2011-11-13 22:46![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mutedpoint
mutedpointIf anyone remembers the five things that never happened AKA let's mess with timeline continuity post I did a long, long time back, I started another one. And then just never finished it because... IDK, words. Too many words. (That, and I need to decipher what I originally wrote down.) Maybe I'll just give one worded answers for the rest. I can do that.
— 1 —
(At 14 – 17 years) Following the accident, Arthur began to spend most of his free time afterschool at the garage. His dad used to bring him around from time to time after all, so it wasn’t as if he was a strange sight. At first, he spent most of his time in the break room, doing homework and talking with the people who wandered in for a rest. Well, mostly they talked and he listened to the stories about the work, the stranger requests they had to deal with, his father. And car care tips of course, those were plentiful. Over time, he started to ask his own questions, learning more and more about car parts, maintenance and the tasks involved. He picked up small jobs and busywork; gradually taking on more challenging tasks until eventually, he was working on the cars proper. No one found it surprising that once he graduated high school, he was hired on full time.
(He loved the work, how all the parts fit together into one beautiful machine. How each engine had a unique sound and that with practice, you could identify them even blindfolded. Most of all, it was a connection to his dad.)
The shift in hours allowed him to meet one of the younger workers, Alan. He was a part time worker, and heavily interested in engines. It would be more correct to say that he was interested in modifying car engines to maximize speed and acceleration, making racers out of ordinary vehicles. Arthur got invited to see the car Alan had been working on, and from there to test drives around town, then actual races. Most were on the track, individuals pooling money to rent an hour’s worth of time so that they could drive under the best environment, several were street races, held late at night, to avoid traffic and detection both. Either way, Arthur found it fascinating, especially the driving.
After that first time he slid behind the wheel... he’s never really looked back.
— 2 — *Liberties taken. Very many liberties taken.*
(At 16 – quite a while actually) Let it be known that the foster care system sucks. It’s hard for the older kids to be settled anywhere permanently and the constant moving around made it hard to really connect to anybody or anything. Having been relocated across town, Arthur had to relearn everything about the nearby streets. And some of the foster families, you know they’re only in it for the benefits their so called ‘generosity’ got them. Mostly, he stayed out as late as he could get away with and kept to himself.
It was pure chance that he stumbled into a youth volunteer program where high school students would spend an hour or two once a week to help tutor elementary school students. The organizers of the program were always looking for more people to help out, and he thought, why not? It was a better use of his time than just hanging around.
He started with tutoring, which then led to shelving materials at the local branch of the public library, and from there, to another position, and another and another. The work had its own rewards and set him on his course for life. Upon graduation, he went to college for social work on scholarship. His focus was on housing for the runaways and those who wanted another place to stay in place of their foster homes. Even runaways need a place to stay. The houses were maintained by those who stayed there, along with the volunteers who donated time or resources. But to keep them running was a complex balancing act. What funds they were given had to be properly allocated to increase sustainability of the housing project. Resources had to be evenly split and space would at times be an issue. It was hard work, but Arthur found that he was more than up for the challenge, even when it was an uphill battle every step of the way.
— 3 — died in duty
— 4 — blind
— 5 — assassin
— 1 —
(At 14 – 17 years) Following the accident, Arthur began to spend most of his free time afterschool at the garage. His dad used to bring him around from time to time after all, so it wasn’t as if he was a strange sight. At first, he spent most of his time in the break room, doing homework and talking with the people who wandered in for a rest. Well, mostly they talked and he listened to the stories about the work, the stranger requests they had to deal with, his father. And car care tips of course, those were plentiful. Over time, he started to ask his own questions, learning more and more about car parts, maintenance and the tasks involved. He picked up small jobs and busywork; gradually taking on more challenging tasks until eventually, he was working on the cars proper. No one found it surprising that once he graduated high school, he was hired on full time.
(He loved the work, how all the parts fit together into one beautiful machine. How each engine had a unique sound and that with practice, you could identify them even blindfolded. Most of all, it was a connection to his dad.)
The shift in hours allowed him to meet one of the younger workers, Alan. He was a part time worker, and heavily interested in engines. It would be more correct to say that he was interested in modifying car engines to maximize speed and acceleration, making racers out of ordinary vehicles. Arthur got invited to see the car Alan had been working on, and from there to test drives around town, then actual races. Most were on the track, individuals pooling money to rent an hour’s worth of time so that they could drive under the best environment, several were street races, held late at night, to avoid traffic and detection both. Either way, Arthur found it fascinating, especially the driving.
After that first time he slid behind the wheel... he’s never really looked back.
— 2 — *Liberties taken. Very many liberties taken.*
(At 16 – quite a while actually) Let it be known that the foster care system sucks. It’s hard for the older kids to be settled anywhere permanently and the constant moving around made it hard to really connect to anybody or anything. Having been relocated across town, Arthur had to relearn everything about the nearby streets. And some of the foster families, you know they’re only in it for the benefits their so called ‘generosity’ got them. Mostly, he stayed out as late as he could get away with and kept to himself.
It was pure chance that he stumbled into a youth volunteer program where high school students would spend an hour or two once a week to help tutor elementary school students. The organizers of the program were always looking for more people to help out, and he thought, why not? It was a better use of his time than just hanging around.
He started with tutoring, which then led to shelving materials at the local branch of the public library, and from there, to another position, and another and another. The work had its own rewards and set him on his course for life. Upon graduation, he went to college for social work on scholarship. His focus was on housing for the runaways and those who wanted another place to stay in place of their foster homes. Even runaways need a place to stay. The houses were maintained by those who stayed there, along with the volunteers who donated time or resources. But to keep them running was a complex balancing act. What funds they were given had to be properly allocated to increase sustainability of the housing project. Resources had to be evenly split and space would at times be an issue. It was hard work, but Arthur found that he was more than up for the challenge, even when it was an uphill battle every step of the way.
— 3 — died in duty
— 4 — blind
— 5 — assassin
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(no subject)
WE WILL HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS MORE LATER. G'night! ♥
(no subject)
... I'll PM you my email, since it's the best place to find me.