#pershing point park

[atlantathecity]

Pershing Point Park in Midtown, seen this evening while on a walk. I always enjoy passing by this lovely space.

John Ruch wrote about the park last year in a Saporta Report article, 'City Council approves landmarking of Midtown’s World War I memorial'.

From that article:

"A group of residents bought the land in 1918 and gave it to the City on the condition that it remain open space. Originally named Goldsboro Park, the space was renamed later in 1918 for Gen. John J. Pershing, the famed commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in the war. Shortly thereafter, the City approved a plan by a group of “War Mothers” to raise funds and erect a memorial in the park to locals killed in WWI, which was dedicated in 1920."

[sondheim-girly]

@outsidersweek heres my absurdly late submission for day five!! heres the masterpost for this fic

September 1967

Marcia

The Monday after Bob died, none of her friends went to school. They instead decided to go to Pershing park, trying to find some consolation there. Marcia’s head was buried in Trips' shoulder, their arms wrapping around each other for any sense of comfort they could find. Marcia eventually pulled away from him, and went over to where Cherry was sitting. She and Bev fixed the letterman jacket that was wrapped around the grieving girls’ shoulders and smoothed down her hair as Paul started talking, his eyes filled with a violent anger. 

“This can’t be real. He can’t be gone, and I don’t know how we just carry on, this could’ve happened to anyone! But here we are, can’t be undone.”

Cherry stared straight ahead and whispered to herself, “What have we done?”

Paul heard her, and turned to face Cherry, “We were only having fun.”

“You were only having fun?” She responded in disbelief,

“Just hanging out, just horsing ‘round, doing what we’ve always done.”

Cherry stood up, and started walking away from the group. “Bob was drinking, you were drinking too! And tell me what’s so fun about a fight that’s five on two? What’d you think that boy was gonna do, he lived his life scared to death after what you put him through!” Marcia stared at Cherry wide eyed, shocked at what she was saying. No one had ever talked to their friends like that.

“Bob went crazy when he saw you with that greaser kid.” Paul said as he started making his way closer to Cherry, and Marcia ran over to her friend. “You held his hand at the concession stand, we saw it all, you know just what you did!” He accused, as their friends all angrily nodded along with him. Cherry took a step back, fear filling her eyes.

“You guys were loud that night! Out looking for a fight!” Cherry took Marcia’s hand, and Marcia could see Trip shaking his head from the side of her eye. “The two of us just stayed behind, you couldn’t stand to leave those boys alone!”

“You and pony holding hands! I don’t think you understand, Bob was not a jealous man! Cherry what you did that night was wrong.” Bev stepped out for a moment to grab Marcias wrist and tug her into the crowd, away from Cherry. Marcia ripped her arm out of Bevs grasp, before attempting to move towards Cherry again. Paul was standing in front of her though, preventing Marcia from moving away.

“You should be as mad as me at this senseless tragedy! Bob didn’t need to die!!” Paul circled around away from Cherry, going to stand on the fountain as their friends gathered around him, hungry fire in their eyes. Brill came over, glaring at Marcia, before he turned away and went to Cherry. Marcia stared in horror as Brill tried to take Bob's letterman jacket off of Cherrys shoulders, but she flinched back, not letting him any closer. Brill walked away and went to join the rest of their friends who were gathered around Paul.

“The greasers crossed a line! We could sit here asking why, or we could send them back a message! Take an eye for an eye!” Paul declared, to rousing cheers from his friends.

Marcia turned to Cherry, who looked completely horrified. She held her hand out to Marcia so they could leave, and Marcia looked back at her friends. If she left now, Trip might break up with her. Bev would shun her. All of her friends would see her as a traitor. She wanted to move, but her feet stayed planted in place, her eyes trying to communicate to Cherry how sorry she was. Cherry stepped back, her face holding a betrayal and a sorrow that sent shots through Marcia’s heart. She turned around to leave, and Marcia felt violent tears rise up through her throat. When she looked over at her friends she vaguely saw Paul pointing out something, and a fresh wave of horror hit her.

It all happened too fast. Her friends ran at Two-Bit, and she could see the moment he realized what was happening. He tried to run away, but Brill and Chet grabbed his arms and slammed him down onto the concrete. She stepped forward- she had to do something- but she stopped in her tracks when she saw Chet stare her down, a warning in his eyes. Brill was holding Two-Bit down, but Trip was the one who punched him flat across the face. Marcia had never seen Trip like this. She felt sick. Two-Bit went rolling, then got up and ran at Chet, tackling the boy to the ground. Brill and Trip pulled him off and onto his back, and Marcia tried to take another few steps forward. Why couldn't she do anything?? Brill was pinning down Two-Bits arms, and Chet was holding his legs. Paul set his foot on Two-Bits chest, and issued his warning:

“Next saturday night! Pershing park! All out war is officially declared!!” And then Paul forced his entire body weight on Two-Bits chest, before stepping off with a laugh. Trip went down to pin one of Two-Bits arms. Marcias frantic gaze shifted to Bev, who had a vicious grin on her face. She was leaning down to Two-Bit, a light cigarette in hand. Marcia felt lightheaded watching as her friend, her friend, pressed a cigarette to an innocent boy's forehead. The scream that echoed through the park was something that would haunt Marcia until the day she died. Her friends finally let go of the boy, and he rolled onto his stomach. They were all whooping and laughing victoriously, and Marcia vaguely felt Brill take her arm and start to drag her into his car. She was stuffed into the backseat next to Trip. He put his arm around her waist. His knuckles were covered in blood, and he was smiling. He was proud of his hatred and his violence, and he was touching her. The next thing Marcia knew, she was yelling at Brill to stop the car and let her out.

Two-Bit

Everything hurt. His ribs. The burn on his face. The cuts on his face from those boys rings. Two-Bit tried to push down the pain as he slowly crawled to the edge of the park, he had to figure out where to go now. His first thought was the Curtis house, but with everything that those brothers were going through right now, they didn’t need anything else to worry over. Home it was, then. He was just attempting to stand when he heard something behind him. He turned around, ready to fight whoever it was that had come for round 2. But it wasn’t anything like that.

Marcia was standing there, and her face was full of pain. He wondered for a moment if she'd finally decided to join in on her friend's fun, but when he looked into her eyes, he doubted that. 

“Hey doll” he rasped, “need something?”

“I want to help.” Marcia choked out.

“That so? Then why didn’t you say so earlier.” He joked, but his words were laced with something more serious.

“I was…” she started, but she cut herself off with a shake of her head. “It doesn’t matter, I’m here now.”

“True enough,” he admitted jokingly,

Marcia looked at him for a moment, then asked, “do you need help getting home?”

Two attempted to take a step so he could prove he was ok, “I’m fi-” he started to say, but he cut himself off when a shooting pain moved through his body. His ribs must be bruised. He wasn’t sure if he could get all the way back home and patch himself up in this state, so he looked up at Marcia and said, “I live a few blocks away. Mind giving me a hand?”

She almost smiled, but her eyes were too full of fear for it to be believable.

[weather-pnw]

Report generated at 2024-11-20 15:09:32.942752-08:00 using satellite imagery and alert data provided by the National Weather Service.

Wind Advisory

Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

Northern Lake County

Sonoma Coastal Range

Central Sacramento Valley

North Bay Interior Valleys

North Bay Interior Mountains

Mineral and Southern Lyon Counties

Mendocino Coast

Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area

Marin Coastal Range

Foothills of the Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon

Northern Sacramento Valley

Southern Lake County

Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore

San Francisco Bay Shoreline

Mono

San Francisco Peninsula Coast

San Francisco

Flood Watch

WA: Mason

Northern Lake County

Northwestern Mendocino Interior

Central Sacramento Valley

North Bay Interior Valleys

Del Norte Interior

Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County

Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County

Southern Trinity

Coastal Del Norte

Northeast Foothills/Sacramento Valley

Southwestern Mendocino Interior

Northern Humboldt Interior

North Bay Interior Mountains

Southwestern Humboldt

Sonoma Coastal Range

Southeastern Mendocino Interior

South Central Oregon Coast

Southern Lake County

Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore

Northern Humboldt Coast

Southern Humboldt Interior

Northeastern Mendocino Interior

Mendocino Coast

Marin Coastal Range

Northern Sacramento Valley

Winter Storm Warning

Sun Valley Region

Burney Basin / Eastern Shasta County

Western Siskiyou County

Western Plumas County/Lassen Park

North Central and Southeast Siskiyou County

West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada

Mountains Southwestern Shasta County to Western Colusa County

Sawtooth/Stanley Basin

South Central Siskiyou County

Shasta Lake Area / Northern Shasta County

Big Lost Highlands/Copper Basin

Okanogan Highlands

Northern Trinity

Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake County

Central Siskiyou County

South Central Oregon Cascades

Siskiyou Mountains and Southern Oregon Cascades

Winter Weather Advisory

North Oregon Cascades

Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake County

Central Panhandle Mountains

Northern Panhandle

Cascades of Lane County

Klamath Basin

East Slopes of the Oregon Cascades

West Central Mountains

Boise Mountains

Cascades of Marion and Linn Counties

West Slopes North Cascades and Passes

Northeast Mountains

Modoc County

Lassen-Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties

High Wind Watch

Coastal Del Norte

Southern Humboldt Interior

Northern Humboldt Interior

Del Norte Interior

South Central Oregon Coast

Curry County Coast

Northern Humboldt Coast

Southwestern Humboldt

Flood Advisory

CA: Sierra, Lassen, Sonoma, Napa, Plumas

High Wind Warning

Central and Eastern Lake County

Northeast Siskiyou and Northwest Modoc Counties

Klamath Basin

Northern and Eastern Klamath County and Western Lake County

Central Siskiyou County

Modoc County

High Surf Advisory

Tillamook County Coast

San Luis Obispo County Beaches

Central Coast of Oregon

South Washington Coast

Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches

Central Coast

Clatsop County Coast

Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore

San Francisco Peninsula Coast

North Coast

San Francisco

Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast

Beach Hazards Statement

Northern Monterey Bay

Flood Warning

CA: Siskiyou

OR: Curry, Coos, Josephine, Jackson

Coastal Flood Advisory

Western Whatcom County

San Juan County

Lake Wind Advisory

Greater Lake Tahoe Area

Red Flag Warning

Lahontan Basin - Churchill and Eastern Mineral Counties

Southern Mono County

Southern Sierra Front - Alpine/Northern Mono/Southern Lyon/Western Mineral Counties

West Humboldt Basin - Pershing County

Northern Sierra Front - Carson City/Douglas/Storey/Southern Washoe/Eastern Lyon/Far Southern Lassen Counties

High Surf Warning

South Central Oregon Coast

Curry County Coast

Avalanche Warning

South Central Siskiyou County

[fandom-shitposter]

Alt-Tech

Fandom having fun with in show concepts is all good fun, but you do actually get that Tech is a cyborg. Right?

