#earthrunes

"Well.... learn more, of course. -Find- them, see what they need. Yes, health care, money......."

"Sometimes a handout isn't what's needed, so much as a hand up." Thoughtfully. "So many are dreadfully underemployed. Or in a role that does not suit their nature. A call from a recruiter who they don't remember submitting their resume to - oh, but they're all out on LinkedIn. Or a scholarship available to seek a more fitting, lucrative career?"

A nod. "Yes, any of that could work, exactly."

He grins.

"Shall we look at others?"

"They're all terrible ideas, I don't know why you insist on keeping me around." A grin... "Shall we come back with a lock of our own, dear?"

"Ahh...." Now he falters. "I... don't think so, Vince. I'm sorry."

He smiles anyways, and waves it off. "No matter."

August nods, and claps the other man's shoulder.

"Come on mom, you want to do this" A young woman about age 19 says to a woman who so resmebles her that you'd guess 'mom' even if she hadn't said it.

"This is silly" The mother says, "I feel very foolish"

"Because it's nonsense?" The younger woman asks with a smile.

"Yes, it is. The idea of your father and my love being more or less eternal because of a silly custom is nonsense. Sweet, but nonsense." SHe says, there's a lock in her hands.

"Ah, but would DAD have made you do it?" The girl asks

"Oh yes, this sort of thing was his jam" The older woamn tries to complain but it comes off with a smile

August quiets, listening. A glance at Vince.

"It's your anniversary date mom, and I know you miss him, but dad would be SO Pissed if you wasted it mourning when you could have some fun with it. So.. .put the lock up"

"I feel very stupid. This is for young people" The mother says, smoothing a curl out of her hair, but she does have a lock "I can't believe he had this done before he died."

"And if we hadn't found that old box where he 'hid' things... you still wouldn't, but .. clearly he did. That's his work on the lock" The daughter says

The woman lowers the lock, "I guess. Susan pushed for this, didn't she?"

"She's a cool lady," the daughter says "Raising two kids on her own? Yeah, I listen to her"

"I think the small windfall she had helps," her mother says, then ..clicks it and sighs

August is jotting down names, date and time of the close encounter, so on.

He glances at the women, kenning them.

Quite mortal, both. But not particularly cold

He glances at Vince.

“Susan...” he barely breathes the name, reaches over to set a hand on August shoulder, and listening intently even as his gaze is off over the water.

'Yes, it helped, but my point is, mom, I could listen to worse people than her, and you could listen to worse folks than your daughter" The girl smiles

"FIne fine... give me a moment? I'm..." An embarrassed look, "Going to talk to your dad."

"Gotcha" Less cheeky, the teenager backs away to let her mother have room

A head tilt as something connects for August, and he looks again at Vince with an eyebrow raised.

And the older woman, well, whispers? prays? ..has a talk with her husband. Too hard to make out what she says, but it's not hard to guess 'I miss you' being among the phrases

His hand tightens on August’s shoulder, though outwardly he appears serene.

A slight nod.

The younger woman sees the two cute guys for the first time, smiles at them and then goes back to watching her mom.

August nods respectfully to her.

The older woman pats the lock like she were holding a hand, and a soft sniff, could be the wind, is heard

August puts a hand on Vince's where it rests on his shoulder.

He squeezes the hand softly. “You always know just what to say.”

A soft puff of amusement.

And they depart, with the younger daughter going "Two gorgeous guys back there by the way, mom."

"if you're trying to set me up, right after I put that lock on? Probably a bit tacky"

"No, not for you..geez they're young enough to be your ...eww eww eww"

August turns to Vince. "Your Susan?" Checking.

and they are going ..going and unless stopped, gone

August hesitates, then follows only enough to casually note the make, model, and license of their car.

That he gets easily

He hustles back to Vince. "We can probably learn more about them with this. And we have Trevor and Analee to help. Shall we try learning more, about others?"

“Perhaps one more? I do so like things that come in threes.”

August nods eagerly and looks the locks over. "Perhaps the oldest one we can find? Or....?" Inviting Vince to add in.