2012-08-30 Getting Directions

Central Park. It was a destination for a great many people. Tourists in search of a popular spot on the checklists, joggers making part of their afternoon runs, families enjoying games like catch and frisbee, and lovers enjoying quiet picnics in the shade of a friendly tree.
Then, there were people like Terrance. People who just wanted to get away from the crowds on the sidewalks, and in the teenager's case? To stop off and grab a sandwich in the middle of a job hunt. The day found the boy sitting alone on a park bench with a backpack at his side, and a hamburger being regularly inserted into his mouth. He's dressed a bit sharper than usual - dark red dress shirt, black slacks and equally black shoes. All of which he's being very careful not to get mustard or ketchup on.
Among the people who appear to be relaxing, there is one woman in her late teens or early twenties just kind of sitting alone, and off to the side by herself as she sits on the lawn against a tree and munches on a giant soft pretzel. And while she might be wearing a simple pair of blue jeans and a Notre Dame football T-shirt, there's just enough extra to make her look almost like she might either be hiding something or keeping a low profile. But then again, maybe it's just the fact that her hair is pulled back in a pony tail, she's wearing a baseball cap, and sunglasses that hide her eyes could be adding that little bit to her. Of course considering that this is Kate Bishop, the daughter of a publishing magnet, and a socialite, maybe she is trying to stay low profile here.
But anyways, as this woman sits there, she occasionally glances at various people, but not long enough to really look like she starring. Heck, for a few moments it's as if she's got her eyes on Terry, before she casts her glance back down on her food.
Terry isn't really what you'd call a people person anymore. He knows what happens when he gets around crowds... or, in fairness? When he gets around even one person who's sufficiently frightened. It's not a good thing, and to forget all about it was one reason that he was in the city today; to find a job that would let him move out of the family home, and go somewhere that he could start over. However... the isolation that he'd felt at home did lead for a fair bit of loneliness, and while he may not be a people person... a glance upwards as he polishes the last bit of beef in his hands off catches sight of a woman who looks like she's looking at him - just for a moment, though.
Thoughts briefly flicker through his head as he sets his eyes on her, trying to picture what she'd look like a little less incognito. No, she doesn't look like anyone that he recalls from school... and that's a relief. However, with the burger done, and another few applications to drop off... he gets to his feet, tosses the pack over his shoulder and stands up. Not to walk away, thought, but to walk in Kate's direction. His reason why? Well.. she might just find out, soon enough.
It takes a little bit for Kate to notice that the guy she was just looking at is headed her way. Or at least it appears that it takes a little bit. If she notices she doesn't react at first. Not as she finishes off her snack. It's only after the last bite of pretzel is in her mouth and is swallowed that she glances over at Terry again, and quietly quirks an eyebrow as he heads towards her.
Or at least that's what she does for an instant before she shakes her head and glances away, before in turn she starts to stand up.
His steps carry a confidence in them. They're the motions of someone who has no hesitation in walking towards a goal -- and with the goal he has in mind, why shouldn't he be confident? Assuming he's able to close the gap before she heads off herself, he offers a slight wave and speaks. "Hey there, miss... do you have a second?"
If she's noticed, there's things he's taken efforts to do, too. For example, his hands are kept in plain sight at all times, and usually close to himself. His posture's a bit slouched, making him appear to be an inch or so shorter than he is. His tone is polite -- not overly cheerful, nor the somber one he might prefer. These are careful considerations in trying to make sure she doesn't get spooked.
And that gap is closed before Kate even tries to take a step. That is if she even meant to. The body language is noted, and yet Kate can't help but tense just a little. Not much, but... A little.
"Sure." is said towards Terry as she offers him a slight smile.
"How can I help you...?"
"Great. See, I'm kinda new to the city -- I'm used to the 'burbs, and I'm trying to get to a few places. Job hunting, you know?" he pauses a bit there, trying to recall the places he has to get to. "I was hoping you might know how I can get to..." he names off a handful of places, mostly nearby. "...you know, assuming you're from around here?" A brief motion at the shirt and a slightly sheepish smile.
And while Kate doesn't exactly relax, she does nod at that and offers a bit of a smile as she hears that. In fact before Terrance can even start naming off those places she pulls out her smart phone (a relatively new and top of the line one to boot), before she opens up a map app. One that not only zooms in on central park, but the specific part that they're in. And if that wasn't interesting enough, as the places are named, the map zooms out enough so that each one ends up marked on that map.
"Of course." is said as she makes sure that the person she's talking to can glance at the map as well. "It looks like this one is the closest, but I'd go out the south entrance instead of the closest one to it to get there, if only because you'd have to go around the lake anyways. From there, it's just a block northwest to the next one, and you can do that pretty much without having to do anything fancy, just head in the right direction..."