That he’s the Kaminoan equivalent of Echo and all of his neurodivergent traits are exactly the same thing that people see in Data in Star Trek, and for the same reasons?

That both he and Echo used to be a regular clones but aren’t anymore, and for much the same reason?

That his utter lack of interest in, or reciprocation to Phee is a byproduct of this, and is exactly how Arnie’s Terminator responds to women around him?

It isn’t like they’ve been subtle about pointing towards it, he’s literally named ‘Tech’ like it’s a product description and not a name – in the same way as the rest of the Batch’s names work like that as well

Not only does he peel back a durasteel plate from the holding cell wall like it’s made of tissue paper, but when Wrecker’s chip activates and he grabs Tech’s arm to prevent him from stabbing him with the needle he’s holding he’s able to push back against Wrecker’s strength, not enough to overwhelm that strength, but enough to hold steady against it

Does he go down when Wrecker throws him at the wall? Yes, but so would my laptop if I threw that at a wall. A shutdown and reboot would definitely be needed, at the very least. Just like when Tech overexerts himself following his leg being damaged (we have to take his word for it that it’s broken based on the zero medical scans we see being performed). Shutdown and initiate his self repair cycle. Good as new in no time!

He never eats. Not once. We see everyone else eat, but not him. He still likes to be around at mealtimes, to be social, to happily see his brother’s needs being met, but he doesn’t participate. Which leaves Wrecker to be the only one complaining about being hungry

Only droids can compete at Riot Racing, and yet Tech wins. Yeah, because his internal computer can process as fast as the other droids on that racetrack. It’s also the reason Echo had to be elsewhere in that episode, because Tech wouldn’t have been the first choice if he’d been present

Oh look, I parked very slightly off the mark I was heading for, ho ho, isn’t Tech funny about a distance no one else would even have noticed. Yeah, because a human wouldn’t have bothered to take note of such a small amount but a droid would (but I’m not going to get into detailing every droid moment that he has or we’ll be here all day)

Tech doesn’t remember the man he used to be, not entirely at any rate, hence the ‘reading from a textbook’ type answer he gives to Omega when she asks him what the war was like. Wrecker has memory issues and fails to recall standard aspects of their basic training, and we know why this is too

We see the technology that’s done this to them in action, both in this show and in the Mandalorian. We see those machines being used and recognise that they’re the same thing. We see Pershing’s memories being removed or buried so deeply within his brain that he’ll never get them back unless a Jedi could (potentially) manage to reestablish those connections, and the alteration in Crosshair’s personality following his ‘chip enhancement’ is horriffic and in direct contrast to the smiling, ‘joking and competing with Wrecker in a fun way’ man we saw in the Clone Wars arc

And this same technology can almost certainly be used to implant memories as well, to create a false persona that seems real to the person it’s been forced upon. To upgrade regs to commandos without needing to spend the time training them. To create loyalty in someone where it wasn’t present before. Both in clones like Crosshair who didn’t have any actual loyalty towards the Empire to begin with, but also in those who’ve started to question their place in the world, especially now they’ve been out in it and seen what life beyond Kamino’s walls is actually like

All of those repeated references at the start of the show about the clones being programmed weren’t dropped in there for no reason

Tech is an older model of cyborg than Echo is, and created from different technology. Likely based heavily on Separatist tech retrieved from multiple battlefields on the pretext of needing to better understand the enemy to efficiently defeat them. B1 battle droids are limited and stupid, but Super Tactical Droids were far from that and were capable of high levels of processing, strategising, and creative thought

Why else is there that whole thing with the Separatist archive and his opportunity to recognise that the Separatists themselves were a broadly varied people with their own histories and cultures and not just a bunch of war obsessed droid manufacturers and haters of the Republic? Like so much else in the show it sure hasn’t ever been mentioned again

We see him be slower to process some forms of information than others are at times, like when Omega realises that they can track the ship via Gonky instead of him realising that before her. He falls back on familiar operation modes such as suggesting an old action plan on Eriadu which is then rejected because the Empire have adjusted their strategies faster that he’s currently able to do since he’s no longer getting product support now he’s not returning to Kamino for updates

When Hemlock appears with Tech’s shattered goggles he says that they’re all he could salvage, not that that’s all that was found or all that could be retrieved or rescued, but all that he could salvage. Like you’d salvage lost or broken equipment. You don’t salvage people. He fell a long way down, and now he’s broken until they whip out the never yet directly mentioned on TBB component which can restore him to functionality which Echo is already in possession of. That missing aspect that he logically must already be in possession of, but they’re careful to never ever show even though several scenes make no sense without it appearing

Because they want so much to have several big ‘gotcha!’ shock reveal moments to drop into the final season that they’re willing to have totally nonsensical aspects of plot in order to avoid mentioning them or to have a natural flow of conversation or seen events in order to try to keep them concealed, knowing full well that their fanbase will rationalise them for themselves later on

And this is affecting both the Bad Batch and the Mandalorian hard right now

[cyberthingpuppy]

Velo and Shelby farms Park edge and Pershing Park and Corning village and Todd Creek and hunters ridge and hunters ridge condos and James bridge and lantern square and Raleigh village and Raleigh townhomes and breezy point and northaven and North frayser and watkins manor and ridge grove and hillcrest and Ridgecrest and metro 67 paid signs lit on paid VVoiced on paid must return to Candace Marie Hughes and earth and paid and paids laids and paid paid and metro 67 and metro 67 map and metro 67 earth and metro 67 map earth and Tennessee earth and paid paid paid. On. Paid. Mail KIY KEY card dh to Candace Marie Hughes. On. Paid. Remove kover. Paid. Remove cover. Paid. VVoiced paid on. On. Paid. Parked. Paid.

[purgetrooper77]

I'm so sorry this came out the weekend after I announced it but hey, life got in the way.

Here are theme songs for characters in The Mandalorian

Din Djarin: War by Sum 41 https://youtu.be/iHzaxjayW7M

Bo-Katan Kryze: Set Fire to the Rain by Adele https://youtu.be/uJdu4Lfy8aI

Axe Wolves: Armed and Dangerous by JUICE WRLD https://youtu.be/hZ-AgqXDcVc

Khoska Reeves: Diamonds by Rhianna https://youtu.be/kSfx0OvkxJM

Grogu: Sunshine by OneRepublic https://youtu.be/OGmShFUAako

Kuiil: In my Remains by Linkin Park https://youtu.be/QLFiuNdQrzI

Paz Vizsla: Violent by ThisCityIsOurs https://youtu.be/LHAwJjI6Zas

The Armorer: Way of the Strong by Aviators https://youtu.be/agxMlQPVqQc

Ragnar: Blossom by Alazka https://youtu.be/TPZmIsF0RdY

Cara Dune: We Are the Danger by Blacklite District https://youtu.be/hXjt_Fb3z5g

Greef Karga: Point of no Return by Starset https://youtu.be/_NTfbLtXTlw

IG-11: I am the weapon by Three Days Grace https://youtu.be/9sH_5njAJgE

Moff Gideon: This world is mine by Hazen https://youtu.be/ZCDlhHz0iSM

The Client: Already Dead by JUICE WRLD https://youtu.be/GQYkz7H-iQg

Gorian Shard: Shipwrecked by Alestorm https://youtu.be/fuO1ydgzOaw

Vane: Hide Away by Daya https://youtu.be/UEopd9O993M

Penn Pershing: Solitude (Felsmann + Tiley Reinterpretation) by M83 https://youtu.be/_p2NvO6KrBs

Elia Kane: Evil by Letdown. https://youtu.be/2aSfgZ5wL04

Kelleran Beq: Won't Stop Me by Another Day's Armor https://youtu.be/F96zB9fNzeY

Fennec Shand: Me against the world by Simple Plan https://youtu.be/v6JvQZpDHws

Boba Fett: Warrior Inside by Leader https://youtu.be/tss1ZMCzs-Q

Burg: Stronger by The Score https://youtu.be/_ubnhgZgsfc

Xi'an: Sweet by psycho by Ava Max https://youtu.be/2KBFD0aoZy8

Qin: Worst Mistake by Fivefold https://youtu.be/MhMg3S-jtLc

Q9-0: Manic by Wage War https://youtu.be/fBUs7ZwNXH4

Migs Mayfeld: Crying Game by Bad Wolves https://youtu.be/3oGqxXsItN8

Ranzar Malk: Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson https://youtu.be/RCmuTH6T7fk

Frog Lady: Bringing it Down by Starset https://youtu.be/MZcuRa8Z4fU

Peli Motto: Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift https://youtu.be/JLJcHbYSlB8

Let me know what yall think in the replies below. Purge Trooper, signing out.

[middleearthpixie]

Damaged Goods ~ Chapter Twelve

Author's Note: Just a reminder that this story follows the events of the miniseries Stay Close and will contain spoilers.

Title: Damaged Goods

Fandom: Stay Close

Pairings: Ray Levine x OC female Theodora (Theo) Bailey

Summary: Following the events of Stay Close, Ray Levine has come to the US to begin a new life and is staying with Theo Bailey, the friend of a friend, who is quickly becoming his best friend and Ray is starting to wonder if there isn’t something more there between them.

Like Ray, Theo has her own demons and although she wonders the same thing about Ray, fear of repeating past mistakes keep her from moving forward. Or do they? Somehow, these two damaged people will come together and discover that maybe—just maybe—second chances are worth the risk.

Ray is back on the job, but when he’s late getting back, Theo can’t help but assume the worst…

Warnings: None

Rating: T

Word Count: 3,838

Tag List: @tschrist1 @i-did-not-mean-to @lathalea @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @linasofia @fizzyxcustard @legolasbadass @kibleedibleedoo @xxbyimm @ocfairygodmother @exhausted-humxn-being @shalinizhara @rachel1959 @laurfilijames @sketch-and-write-lover @sherala007 @enchantzz @knitastically

If you’d like to be added (or removed) to the tag list, please just let me know!

Previous chapters can be found here and AO3

Dickman Drive was over on West Point Island, a rather expensive enclave in the small beach town of Lavallette. There, the houses were oversized, with three and four car garages, two-and-three story houses, and from Pershing Boulevard, where Ray sat in his Compass, absolutely no sight of the water. Cadillacs, Mercedes, Teslas, Lexuses sat in driveways, lights glowed softly in windows and all signs of Christmas decorations were gone.

He sighed as he turned down the heat and just watched the house. It was as ornate and overdone as most of the other ones, and he couldn’t imagine what the inside looked like. All he knew about the Harvey house was that the upstairs was divided by a catwalk. He could see it through the huge, semi-frosted-glass windows that ran almost from eaves to foundation.

