Kayla looked at Ashylnn's open palm and pecked around, hunting for that elusive dime. But the smallest coin she could find was a penny; it'll have to do.
"Thanks," Kayla snatched the penny and shifted herself to the first screw in the row. She inserted the penny into the crosshair; it just barely fit, but Kayla believed she could get the screw out if she persisted. "Let me know if someone's coming," she said, giving a final glance in her field of vision. When the coast was clear she began her destruction of public property, slowly and forcefully turning the screw with the penny.
Eventually the screw popped out and fell into Kayla's other hand, sitting underneath just in case the screw did make a break for it. She moved onto the next screw waiting in the line, looked around again, and redid the unscrewing process.
It's All Good Man
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General Goose
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Normally Ashlynn considered the relatively empty state of the park to be a sorry indictment of American attitudes towards natural spaces. But now, she was somewhat relieved by it. Putting her change back away (but keeping a surreptitious eye on the penny in the somewhat petty hope it would be returned), she started to look out.
"All clear so far." Ashlynn sighed. This was a rather dull process. And the longer it took, the higher the risks. Not just of getting caught, but Ashlynn having another inexplicable change in moral fortitude.
So, to pass the time, she started conversing again. "So why are you doing this?"
"All clear so far." Ashlynn sighed. This was a rather dull process. And the longer it took, the higher the risks. Not just of getting caught, but Ashlynn having another inexplicable change in moral fortitude.
So, to pass the time, she started conversing again. "So why are you doing this?"
With enough finesse and some luck, the second screw popped out and joined his brother in Kayla's palm. She moved onto the next one in the sequence after Ashlynn gave the all clear; only three remained before this smug white dude would be unleashed.
Kayla was fairly deep into pulling out the third screw when Ashlynn spoke again asking why the hell Kayla was doing this. Kayla's concentration broke; she flinched and stopped her rhythm as she tried to think of what to say back. Sure, the altruistic answer was probably the most correct despite how no one is truly altruistic, but what if this was some sort of test? Some sort of game lawyer-types would try to play? Ashlynn seemed smart and caught stuff quick too; just dodging the question was out. Ignoring the question wouldn't work either; Kayla's options were kinda limited.
The clock was still ticking away. She decided to go with her gut response.
"Uhm," said Kayla, stopping her work to readjust her glasses and buy some time. "...iunno." She reinserted the penny and continued the jailbreak. "I don't exactly get your deal, but you look like you wanna burn this bench down. I'm just doing a solid; I know I'd like someone to do the same kinda thing for me."
Eventually the third screw came out and joined his brethren. Only two more to go.
Kayla was fairly deep into pulling out the third screw when Ashlynn spoke again asking why the hell Kayla was doing this. Kayla's concentration broke; she flinched and stopped her rhythm as she tried to think of what to say back. Sure, the altruistic answer was probably the most correct despite how no one is truly altruistic, but what if this was some sort of test? Some sort of game lawyer-types would try to play? Ashlynn seemed smart and caught stuff quick too; just dodging the question was out. Ignoring the question wouldn't work either; Kayla's options were kinda limited.
The clock was still ticking away. She decided to go with her gut response.
"Uhm," said Kayla, stopping her work to readjust her glasses and buy some time. "...iunno." She reinserted the penny and continued the jailbreak. "I don't exactly get your deal, but you look like you wanna burn this bench down. I'm just doing a solid; I know I'd like someone to do the same kinda thing for me."
Eventually the third screw came out and joined his brethren. Only two more to go.
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General Goose
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Okay. That wasn't normally Ashlynn's style. Supererogatory altruism, when it took the form of vandalising even a despicable structure, with no questions asked, seemed like a bad policy to her. Basic conditions, basic precautions in the assessment of your beneficiary's intentions, a basic long-term strategy, was what Ashlynn considered essential. At least, it was for her own moral reasoning.
But she was not one to look a gift-horse in the mouth.
Ashlynn had big questions about Kayla's lack of due diligence, of entrusting Ashlynn's cause was noble based on the simple bond of a shared school and some body language, but it wasn't exactly important. Ashlynn knew her cause was just. That Kayla didn't was a bad move on her part, but she would not criticise. Not yet, anyway. She hoped the criticism was implicit in her question, and conveyed by the furrowed brow she put on her face after Kayla's subpar pseudo-explanation. For good measure, she added a drawn out "okaaaay".
