(1942-10-19) Domestic Production Enterprise
Domestic Production Enterprise
Summary: A new arrival to town, Amy works on getting word out on a very important cause. Kathleen and Jesse are WAY off the mark in regards to what a certain term… uh.. 'means'.
Date: 1942-10-19
Related: None.
Players:
amy..jesse..kathleen..pancake..

Town Square, Higsi
Thu Oct 19, 1942


A lot of work has been put into the town square, which is actually more of a circle really. A street makes a one way circle around a large round grassy area with a staute of a local civil war hero overlooking a duckpond. Lining the other side of the street are various businesses as well as the large court house and the local church.

Weather:
It is fall. The weather is warm and clear.


To those local to Higsi, this warm day is but a fond farewell on summer's behalf; they know that the winter ahead won't be kind! Kathleen Wright, born and raised here, will be one of those cracked fools wearing a tanktop beneath her coveralls right up until the first dusting of frost when she must reluctantly pull out the heavier clothes. So this weather, here, is glorious! Kitty is having herself a good day as a matter of fact, having received her pay from a job over on Pine Street being completed with a glowing report. Sleep found her well, her sister went off to school with barely a complaint….

It's just a good day. The carpenter strides into the town square, content to make her way through town by foot today, with a bit of time to herself stretching ahead of her. Her hair, a leonine blonde mess, bounces behind her head and neck with each purposeful stride, eyes glancing down at a list in her hand as she weaves along a sidewalk, confident in her awareness to be able to read and not bump into anyone or anything. Along Kathleen ambles, seeing that her first order of the day is to buy new boots! Finally..! Watch your step, Kitty..!

Amy comes on out from her house. Which is also the official headquarters of the town's branch of the National Youth Administration. In her hand is a stack of leaflets, as she walks down the street, going from business to business asking if she can put up a sign.

Having a hit, she can be seen attaching to a window a sign that reads: "Tennessee National Youth Administration. GIRLS- Are you interested in a JOB? Find out what an occupation has to offer you in Pay - Employment - Security AND Promotion. Free classes in occupations coming. - Amy Long, Local Director.

(OOC: Flyer Inspiration -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NYA_Poster_Illinois_1937.jpg )

Glancing up from her simple list, Kathleen is aware of someone just up ahead whom she easily could have bumped into, had she not looked up! The census in the blonde's brain reveals that which is obvious: this dark-haired lady fastening a sign to a window of one the storefronts is not local. Kathleen doesn't fancy herself a gossip, but she nonetheless knows most of the faces in Higsi on account of either her father having worked for some of the older set.. or just being out and about so often, on the job.

Therefore, the recently-arrived representative of the NYA… is deemed a complete stranger! But with purpose! Kathleen's golden gaze narrows briefly as she tries to make out what the sign entails.. no use. May as well approach!

Where Amy looks professional and groomed, Kathleen is a willowy strip of woman in tight overalls with an open-necked plaid blouse worn beneath the straps. She bears the tan of one who is outdoors often, to boot. Quite unabashedly the carpenter strides up in Amy's wake, and reads the newly-posted sign. Something flickers in Kitty's gaze and she looks from the sign to the other young lady. "Well thank Christ," She drawls, voice bearing the thick accent of the location. "Somethin' that ain't an ad for appliances. That makes sense."

Amy looks up after she make sure the sign is just right. Straight, and won't fall off. Standing up, she turns to look over the new person, and grins. "I'm glad you approve. I'm Amy Long, I just arrived in… Higsi." She's been told for a month that she was being sent to Higsby, so changing what she says takes effort. "We do need to get America's girls working if they're going to be able to buy appliances. And win the war effort, of course." She then makes a little V sign.

"A'yup, Higsi." Kitty offers with a crooked smile, glancing back to the sign and tilting her head some. She looks as if she well-and-wholly approves, "Ain't no fault in gettin' girls to work. Changin' times," She concedes, folding her 'to do' list and stuffing it into a pocket. Her sharp gaze cuts back to Amy and the carpenter dips her head slightly in a nodded greeting. "Ya got yer work cut out for ya here, small town with most birds thinkin' the place they hold is what's meant for 'em. I been barkin' up that tree for ages." Kitty admits.. what could she mean?