A sigh bubbled to his lips as he flipped through the satellite stations until he found Metallica on the Ozzy Osborne channel. He hated this part of the job. At least when he was the paparazzo for hire, he didn't really have to sit and wait for something to happen. Most of the clientele were spoiled rich kids from twelve to thirty, who liked to pretend they were more famous than they’d probably ever be. All he had to do was photograph them and act intrusive and the worst part about that was taking the abuse these snot-nosed rich kids like to dish out in their attempts to behave like some of the actual celebrities they admired.

According to Drew, Mrs. Harvey’s lover would show up on during the day most of the time, but since Mr. Harvey and their kids were going to the Poconos for the weekend (he didn't know why Mrs. Harvey wasn’t going with them) it was a safe bet she would be having her little tryst under cover of darkness.

His cell rang. Cassie. He picked up the phone, stared at her contact photo for a moment, then hit decline. He hadn’t told Theo about Cassie’s earlier phone call, since Theo’s being naked was something of a distraction, and he still had no desire to talk to Cassie.

His camera sat on the passenger seat and as he looked over at it, he found himself wishing Theo had come along with him. Was it only a few days earlier they’d sat in the parking lot at the motor lodge? It seemed like so much more had happened since that night.

“Probably because it has, you jackass,” he muttered as Metallica became Iron Maiden.

The phone rang again. Fester. This call, he’d take.

He hit accept. “Hey, stranger.”

“What time is it there?” Fester said without preamble, “I can never keep the time zones right.”

“It’s about nine o’clock here. Must be two in the morning there. What the fuck are you doing, calling me at two in the morning?”

“I’m always afraid I’m going to call you in the middle of the night, is what the fuck, darling. And it’s nice to hear you as well.”

Ray laughed. “Seriously, what are you still doing up?”

“I was going to wait until morning, but I can’t sleep, so, here I am. Has Cassie gotten ahold of you?”

“Yeah. She called to let me know about Lorraine Griggs.”

“She thought you’d come back home for the funeral.”

“Why would I? She was Cassie’s friend, I only barely knew her a lifetime ago.”

“Still… she knows what hold she has over you, Ray. She figured she’d just snap her pretty little fingers and you’d come running.”

Ray switched the phone to his other ear. “I’m not doing that these days. I met someone else.”

“No fucking shit!” Fester’s voice rose about six octaves. “Do tell, darling.”

“She’s the woman I’ve been staying with.”

“Ahh… smart move. Sleep with the roommate to get out paying your share of the rent.”

“Fuck you, you know I’m not doing that.” Ray leaned his head against the headrest.

“So, give over and tell.”

“Her name is Theo and she’s a personal trainer and—”

“Oh, dear Christ… Tell me she’s blonde and hot.”

“She is. Very hot, actually.”

“And she’s what? Like twenty-five, twenty-six? You still got it, old man.”

“I hate to ruin your fantasy, but she’s only a few months younger than me.”

Dead silence. Followed by a very disbelieving, “What?”

“Yeah.”

“She’s old?”

“No. I just told you she was hot, didn’t I? She’s a beautiful, green-eyed blonde with a body made for sin and the skills to go with it. And I think I’m in love with her.”

“Are you drunk?”

“No. I’m stone sober, you jackass.” He switched the phone to speaker. “I’ll send you a picture of her. Hold on.”

He toggled through until he found one he’d taken of Theo only a week before, the one of her doing the crossword puzzle from the Sunday edition of The New York Times. She looked so studious and serious, and he’d thought just so stunningly beautiful, with her hair pulled up haphazardly and no makeup on. The light hit her just right and as he’d taken the picture, he’d wanted to go around behind her, and press his lips to the neck she bared.

He attached it to a text and said, “Wait for it.”

A moment later, Fester breathed, “Damn…. She’s in her forties?”

“She is.”

“She sure does not look it. How do you find them?”

“I owe finding her to Tyler Evans. He trains with her when he’s stateside and was the one who brought her the idea of letting me stay with her.”

A silver Kia crawled down the road and as it turned into the Harvey’s driveway, Ray sat upright. “I have to go, Fester. I’ll call you back.”

“But, I want to hear more about this goddess—”

Ray clicked off the call, dropped his phone into the passenger seat and kicked over the ignition to move his Jeep around the corner, where he parked, picked up his camera, aimed, and shot. Then, he eased out of his car to move to the opposite side of the street, where he covered himself in the shadows of a stand of pine trees. He crept closer, still clicking away.

Wind rustled thought the pine needles, the first flakes of an unexpected snow began to fall as the wind swirled around him.

He never heard the footsteps behind him. A brilliant white light burst before his eyes.

Then everything went black.

***

Theo tried to resist the urge to pace as she looked at the clock for the hundredth time. It was nearly two in the morning and Ray had told her he thought he’d be back by midnight at the latest. She’d tried calling him, only to have his phone go to voicemail. She didn't want to worry, but was barreling headlong into a full fledged worry just the same.

She moved to the windows and peered out at Polk Street. The only light came from the streetlamp at the curb. Snow swirled lightly past the windows, but there was no sign of headlights, no low growl of an engine.

With a sigh, she toggled to her contacts and scrolled to his name, then hit send.

“Hey, this is Ray. Leave your name, number, and a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

She swallowed hard. “Hi, Ray. It’s me…uh, it’s Theo.” She rolled her eyes. “I was just wondering… I mean… I’m worried. About you, that is. Uh… please just let me know you’re okay, okay? I mean, I’m not checking up on you… or maybe I am… I don’t know. All I know is I can’t sleep because I’m worried, and I know that sounds stupid, but I am. So, call me when you get this.”

She hung up, then facepalmed. Could she could she sound any needier? Christ…

But it was the truth. She was worried.

And she didn't know what to do with herself.

So she paced.

And peered out the window.

And dialed his phone again.

And paced some more.

***

His head felt like it had been cleaved in half.

Ray stared up at the snow whirling about him and his most coherent thought?

So this is what it’s like to be in a snow globe.

His head pounded. Worse than any tequila-inspired hangover he’d ever had, and tequila was responsible for the worst hangover he’d ever had.

Snow settled in his hair, on his clothes, and when he sat up, for a moment he was dizzy.

Then came the nausea.

He managed to get to his feet, and staggered toward the trees, where he fell to his knees and vomited against a tree trunk.

He sank against the tree next to it and with careful fingers, prodded the back of his head, hissing with pain as he hit the goose egg. A sharp sting swept across his scalp. He drew his hand back to see blood smearing his fingertips.

At first, he thought he’d been mugged. But his camera lay on the ground where he’d dropped it. He’d have to check if his wallet was still in the Jeep, but if his assailant didn't take the camera, chances are, he didn't go through the car, either.

Little by little, his head cleared and when he thought he could trust his legs to hold him and his stomach to remain calm, he slowly rose. The cold bit into him with sharp teeth. His hair and clothes were damp from melted snow. His fingers were stiff with cold as well. They barely cooperated when he tried to open the car door. But finally, they gave in and he gingerly sank into the driver’s seat. The keys were still on the passenger seat, with his cell and it took him two shots to get the key into the ignition.

While he warmed the Jeep up, he leaned back and let his eyes close. He debated about whether or not to drive himself to the hospital and make sure his skull wasn’t cracked. It probably would be wise to do just that, so he picked up his phone to google where the nearest Casualty—er, ER—was and as he did so, he saw he had six missed calls, all from Theo.

“Shit…” He toggled to his voicemail, closing his eyes once more at the sound of her voice. She’d only left one message, but there was no mistake the concern in her voice. It had been a long time since anyone seemed to care what happened to him, but her worry came through loud and clear.

He squinted at the clock. Nearly two-thirty in the morning. Theo had to be out of her mind, so he swallowed hard and dialed her number.

“Ray? Where are you? Are you okay? Holy shit… I’ve worn a trench in the living room from pacing.”

He closed his eyes once more to focus on getting the words out. “I’m in Lavallette still. I—I had a little run in with someone and I’m okay, but I think I’m going to go have it looked at.”

“Go have what looked at? What happened? What do you mean, a run in?”

“Someone snuck up on me and that’s all I know, baby. My head is killing me. I think I might have a concussion. So, before my skull actually splits in two, I’m gonna go to Casual—the ER. Oh, holy fuck, it hurts…” He rubbed his forehead, as if that would actually do any good. “I’ve got to go. I think I’m gonna be sick again.”

“There’s the Community Medical Center in Toms River. It’s right on Route Thirty-Seven and I’ll meet you there.”

He nodded. “Okay. Don’t rush. I don’t want you getting into any accident.”

“I’ll be fine. Maybe you should call nine-one-one instead of driving.”

“I can drive. At least, I think I can.” He swallowed hard and said, “Let me go before I can’t see straight any longer.”

“Okay. Be careful.”

“I will.” He hung up, let the phone fall onto the passenger seat, then put the Jeep into gear, made a U-turn, and found his way to the hospital on Route Thirty-Seven.

***

Theo found a parking space and hurried into the ER, where she stopped at the reception desk. “Hi, I’m looking for Ray Levine? He came in about half an hour ago with a head injury?”

The receptionist clicked few keys and said, “He’s in Curtain Three. Through those doors—” she pointed to the double doors behind her—“take your first left, the next right and he’ll be on your left.”

“Thank you.” She waited for the doors to open, then hurried down until she found the curtained off area and slipped about the curtain.

Ray was asleep, and the only light in his area was a soft one just behind his bed. Although she was fairly certain he wasn’t in any danger, her throat squeeze shut and her eyes stung as she moved to the chair at the left of his bed.

The ER was quiet for a Thursday. She heard the soft squeak of sneakers on the tile, the low voices of staff, an occasional beep or blip, but that was it. It was almost eerily quiet.

An IV had been taped into his arm and he groaned softly as he stretched that arm. Without thinking, she covered his hand with hers. “Shhh…”

He stirred, his eyes opening slightly. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” She tugged the chair closer, mindful of the IV tubing, and leaned over to brush his hair away from his forehead. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. I think I was set up, to be honest.”

“What?”

He nodded slowly, then went still for a moment before saying, “Whoever it was came up behind me and hit me with something. They didn't take my camera, didn't go through my car. And I don’t think for a moment it was just a coincidence.”

“Have you seen a doc yet?”

Another nod. “I’m okay. They did an X-ray. No fracture. I’ve got a head like a rock.”

“Wow, they read that quick. What about a CT?”

“I don’t need it. I’ve got the mother of all headaches, but I only puked one and haven’t since I got here.” His fingers closed about hers. “I’m fine. A mild concussion, that’s it.”

“Ray…”

“I’m fine. The doctor wants the IV to run over the next hour or so and then I can go, as long as I don’t get dizzy or sick and honestly? I feel fine aside from the headache.”

“Do you think Drew set you up?”

“No. I don’t think he had anything to do with it.” He looked over at her. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

“It’s okay, just try not to do it again, okay?” She stroked his hair away from his forehead. “I don’t do worry real well.”