"But, well, thanks."
Ashlynn leaned down. "I would offer to help but...you seem far more adroit with this sort of chicanery than I am. Not to cast any aspersions upon your character, of course, but you seem to have a natural affinity for this, and my own intervention would just prolong the process."
But she was not one to look a gift-horse in the mouth.
Ashlynn had big questions about Kayla's lack of due diligence, of entrusting Ashlynn's cause was noble based on the simple bond of a shared school and some body language, but it wasn't exactly important. Ashlynn knew her cause was just. That Kayla didn't was a bad move on her part, but she would not criticise. Not yet, anyway. She hoped the criticism was implicit in her question, and conveyed by the furrowed brow she put on her face after Kayla's subpar pseudo-explanation. For good measure, she added a drawn out "okaaaay".
"But, well, thanks."
Ashlynn leaned down. "I would offer to help but...you seem far more adroit with this sort of chicanery than I am. Not to cast any aspersions upon your character, of course, but you seem to have a natural affinity for this, and my own intervention would just prolong the process."
Yeah, Ashlynn didn't buy that excuse... but it did buy Kayla some time as she finished pulling out the fourth screw. Only one more to go.
Kayla had just started removing the final screw when Ashylnn said... well... something about how Kayla seemed more apt for sabotaging private property than Ashlynn. Ashlynn could probably put down the thesaurus anytime, but Kayla understood what she meant. However... why not have a little fun with this?
Kayla interrupted her rhythm and furrowed her brow, looking back over the bench at Ashlynn. Kayla faked an expression of disgust and she said, "Are... are you saying I'm good at damaging stuff because I'm an 'urban'?"
Kayla had just started removing the final screw when Ashylnn said... well... something about how Kayla seemed more apt for sabotaging private property than Ashlynn. Ashlynn could probably put down the thesaurus anytime, but Kayla understood what she meant. However... why not have a little fun with this?
Kayla interrupted her rhythm and furrowed her brow, looking back over the bench at Ashlynn. Kayla faked an expression of disgust and she said, "Are... are you saying I'm good at damaging stuff because I'm an 'urban'?"
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General Goose
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Ashlynn wasn't sure whether to be aghast or indignant at that sort of accusation. Was it a slanderous attack on her character, a negligent misconstruction of her motives? That had to be it. She was so careful to be the sort of person to listen, to not speculate, to not assume, to be, as it were, woke. To be aware of her own privilege, and all the biases that that entailed.
Which meant it was impossible that she could be justifiably accused of such a thing!
No, no, Ashlynn had to stay calm. Don't get offended. Live up to those ideals of self-reflection and awareness of one's privilege, to not deny the lived experiences of others less fortun...
Well, some things had to be denied!
"Oh, no, not at all! It's just, well, empirically, you're," and Ashlynn realised she had started off that sentence in the worst possible way, "as an individual much better with that sort of finicky thing than I am."
Nailed it.
Which meant it was impossible that she could be justifiably accused of such a thing!
No, no, Ashlynn had to stay calm. Don't get offended. Live up to those ideals of self-reflection and awareness of one's privilege, to not deny the lived experiences of others less fortun...
Well, some things had to be denied!
"Oh, no, not at all! It's just, well, empirically, you're," and Ashlynn realised she had started off that sentence in the worst possible way, "as an individual much better with that sort of finicky thing than I am."
Nailed it.
"Mmhmm," Kayla hummed, making a conscious effort to use the perfect pitch and tone to express her perceived annoyance.
But as quickly as Kayla constructed the front, she broke that facade with a light chuckle. "Nah I'm just messing with you. You're gonna pop a blood vessel if you don't loosen up sometimes."
With that final remark, Kayla resumed to unscrew the final bolt. This one took a little bit of work, but soon it fell out like the rest of its family. And with its shackles out of the way, Kayla popped the top of the bench off and revealed the sweet juices inside. She pulled on the side of the ad closest to herself and freed the stiff laminated paper thing from its prison.
The reverse side was an almost opaque white. It gave Kayla the inspiration for her next idea, a better alternative to having to take the sign itself like she originally feared.
"I do need your help for a sec, though; can you get the other side? We're gonna flip this bitch around."
But as quickly as Kayla constructed the front, she broke that facade with a light chuckle. "Nah I'm just messing with you. You're gonna pop a blood vessel if you don't loosen up sometimes."
