my other body is in the shop...
“Hello?”
Behind her mask and safety glasses Kay sizes up two people she never saw in her life in the place where she expected the water man. She’s already backed herself to the doorway — another chime on the glitched perimeter bell. She shoots a glance over both shoulders.
It’s people from Ellison. They both look like stereotypes of ideal women from her mom’s generation — that’s Ellison Style, one of them.
“May I help you?”
The one says this sympathetically, even canting her head and giving an agonized smile. This must be so real for them.
“The fuck is Akil at?”
Kay is ready to bolt from the door. The one looks a little confused, then acts like she’s checking her internal files and goes, “Oh, A-keel. Right. I’m sorry, I had him mixed up with Saíd who rents WATER RESOURCE convenience on 5th and Somerset.” (Kay thinks Somerset? We nowhere around there, yo. The fuck???)
“So, A-keel was having some trouble finalizing the renewed terms of his next leasing period — it’s really common, actually. He decided to apply for work coverage as a way to transition out of the contract legally. So he’s out right now touring the work facility and we’re obligated to manage the property until he reaches a decision.”
They took it from him, Kay thinks. Now the other one starts in.
“Looks like the perimeter has you as —“ The lady states Kay’s whole legal name and account number out loud. “Is that information correct?”
When Kay says yes she hears a polite announcement (in her head, a thing she knows by heart that they only say the very first step in the onboarding tour) that by verifying her name to account, it legally acknowledges her participation and continued subscription to Elly NAME Services and all its required data collection.
Kay draws in a measured breath and rolls her eyes.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Miss Peñafiel, I totally understand how frustrating it’s been during the recent transition. Improved service is on its way, and I see you’ve already started the pre-application process for Homestead.” The lady says this with enthused relief, like things are gonna work right out.
“Totally,” says the first one, smiling to her colleague then to Kay. “Reproductive Phytoremedial implants are super effective and a huge gain for a residency application.”
Kay is looking at them like what the fuck and says nothing. She sure did sign that residency application but now they’re in her face calling RPAP a gain for her residency app? Like, a good look to have? Kay thought getting the goddamn RPAP — it ain’t no IMPLANT, that’s for sure — was done for a residency contract. Kay settles on these racing thoughts standing there in front of these two demons and sets her face straight.
“So can I not buy water from here anymore?”
“That’s awesome you asked about that because as part of A-keel’s lease transition we’re contracted to provide his current customer base with a 10-day water supply and 10% off coupon to your first month on a pro-plus Water™ plan.” The lady acts like this is a great opportunity.
“Then what?” Kay is still in the doorway.
“Then WATER VALUE convenience will be shutting down this location. See, the building itself is in need of a lot of repairs, and the practice that really makes the best sense is to demolish the entire property and start over with up-to-date materials.”
Kay knew this overly friendly bitch was never gonna add ‘…but not around here.’ She takes a quick look around to shake off the anger setting into her tensed body. Shaking her head to herself like she shoulda been left this area but it happened so fucking fast and now she’s here in this trap.
“Miss Peñafiel?” the other one chimes in.
“What.”
“You seem tense. I understand that this may be sudden news. That’s actually why I’m here with Beckela today. I’m an evaluator,” she says, like talking to a child who doesn’t know big words yet, “with one of the Elly Wellness divisions; a different one than the administrators who did your RPAP.”
“Okay.” Kay is livid that she can’t bring herself to run away. Whatever the fuck this bitch was gonna say next was gonna be a set up. But she stands there frozen, her face tightening itself into an enraged mask of a pleasant listener.
“It’s a brand new program,” she starts setting up the pitch. “But rather than, you know, starting completely from scratch, our division is starting with RPAP recipients.”
Kay says nothing. She has no interest in feigning the tell-me-more impatience of a curious consumer. Ellison’s whole ethos was to always “start from scratch” since the things that came before it (e.g. cities) were impeding an expedited route to new view world progress.
“This is a work opportunity. For individuals doing remarkably well with their RPAPs, who are interested in getting the real work they deserve.” The lady says this last part all emphatic like wow, finally recognition will come for being such a good boy, and Kay’s one eyebrow pitches itself down at the magnitude of bullshit this lady here is peddling. There’d never been dignified work apps from these chupacabras. Only lying, violence, robbery.
“What’s your department called?” Kay maintains a low, unfriendly pitch in her voice.
“I’m actually not able to divulge that information but —“
“The program, then. What’s the program called?”
“Ah,” the lady laughs awkwardly, not used to being interrupted during her sales pitches, and recomposes herself. Her condescending, sympathetic listening expression remains steadfast through it all.
“Of course. The Environmental ReEvaluation Initiative is our latest pilot program and a joint initiative between Elly Wellness, my top level division, and Elly Delivers, our distribution division.”
Kay raises both brows and wags her head at the lady like yeah, go on already.
“So, I’m not able to divulge full details to the general public, but what I can tell you is that a core component of EREI” — she says this like e-ray — “is the deployment of what we’re calling surveyors. Surveyors will be out-in-the-field operators who ~survey~ targeted areas and collect environmental data. For their participation, Surveyors will receive a generous stipend towards Elly Wellness resources, as well as an advanced, modern Wellness integration and upkeep plan.” The lady leans in like now she’ll share a secret. Kay is still in the doorway.
“Surveyors additionally will have all outstanding debts relieved once their introductory period and first successful workload clears, with options for permanent residency in Elly Homestead or a recognized residence of choice.”
Kay takes a second for all the implications of the pitch to sink in. She takes a slumped step out of the doorway and into the store finally. The 5 gallon in her hand had been getting tough to keep hold of. In this moment her vision and her hearing narrow in on another time when she had been in Akil’s store before, shooting the shit about yeah the weather or how bout this or that thing finally came down, all the while talking around the unseemly, degrading subject of when it’d be time to leave from here cause shit was too much. And here Kay was with Akil gone, like why he ain’t say nothing about the lease renewal. Or more immediately, what level of danger was Kay really in with these two automatons here and Akil so willingly wished away, according to their version of the present condition.
The first one starts up with the customer service act again as Kay sets the 5 gallon down in the middle of the store.
“Let me get this taken care of,” the lady offers politely, hands outstretched in a disarming, measured progressive gesture, which ends in her grasping the jug into her manicured possession. Kay enunciates a passive sound as this happens and her head begins to droop. Her gaze lowers. She becomes an unresponsive post. Another part of this old store.
well that was a nice working excerpt, now wasn't it? phew. getting there.
randomly
happy solstice
happy transition out of saturn return to all in the generation
happy mercury direct
happy life
chew some gum and work that clenched jaw up
light a candle for a reason
thoughts
wood steel leather
all need regular oiling and upkeep
the purpose of cleaning is to maintain what you have
and not let any bad energies settle down for too too long
takashi miike's remake of 13 Assassins was p good
and so was lady bloodfight, tbqh.
if you're down to watch some martial arts bloodshed heavy shit
make sure to put "resting" in your plans if you have a busy schedule like me
many institutions seem to think that discipline and order can only come from their style of rule, but i believe you can get the same from any dedicated personal practice.
daydreaming of a non-macho trans-led working class martial arts school. i hear other cities besides philadelphia have such things, but will i ever leave?
"all things change"
HOPE UR HANGING IN THERE or even thriving n shit
LMK
::waving hand emoji that turns into mario mushroom::
till next time
magus monk
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