His eyes closed and he smiled as he said, “I’ll keep that in mind.” A low sigh rose to his lips. “That feels nice…”

“Have the police been in?”

“I talked to a cop who said he’d look into it. But I never saw the guy. I didn't even hear him. I was concentrating on getting the fucking pictures Drew wanted and never heard the guy.” He turned toward her, his eyes opening. “And I don’t even know if I got her midnight visitor on film. A car pulled into the driveway, a guy got out, but for all I know, he was a Grub Hub driver.”

He met her gaze. His blue eyes were tired and red and all she wanted to do was get him home and fuss over him. And that made her back stiffen ever so slightly. When had she gotten maternal?

But the truth was, that was exactly what she wanted to do. Wanted to tuck him into bed, and make sure he was warm and cozy, and maybe make him soup—which was weird because she’d never made soup before in her life unless it came out of a can, and she didn’t want to make him a bowl of Campbell’s, but wanted to find a recipe for homemade chicken soup and make that—and then she wanted to crawl into bed next to him and just hold him until he felt better.

What the fuck was that about?

He must have seen her stiffen, because he squeezed the hand he held. “I’m going to be all right, Theo. I just need to take it easy for a couple of days. Not the first time I’ve been gonked in the head and probably not the last.”

“I know, but…”

“No but. I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go on home and get some sleep? I’m going to be here a while longer and I’ll be able to drive myself home when I’m released. No sense in you sitting here watching me sleep because that is all I’m going to do at this point.”

She grazed his thumb with hers. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Theo.”

“Ray.”

“Go home and get some sleep, love. You look dead tired.” A sleepy smile lifted his lips. “Hot as fuck, but tired.”

“I’ll go home when I’m good and ready and that isn’t now.” She brought his hand up to brush the back of it with her lips, then settled in her chair once more. “And thank you. I hardly feel hot, but I appreciate that you think so.”

“You are,” he nodded, his eyes closing. “Trust me.”

A few minutes later, he was back to sleep, his breathing deep and even. A nurse came through to check the IV and said, “He has about another half hour or so and then Dr. Morris will discharge him.”

“Thank you.”

“Can I get you anything?”

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

The nurse bobbed her head and left the room and as the curtain stopped fluttering, Ray’s cell rang. It lay on the tray table, so she got up to silence it before it woke him up, and her mouth went dry when she saw who was calling.

Cassie.

Theo glanced over her shoulder at Ray, who was still asleep, and she picked up the phone to click accept. “Hello?”

“Oh, hello… I’m terribly sorry, but I must have misdialed.” Cassie’s voice was smooth and low and elegant. “I was looking for Ray Levine and I do hope I didn’t disturb you.”

“You didn't misdial.” Theo drew in a deep breath as she stepped out of the curtained area. “This is Ray’s phone and it’s nearly four in the morning in New Jersey. Can I give him a message?”

“Who is this?”

“Who is this?”

“Megan Shaw. I’m Ray’s… I’m an old friend of his. I’m sorry, but I didn't quite catch your name.”

“Theo.”

“Oh, Ray’s roommate. He’s spoken of you.”

Theo’s belly knotted painfully. Ray’s roommate. Was that how he’d described her to Cassie? “He… he has? When?”

“Oh, I spoke him a day or so ago. I’m coming to the States—to New York—and we were talking about getting together.”

For a moment, Theo was sure her heart had actually stopped beating. Ray had said nothing to her about talking to Cassie, and he sure as hell hadn’t said anything about meeting up with her.

What.

The.

Fuck?

“Well, he’s sleeping now. As I said, it’s four in the morning here.”

“Could you tell him I’ve called?”

Theo scowled. “I can, yes.”

“Thank you.”

And with that, Cassie/Meg clicked off, leaving Theo standing there in the hallway, her stomach churning like the ocean did when a hurricane barreled up along the east coast. She peered around the curtain at Ray. Why hadn’t he mentioned talking to Cassie about getting together with her?

Rhetorical question. She knew exactly why.

But, she was curious as to how he would explain this, and she would definitely give him the opportunity to explain.

However, as she moved back into his bedside, she had the sinking feeling she was not going to like his answer.

***

It was nearly five in the morning by the time they got home and Theo’s eyes fairly burned with fatigue. She helped Ray get settled, and as he sank back into the pillows with a hint of a wince, he tugged on her arm. “Come lay with me.”

“You should get some sleep.”

“And I will. But I want you next to me.” He tugged harder. “Are you really going to make an injured man beg?”

She sighed. No. Of course she wouldn’t. “That’s low, Ray.”

“I know. But will it work?”

He asked it with an angelic smile that melted her aching heart. Perhaps the whole thing with Cassie was more innocent than her mind conjured up. Maybe Ray hadn’t said anything because he knew Theo saw Cassie as a specter hovering over them. Maybe he had no intention of meeting her at all.

So many maybes and only one way to find out for certain.

But it would wait until morning, and so she kicked off her white Chucks and skirted the bed to climb in on the opposite side. He reached for her, drew her into his arms and sighed softly. “Perfect. You feel good against me, Theo.” His fingers traced lightly along her upper arm and after a few minutes of comfortable silence, he asked, “What is Theo short for anyway?”

“Theodora,” she murmured as the heat from his body sank into her. He felt good against her, too. She closed her eyes as she breathed in the sandalwood notes of his cologne. There was nowhere else in the world she wanted to be at that moment than where she was. “I was named for the Byzantine Empress Theodora, who was married to Justinian.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “My mother liked the idea of naming me for this all-powerful empress. But she didn't really know Theodora’s backstory. If she had, I’m not so sure she’d have picked it.”

“Why?”

“The original Theodora began as a stripper or an escort—historians aren’t entirely certain, but she certainly was considered low-born. They do know she was an actress as well and Justinian had to change the law to marry her because rulers certain didn't marry actresses. The horror, you know. But Justinian wasn’t your average ruler and she wasn’t an average anything. She was smart and shrewd and knew what she wanted and Justinian treated her as an equal.”

“Smart man.”

“Right? And when he caught the plague, she ruled in his stead and some historians believe she was the true ruler the entire time. She was utterly amazing.”

He tightened his arm about her. “She sounds familiar.”

She managed to smile, tucking her head against his chest. And as the sun broke over the horizon, she and Ray both drifted off to sleep.

[avengerscompound]

Until the End of the World - 17

Until the End of the World: A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers x F!Reader

Word Count:  1627

Rating:  E

Warnings: a little self doubt, canon typical violence

Synopsis: Four years after Steve and Bucky got to the bottom of the HYDRA conspiracy that had led to you and your son being hunted for the first three years of his life, you, Bucky, and Steve have carved out a nice life together.  Things are calm and you feel like a family unit.  When Geo starts calling Bucky and Steve ‘dad’, a decision is made to try and add to your family.

Things aren’t as calm as they seem.  When your pregnancy hits the papers, HYDRA rears its head once again, and Steve and Bucky need to track you down to protect the family they had created

Chapter 17

“Sir,” FRIDAY said.  “I think… I think Geo is sending us a message.”

The uncertainty of the AI’s voice was what really made Steve pay attention.  Given that she was a computer, she never had any uncertainty when she made a statement.  All her statements were made based on thousands of algorithms assessing everything at once.  Yet here she was - facing an undeniable SOS sent down the powerlines - unsure of what she was saying. 

“What’s happening, FRIDAY?”  Steve asked.

“These surges are coming from the outside, something is pushing the grid to feed us power.  I thought it was just a supply issue so I was following it back to the source assuming it would go to a power station.  Instead, it’s going below us.”

“What?”  Steve said.

“I know, Captain,” FRIDAY said.  “And then the SOS just now.  I’m sure it must be him.  He’s being kept in some facility underground.”

Steve strode to the door, gesturing for Bucky to follow.  “Can you figure out exactly where?”

“I’m working on it,” FRIDAY answered.

Steve rode the elevator up with Bucky his heart pounding in his chest.  He wanted this to be it.  He had to find you because all this was his fault and if his lack of foresight meant that you were hurt or worse, dead, he would never forgive himself.

He blamed himself completely for not being more diligent.  Of course, HYDRA had come back.  Of course, they’d remembered you were something special.  Steve had a policy of not killing people unless there was no choice.  Of course, people died at his hand in battle and he had to live with that, but he wasn’t an executioner.

This was the first time he’d ever regretted that.  He wished he’d killed Viper when he had the chance.  If she had gone, then so would have everyone with any power that would remember who you were.  His morals had been the exact reason that his girlfriend and his children were in danger, and what was the point of morals if they meant the people who deserved it least got hurt?

The elevator opened into the command room and he strode in.  Tony turned around looking flustered.  “I’m working on it,” he said before Steve had a chance to say anything.  “This is tricky.  What Geo can do… it shouldn’t be possible.  The things he communicates with - they don’t have any sort of intelligence half the time.  Yet he can convince them in a way that implies they must.”

“You’re sure it’s him though and not someone trying to draw us out into a confrontation,” Steve asked.

Tony shook his head. “It’s him.  I can’t even do what he just did.  There is a clear path down to a place where there is no power supply.”

“Can we follow it?”  Steve asked.

Tony nodded and projected what was the start of a map and overlaid it on the current maps from urban services and surveyors that included service tunnels, subway systems, and sewer pipes.  As he looked it over new sections seemed to be added deeper down and others seemed to be overlaid.

“Is this it?”  Steve asked.

“I’d say so,” Tony said.  “Just trying to find a way in.”

Steve paced.  He wanted to go.  The longer he had to wait the more likely you would be hurt.  Bucky grabbed his wrist as he passed and Steve stopped and looked at him. 

“There,” Bucky said, pointing at the screen.

“What are you seeing, Freezer Burn?”  Tony asked, putting his blue blocker glasses on and tilting his head.

Bucky approached the screen.  “That’s where the Waldorf Astoria is right?”  He said as he indicated a subway line that had been marked as closed on the map.

“Right,” Tony said.

“That track used to be used to go from Grand Central to the Waldorf, specifically for their VIP guests.  You remember when they opened it, Stevie?  General Pershing rode it?”  Bucky said.

“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Steve said.

“How can you remember that and not killing Kennedy?”  Tony snarked.

“Who says I can’t remember killing Kennedy?”  Bucky deadpanned.

“Can we squabble later?”  Steve asked, getting frustrated by how slow they were discussing this.  “What’s your point, Bucky?”

“It’s accessible by a service elevator from the Waldorf.  Which is on the route between here and Geo’s school,” Bucky explained.  “If they parked under the hotel, that would explain why the van vanished so fast, and then they could just get them down to that track unseen.  And as it’s abandoned they could have used it for construction and it gone by completely unnoticed.”