With that final remark, Kayla resumed to unscrew the final bolt. This one took a little bit of work, but soon it fell out like the rest of its family. And with its shackles out of the way, Kayla popped the top of the bench off and revealed the sweet juices inside. She pulled on the side of the ad closest to herself and freed the stiff laminated paper thing from its prison.
The reverse side was an almost opaque white. It gave Kayla the inspiration for her next idea, a better alternative to having to take the sign itself like she originally feared.
"I do need your help for a sec, though; can you get the other side? We're gonna flip this bitch around."
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General Goose
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Oh. Missing around. Haha. Yeah, that was funny. Wasn't appropriate for Ashlynn to make such jokes, of course, but she could appreciate it in others. So she laughed. Because it was funny. She was being genuine.
"Alright. Don't worry, I keep a very close eye on my blood pressure." She realised slightly too late Kayla hadn't been literal about that remark, so added a little chuckle, contrasting sharply with her prior seriousness, to make it seem as if she was joking too.
Ashlynn perked up, with an eager "sure", happy to do some manual work to help move back onto their shared interest in destroying this advert.
"Alright. Don't worry, I keep a very close eye on my blood pressure." She realised slightly too late Kayla hadn't been literal about that remark, so added a little chuckle, contrasting sharply with her prior seriousness, to make it seem as if she was joking too.
Ashlynn perked up, with an eager "sure", happy to do some manual work to help move back onto their shared interest in destroying this advert.
Kayla chuckled at Ashlynn's joke attempt. Maybe the grapevine actually was wrong this time.
With Ashlynn's help and when no eyes were on them, Kayla rotated the sign around so that the front was facing her side, briefly exposing the full advertisement to her before she stuck it back in the frame to display the white void to the world.
Or, well, it's better to say she tried to do it. The first attempt got snagged on the frame, and the second attempt led to it being slightly folded when they got it inserted. All Kayla could do was grunt and try again, this time successfully getting the reversed ad in place. And with that, Bobby's bench was masked off from the world. Or at least it would be once Kayla returned the screws.
"Whew. All right," said Kayla as she slapped the top of the frame back down and began to insert the first screw. "I'm almost done, so just keep an eye out again."
With Ashlynn's help and when no eyes were on them, Kayla rotated the sign around so that the front was facing her side, briefly exposing the full advertisement to her before she stuck it back in the frame to display the white void to the world.
Or, well, it's better to say she tried to do it. The first attempt got snagged on the frame, and the second attempt led to it being slightly folded when they got it inserted. All Kayla could do was grunt and try again, this time successfully getting the reversed ad in place. And with that, Bobby's bench was masked off from the world. Or at least it would be once Kayla returned the screws.
"Whew. All right," said Kayla as she slapped the top of the frame back down and began to insert the first screw. "I'm almost done, so just keep an eye out again."
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General Goose
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Yay. Her joke actually merited a chuckle. When Ashlynn wasn't, y'know, preoccupied with predicting people's voting behaviours based on sweeping demographic trends or vigilantly correcting people when they misconstrued Democratic party orthodoxy, she could actually be quite affable. A bit anal, sure, and always on guard against any microaggressions or whatever, but those things weren't flaws. They were necessary inputs into the social mix.
It's just, well, thinking about politics all the time sometimes got tiring. Ashlynn wished that, sometimes, she could leave aside her ideological litmus tests, put down the downloaded policy papers, and just stop giving a shit for a few moments. And as she helped Kayla out, she found out that maybe, just maybe, petty vandalism, when infused with a quasi-righteous cause, was a very good way of letting her hand down. Provided there were no safety risks.
She looked at Kayla's handiwork, making sure no sharp corners or jagged edges remained.
Nope, Kayla knew what she was doing, Ashlynn noted with relief. This would just be a small act of rebellion against her parents, aided by someone whose first proper impression of Ashlynn was not as some ideological crusader for one belief system or another. Ashlynn liked that. Relaxed her somewhat.
"On watch," she replied, verbally confirming that she'd processed the request, and made sure to scan the horizon for any potential interruptions.
It's just, well, thinking about politics all the time sometimes got tiring. Ashlynn wished that, sometimes, she could leave aside her ideological litmus tests, put down the downloaded policy papers, and just stop giving a shit for a few moments. And as she helped Kayla out, she found out that maybe, just maybe, petty vandalism, when infused with a quasi-righteous cause, was a very good way of letting her hand down. Provided there were no safety risks.