Her jaw works, a slant of sunshine draped over one lean shoulder. "Got a little sister.. school girl, wafflin' on what she wants in life. Ya got a card or the like?" Kitty asks suddenly, inspired. This is almost too good to be true. Then, she remembers, extending a hand that is of a graceful shape but the skin on the backs of her fingers and in her palms is rough, callused… she works hard. "Kathleen Wright.. it's a pleasure. How long ya been in town?"

Amy looks over Kitty, and smiles, accepting the hand with her own. "Kathleen, you look like a role model for our girls," she nods slowly. At the request for a card, she takes one of the flyers and carefully folds it up. "Please do give this to your sister. And may I ask what kind of work it is you do? We may benefit from you giving a class to the students, if your trade is one they could learn."

Role model? Kathleen tosses her head back and laughs; it's a pleasant sound, throaty and earnest. "Role model! First time anyone ever said that to me. I ain't the conventional lady Miss Long.. but it sure is good to hear all th' same." She admits, accepting the folded flier and adding it to the list in her pocket. One finger lifts to scratch the side of her nose and the thumb of that hand hooks into a pocket as she stands jauntily, ponderously. "I'm a shit role model in a few—-" Blink.. damnit, gotta remember. "S'cuse my language. Huh…"

Kitty, who is rarely at a loss on what to say, looks to be at a loss. "Means a lot t'hear that… had to work hard to see success. Some still don't take me seriously but it's their damned foolishness." A touch of color as her nostrils flare briefly. "I'm a carpenter, Miss Long. Been at it professionally for 'bout five, nearly six years… learnin' of it from my Daddy for longer. It's really all I know." Kathleen admits easily, then blushes again.

"Class…? Me?"

Amy is very patient with Kitty. She's used to this. The war strains everyone, and people have to find new roles. But once it comes out that she's a carpenter, Amy claps, and beams. "Splendid. A carpenter. It would be my pleasure to have you in front of a group of girls, showing them how to use the tools of your trade. At least, the very basics, to see if you can get them interested."

This has struck Kitty dumb, and her face flushes. All she was doing was going to buy boots and maybe a few new shirts, and suddenly.. she's to talk to girls? Try to sing the praises of working in a trade that is not kind the body sometimes? She blinks dumbly for a few seconds, before clearing her throat and composing herself. "I.. would like that. S-sure," Cough. It's obvious that Kitty isn't quite used to trumpeting her success all that often. Amy clapping briefly only deepens the blush and she shuffles one long leg, eyes flitting back up to the poster. "I ain't usually afraid of talkin' to a group, I don't think.. can keep some of the yokels in line down at the Gallows on a hard night, but talkin' to girls is gonna be a new challenge." She admits, out loud.

"When would I.. ah," Kitty straightens up a bit. "Take part in somethin' like that?"

Amy is standing in front of a shop, where one of her flyers just went up. In one arm is a stack of such flyers. At the moment she's talking with a flushed, surprised Kitty. She grins and snickers at the reaction. "I know you haven't expected this. I understand if you're nervous and uncertain. I could help you prepare. Help you organize your thoughts and coach you through giving a lecture to the girls. If we can, I'd like to have a photo taken of you doing it, to send to Washington, showing what we're capable of."

It's not too unusual to see the Walker wagon, pulled by an obstinate old mule, coming into town, but it might be considered odd for Jesse to be at the reins. It seems they've been at the lumber yard for in the back of the wagon are slats and beams of wood in various sizes. The mule, Pancake, seems to be plodding along at his own pace as Jesse is at the seat, just holding the reins and not really guiding the mule any which way. They both seem to know the way home from here and are headed in that direction.

B'uh?!

