2009-07-14: Michael Harrington's Loss

Players:

Kalindi_icon.jpg Scout_icon.jpg

Summary: After a play finishes, Kalindi and Scout make a small trade.

Date: July 14, 2009.

Michael Harrington's Loss

Rating: G


NYC - Broadway

Broadway's not just a street in New York; it's where all the biggest musicals and plays in the world aspire to be shown. With street after street of theatres, gift shops, and restaurants, Broadway is a lively place. Bright lights fill the streets with the glowing and flashing billboards promoting the latest shows. Time's Square leads right into Broadway.


It's late, but it's always hard to tell with both the bright lights and crowds leaking down into Broadway from the neighboring Time Square. Tonight is no exception, with the hustle and bustle of people milling around. Could be that some sold out play just ended, or that this time of night is always crowded here; Scout would have no idea. What she does know is crowds are a great place for potential money and with her little blanket and cardboard sign, has nestled herself up against one of the many buildings. Unfortunately she seemingly has taken up the darkest spot the sidewalk, obscuring most of the dirty little teen as well as her sign.

The play that just let out was wonderful. Or at least that's what Kalindi would say if someone asked her. She carries her somewhat worn backpack, both hands on the strap, but is otherwise looking like she got dressed up nice for her night out, including a nice royal purple dress and some gold jewellery. She plays with her earring for a little bit before she notices the homeless person sitting in the darkness. She squints towards Scout, trying to make out the words on the sign, and slowly approaches closer to try and see what it says.

The sign is fairly generic; scrawled in a black marker in rather childish hand writing 'Anything helps - God Bless.' The cardboard looks old and tattered with the black writing just beginning to fade. Sort of an odd fit with a rather young looking teen, which would probably make most people conclude it stolen. Scratching at her eyes, Scout quickly notices the other girl dressed in fancier clothes than her own begin to approach. Reaching over, she grabs a styrofoam cup, the worn edges having obviously been picked and bitten at. "Spare a dollar." She meekly says.

What Kalindi says doesn't sound meanspirited, angry or snide like how many people talk to homeless people: "Why would I do that?" she pronounces in a strange accent, a mix between something strange and otherworldly, and something earthy and normal, a touch of confusion in her voice. She continues speaking in her demonic-mixed-with-Hindi accent, eyes looking over Scout carefully, "Why is it that I would give you a dollar?"

It doesn't really matter that the question was said in a non-confrontational tone; it still angers Scout as her eyes begin to narrow in on the other girl. "Why? Because I asked." She simply responds as if that should have been expected from her. She doesn't have much of an accent at all, making it rather difficult to pin-point where she's from, but her darker complexion definitely points towards aLatina background.

Kalindi narrows her eyes slightly and says, "Well, I do not think that asking is the same as deserving. There must be more of a reason than that…" She tugs at the strap of her backpack until it is off of her shoulder and slowly lowers it to the ground. "I do not make gifts unless it is a show of friendship. You are not a friend. For you, at best, I can only make the offer of trading, but you do not look like you have anything I want."

Scouts down at the blanket she's sitting on, as if she needs a visual confirmation that she does in fact own nothing. "Yeah, if I had something good to trade, I probably wouldn't be down here begging." She looks back up at the girl, teeth pierced down into her bottom lip. Her eyes quickly light up after several seconds of silence as if strike by some sort of epiphany. "Wait, I might have something you want." Twisting around, Scout digs around her back pocket, the tight fitting pants making it difficult to pull free what ever object she's in search of, which turns out to be a rather worn looking leather wallet that she holds out towards Kalindi. "Here, got this… um, found this wallet the other day. Has no money, but there's definitely other interesting stuff."

Kalindi's eyes light up at the sight of the wallet. Her curiosity is certainly piqued and she reaches to take the wallet, so that she can give it a better look. "What is in here?" she asks, not really expecting a response, instead expecting to be able to find out the answer to that manually.

Scout shrugs as a slight smile begins to creep across her face with the possible, though improbable hope of having found something to trade. "Just the usual I guess." The dirty teen couldn't be more correct at the contents found inside the wallet; a drivers license, random discount cards, and family photos. Nothing really of value, unless of course you count the license that reads Michael Harrington, complete with this mans address.