She looked at Kayla's handiwork, making sure no sharp corners or jagged edges remained.
Nope, Kayla knew what she was doing, Ashlynn noted with relief. This would just be a small act of rebellion against her parents, aided by someone whose first proper impression of Ashlynn was not as some ideological crusader for one belief system or another. Ashlynn liked that. Relaxed her somewhat.
"On watch," she replied, verbally confirming that she'd processed the request, and made sure to scan the horizon for any potential interruptions.
With Ashlynn on security duty, Kayla reversed her screw work with almost no time at all and maybe only a couple of odd looks from a couple of kids and a squirrel. The minutes flew by as the final screw returned to his rightful home. "Well, that's that I guess," Kayla said, returning to her original seat after giving it a quick wipe down with her hand. She took her seat and gave Ashlynn back the naughty penny.
"The bench looks much better now, don't you think?" Kayla reclined slightly, gripping the edge of the seat with both of her hands. It was always a good day when you got to edit someone else's stuff, doubly so when you had no clue what the hell you were doing in the first place.
"The bench looks much better now, don't you think?" Kayla reclined slightly, gripping the edge of the seat with both of her hands. It was always a good day when you got to edit someone else's stuff, doubly so when you had no clue what the hell you were doing in the first place.
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General Goose
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Kayla announced that her work had been finished, and Ashlynn turned to look at the bench.
It was a dull, unassuming sight. The back of a poster left just a monotonous slab of grey. In places where it was stuck closer to the backing, one could see slight indents of the lettering beneath, muted and washed-out hints that there was colour of some kind on the other side. You had to look to see it, though. Wouldn't catch the eyes of anyone who wasn't looking out for it.
Ashlynn smiled.
"Thanks."
"Now, there's five other benches in the city that I've seen with it on, so let's get to work." She laughed afterwards. She was only half-serious.
It was a dull, unassuming sight. The back of a poster left just a monotonous slab of grey. In places where it was stuck closer to the backing, one could see slight indents of the lettering beneath, muted and washed-out hints that there was colour of some kind on the other side. You had to look to see it, though. Wouldn't catch the eyes of anyone who wasn't looking out for it.
Ashlynn smiled.
"Thanks."
"Now, there's five other benches in the city that I've seen with it on, so let's get to work." She laughed afterwards. She was only half-serious.
Kayla smiled. "Heh, you funny."
She looked down and swung her feet, scraping the grass and pavement as they passed over the ground over and over again.
Her feet planted back onto ground when she thought of what to say next. With a hint of a smirk Kayla said her own joke back, "I don't think Bobby would be okay with that."
She looked down and swung her feet, scraping the grass and pavement as they passed over the ground over and over again.
Her feet planted back onto ground when she thought of what to say next. With a hint of a smirk Kayla said her own joke back, "I don't think Bobby would be okay with that."
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Ashlynn wasn't sadistic towards her father. She didn't want to crush his hopes or dreams. But when the unscrupulous ambulance chaser wanted to violate some sacrosanct moral norm or infringe upon the opportunities his children had...well, civil disobedience was certainly in order. A kind of proportionate non-violent self-defence.
And so all she replied to Kayla's remark about Bobby was a sharp laugh.
"Good. Fucking good."
And so all she replied to Kayla's remark about Bobby was a sharp laugh.
"Good. Fucking good."
Kayla smirked. There's that jovial spirit Kayla knew Ashlynn had deep down inside. She joined in Ashlynn's laughter with a light chuckle.
Kayla pulled out her phone and checked the time. It looked like it was probably time to fly.
"I gotta get going," Kayla stood up and shifted her feet in place. "It's been real." She started to take off but decided to give one last farewell with a wave of her hand.
"I'll see you around, Ashlynn. Lemme know when we can do this again."
And with that Kayla exited the field, lost in thought again as she contemplated how to pull this costume off in time for summer.
((Kayla Harris continued in This Woman's Work))
Kayla pulled out her phone and checked the time. It looked like it was probably time to fly.
"I gotta get going," Kayla stood up and shifted her feet in place. "It's been real." She started to take off but decided to give one last farewell with a wave of her hand.
"I'll see you around, Ashlynn. Lemme know when we can do this again."
And with that Kayla exited the field, lost in thought again as she contemplated how to pull this costume off in time for summer.
((Kayla Harris continued in This Woman's Work))