Okay maybe Kitty has bitten off a bit more than…. but hey, it's for a good cause! Not many can pull a blush of this magnitude from the prickly Kitty, but Amy has succeeded. She shifts again, still in the very same spot she alighted upon in the reading of the flyer upon the storefront. Suddenly the talk of… Washington? What the heck? Her picture sent to Washington?! Kathleen looks outright flabbergasted and she breaks into a staccato of awkward laughter. "I'm gonna need all the help I can get if I'm gonna talk to girls, I ain't very pretty in my speaking…" She goes on, still caught off guard but her eyes are certain in how direct they are, meeting Amy's again. "I'll do it. Can give ya my number if ya need to contact me to plan more.."

In this moment, Kitty hears something in the street, and she turns to face the Walker wagon with the baleful Pancake pulling it along. "Well I'll be…"

Amy covers her mouth and snickers some more. Kitty getting so worked up about this makes her happy. It's good motivation. Flattering the folks willing to help, is the least we can do. "Just between us, Kitty, if you slip, nobody's going to know but us girls. And I'd be grateful to have your number. You'll find our office number on the flyer."

And now with the arrival of a cart, she also looks where Kitty does, and snickers at the sight.

It's Pancake who stops in the middle of the street. Maybe he heard the snicker and took offense? Maybe he just decided it was time for a break? Feeling the wagon stop, Jesse frowns and gives the reins a little shake. "We ain't home yet…come on!" Hopefully there isn't a lot of traffic trying to get by. As they've paused near the storefront, Jesse recognizes at least one of the voices speaking and he offers a cheerful, "Afternoon, ladies," before hopping off and moving to try and lead Pancake through the street.

The blonde is pleased to offer up her number, scrawled on the back of a piece of scrap paper pulled from another one of her pockets. Scrawlings of arithmetic can be seen on the other side of the paper, perhaps from another job. This is just being given back to Amy once Jesse and Pancake draw closer. Kitty is silent for a time, noting the mule… amusement soon paints her features too. "That there mule got more charm than I do, simply put." She asides to the young lady, before spying Jesse's descent from the wagon. "Afternoon to ya, Jesse Walker." Kathleen says to the young man amicably.

"Ya needin' a hand there? I'm just yarnin' with Miss Long here, ain't sure if ya'll met." Kitty rubs the back of her neck.

Amy takes down Kitty's number, just in case it's needed, before attention is fully turned to the new arrival. "We've met, good afternoon Jesse."

"Naah, he's just bein' stubborn. Probably saw the two of y'all and wanted to stop and visit," Jesse answers with a grin. He then tilts his head towards Amy, "If it's the same Miss Long who wants to train girls to take our jobs then yeah, we've met. Settlin' into town good?" He at least seems to be in a fairly good mood today despite the stubborn mule.

"So he's an old flirt then, that it?" Kitty muses, trying to grapple onto something a bit lighthearted in the wake of being given a very different opportunity. Even though her heart is still thrumming along due to both excitement and nerves, the carpenter hesitantly approaches Pancake and Jesse, eyes watching the mule warily. As Jesse asks of Amy how her settling has gone, Kitty asks offhandedly. "What's yer name, fella?"

Amy walks up to the animal, and after some hesitation, pets him on the face, just above the nose. "Very well, thank you Jesse. I have my house now, setting it up as the office. And we're fortunate enough that we might have a local carpenter to come and interest the girls in how to learn that trade." Then taking a step back, glancing at her hand, she snickers. "Well it's good to talk with you both, but I need to get these flyers up or my regional director will be cross."

"That's Pancake. Think he's older than I am," Jesse points out but lets the girls fawn over the mule. It might give the old thing a little more pep to get back up the mountain. There's an arched eyebrow as Amy mentions girls learning the carpentry trade, "Like I said…I ain't so sure about girls takin' over our jobs. Then what are -we- supposed to do?" Again, it's asked with a grin but there's a hint of seriousness to the question.