"Oh, wow." is Terry's reply as he sees what the phone can do - it definitely outclasses the phone he's got in the backpack, which is an older model flip phone. "That's a pretty cool phone... and it didn't even mess up the voice recognition! A friend of mine used to have a phone with it, but it seemed like it screwed up every other word." So, he's genuinely impressed by this one. He takes a few moments to study the map so that the idea of where he wants to go is in his head, and then nods. "Got it. Thanks for the help... I think I would've spent hours trying to find them all, but I might be able to hit most of them tonight before close. The name's Terry, by the way."
As he offers the woman his hand, he takes a moment to study her reaction to his introduction. It's just one last precaution to make sure that she doesn't freak out - just because he doesn't recognize her, doesn't mean she wouldn't recognize him afterall.
With a tilt of her head and a smile (a genuine one at that), the woman simply says, "Call me Kate."
There's no obvious sign of recognition or any negative reaction to that name, not even as she moves to shake his hand.
All though as she shakes it, she pauses as she gets an idea.
"And do you have a phone on you? One that can either take, or at least receive pictures? There might be a way for me to give you this map..."
"Kate. Nice to meet you." he replies with a smile of his own - she's the first person he's met out in the city... so it's nice to meet someone who /doesn't/ know him. It gives him hope that starting over /is/ a possibility as long as he can keep his powers hidden... or at the very least, keep them disconnected from himself. "Sure, I've got a phone in my bag here. Juuuust a sec."
Terry sets the bag down and moves to one knee to start digging through it - if she peeks, it's not much that's all too interesting. A bunch of papers... applications, to be exact. A spare shirt, that one a dark green. A couple pens and... the cellphone which he pulls out of the bag. Flipping it open, he starts pushing some buttons to boot up the camera, and stands up holding the phone in front of him. "Alright, just hold it steady and I'll try and get a shot of it, okay?"
With just a nod, Kate stands there, trying to keep her phone steady. She doesn't even try to look in the bag as it's rummaged through. After all, everyone is entitled to their privacy.
"Ready when you are..."
Terry presses the button and with a brief shutter tone, snaps the photo. "Alright, let's check this out..." he murmers, half to himself as he pushes a few more buttons with the tones that accompany the button presses... only to frown when the picture comes up, showing it in Kate's direction. The result? Camera-on-phone photography didn't work out too well.
"Was worth a try -- I can recieve picture messages, though, so if you can send it that way?"
"It was a good idea at least, but I'll try..." Kate murmurs as she starts fiddling with her phone. The open app is minimized as she starts pressing 'buttons' and opening other apps, which are quickly closed, before the first app is reopened and she even tries tinkering with the settings in it.
"If I can somehow..." is muttered before the phone beeps and she offers it to Terrance. "I think that works. If you want to put your cell number in so I can send it to you...?"
"Yeah. I've had this phone for a couple years... hard to believe I thought it was the greatest thing ever back then." Terry admits with a chuckle. He watches the woman work for a few moments, afterall, he might upgrade phones after he finds a job. Then, when the phone is handed to him he takes it, types in his number, and then offers it back. "There you go."
And just a few moments after the number is typed in, Terrance should have not one, but two pictures in his inbox.
The first, is of his and Kates shoes. How that was taken is anyones guess. But then again, given that Kate opened and closed several things as she tried to figure out how to send the map, maybe it isn't too hard to guess how that happened.
The second one though is the map, exactly as it looks on Kate's screen.
Not that Kate herself actually knows about either of those pictures, or that he might have them already.
"And there you go... I hope."
As soon as those pictures come in? Terry's phone comes to life with the ringtone for text messages. Switching his attention back to his phone, he smiles. "Looks like I've got a couple. Let's see what we've got here..."
Opening up the first... he snickers at what he sees. "I don't think this was it..." turning the phone towards her for a moment so she can see the four shoes, he then moves onto the next one, and...
"Perfect! That's great, Kate. I owe you one, you really helped me out."
And of course as Kate is shown the picture with the shoes, she rubs her temples for a moment, before letting out a faint snicker.
"No problem." is said as it becomes apparent that Terry got the right picture as well as that accidental one. "Good luck with the job hunting though. Odds are you should get moving so you can get those dealt with before they close..."
"Thanks - and definitely." he bends down to grab the pack from the ground, and slings it back up over his shoulder. "Seeya around." he adds with a wave before turning to start on his newly mapped path. Granted, the odds of seeing her around happening in a city with as much population as New York /is/ a bit on the rare side, but... hey, it could happen.
Yeah. It could happen. If not though...
If not, Kate was at least able to help one person today, and made a difference for them.
All though as Terry heads off, her phone rings. And as she answers it, she starts to head off in the opposite direction.
"Hello? They're ready? That was faster than I expected. Thanks. I'll stop by later to pick them up. The 'special' ones too? Great!"
While to anyone who over hears what's said, it might not mean much. But to Kate, it means that tonight, 'Hawkeye' is finally on the prowl.
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