Kalindi mouths the name on the license before slipping it back into the wallet. She considers for a few moments and then asks, "Well, what is it that you want for this thing? It does not seem very valuable to me," now idly looking through the family photos and the discount cards. She tilts her head at the pictures and narrows her eyes slightly, trying to make out the faces in the dark.

Scout's attention is pulled back to the wallet, as she quickly ponders over its value. "Hmmm… I don't. Two bucks?" She says, slumping her shoulders down as a hand moves up to scratch at her right temple. "Not worth much without the credit cards. Those got taken from me after a couple tries. Guess I don't look like I could be a Michael." She says with a wide toothy grin.

Kalindi tilts her head and says idly, "If you are intimidating enough, I think anyone could be Michael in the eyes of a store clerk." As if the thin, tiny framed girl is capable of that kind of intimidation. Other than than her stony expression, she seems actually pretty delicate. She kneels down and reaches into her backpack, pulling the two dollars out of the bag and offering the money to Scout, "My two dollars for Michael's wallet. I am willing to make this trade."

"Really?" Scout says, not quite ready to believe that the other girl isn't only joking. Then her eyes narrow in on the money, her hand hovering slightly before it, like a snake poised to strike. "You sure?" She asks one more time for assurance before it is finally taken, and stuffed down into one of her front pockets. "Hard to out intimidate a store clerk with a shot gun I say." She responds as all the happiness in her features begin to meld away. "I think you got a deal." She quickly spits backs back, eyeing the walletsuspiciously.

Kalindi nods, "Yes, I think I may find a use for this that is worth more than two dollars. I do not think you would find the same worth, so it is still in your favour. We both have more worth than we started with." She sticks the wallet into the front pocket of her bag, carefully sliding it in, and then asks the question of Scout: "How often is it that you are able to find these wallets?"

Scout listens as the other girl explains to her the idea that they're both better off with what they have after the exchange, her head cocked slightly to the side. "I guess…" She mutters in response, biting down across her bottom lip while her arms cross over her chest. "Pretty often, I guess. They're pretty easy to come by. Just got to know where and how to look. Why?"

"It is as you said before, the credit cards were useless to you. How often is it that they are useless to you?" says Kalindi, tilting her head slightly in thought. She picks up her backpack slowly and carefully, putting the straps over her shoulders again, "We might be able to find a way to use them if we both try, and then we will both be further ahead than otherwise we would have been. I know many people, many faces and many skills."

"Depends." Scout responds, her head slowly tilting upwards as she continues to think about it. "Guess about half the time they work, but only for a couple days at the most. Doesn't take people long to realize their stuff is missing." She puts forth a near pout as a hand scratches at the back of her neck. "Easier to use them at gas stations or corner stores. Half the time you can just swipe the cards yourself without the clerk ever seeing it, you know?"

Kalindi nods her head and says, "That is very true." She frowns and tilts her head and reaches into her pocket, offering Scout a sheet of paper with her phone number as well as a dime and a quarter. "Give me a call if you would ever like to try to deal with me again, or if you would like to talk more about what kinds of skills, services or items you might have to offer," says Kalindi, smiling slightly. "Or keep the thirty five cents and spend it. It is up to you."

Scout eagerly takes the offered sheet of paper along and coins, shoving them into the same pocket the two dollars went into. "Uh, yeah, thanks." She looks around, realizing that the whole time she's spent talking to this girl she might have been able to get money off a couple other people. "You got extra room where you live ever?" She blurts out as one hand dips back down into her pocket to make sure everything she's just gotten is still there. "Never mind… Yeah, thanks. I'll give you a call here soon and we can talk."

Kalindi nods at Scout and says, "I have room, yes, but it is as I say. I do not make gifts. We will talk of these things when and if you will talk later, but for tonight, I have an appointment I need to keep, and this dress is not the appropriate wear for that." She nods her head politely at Scout and then walks off back where she was heading, presumably towards her home.

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