"Don't let us get ya in shit with yer superiors," Kitty says quickly to Amy, as the other woman joins her alongside Pancake. Kitty does not yet move to pet the mule, but soon.. carefully.. she'll reach for the side of Pancake's snout and give him a rub. She listens to Jesse's words.. anyone else says that? She'd be offended enough to cuss them out. Seeing as how she knows the young Walker and that he is mostly joking, she turns to him next and goes on in her easy way. "I reckon as long as ya got a heartbeat and a need to work, whether ya got a johnson or a cooc—-" Perhaps some of Pancake's grumblings cut off the rest of her statement.

Golden eyes remain thoughtfully upon Jesse. "I'm gonna let Maddie catch wind of what Miss Long here is offerin'.. just to help her along, not to push her really. It's an honor, really, to be ramblin' at some girls, spouting ideas.. but I sure ain't polished. I'm kinda freaked out." Kitty admits, looking at the mule again. "Ain't no-one who could picture me makin' a house… or bein' a role model to some chickies. I'm havin' a bit of an existential crisis." She snickers.

Amy get the last word with Jesse by waving as she leaves "Normally I'd say join the war effort, but in your case I'm sure you'd be valued as an instructor and supervisor in a domestic production enterprise. Talk to you soon Kitty…" And she's off to get more flyers up where she can.

Jesse is only mostly joking…seeing that it's Kathleen. He starts to answer when Amy calls out about joining the War Effort and the alternative. That gets him frowning in confusion and as she's leaving, he can't ask her. So it's Kathleen who gets, "What's that mean? She thinks I should teach?" That's a joke, right? "I can't join, for obvious reasons. Clyde can't because he's the head of a household." He doesn't know Clifton's reasons. "Hell, I would if I could…" because then he'd be able to help out and do something!

But that's neither here nor there. "You're gonna tell your sister to take our jobs?"

"Worth lookin' into," Kitty remarks of what Amy proposed to Jesse, thinking it to be a good fit for a kid who has a lot of.. 'brain-thinkings', as she is apt to call it. Even Amy using Kathleen's cute moniker of 'Kitty' is indulged and does not warrant the usual indignation, as the willowy blonde considers. "Sure ya could teach.. ya got the brains, and the ability to put those thoughts into words. Sure ya do. I listen when ya tell yer stories on the job.. may seem like I'm grouchin' into my coffee some Friday mornings but I'm listenin'." She admits amicably, backing away from the donkey and giving the flier one more glance. "Think about it.. that lady's a go-getter, can see. She ain't gonna toss that at ya and pull it back. Ya just have to support her cause in givin' these girls some inspiration. If it's somethin' that appeals to ya, then talk to yer people about it."

Suddenly, though, something shifts in Kathleen's tone. It's not too drastic, but there's a….. beware landmines. It's a firmness; there's a 'hot button' being toggled and not in the fun way. "Maddie can do whatever her heart desires.. whether packing sludge onto ladies' faces and callin' it beauty, gelding horses… or if she's of a mind, followin' me and our Daddy. Everyone needs a job."

"Hey, I got nothin' against girls learnin' and gettin' jobs. I think they should. And I ain't got nothin' about Maddie gettin' a job." Jesse holds his hands up as if in some sort of conciliatory gesture and takes a step back. "Just…try to look at it from where I'm standin'? If you can't, I'll leave and…you can be as mad at me as you want. But we got no education…no real trainin' except for Dot. We take as many jobs as we can to try and make ends meet and most of those jobs are bein' carpenters or fixin' things or helpin' to haul or build things. If folks are takin' those jobs from us, what are we gonna do for work?"

Nevermind that Kathleen seems to think he could instruct in something. "Stories are just stories. There ain't anythin' to teach there. Besides, you gotta go to school to teach."

Hackles…. lower. Lower. Jesse says and does the right things, even as Kathleen reads too far into things, and she at least has the grace to listen. "I see," She exhales, and breathes deep. "Sorry for jumpin' down yer gullet… I do it with anyone, regarding Maddie." She admits slowly, tentatively. "Ya ain't gonna worry much about her taken work from ya… and I really don't know what girls are gonna warm to something as unglamorous-like," There's a gooder. ".. as what I do. But I can at least try, so that there Miss Long can have pride in her purpose."

