing up the center. It's nestled next to a beautiful river, flowing with the clean source of water. Still, it is a good walk down a slippery slope to get there.
The village here is poor, but hardly unpopulated. There is one solid building standing at the middle of town, and that's the church, though even that is a roug stucco building. It also seems to double as a clinic. There is no steeple, it is a simple block building, but a cross stands high over the main entrance of the buildling. There are no white people who live here, a dark shade of black on the skin tones of each inhabitant. Though it is small, there are people who live and play. Children run amidst dogs, the women wash clothes and cook while men bring in the food. Some traces of civilization can be found, playing cards and checkers seems to bethe popular activities among the elderly, and they can be found in the shade of any of dozens of trees or around the large fire kept burning at the center.
The rest of the buildings in town are all the same. They are grass huts, and offer little privacy. None of the inhabitants seem to mind, content with their community life. This might offend some of the sensibilities of Americans, but they don't seem bothered by such things.
It was a long night at the village and by the time Travis was done healing everyone that he could he feel asleep wherever he was lead. He's awake now and has already cleaned up as best he can though he doesn't really feel clean. He's still wearing what he wore last night which is a pair of jeans with one of his custom, sixed armed, Rockies jersey's. He has the jersey unbutton cause of the heat while going over to one of the destroyed homes. He's taking a few measurements trying to figure out the best way to rebuild and make it a bit sturdier. The hard part is there is no traditional frames or anything.
Rashmi had expected hot. She had expected very hot. But even though New York can get brutal in the summer, the difference between believing oneself prepared for the muggy heat of the African rainforests and actually *being* prepared are two very different things. And while a light blouse and equally light skirt might look like they're enough to keep the heat from getting too stifling… it's very clear as she emerges from the chapel after making her rounds of the injured she'd patched up the night before, this is no place for a city girl.
Travis scrawls something on a piece of paper from a pencil that's been shoved behind his ear before trying to figure out a few things. He goes to go back to his tool chest which he brought with him when he spots Rashmi, it's hard to miss that red hair. He walks over to her and gives her a wave. "Hey Rashmi, how ya holding up?" He looks tired and the heat has left him quite sweaty."How are the injured holding up? I did as much as I could for them last night."
Rashmi blinks, looking up and throwing a tired smile Travis' way. "Hey…" She pauses for a moment, fluffing the bottom hem of her blouse to get some air moving, which seems to bring a moment's respite. "You did a *lot* for them, Travis, I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people in there who owe you their lives, you know? Still hurting a lot, but some have a chance that might not have before… As for me?" The redhead lifts a shoulder, smile widening briefly. "Miserable, but, we're not on vacation. I'll deal."
"Miserable?" Travis says and he smiles at that. "I don't know, nervous I think is better for me. And just out of place. Like really out of place. And, it's nice to be able to do something. I'm just glad I could, ya know?" He says as he's relieved he could have helped. "I've just been trying to keep busy, well..for the past few hours. I want to find a way to build them better places to live. But, it's not like there's a Lowes that sells 2x4 and plywood near by." He looks over at the stream and says really quietly. "I'm afraid to drink the water."
At Travis' admission, Rashmi lifts the canteen in her free hand with a chuckle, offering it out. "They packed iodine tablets," she says, equally quietly. "Just in case, right? I don't know if it'd offend anyone if we treated it in front of them, but, there's probably a lot of stuff they're used to that we're not, right…? Anyway it tastes awful, but it's clean."
Travis takes the anteen and takes a big drink from it before handing it back to Rashmi. "Your right, it does taste awful but it'll be worse if we don't stay hydrated in this heat." And if they're working on top of it. "This whole place is kind of culture shock, but..I don't regret coming here. It's a cool experience." He admits as it feels good to see another area of the world and be able to do something. "Could you imagine growing up here?"
Rashmi shakes her head, lifting the canteen to her lips and taking a look around. "I can't… but honestly? If it wasn't for the soldiers attacking, I'd say this is a nice village to grow up in… well um… *social* differences aside," she amends, clearing her throat and trying to keep her cheeks from reddening through sheer force of will… and failing. "*Anyway.* I've talked to people who do missionary work a couple of times… but it's a lot different actually *being* here, isn't it?"
"It is." Travis agrees looking around. "You hear about places like this in the news, see them on TV but it's so different when you're actually here." He can't help but think of the 'for sixty five cents a day' commericals. "They seem a lot more opened minded here and maybe tonight, we can actually take in some of the view. I can only imagine how beautiful the sunset is here." Though he coughs as soon as he says that. "Forget I said that, my Man card would be demerited if I was heard talking about sunsets." He jokes.
Rashmi lifts an eyebrow, shaking her head and chuckling. "…I'll try to keep it under wraps," she says, voice wry. "I don't know how much of a view we're going to get, though, since trees *everywhere.* Maybe see if someone'll show you how to climb one so you can get a good look?"
