Please state the nature of your medical emergency [Oct/Nov TL]

[lovinglefthand]

Who: First Aid (lovinglefthand)
What: post-TDM threads; settling in and meeting the neighbors
When: End of October and into November
Where: Marrow Island; Dr Winterbottom's Clinic, a toy store near you
Warning(s): Violence

Thread starters in comments below.

Smilin' Back [closed to Chris Freeman] (10/23)
Apple THIS! [closed to Erik Osborne] (10/25)

Comments

[batteryacid]

Eddie waves back, and in response to First Aid's first question, he says, "Ayuh, all the time you need." There's only a row left of the cabbage plants. "If you don't mind me working as you talk, for a little while at least."

Eddie looks up, takes in First Aid's appearance. "You go off-roading?" he asks, with a small smile.

[lovinglefthand]

"Something like that!" First Aid admits with a laugh. "I might prevail on you for some water and a rag before I head back to town. But I wanted to talk to you first!" He easily jumps over the fence, careful of his footing on the other side as he turns a loose semi-circle to look at the field, the uprooted cabbage stalks, the chicken coop.

"This is a nice set-up you've got here," he says, with the admiring tones of a born city-slicker. "How long have you been working on it?" How much of it did Eddie inherit vs how much did he install himself, is what he's politely trying to determine.

[batteryacid]

"The buildings were here already, when I arrived in September," Eddie answers. "The interior fencing is all new -- Angel and I put it up together. Keeps the separate plots clearly marked an' all, which will be real useful come spring when I'll be starting on new crops by request. Got plans to expand, soon as I get the funds saved up."

Eddie points to an unclaimed section of field currently laying fallow on the other side of his property fence.

"Could expand out that way if Town Hall allows it -- approves the plan, I mean. Hemsworth Custom Textiles is real excited to see if I can grow flax for linen. But I also want to add a greenhouse... Bruno's willing to propagate some coffee plants for me to grow, if I build a greenhouse. And Angel... he likes spicy foods, so growing our own peppers makes sense." Eddie smiles. "Everybody's got ideas, and I'm willing to hear 'em."

[lovinglefthand]

"You have no idea how excited I am to hear that," First Aid says; the one of his voice might give Eddie a clue. He kneels down next to Eddie, lowering his head so they can make eye contact. "Because expanding is exactly what I came out here to talk to you about."

"So," he continues, gesturing at his own torso. "You might have noticed that I'm made of metal. I don't have as many material needs as the rest of you. But city hall wants to pay me the same rates as a human for my work at the clinic -- and I'm certainly not going to talk them out of it, the last thing I need is people losing respect for mechanicals because they think we're out to steal their jobs or some nonsense like that -- but that still leaves me with a bunch of brass I don't actually need and have no idea what to do with. Had no idea what to do with," he corrects himself. "Jean gave me a few ideas."

He clasps his hands together, giving Eddie an earnest look. "I'd like to use it for something that would benefit the town as a whole. Something that will hopefully make everyone at least a little bit healthier."

[batteryacid]

"You want to contribute to expanding my farm?" Eddie's not slow, and it makes sense that a doctor would be concerned about the nutritional needs of the townsfolk. He sits back on his heels and considers it.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be able to afford the expansion this month, once my community engagement bonus is approved, but I won't say no to more funds. There's always something... and if I can afford even part time workers, that would make this place more efficient."

[lovinglefthand]

First Aid nods, practically bobbing his head in his excitement. "Yes, that's it exactly!" And though he listens attentively to Eddie's plans, it's impossible to ignore the way his plating is shivering slightly in eagerness. Would that they could get started right now! But alas, even a citybot like him knows that farming takes time.

"Efficiency is good," he tells Eddie. "I think our primary goal should be trying to increase the farm's food production, as a preventative measure against future shortages. It's probably too late in the season to do any planting now --" Sad voice -- "But expanding the available land, hiring more workers...those seem like great first steps. I also had idea for a way we might start producing our own penicillin," he adds, almost off-hand, "but we'd need to get the greenhouse built and then get Sally on board. My historical files just aren't comprehensive enough."

He rests his hand over the compartment in his opposite arm, where his own community engagement bonus is already waiting. "So are we agreed?" he asks, still excited. "You'll let me invest -- er, contribute? Is that the right word? In your farm?"

[batteryacid]

"I think 'investment' is a good word for it. You're putting resources in and expecting a return of more food, as well as medicine." Eddie gets to his feet and dusts off his knees.

"It wouldn't do good to expand the farm too big for me to work on it. Which is why I'd need help from workers at some point. I agree that food production is important -- I've always heard that starving to death is one of the most unpleasant ways to go, and I don't need the experience of it." Eddie rolls his shoulders to get rid of any lingering stiffness. "You're right that most crops wouldn't do well being planted in the winter. But I have plans to make some planter boxes for spinach, which is very cold tolerant."

He sort of stares into the middle distance, sometimes moving his hand like he was writing a math problem in the air, as he does some calculations. "Would you want the penicillin experiment started as soon as possible, or is that something for spring? I've already agreed to dedicate part of my space to coffee plants this winter, and the food crop, so if we add... whatever you're going to need for penicillin production, that's space which will take away from the other two."

cw: epidemics

[lovinglefthand]

"It is," First Aid agrees. "And even if no one starves, malnutrion and weight loss would make everyone more vulnerable to disease, which could be just as devastating." Even something as relatively simple as an influenza epidemic could wipe a community of this size out completely -- and the fact that everyone would come back afterwards is only barely a positive. Especially if the die-off occurs in waves, so people keep getting re-infected...

He fights back a shiver. "Spinach is a great idea, though! It's got plenty of essential vitamins and minerals. Even just a little bit would go a long way."

He stands up himself, tapping his fingertips against his thigh as he thinks. "I don't have enough hard data right now to give you a timeline on the penicillin," he says honestly. "I know it's theoretically possible to isolate it from a certain species of mold, and my files say that cantelope or bread is more likely to develop the right species in the first place. But I don't know what else is involved." Tap, tap, tap. "Assuming you're on board with the theoretical plan, why don't we put a pin in that for now until I've had the chance to talk to Sally? She may have a better idea than me -- I just wanted to talk to you first, to see if you'd be willing to help with the greenhouse and growing. And go ahead and do the coffee thing, since you already promised...it'll be good for morale." That's important too! Not as important as staving off infection, but in First Aid's experience people are less likely to get into the kinds of situations that can lead to an infection if they aren't bored and demoralized. Everyone can do with a pick me up now and then.

[batteryacid]

"Sounds good. Sally is very knowledgeable about medicines. I'm sure she'll be able to come up with a solid plan for all this."

Eddie smiles, and sticks a hand out for a handshake to affirm the deal. "I accept your proposal and investment, First Aid."

[lovinglefthand]

"Oh, thank you!" First Aid says, delighted. "I'm so happy to be working with you, Eddie!"

And once they've shook on it, he pulls a heavy envelope out of his arm compartment, and hands the brass over to Eddie on the spot.

[batteryacid]

Eddie is a bit bemused by the suddenness of this, but he smiles and accepts.

"I'm happy to work with you, too, First Aid."