#anywhere

"I told her not to fuck with my life again." Promptly if hoarsely.

"yes. you said that. so... " a whisper "enjoy your life. no one will fuck with it now. it's all yours."

The little gir's voice makes the profanity... chilling

"Fine! Warn them!!! Lily, Warn Them!"

"you shouldn't have made her cry." a beat "i'll think on it, talk to ms. prim and see if we agree you're worth saving."

and and ..click

He hisses and dial the Lodge.

Toshi looks over "Hey, man. Are you on some bad trip? "

"Yes. No. Just trying to... "

"Yeah.. I'm gonna want my phone back now. I gotta move before I get busted for set up"

"One more call, -please-!! It's an emergency!"

"Look man, the shelter on Pembroke might help you... they're good folk."

"Come on, come on....." Muttered to the phone, and then he says to the food truck guy "I don't know how to get there."

The phone rings... no one picks up ..ironically because everyone is dealing with fallout.

"Voicemail.... who doesn't have voicemail.....??"

Landlines

A groan and Adam turns away to surreptitiously dial Piper.

Alas, PIper is.. not picking up

"Okay." Toshi says "I like to think I'm a nice guy... but give me my phone back"

Adam leaves a fast message as he shuffles back to Toshi, basically the same information as he gave Lily. He identifies himself to Piper as Adam by telling her that she taught him to swim.

"..... and I love you. Tell my folks I love them, too." And he slowly disconnects the call. He hands the phone back.

"Thanks, mister."

"Yeah yeah... " The man starts to pack up "Look, you need to get off this street... I wasn't kidding about those cops" Toshi seems to be making haste

"Yeah, ok. Thanks." He leaves the taco untouched, and starts walking.

"You say thanks and insult my taco? Geeez o petes some folks dont' even consider others feelings..." Toshi packs and moves

sure enough, a police man seems to be on patrol

"Sorry, man, I..... " But Toshi is gone. He sighs, ducks his head, and walk. He tries to keep out of the way and unseen.

And the police officer moves along.. then... "Oh hey... what do we have here?" the cop smirks and heads towards... a bench

A groggy sound

"Hey, no loitering..." the cop drags a woman , a bag lady, by her hair "How many times... have I told you..."

Adam stops, in an agony of chivalry.

"I didn't do nothing.." the lady says "I just slept!"

"God I hate you people... this town could be so.." A blow to the stomach of the woman "NICE if you assholes would stop stinking it up. "

She whimpers and cries out

"Just a little curb side justice.. be glad I'm not hauling you in jail" He says "Now, when you're told not to loilter, don't loiter"

Adam hesitates, then steps closer to the altercation.

The woman does not look pretty, aged beyond her years.. and yes, in layers of clothes that have seen better days. She makes eye contact with Adam and ..shakes her head.

He hesitates again, watching.

Another punch to her belly and the cop leaves her gasping "I'll be back here in five minutes. If you're still here... I get unpleasant and we'll MAKE room in the pen for you"

She nods..

and the officer moves on muttering "stupid bitch. Same crowd every week... stinking up the place"

Adam scuttles over, trying to help her AND stay unseen at the same time. "You ok?"

She coughs for a few moments then "Yeah.. god I hate that pig. There's a lot of jerks in blue, but he's the worst"

The bum pats his pockets, seeking any other possessions he might have unrealized. "I heard... I heard there was a shelter?"

"Yeah yeah... I don't like it there.. you should be fine..hey you're new."

"Yeah. Guess I am. What's wrong with the shelter?"

He has cigarettes, a match book with 5 matches. The change from the taco. A stick of gum.

"one of the regulars there .. " she shrugs "he cops feels"

Adam stares at his worldly goods.

"I'll protect you, if you want to go to the shelter." He mumbles, tucking things away again.