No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Who: Ruby, Jesse (more later)
Where: The Rose and Pearl
When: Mid-afternoon

Ruby winced as the metal scraped against the concrete, the noise grating on the brain. She determinedly dragged the big, metal trash can another two feet. The volunteers were out making their evening rounds picking up the outdated produce, eggs and other sundries for tomorrow’s meal. Carlos was here, but the lights were out over the back door inside. Since that was also the foot of the stairs leading to her apartment, for safety sake all around, he was up on a ladder, the power out and fuses pulled in the electrical box. The wiring had sparked. So he was re-wiring the area that seemed bad. Melted coating WAS bad, that much Ruby did know. So… fixing the wiring to the light meant the ladder and Carlos were blocking the back door to the alley. And Ruby was dragging the damn heavy trash can out the front and she had to get it around the side and through the alley to the dumpster the church was kind enough to provide.

It was amazing how much garbage there was when they were already using left over food. Everything that had to be cut away, peels, rinds all seeming light until they were together in several packed bags. She paused long enough to stand up straight, then kick the can with the side of her foot before once more taking the handle and dragging it, shrieking in protest, around the building.