“But the Waldorf is valet parking,” Tony said.  “How would they hide two unconscious people from the valet?”

“Maybe they had someone on the inside?”  Steve suggested.

“Or perhaps they accessed it from the private parking for the Towers of the Waldorf.  They have their own private access to the parking garage,” FRIDAY suggested.

Tony looked at Steve.  “Go.  I’ll assemble the team,” he said.  “FRIDAY get the Legion to focus their scans on that abandoned tunnel.  We need an access point.”

Steve and Bucky took the elevator to the armory.  Steve hadn’t changed since you were taken so he just pulled on the upper part of his uniform, and grabbed the shield.  It took Bucky a little longer to get suited up, but when he was done he not only had his armor on but several different guns and knives packed onto his person.

The two took the stairs to the street.  As well as the adrenaline that was coursing through his system, Steve felt frustrated and angry.  HYDRA hand managed to build an underground facility immediately under his nose.  Grand Central Station shared the block with the Avengers Tower.  They couldn’t have been closer if they’d just set up shop in its basement.

The paparazzi started calling out to them and taking their photos as soon as they ran out into the street and many people who had just been walking along experiencing a normal day in the city stopped to gawk at the two Avengers as they ran down the street.  They charged into the entrance of the railway station.

“Excuse me, pardon me, coming through,” he shouted as he wove in and out of the people heading down into the large open concourse with its domed ceiling with the celestial mural in gold and turquoise.

“This way,” Bucky said, pointing to the left.  “We’ll have to cross over from track 42.”

Steve nodded and followed.  They ran down the platform, past the trains waiting, and onto the tracks.  “Cap!” A porter yelled out.  “You can’t go down there.”

“I need you to keep the tracks clear.  This is Avengers business!”  Steve yelled back.

“We found what seems to be a tunnel,” Tony’s voice crackled over the comms.  “It’s on track 61.  FRIDAY will let you know when you’re near the entrance.”

Steve didn’t need FRIDAY’s help in the end.  The entrance was obvious.  Among the waste and abandoned train carts along the track was a large opening that went down under it all.  It was roughly hewn and reminded Steve of an old mine.  He and Bucky were just about to head down into it when the sound of jets echoed off the walls and they were joined by Rhodey and several of the Iron Legion.  “Cap,” Rhodey said, landing beside them.  “Tony found another entrance, down at the Canal Street station.  That looks like the main entrance and the one that they did most of the work from.  There’s a bunch of construction on the tracks down there and it’s possible they just blended in with the official stuff.”

“Thanks, Rhodey,” Steve said.  “You ready?”

“Always,” Rhodey answered, his visor closing again.

They made their way down the tunnel, Rhodey and the legion flying behind as Steve and Bucky ran down into the bowels of the earth.  As they got deeper down, the rough temporary look of the tunnel began to look more complete, until they were standing behind a door that looked like it was made of thick metal.

“Looks like if we ever had an element of surprise, we’re about to lose it,” Steve said, as he assessed the door.

“That’s if we had it,” Rhodey said.  “Stand back, the longer it takes us to find them, the higher the chance they’ll slip out some secret entrance.”

Bucky and Steve backed up and Rhodey aimed his arm at the door.  A laser burst out from an eye on his wrist and carved through the thick metal.  It took around a minute before he’d cut all the way through.  The alarms started sounding before the door even hit the ground.  A group of HYDRA stormed out from one of the rooms and the Iron Legion flew past Steve’s head and began to fight.

Just as Steve was about to join the fray the alarms stopped again.  Steve looked at Bucky who had his gun raised.  “Geo?”  He asked.

“Geo,” Bucky agreed.

Steve ran in, joining the fray as they took down the guards.  When no more came, they ran down the hall and it split off into various paths.  Steve looked at Rhodey.  “We should split up.  Cover more ground.”

“Agreed.  I’ll take a few of the Legion this way,” he said pointing down the middle.  Steve nodded and Rhodey took off.

“Stay safe, Buck,” Steve said.

“You too,” Bucky said before running down another hall with some of the Legion in tow.  Steve took a breath and looked at the remaining paths.  He gestured for the remaining Legion down two and took off after the last one, hoping that that would be the one that brought him to you.

// NEXT

[vaguely-concerned]

The Mandalorian Chapter 12 rewatch thoughts

- I would like to thank them for keeping in din’s harried yet triumphant ‘hAH!!’ when he gets the explosives to stick to gideon’s ship in the ‘hey remember when this happened last season’ section, that was a nice gesture from the showrunners to me personally, I assume

- this episode actually helped me find more enjoyment in the last one, because it’s such a nice reassurance that even though they’re pulling in more stuff from other star wars media this show won’t suddenly stop being its own thing and mando won’t suddenly stop being himself and it’s very comforting to me somehow haha

- the small hesitation before din calls out “do you... do you have the wire?” lol lol lol he’s completely aware of the bizarreness of what he’s doing here but hey being alive is already so damn weird etc. 

the softness of his voice the whole way through and the fact that he never, never blames the baby for not being able to do what shouldn’t really be asked of him in the first place, tho... ;____;  

- the tiny exasperated head tilt din does when he realizes the hatch isn’t going to extend all the way fdslkfhasdlashfs  

- din is looking down at the baby the entire time while greef talks to the mechanics ❤️❤️❤️

(the baby seems pretty drawn to/excited to see greef again and mando seems to notice which is extremely cute. he’s becoming really good at tuning in with the kid) 

he also greets cara baby first in much the same way as he does peli, like he knows what the main attraction here is lol, they do a very sweet bro nod at each other. god I wish gina carano wasn’t so terrible imagine if we could just have this BrOTP without hesitations :( 

I think greef is actually a bit worried to begin with after seeing the ship, he sort of takes din in intently before he huffs a little laugh and grabs his arm. it must be a bit stressful to be his friend and not be able to see his expression right away when you worry something might be seriously wrong haha

- people are finally treating the baby like you would a real baby and it’s such a blessing, everyone talking and cooing at him and baby babbling back

(I wonder if greef has children of his own? he does have an undeniable air of experienced grandpa about him in this episode, it’s adorable)  

- din does so much talking -- unprompted, even! -- these days, it truly is an embarrassment of riches 

- capital E Emotional about this shot with IG-11 right behind din and cara inviting him into the school in front of him. some past carried with us into the future shit going on here  

IG-11′s legacy’s still got our back y’all :’) I swear to god if gideon blows up nevarro at some point I’m going to lose it 

the ‘oh yeah?/that so?’ way din leans his head back after she says “wait until you see inside” is also amazing

- baby reaching out his hand like ‘can have?’ is so polite ;______; he takes after his father (including in the ‘fool me twice, I’ll fuck you up’ department haha. listen you get one chance to be cool about it and then no more mr nice mando/baby)

-

go ahead, kid, make a fuss about it. who are you going to tell, huh? who’s going to believe you? you gonna tell them you got bested by a baby? a magic baby? no? that’s right. I took your dignity as easily as I took your macarons, there’s nothing you can do to change it, and now you gotta live with that. sweet dreams.

(this is a joke. the baby is not evil. I hate that I even have to specify this but I’ve seen some stupid shit in the tags in my time you guys haha) 

- I can’t work out what anything on greef’s desk is supposed to be, but if that’s a computer it’s got to be older than even the razor crest lol

- friends: din yes?

mando: din no, only repairs

friends: din yes please?

mando: ... [sigh] din yes 

he truly has next to no defense against people he actually likes asking him for something huh lol. well a self care co-op mission clearly did him a world of good in this one at least it’s all fine

- “I’m starting to dehydrate, Boss” is an excellent line and delivered perfectly, I cackle every time (”You park your gills right there until I say otherwise” is a good runner up too) 

- it’s so nice to see the small moments of communication between them in this one after mando was so out of sync with the team in the last one (and tbf those guys didn’t even try to give him any pointers at all, they really left him to flounder through the whole thing if you watch it carefully haha)

- the mythrol’s jacket still looks so comfy, I want one

- aaaaah the way din says “I don’t like this” is just so... hnnngh it’s perfect, there’s a vulnerability and openness to it for a moment. greef glances over at him like he hasn’t heard him sound like this before too, which just sells it even more

u ok bro?

you know shit’s fucked up when din djarin expresses an emotion without even being forced to by circumstance (I think what I mean is that it’s actually really rare for him to state how he feels about something just to do it, usually his communication is more practically oriented, more along ‘I think this is the best cause of action because of a and b’ lines, or like when he tells omera he’s grateful it’s... more to inform her of it and make sure she knows than to express himself? but he’s starting to do it more with people he trusts now and it gets me in the heart? man I’m finding this hard to articulate let’s move on lol)

- I really, really wonder about pershing’s position in all of this. his plea for the child’s life did sound genuine -- he did try to guard him with his own noodly scientist body when he thought din was out to hurt him, remember -- but is that only because he knows he’s in deep shit himself without the blood the baby can give? is he maybe not quite cool with whatever gideon has him doing? (he does sound quite strained when he talks about the ‘body’ rejecting the transfusion and the ‘volunteer’ potentially suffering the same fate... hm.)

idk why I want there to be something redeemable in him so bad, maybe it’s just my weird yet enduring attachment to ladon radim in stargate atlantis messing with me they’re kind of similar in some ways (yeah don’t ask me I don’t know either sometimes the heart wants what it wants in ways reason can’t explain)

- tfw ur literally launching yourself across a pool of boiling lava because you’re Dad and your baby’s in danger T__________T he just does not stop running towards that kid for even a single second help

- there’s something so innocently pure and... old fashioned? about the scene with mythrol and greef screaming the entire time they drive off the cliff, it feels like something out of a movie from like three decades ago. that whole segment feels a bit like that, it’s just there to be fun and that’s okay sometimes

- every dog fight in every movie should have a baby nonchalantly snacking on a cookie in them, it elevates the experience immeasurably (he squishes his nose a little bit with the macaron when he misses his mouth at one point, which is more than anyone should be expected to bear honestly)

I love that even all fixed up again the razor crest groans and creaks like an old tired thing when din makes it flip to dive, he 100% did take out a bunch of ferraris in his stalwart morris minor of a spaceship and I treasure him     

- there’s so much life and emotion in din’s voice here I can’t!!!! I simply can’t!!!! imagine if we get to hear him openly laugh one day, would I even survive it??!!!!

 also the kid makes such pitch perfect ‘having my lil nose wiped and whining about it’ baby noises when din uses his cape to clean him up (din does turn the autopilot on before he turns around to deal with it, for those who, like me, worry about these things) 

- between carson showing up and the stuff the droid talks about in the lesson they’re doing quite a bit of outer rim vs. core worlds theme building in this one, I wonder if this is going to ramp up more or what

- god but gideon’s theme SLAPS tho 

he’s probably going to try to fuck up everything I love but you can’t fault him on the tunes he’s going to do it to 

