#bergen_county

A huff, and he goes to try to lift his dad... then looks to Dirk instead. "You get him, I get the door?" Looking towards the master bedroom.

Dirk grunts "Got it" A look of concern, 'Man, I swear I'm gonna punch the next anti vaxxer I meet"

"Punch 'em twice for me." Pulling off his dad's shoes after he gets dumped on the bed.

"It would probably be easier to kick the asses of the jerks getting sick, then to find more people to take care of 'em. Maybe Lucia knows some boggans in the medical field. They can't help helping out."

A thought, and then a frown. "Shame the only sidhe we have around is Carowyn, and he's a bleedin' heart Liam. I'm not saying I miss Nadeen, but someone who could just order local muggles to get their shots would be damn handy around now."

"Yeah, never a useful tyrant when you need one" Dirk agrees as they put their father to rest, "I know she's like...got this stupid phobia about your kith, but she was useful. Hell, she even learned to work with you thanks to Dags."

"Yeah, she's cool like that. Hey, by the way, I got that book dealt with. It won't bug any dreamers any more."

"Knew you would" Dirk says and he means it ,how Symon feels to know Dirk believes in his abilities is up to Symon "See I would have just eatingg it but you probably found a way to stop it and get something cool- you're smart like that"

"How's Drake doing?"

"Better.. I been musing him, getting squat, but restoring his mood? Ya'know? Artists can be so bitchy but his shit is too good to let it fade. I think he'll be okay with more work. You think I should ask Sir Carowyn for help? Liams maybe soft touches, but they're good with dreamers"

"Maybe, but he might want a cut of your proceeds." He considers. "Maybe ask him to help out that Jewelry chick? Watch what he does and try it yourself. That's free tips without eating into your profits from Drake."

"HEY..." Realization,and Symon gets patted on the back, not slapped, Dirk IS learning "You're right. Thanks, bro. Uhm... anything I can do for you? Neither of us is into this 'repay all debts' crap but .. sometimes it's okay"

"Nah, I know you're good for it. See, Seelie think they are all better-n-thou by proclaiming they repay debts. Us? We know our kin's good for it, so you don't HAVE to keep a ledger like that. Trust." He offers a fist bump.

Fist bump returned. All thouh Symon may have felt that

It might ache to his elbow, but damned if he'd admit it.

"When you talk to Carowyn, ask him if he has any ideas about how to deal with the hospital boom. I'll see if I can figure anything out too."

"Gotcha" A nod

He nods back, and slips out of the room, leaving his dad to rest. And he takes a minute to ponder on how he can help.

Dirk has gone off to tend to Dreamer matters. And his mom is on the phone talking Social worker stuff

So Symon is all alone...

So why does he hear stomping in the yard?

...and still trying to decide who to call. Lucia is obvious, but one can only tug on that 'call of the needy' bell pull so many times, before it gets worn through. Carowyn, as the patients are mortal - but Dirk laid claim already.

Nadeen is a NO GO. Sylvi? maybe but she's still working out her Dark Gate shit.

Stomping is something he hears all the damn time since Dirk moved in - but didn't Dirk JUST SEE that Dad was trying to rest? A huff, and he heads towards the yard.

There's Prissy, stomping and working out, punching andn kicking a swing tire

Symon slides through the door, letting it close loudly behind him.

She turns "Huh? Oh, it's you" KICK

"What did the tire do to you?"

He whispers between whacks.

"I'm practcing, dumfuck" A roll of her eyes

"Can you try to keep it down? Please." He says, wary. "Dad just got home from a 13 hour shift and he's beat to hell and finally sleeping."

"Oh" She stops kicking "he okay?"

"Yeah, just dead on his feet from the damn place working him to death. It's the new COVID surge - it's hitting everyone who didn't get vaxxed now."

"He should get more nurses" Prissy says

"No shit. They're all burned out too, though, and quitting. That's the ones who didn't get sick themselves."

"Sucks to be them" She nods "Why donn't cha find new ones?"

"Nurses need training and school and shit, they have to know how to read charts and dose medicine and deal with jerks who read WebMD and think they know better." A sigh. "Can't just FIND more like that."

"Huh." A pause "I might know someone to help"

"Yeah?" He looks her over. "Redcaps don't get sick much, it's true. But bedside manner might be a tough one. You can't scare someone into getting better." A pause. "Maybe you could intimidate someone into getting a jab, but they're as likely to run away as to listen." Respectful at that fearsome prowess.

"Oh shit ye but.. uhm.. I traveledbefore I did the bounty hunter thing. I got patched up. I know some places... would it help if I made some calls?"

His initial impulse is to make some snide remark, but he swallows it. "You know, that'd be real cool of you. Can't hurt."

"Even if they don't know Covid shit - having more general nurses on hand to take care of the every-day stuff will help take the load off."

"Yeah, so the ones who DO knnow can focus"

"Yeah... exactly. Like a battlefield, or a triage."

"Got it. " A nod "Dirk thinks the Doc is cool as fuck annd he's been al right to me so .. yeah, why not help. "

"That's real decent of you." He admits.

"Yeah well..." grumbble "I guess when you're banging a guy it doesn't hurt to help his family. Anny news from the lodge? I don't go often"

"Yeah, they got a couple new wilders. A spike-pig pooka and a Clurichaun." A sour look at that, but then he brightens. "She's raring for a fight, though, so if you want some practice, go looking for Audrey."

"Something is going on too with Sylvi, but they're being all annoying hush-hush about it."

She rolls her eyes "If they're tryingg to keep it secret from a sluah it's like they're double dog daring you. Clurichaun huh? COOL. Finally someone I can pummel and get testted with"

"Who knows? Knowing them, they're dedicating a new tree or something like that."

"Yeah, this ttown needs a place that's a little less...'old ways' stuff. I mean, what the fuck am I, a druid?"

"Not hardly." He huffs, amused.

"Damnn straigght. Be nice to have a place where we can cut loose a bit, be ourselves"

"They have parties over at the apartment some times. Not my jam, but you might like it."

"Yeah, not so much my thing but I've bee there"