"I know, though I'd be wandering the rain forrest just to see it if Hosea didn't warn us cause honestly, I'd rather stay here and be safe." Travis admits as he's not about to go wander off and do anyting stupid. "So over all, how are you doing? Didn't get hurt from the plane getting hit and you slept decent enough last night?"
"My head still hurts a little," Rashmi admits, "and I slept… well… pretty much as well as I guess I could. I really *am* a horrible city girl…" Again her blouse is fluffed, hair pulled over her shoulder to allow her neck to cool off. "No mattress, no air conditioning… I've never even really been camping before, so this is kind of, um… new?" This last, said with a grin. "Like I said though, we're here to help, not take a vacation, so I'll deal. Mostly I think I'm going to have problems figuring out what to do with all this time I suddenly have on my hands, you know?"
Travis seems about to say something but stops and goes to something else. "Well, I want to figure out how to rebuild the homes that were destroyed along with seeing if I can get a bit of a better structure to their homes. If you want, I could probably use someone else to help me if I get to building. I can draw up some of the ideas I have in mind. But that's also if they don't mind as well. I don't want to just start doing stuff and have them be all 'what the hell is this dude doing to our home?'."
"Well," Rashmi says slowly, frowning slightly in thought, "Maybe talk to Abraham about the ideas you have? I mean, they lost a lot of houses, so see if you can learn how they make them, and do what you can from there? …You know, it'd *probably* be better just to take how they do it and improve a little, so you can teach them what to do so they can do it themselves after we leave, you know?"
"Well I don't know how to build a house and I don't think they really care about a door or anything, but I have the ability to use what my Dad taught me, so I think that's a good idea, talking to Abraham." Travis says with a nod. "Though I'm impressed by their spirit. It reminds me of the Grinch, and when the Whos were all without Christmas but were singing and happy anyways."
Rashmi nods, a bright grin spreading on her face. "I know! I mean I can understand *why* they sing like that in such a hard place to live, but, I think I'd really like to learn one or two of those songs… It just, I don't know… really helped a lot last night, even though I couldn't understand a word. It was like 'we're hurt and afraid, but we can still sing, so everything's going to be okay.'"
"I don't know about learning one myself, you've never heard my sing." Travis says as he doesn't have the talent for music. Sure he likes it but there is no talent there. "Honestly, last night is a bit of a blur. I was so paniced and just focused on helping people that by the time all was done I was exhaused. I don't even remember lying down for sleep just waking up this morning. But the with the singing, these people have an amazing spirit. I mean…people died because of this and I wouldn't have even be able to have a quarter of their spirit after my Dad passed away." Travis admires their strength very much and that admiration can be heard in his voice.
Rashmi nods slowly. "Yeah… I can understand what you mean." Resting her hands against the small of her back, she takes in a deep breath, looking out over the village. "…You know, it just makes me want to work that much harder for them… Even if all I can do is play nurse for the people who *really* know what to do. It sort of makes me wish I could help out with something *real,* like you with your carpentry, you know? I'm really glad you decided to come along."
"You can help me out Rashmi." Travis says. "I can teach you how to do some basic things. I mean, I trust you can use a hammer. I bet even after talking with Abraham maybe we can figure something else out too. Even if it's just simple repairs. I think just by being here you're really doing something. Though I would love for you to help me out, a lot of stuff is hard to do on your own, espeically here without all the high tech stuff we have back at Barnes." He says as he reaches a hand forward to brush a strand of hair out of Rashmi's face. "I'm glad you invited me to come along, I'm happy I did."
Rashmi smiles, nodding quietly. "I'm glad to hear that," she says, "and I'd love to help out when you need it. …It's not like we're going anywhere until the Blackbird's fixed, right? So there's time."
Travis looks around the area and the back at Rashmi. "It kind of makes…well more than kinda, but it makes you appricate what you have at home and at the same time appricate that there's more than just America, ya know? I mean, I guess you're right, we do have time to spend here. Enjoy it, help out."
Rashmi bobs her head. "That's the plan," she says. "Help out, and realize just how big the world is and how little we really are." Her smile turns slightly crooked, and she wrinkles her nose. "Which is why I'm glad it's the little things that make the real difference… I don't know about you, but that's all *I* can manage."
"Those it's the little things that do matter, and I'm fine with that. What is that about ripples making waves?" Travis says as he smiles. "I'm really glad I met you and that you invited me here. Now I understand you a bit more and why you're so passionate about your causes." He says as he leans in to give Rashmi a small kiss, that he's very nervous about.
Rashmi blinks as Travis leans in, having managed to miss nearly every sign that this was coming, but apart from a slight raising of her eyebrows makes no comment, instead leaning up to press her lips to his. "…Well *thank* you," she says as she lowers herself off her toes, "that was um… kind of a surprise. Not a *bad* one definitely," she amends hurriedly. "I mean that, thank you."
Travis smiles and blushes a bit. "Sorry..I've just been..wanting to do that for a while." He says as he brushes some hair back. "Though I gotta go find Abraham now, I'll let you know what we talk about. And thanks Rashmi." He says with a grin as he heads over to the chapel.