[vamonumentlandscape]

Washington D.C: Day 1

Our first stop on our trip was to Lorton, more specifically the Occoquan Historic District. The Occoquan Regional Park is on the land where the inmates of the Lorton Work House Prison worked in the brick kilns. Only one survives today, but it gives you a look at what once took over the large park space by the river. After eating at the cute riverside spot Brickmakers, we walked up the hill to see the nearly complete Turning Point Suffragist Memorial. According to the park’s website, over 150 women were imprisoned at the Lorton Work House in relation to the women’s suffrage movement from June to December of 1917. The “Silent Sentinels”, as the monument described, were the women who peacefully demonstrated outside the White House, but were detained and charged with falsified information. Those charges led them to be imprisoned at Lorton or in the District of Columbia Jail. These brave suffragists, like Carrie Chapman Catt, Alice Paul, and Lucy Burns, were the sparks of change that paved the way for women's rights. Paul and Burns both endured much pain fighting for their rights, like with the notoriously long hunger strikes they would enact when imprisoned. The statues done for Paul and Catt are beautiful depictions and show their strengths as activists. Alice Paul is holding her famous picket sign, MR. PRESIDENT HOW LONG MUST WOMEN WAIT FOR LIBERTY, to greet you at the beginning of the memorial. After you have rounded out the beautiful garden path, you end with seeing Carrie Chapman Catt with a big bouquet of flowers to symbolize their success. While Paul took the more radicalized approach with Burns which they picked up from British suffragists, Catt was a peaceful activist who took a more amicable approach. Another interesting piece of the memorial was the original White House Fence from Wilson’s time in office on display. It was powerful to see the large black fencing these brave women stood in front of almost daily to fight for their rights. The goal of women’s suffrage never would have been achieved without all of these brave women.

Unveiled in 1876, the Emancipation Memorial (also known as the Freedmen’s Memorial) has been controversial since its unveiling. Though the sculpture of Lincoln and a former enslaved person was funded by free African-Americans, there was some shock during the dedication ceremony in response to the deification of Lincoln and the stance of the African-American male. In his keynote address, Frederick Douglass expressed some criticism for President Lincoln. In the end, Douglass acknowledged an “earnest sympathy” for Lincoln. When talking about this statue in the spring semester, we knew that a stop at this memorial was essential. During a hot afternoon, Lincoln Park was packed with families with their children and their four-legged friends. We took a close look at the statue that has garnered more-recent criticism from activists like Glenn Foster of Palm Collective, who we were fortunate enough to talk to just a few weeks ago. Foster believes that a hidden narrative exists with the statue actively marginalizing African-Americans. “What does it mean for an African-American child to see the statue?” Foster asked. As we saw it with our own eyes, we understood why the memorial was so controversial. Though Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation freed enslaved persons in the South and made the cessation of slavery the goal of the Union during the Civil War, we were taken aback by the depiction of the man kneeling at Lincoln’s feet. It is problematic, to say the least, and requires a sign for historical context if the city does not take it down. Just across from the Emancipation Memorial is a statue that honors Mary Bethune. As a child of formerly enslaved persons, Bethune became a notable educator, civil rights activist, philanthropist, and feminist. She was the leader of many organizations like the National Association for Colored Women and was an adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She most notably started a school for African-American students in Daytona Beach, Florida, which became Bethune-Cookman University. Throughout the life of “The First Lady of the Struggle,” she never gave up in standing up for the right to improved opportunities for African-Americans. The Bethune monument, which was unveiled in 1974, stood in direct contrast to the feelings we had with the Emancipation Memorial. We may not know what should be done with the depiction of Lincoln, but it certainly requires some sort of action. Lincoln will always be one of the most consequential presidents of our history, but our society must be honest in interpreting his legacy along with that of African-Americans.

We took a quick ride on the Metro over to the L’Enfant Plaza stop to see the memorial for Dwight D. Eisenhower in front of the Department of Education. A statue of a young Eisenhower raised in Abilene, Kansas can be seen looking towards his future of being the General that commanded the D-Day invasion in Nazi-occupied France and the 34th President of the United States. All depictions of Eisenhower and his close allies during his time in the military and the Oval Office are beautifully done. The memorial shows the powerful presence that Eisenhower had in every role that he had. We made sure to also read through the speeches on the back of the marble pedestals, which included his famous farewell address where he warned of a military-industrial complex. During his presidency, Eisenhower sent in Federal troops to ensure the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. His largest project would be the Interstate Highway System, which has been the way that most Americans get around ever since. One can understand why Eisenhower is seen as a President of a higher echelon. We certainly did after viewing this memorial.

In response to the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and in support of calls for justice, Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington D.C. supported the renaming of a section of 16th Street NW to Black Lives Matter Plaza. This section of the street is located at the Lafayette Square end of the White House. This action may have been a jab at the former president, who did not look favorably upon calls for police reform, but it was also a move to show that the city was listening and understood where people were coming from. The vast majority of protests were not composed of “thugs” and “looters” as charged by the media, but involved peaceful calls for ending police brutality and systemic racism. We were able to walk on the bright yellow letters that spelled Black Lives Matter. Though it has been over a year since most people were out in the streets of Washington protesting, the street still felt like a pilgrimage place for all Americans. Saying the words “Black Lives Matter” should not be treated as taboo and it is not claiming that other lives do not matter. BLM is all about the issue at hand, which is that African-Americans are disproportionately targeted by police, even when they are unarmed. Unwarranted killings and attacks by those meant to protect must end, and they must end now. As evidenced by our stop at this living memorial, the movement is here to stay and legislation must be passed in favor of fulfilling justice for all.

After seeing Black Lives Matter Plaza, we took a stroll to Lafayette Square just across from the White House. Just like BLM Plaza, this park is a social hub for tourists and residents alike. It was great to be able to walk upon this park to see the beauty of the White House up close. With the previous President, no one had been able to get very close for a while. Music, voices, laughter, footsteps, and the whirr of the sidewalk scooters filled the air. The beautiful weather made it an even better atmosphere. The one statue that took us off guard while enjoying the grounds was of Andrew Jackson. He is one of the most controversial presidents in American History. His fame originates from being a famous soldier in the wars against Native Americans. Later the “common man” became more popular as he was not an elitist running for president. Duels were something he took part in quite frequently as we have learned. Rebecca Grawl, an alumnae from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and our tour guide for part of DC, told us that he actually had been shot at around 12 times and had 2 bullets lodged in him from previous duels. The worst part of his legacy was the Indian Removal Act of 1830 that led to the infamous Trail of Tears. Thousands of Natives were displaced, died of disease and exhaustion, and were forced out of their homes. Another one of his blunders was his dismantlement of the National Bank. It is ironic that the man who destroyed and hated the national currency of the United States resides on the twenty dollar bill. Another fact learned from Rebecca Grawl was that his equestrian statue is wrong. There is a rule for when there is an equestrian statue built for someone - the front two feet symbolize how the rider passed away. Two feet on the ground means that they died of natural causes, one foot off of the ground means they died due to an injury or disease from battle, and two feet off the ground means they were killed in battle. Jackson’s horse has two feet off of the ground, yet he was not killed in battle. Despite his title of being an American president and winning the popular vote three times for president, his legacy is troubling to say the least.

Our last stop for the day before heading to Shake Shack (YUM!) was the World War I Memorial. It is unfinished, but what is complete is absolutely stunning. A statue of John J. Pershing towers over the memorial representing his incredible military leadership of U.S. troops during The Great War. Beside his grand statue are maps engraved in gold, red, and blue on black granite with descriptions of each campaign. This is a place for reflection and education as many of those lost in the war may only have distant descendants living and those who visit are mostly coming to learn. The largest unfinished part of the memorial is right behind the small pool of water. A Soldier’s Journey is a large sculpture that follows a young male soldier through the “myth of a hero’s journey” from home, to the battlefront, and his return home where he is changed from the war. This part of the memorial will be complete in 2024 and we all are eager to return to see the finished product.

[billscheft]

Suddenly, joyously, The Truants are glutted with summer gigs!!!!!

MONDAY, JUNE 21

GCP Summer Solstice Outdoor Music Festival, Manhattan, 4-6 pm (FREE)

(Location TBD, but probably Pershing Square next to Grand Central, which we opened two years ago)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7

The Cutting Room, Manhattan, 32nd between Park and Madison, 7:30 pm ($25)

(We were booked last April, before the live performance world ended. We return for the first time since we played 3x in seven months in 2019)

FRIDAY, JULY 9

The Turning Point, Piermont, NY, 7:30 pm ($20)

(Our last indoor gig pre-Covid, February 2020. One of the great little rooms ever)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21

Daryl's House, Pawling, NY  7:30 pm  ($15)

(Back less than 3 months after we rocked it in our first limited capacity sell-out)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13

Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA  7-9 pm

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14

Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA  3-4:30 pm (We return for the fifth time to the nation’s largest free continuing outdoor music festival, and play back-to-back at The Festplatz for the first time ever! Hotel included, just like real rockers!!!!!) 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24

One Battery Park Plaza  12:30 pm-1:30 pm  (FREE)

(Our first time at this venue as part of the Rudin Corp Outdoor Summer Music Series. And we’re doing an hour of ALL BEATLES!!!!)

[canisonicscrewyou]

Demonstrations Happening In (And Out Of) USA Tomorrow (Jan 4)

https://t.co/5TUpHOYlz7?amp=1 (full link of information by Answer Coalition)

The White House - Washington D.C. 12noon at the White House

Chicago, IL 12noon at Trump Tower Initiated by ANSWER Chicago

Los Angeles, CA 1pm at Pershing Square Initiated by ANSWER LAcl

New York City, NY 11am at Time Square Initiated by ANSWER New York

San Francisco, CA 12noon at Powell and Market Initiated by ANSWER San Francisco

Miami, FL 1pm at Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Blvd Initiated by CODEPINK

Berlin, Germany 1pm at Brandenburger Tor / Pariser Platz

Albuquerque, NM 2pm at Kirtland Airforce Base, San Mateo and Gibson Blvd Initiated by ANSWER New Mexico

Arlington, MA 12noon at Broadway Plaza, Mass. Ave. and Medford St Initiated by Arlington United for Justice with Peace (AUJP)

Seattle, WA 2pm at Victor Steinbrueck Park Initiated by ANSWER Seattle

Minneapolis, MN 1pm at Mayday Plaza Initiated by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition

Atlanta, GA 3pm at Little Five Points Initiated by ANSWER Atlanta

New Haven, CT 3pm Sunday, January 5 at Church & Chapel Street Initiated by ANSWER Connecticut

Portland, Maine 12noon at Congress Square Park Initiated by Peace Action Maine

Pittsburgh, PA 12noon at Schenley Plaza Initiated by ANSWER Pittsburgh

Denver, CO 2pm at Colorado State Capital Building Initiated by ANSWER Colorado

Boston, MA 2pm at Park street MBTA station

Sacramento, CA 4pm at Capitol Park

Philadelphia, PA 12noon at City Hall (15th and Market St.)

