#bergen_county

Knock Knock on Piper's bedroom door

"Come iiii-iiiiin." She calls back.

Aunt Marsha enters in. She might be planning on going somewhere as she's not walking around all naturale nor in yoga pants

Within, she is working on an interesting setup. Musical instruments set aside safely on her bed, she had several bottles (mostly repurposed from kitchen empties) filled with oils. Scents of lavender, vanilla, sage, and whatever else she found in the kitchen war with each other as she works on labels.

"Hey Auntie, what's up?"

The kinain "Hey, Piper," she says looking about

"oh my, this a bad time?" she asks

"Oh, no, I'm just wishing I had better handwriting." She shows Marsha the most recent label, and her calligraphy, if you can call it that, is rather lacking.

"I found a salon going out of business that sold me their Argan oil for cheap, so I'm trying my hands at making some massage oils..."

"Oh, well, nevermind, I thought you might be in the mood for something musical but I think a new skill is perfectly fine"

She pushes the bottle back and pops up. "No no, let's do it! I'm just about done here. I was going to take some by Adam's place later." A pause, and she leans in to ask, "Ummm... do you think it would be taken the wrong way if I gave some to Br - to Mrs. Thomas as a gift?"

"Just tell her you thought Mr. Thomas might enjoy applying this later," She makes a motion as if there is a ''this' in her hand that would be bottle shaped

She grins. "Oh, and please pick one.... I mean, I raided your pantry for some of the ingredients, so you earned one anyways. Wasn't sure if maybe the sage, or perhaps the cardamom was more up your alley?"

"They'll also be nice for bath oils if that's more someone's style."

"ooo, I do love bathoils" She picks up , "I think the minty one." Marsha sniffs at it and nods, "Come on. We are going OUT into the world...alas, there will be no adoring crowds"

"OUT!" She cheers, fist pumping!

A jacket shrugged into, shoes shoved on, and she's rarin' to go.

"Do I need an instrument?"

"Yes," she says "Just one, please. " then a wicked smile, "You have ten seconds to pick"

"Aack!"

She wavers and finally grabs her guitar at the last moment.

a chuckie, "See that's why I need to get out. This lack of social activity is making me mean" And she leads her niece to the car.

Once Piper gets in, they drive to , well, possibly not where she was expecting, it is errie how empty the the streets are, and this area is a ghost town

She watches the empty streets out the windows. "It's kinda spooky. I know it's for the best for everyone to stay inside..."

"But it's hard for extroverts like me, and very hard for dreams born of passions and music like you, though I suppose your Uncle would point out that Pan was often solitary, I would counter he was often lonely and then I'd find myself in an hour long conversation until I threatened to bop him on the head with the next book he made me use as a source," despite her words she chuckles about it. They squeeze into a narrow area and park the car "We'll have to walk the rest of the way"

They don't appear to be going IN To the run down building...but rather in a section outdoors to the side. Still, so much concrete

She gives a glance around, and raises an eye brow. "Decent jam location... but not necessarily better than the yard. What're you up to?" A small smile, waiting for her Aunt to let her in on the plan.

"Back in the ancient days" her aunt says in an oh so dramatic voice... "There ..skateboards and skating parks"

"And there was much jamming" she explains going on "But sometimes, teenagers tried crazy things and got hurt... and then? The Karens came... the early Karens, the first karens... and they said "if something is a risk, it must never be' and they closed off the skating park, and tore up access to it"

And they come to an area that looks like two swimming pools slammed together, IF those pools also had swells and curves of concrete. It is obvious someone has sealed off and broken up chunks of it. Skating would be TRULY dangerous here now thanks to this 'help' and there is torn tape, and signs warning

Kneeling a bit, she eyes the concrete, murmuring something to herself... "...mmmm... acoustics...."

A slow grin.

"Exactly" She says, and her voice carries with echoes "exactly...."

"Skateboarding could be a good passion.. assion... ssion..."

"In fact, because of the way it's shaped, if you look..THAT direction, you and sing... you get exactly TWO echoes ..." She tilts her head and mimicing snow white

"I'm wishing..." The echo comes back "I'm wishing... I'm wishing..."

"But if you turn to THAT area... " She points to another tunnel "you give five, I shit you not"

"I shit you not... I shit you not, I shit you not, I shit you not, I shit you not" oh each just a touch weaker but still

"Whoa. You could really jam here. But... no one to listen." A sigh.

A glance at the run down building, curious. "Anyone living in that?"

"Well, as for the no one listening, I was thinking.. just an idea, that if anyone wanted to invite a few friends..." then she turns "Oh in there? Not sure, it's been locked since the 90s I think"

A concerned frown. "Maybe this is an Ann Marie question, but I wonder if there are squatters living there. I would worry about the virus going through the homeless population. "

"Sounds like a Piper question to me, and Piper is a sweet girl who worries about the downtrodden sometimes... your mothers have spoken about you, now and then" SHe says "Well, we could could check it out though if it's some psycho with a chain saw, I remind you I don't run as fast as you do"

"Don't worry, I'd never abandon my favorite Auntie. I'd at least hopscotch you up a tree while I run for help."

"Much relieved" She admits

Taking out her guitar, she sets it on the edge, and carefully slides down into the pool. "Halloooo?" A test call, checking out the echo and reverb.

"Hand me my guitar?" She reaches up towards the top of the pool. "I want to do a quick sound check. And maybe if anyone is around they will peek out."

She hands it down "Maybe"

A test strum, head tilted to hear the echos and reverb.

And it's GOOD. Her Aunt may not be the best singer in a family of musically gifted, but she's got a good ear

A surprised look, and a wide grin up to Marsha. "This is AWESOME! Hmm. Any requests??"