Columbia, SC 12noon at the South Carolina State House

San Diego, CA 2pm at Federal Court Building

Lancaster, PA 12noon at Lancaster County Prison

Austin, TX 11am at Austin City Hall

Boulder, CO 11am at Broadway and Canyon

Cleveland, OH 12noon at Market Square

El Paso, TX 12noon Friday, January 3rd at the U.S. Federal Courthouse

Fort Wayne, IN 2pm at Allen County Courthouse Green

Ithaca, NY 10am at Corner of Clinton and Meadow Streets by CVS

Northampton, MA 11am in front of the Courthouse on Main St

San Antonio, TX 1pm Sunday, Jan. 5 at overpass on Walters and 35 (on way to Ft. Sam Houston)

Santa Monica, CA 2pm at Santa Monica Promenade

Hopewell NJ 12pm in front of the Marine Recruitment Center in Somerville

Davis, CA 11am at B and 5th Streets

State College, PA 12noon at Allen St. Gates

Milwaukee, WI 12noon at intersection of  27th & Oklahoma

Madison, WI 12noon at the State Capitol

Boise, ID 5pm at Boise City Hall

Las Vegas, NV 10am at Las Vegas Federal Courthouse

San Jose, CA 3pm at 4th & Santa Clara

Fayetteville, AK 11am at Washington County Courthouse

Phoenix, AZ 12noon at Esplanade Center

Birmingham, AL 1pm at Kelly Ingram Park

Dallas, TX 3pm at Dealey Plaza

Salt Lake City, UT 2pm at Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building

St Louis, MO 12noon at Lacy Clay's Office 111 S 10th St

Jackson, MS 12noon at Smith Park

Memphis, TN 5:30pm Friday, Jan. 3 at Gazebo at the Cooper-Young intersection

Kennewick, WA 1pm at Corner of N Columbia Center Blvd and W Quinalt

Cincinnati, OH 12noon at Fountain Square

Knoxville, TN 1:00pm Sunday, Jan. 5 at Charles Krutch Park

Anyways, spread the word and get the fuck out there. 

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

U.S. Out of Iraq - No War on Iran! 

Demonstrations will take place on Saturday, January 4 in the following cities: 

Washington D.C. - 12 noon at the White House

Chicago, IL - 12 noon at Trump Tower

Los Angeles, CA  - 1 pm at Pershing Square

New York City, NY  - 11 am at Time Square

San Francisco, CA  -12 noon at Powell and Market

Baltimore, MD - 12 noon at Fayette & President Sts

Miami, FL - 1 pm at Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Blvd

Albuquerque, NM - 2 pm at Kirtland Airforce Base, San Mateo and Gibson Blvd

Arlington, MA - 12 noon at Broadway Plaza, Mass. Ave. and Medford St

Seattle, WA - 2 pm at Westlake Park

Minneapolis, MN - 1 pm at Mayday Plaza

Atlanta, GA  - 3 pm at Little Five Points

New Haven, CT - 3 pm Sunday, January 5 at Church & Chapel Street

Portland, Maine  - 12 noon at Congress Square Park

Pittsburgh, PA - 12 noon at Schenley Plaza

Denver, CO - 2 pm at Colorado State Capital Building

Boston, MA - 2 pm at Park street MBTA station

Philadelphia, PA - 12 noon at City Hall (15th and Market St.)

Columbia, SC - 12 noon at the South Carolina State House

Lancaster, PA - 12 noon at Lancaster County Prison

Austin, TX - 11 am at Austin City Hall

Boulder, CO - 11 am at Broadway and Canyon

Brimingham, AL - 5 pm at Five Points South

Cleveland, OH - 12 noon at Market Square

El Paso, TX - 12 noon Friday, January 3rd at the U.S. Federal Courthouse

Fort Wayne, IN - 2 pm at Allen County Courthouse Green

Ithaca, NY - 10 am at Corner of Clinton and Meadow Streets by CVS

Northampton, MA - 11 am in front of the Courthouse on Main St

Portland, Maine - 12 pm at Congress Square Park

Santa Monica, CA - 2 pm at Santa Monica Promenade

Davis, CA - 11 am at B and 5th Streets

State College, PA - 12 noon at Allen St. Gates

Milwaukee, WI - 12 noon at intersection of  27th & Oklahoma

Madison, WI  -12 noon at the State Capitol

Boise, ID - 5 pm at Boise City Hall

Actions have been initiated by ANSWER Coalition, CODEPINK, Popular Resistance, World Beyond War, Struggle-La Lucha and many other anti-war and peace organizations.

[alexriehman]

Trip to Bridgeport

In the second week of Chicago excursions I was assigned to explore the neighborhood of Bridgeport.  Bridgeport is located in the city’s south side, the neighborhood is confined to the north by the south branch of the Chicago river stretching south to Pershing Road.  Laterally the neighborhood spans from the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in the east, to Bubbly Creek in the west.  Bridgeport possesses the title as the oldest neighborhood in the city of Chicago, officially becoming Bridgeport Township in 1863.  The history of Bridgeport and what survives today projects different stories about the neighborhood.  Originally an Irish enclave of industry, Bridgeport today is ethnically diverse with many varying socioeconomic levels residing in the neighborhood.  

Map of Bridgeport 

Industry began to boom in Bridgeport around 1830 when Stearns’ Quarry established a limestone quarry, dynamiting in the neighborhood until 1969 (Bloom, 2020).  Industrialization swallowed the area, by 1905 the first privately owned and managed industrial park was established, called the Central Manufacturing District.  The owners of the park invested into the neighborhood, building roads, public emergency services, a bank, and even leisure businesses.  The demographic composed today in Bridgeport one will find around two of five residents being Asian, and one of five residents being of Hispanic dissent (Statistical Atlas, 2020).  Immigrants from the old world flooded Bridgeport in aims for a working job.  The Irish flooded the neighborhood first, soon to follow were northern and eastern European immigrants.  Important to the neighborhood during the beginning of the 20th century was the railroad construction nearby (Bloom, 2020).  Many of the workers who recently migrated were Mexican, who established homes in the neighborhood (Bloom, 2020). The remainder of the 20th century and leading to modern day, Bridgeport witnessed many Asian immigrants moving to the area.  Being within close proximity to the city’s long-standing, well-established Chinatown district.  Also residing near the historic district of Bronzeville, the population consists of African American and Hispanic dwellers.  

What was once a booming sector of industry, today Bridgeport is now a cultural center for art and diversity.  The neighborhood although slightly large on scale, is entitled to a strong sense of community.  This strong sense of community may be one such production of the deeply rooted religious structures seen very visibly throughout the neighborhood.  Apparent to the neighborhood is its nonsecular nature, with many ornate and magnificent churches.  Also clearly apparent in Bridgeport, is the neighborhood’s lust for art, specifically modern, urban art;  two art centers stand just a stone’s throw apart from one another.  To note as well is the neighborhood repurposing efforts to transition areas of industry into public spaces.  Many parks are scattered throughout Bridgeport today.  On my visit to the neighborhood I was able to explore one of these parks, also I witnessed a few churches, and was able to tour the neighborhood’s art center.  

During the Friday excursion of the neighborhood, I began my day at the Bridgeport Art Center.  The art center is located on 35th Street, at 1200 West 35th Street, in the central manufacturing district; once the location for the Spiegel Catalog warehouse.  Established in 2001, the Bridgeport Art Center is focused to continuously serve as a resource for creative minds, and to be the beacon for the innovating Chicago art scene (Bridgeport Art Center, 2020).  The art center is home to numerous artists, designers, and working professionals.  Incredibly, I was fortunate enough and one of the first to attend the art center on the same day of its 4th Floor Gallery opening reception.  The gallery’s newest theme entitled ‘Where’s the Revolution,’ is an exhibition featuring political art expressing varying points of view of global politics and social justice standards (Bridgeport Art Center, 2020).  The exhibits displayed depict themes current to modern issues in America.  At the forefront of the exhibits were criticisms of the current presidency, as well as the extremely salient movement of Black Lives Matter.  In one work the artist depicts the final words of George Floyd, “I can’t breathe.”  The artistic piece utilizes yarn on canvas to depict the final words, in the artist’s own words, “lives holding by a thread.”  Many of the artistic works also present an underlying theme of police brutality targeted against racial minorities.  

I Can’t Breathe by Pinar Aral 

Floyd by Victoria Goite 

Although the 4th Floor Gallery was fascinating to explore and witness, I was able to meet and discuss with internationally acclaimed Italian sculptor, Virginio Ferrari.  During my walkthrough of the 4th Floor Gallery I was confronted by a waste management consultant who worked in the building.  He thought it would be an advantageous opportunity to meet and have a dialogue with Ferrari.  I agreed to his opportunity and he escorted me to Ferrari’s work space in the basement of the building.  

Virginio Ferrari’s Workshop in Bridgeport Art Center 

I had the ability to have a personal tour of Ferrari’s shop by the man himself.  He discussed his life story and beginnings of his artistic career.  Mentored by his father and grandfather in the trade of stone cutting, Ferrari learned respect for the craft, and has continued his family’s legacy since.  Ferrari is an immigrant of Italy who migrated to Chicago in the 1960s.  After his migration to Chicago, Ferrari would serve for one decade as the Assistant Professor of Art and Sculptor in Residence, at the prestigious University of Chicago (Ferrari, 2020).  Ferrari has thirty monumental pieces alone in Chicago, and other works can be witnessed all over the world, with sculptures located in Europe, Asia, and throughout the continental United States.  Some of his most notable works found in Chicago include the Being Born exhibition near the Ohio Feeder Ramp in Riverside North, as well as the controversial exhibit Dialogo, which casts a shadow annually on May Day that depicts the Communist sickle and hammer (Ferrari, 2020).  Even at the age of eighty-three year, Ferrari is still active with his craftsmanship, constantly creating new sculptures in his Bridgeport workspace.  

Being Born by Virginio Ferrari

Although the opportunity to meet the world renowned sculptor, Virginio Ferrari, was incredibly exciting, there was still more to see of the neighborhood.  After my visit to the Bridgeport Art Center, I continued my morning walkthrough of Bridgeport by viewing a couple of churches located in near proximity.  The first church I was able to visit was the Roman Catholic Church of St. Mary of Perpetual Help.  This church has been standing in Bridgeport since 1882 (St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church, 2020).  Its establishment was influenced by the growing Polish immigrant population in the area.  It served as a community home for these Polish immigrants, and still serves today as the parish for the Catholic girl high school, De La Salle Institute.  The building itself is magnificent with elaborate towers and a colossal dome, with intricate detailing found all over the building.  

St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church, 1039 West 32nd Street 

After my walk by the St. Mary Church, I was able to see the Monastery of the Holy Cross.  This monastery was established a century later than the previous parish discussed, in 1988.  Although the monastery was established in 1988, the building in which the monastery resides was once the home of a Polish parish, the Immaculate Conception Church (Monastery of the Holy Cross, 2020). The Monastery of the Holy Cross was founded by three missionary priests who sought out to combat the challenges of evangelization in the modern world (Monastery of the Holy Cross, 2020). The priest's mission was evangelization of the modern ‘desert’ of the city, which faces issues of violence, alienation, and spiritual poverty (Monastery of the Holy Cross, 2020).  To comment on the building, the monastery is found at the location of the former Immaculate Conception church.  The building although simple in design, with a only singular vertical turret attached, is known for its beauty.  The sheer height of the tower was quite remarkable to witness in person.  

Monastery of the Holy Cross, 3111 South Aberdeen Street

As the end of my trip neared, I decided to visit one of the local parks in the neighborhood.  Located at 2700 South Halsted Street, in the heart of the Bridgeport neighborhood, I was able to visit the Palmisano Park and Quarry.  Prior to the park, the area was most well known for the Stearns’ Quarry, in which massive amounts of limestone were extracted from the earth.  This twenty-six acre site offers a bountiful amount of activities for visitors to enjoy.  The park includes a fishing pond, interpretive wetlands, preserved quarry walls, trails, an athletic field, a running track, and over one and a half miles of walking trails (Chicago Park District, 2020).  The park itself was  gorgeous to walk around.  It provided an incredible view of the Chicago skyline, and most notably preserves the land of the neighborhood.  This park was very refreshing to experience.  Being in the city can be overwhelming with the lack of green space, but the Palmisano Park adds a much needed escape from the urban environment.  It is hard to imagine, but the natural landscape of Chicago is composed of a marsh, and this is made very apparent through the park.  Tall grasses and a pond were just two obvious features of the park displaying marsh characteristics.  It was a pleasant surprise to discover this park.  Even though I have been living in the area for two years now, it was exciting to explore a new green space in close relation to my university.  

View of Chicago Skyline from Palmisano Park 

Fishing Pond at Palmisano Park 

Looking back on my trip to Bridgeport, the neighborhood is a multicultural enclave in a new emerging art scene.  The oldest neighborhood of the city of Chicago surprised me with its numerous cultural identities.  Initially founded by mainly Irish immigrants, the neighborhood has transformed its identity through the inclusion of other minorities.  Immigrants from Mexico and Asia have built a new home for themselves in the neighborhood.  The city in its past has been considered segregated, but this was not the impression I felt during my visit to the neighborhood.  Bridgeport if anything, is a hub of acceptance and integration, consisting of many varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds.  Made apparent by the religious institutions littered around the neighborhood, Bridgeport is a melting pot of culture, history, and art.  Some individuals debate whether or not Bridgeport is the next ‘hipster’ neighborhood.  I think that Bridgeport has the potential to grow to be this hipster hub.  With two art centers already established in the neighborhood, along with a collection of unique restaurants, and public spaces for neighborhood residents to enjoy; Bridgeport, although the oldest neighborhood, is still transforming and staying up-to-date with cultural and social activities.  I would recommend any visitor of Chicago to explore Bridgeport.  As illustrated previously throughout this post, the neighborhood is compiled of varying commercial, religious, residential, and public spaces.  Also home to the Chicago White Sox, the neighborhood offers plenty of activities for visitors to expierence.  Bridgeport is a neighborhood of detailed and extensive history, but it is still transforming to serve the needs of its people.  

Sources 

Bloom, J. G. (2012). Images of America: Bridgeport. Retrieved September 25,2020, from https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bridgeport/JpjWCdLKyzEC?hl=en 

Bridgeport Art Center. (2020). 4th Floor Gallery. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://bridgeportart.com/ 

Ferrari, M. G. (2020, September 02). Virginio Ferrari Foundation. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://virginioferrarifoundation.org/ 

St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church. (2020). History. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from http://www.stmaryofperpetualhelp.com/p/history-of-our-church.html 

Monastery of the Holy Cross. (2020). Our History. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://chicagomonk.org/about-us/our-history/ 

Chicago Park District. (2020). Palmisano Park. Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/palmisano-henry-park 

Statistical Atlas. (2020). Race and Ethnicity in Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved September 25, 2020 from https://statisticalatlas.com/neighborhood/Illinois/Chicago/Bridgeport/Race-and-Ethnicity 

Photos

All of the photos illustrated throughout the blog were taken by me except for the following images:

Map of Bridgeport:

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Bridgeport/JpjWCdLKyzEC?hl=en 

[comradedelaurier]

Death to imperialism! Organize!

Demonstrations will take place on Saturday, January 4 in the following cities:

The White House – Washington D.C. 

12noon at the White House

Chicago, IL

12noon at Trump Tower

Initiated by ANSWER Chicago

Los Angeles, CA 

1pm at Pershing Square

Initiated by ANSWER LA

New York City, NY 

11am at Time Square

Initiated by ANSWER New York

San Francisco, CA 

12noon at Powell and Market

Initiated by ANSWER San Francisco 

Miami, FL

1pm at Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Blvd

Initiated by CODEPINK

Albuquerque, NM 

2pm at Kirtland Airforce Base, San Mateo and Gibson Blvd

Initiated by ANSWER New Mexico

Arlington, MA 

12noon at Broadway Plaza, Mass. Ave. and Medford St

Initiated by Arlington United for Justice with Peace (AUJP)

Seattle, WA

2pm at Westlake Park

Initiated by ANSWER Seattle

Minneapolis, MN

1pm at Mayday Plaza

Initiated by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition

Atlanta, GA 

3pm at Little Five Points

Initiated by ANSWER Atlanta

New Haven, CT 

3pm Sunday, January 5 at Church & Chapel Street

Initiated by ANSWER Connecticut

Portland, Maine

12noon at Congress Square Park

Initiated by Peace Action Maine

Pittsburgh, PA 

12noon at Schenley Plaza

Initiated by ANSWER Pittsburgh

Denver, CO

2pm at Colorado State Capital Building

Initiated by ANSWER Colorado

Philadelphia, PA

12noon at City Hall (15th and Market St.)

Lancaster, PA

12noon at Lancaster County Prison

Boulder, CO

11am at Broadway and Canyon

Brimingham, Alabama

5pm at Five Points South

Cleveland, OH

12noon at Market Square

El Paso, TX

12noon Friday, January 3rd at the U.S. Federal Courthouse

Fort Wayne, IN

2pm at Allen County Courthouse Green

Ithaca, NY

10am at Corner of Clinton and Meadow Streets by CVS

Northampton, MA

11am in front of the Courthouse on Main St

Santa Monica, CA

2pm at Santa Monica Promande

Madison, WI

12pm at the Wisconsin State Capitol

To find an event near you or to have an event listed click here!

[polygons-wolf-blog]

Thinking Of Moving To Kansas City

The history of the Kansas City metropolitan area started in the 19th century as Frenchmen from St. Louis, Missouri moved up the Missouri River to trap for furs and trade with the Native Americans The Kansas City metropolitan area , straddling the border between Missouri and Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, was a strategic point for commerce and security.

In 1803, most of modern Kansas was acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase Southwest Kansas, however, was still a part of Spain, Mexico, and the Republic of Texas until the conclusion of the Mexican-American War in 1848, when these lands were ceded to the United States From 1812 to 1821, Kansas was part of the Missouri Territory The Santa Fe Trail traversed Kansas from 1821 to 1880, transporting manufactured goods from Missouri and silver and furs from Santa Fe, New Mexico Wagon ruts from the trail are still visible in the prairie today.

In 1812, after Louisiana officially became a state, the remaining portions of the original Louisiana Territory north of Arkansas were renamed the Missouri Territory As plans were made to divide up the territory for the entry of Missouri into the union, it was determined that the western border of the new state would run from Iowa along the Missouri River to the confluence of the Kansas River (Kaw) and the Missouri River, then as a straight line running south to the northwest corner of Arkansas.

Although the First Battle of Independence in August 1862 resulted in a Confederate States Army victory, the Confederates were unable to leverage their win in any significant fashion, as Kansas City was occupied by Union troops and proved too heavily fortified to assault.

In 1864, Price invaded Missouri in a last-gasp Confederate offensive called Price's Raid He pushed Union troops out of Independence in the Second Battle of Independence and into the City of Kansas, resulting in the pivotal Battle of Westport in October of that year near Brush Creek.

In 1940, all the residents of Kansas City lived within 60 miles of downtown but, Two decades later, urbanized development extended over 100 miles around the central city and contained a mix of independent cities, decentralized housing and business patterns, sprawling suburbs, and the emergence of outlying centers of metropolitan dominance not controlled by the central city” (Gotham 2001, 288).

The first half of the 1970s was dominated by Kansas City's ambitious urban renewal projects that were showcased when the city hosted the 1976 Republican National Convention Though these projects did little to bring people back to the city, they removed many historic buildings in favor of more parking, and more office structures, as well as public housing projects.

The average age of the inhabitants of Kansas-city is 36.44, meaning that the average person is below the national median age of 37. For every male, there are approximately 1.06 females, meaning that the population is relatively evenly distributed between males and female(s).

The ten largest reported ancestry groups, which account for over 85% of the population, in the state are: German (33.75%), Irish (14.4%), English (14.1%), American (7.5%), French (4.4%), Scottish (4.2%), Dutch (2.5%), Swedish (2.4%), Italian (1.8%), and Polish (1.5%).

Hiking and climbing isn't the best thing in Kansas City honestly so he's got KC there, but Kansas City is well known for great food (best bbq in the world), has great parks (seriously look it up) and has a lot of beautiful areas helped by the 2nd most fountains in a city in the world (after Rome, Italy) and is one of the nicest major cities in the USA.

The metropolitan area is home to six casinos: Ameristar Kansas City , Argosy Kansas City , Harrah's North Kansas City , Isle of Capri Kansas City , the 7th Street Casino (which opened in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2008) and Hollywood Casino (which opened in February 2012 in Kansas City, Kansas).

The Liberty Memorial , which houses The National World War I Museum, was dedicated on November 11, 1926, by U.S. President Calvin Coolidge In attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony on November 1, 1921, were Lieutenant General Baron Jacques of Belgium , Admiral Lord Earl Beatty of Great Britain , General Armando Diaz of Italy , Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France and General John Pershing of the United States In 1935, bas reliefs by Walker Hancock of Jacques, Beatty, Diaz, Foch and Pershing were unveiled.

Kansas has always been seen, well as American as apple pie and as such always has drawn new folks to call it home. Many Discount Moving Companies offer good deals on moves to the area because of its central location.