Hitching her thumbs into her belt hoops, Kitty seems herself again, her tone level and casual once more. "I ain't mad at ya.. it's a habit of mine.. a way of life. I'm a bit over-protective of the kid.. I've bawled out a few folks I shouldn't have bawled out. I just wonder, though…" A pause. "What's this domestic production enterprise…? Ya know anythin' bout what she meant?"

"No, it's all right. My sister would've done the same thing," maybe. Jesse knows how to back down, at least…it might even be instinctual at this point. "You should protect Maddie and I would too if I had to. Maybe some girls will? Maybe they just want the chance? I dunno. I don't think it's a bad thing what Miss Long's doin', but I guess…I get fearful about what's gonna happen to us." The Walkers. They may be a dying breed in this day and age. "Had an argument with her about electricity when we first met." But at least Kathleen isn't mad at him. He really isn't sure he can handle more folks being upset with him.

The question has him shaking his head, "I ain't even sure I know what all those words mean together. I know 'production' is makin' stuff…"

She doesn't sound mad at all.. it was just that: an instinctive reaction. Kathleen, prejudiced all her life as a woman in a man's trade, does understand what's at stake for the Walkers. "I do understand what yer gettin' at…. and why yer feelin' kinda squirrelly about it. Yer of a strong ilk, though.. so many girls, here, are seeing fit to leave for the big smoke once they're of age. If they're armed with all this new thinkin', they're gonna up and take off…" She rubs her chin, still wondering what 'domestic production' could've meant. "Makin' stuff… that could be it. I wonder, though…" Blink. "Ain't that like… making missiles or—-fuck, no not that. Domestic.. that means at home. So, making things at home?" Kitty pauses again.

"What the hell could that mean? Literally at home, or maybe.. one's home country?" It's really bugging her!

<FS3> Jesse rolls Mind: Failure.

"Leavin' weren't an option for me," Jesse points out. "It ain't so bad for folks to leave, but…it ain't so good for the town, neither." It's a lot of metaphorical thought that he's not used to mulling over. "I ain't against it," he offers again, not too sure what else to say. At least they're moving on to trying to figure out what Amy might have meant. "Teachin' folks to make stuff at home? That don't seem right. I mean, we make the 'Shine at home, but…pretty sure we ain't gonna teach folks about that."

Suddenly Kathleen snickers… it graduates into a cackle, then an earnest belly laugh. "Oh god—-" It hits her hard, and now she's just bawling belly laughter for a few seconds. "Imagine that now?" She asks, leaning closer and conspiratorially toward the blind Walker, her clean scent paired with some sort of paint on her coveralls. "Here ya go Betty-Ann… pay attention now, Gertie.. here's how to make a fine hooch."

A sigh then, "That's useful too, if ya ask me.. but yer right. Ain't what Miss Long is meanin'. Kitty concedes, pushing fingers through her hair in a thoughtful gesture. "Makin' something at home.. fuck, why's this buggin' me so much… I can make a damn fine cabinet but these big terms for jobs just confuse me."

Jesse grins at the laughter and it grows even more when she gives her 'example', "You don't think these ladies know how to make stuff? Don't they go makin' cordials and such? Maybe it ain't a strong, but it ain't drinkin' juice, neither." So just as useful. "Truth be told, I kinda wish I knew more about cookin'…at least before Ethel and Dot came. It was me and Clyde and then Clifton tryin' to cook and sometimes it tasted fine and sometimes…well. It was food so we ate it." He gives another shrug, "I don't get 'em all neither." Sometimes he does, sometimes…like now, not so much.

<FS3> Kathleen rolls Mind: Success.

"Maybe Maddie can teach ya some ditties in the kitchen… I hope the kid goes for culinary work. Fuck esthetics." Kitty says in her delicate way. Surely Jesse must be used to her language. There is a lapse to her tone, though.. that just shows she is still thinking on the matter. It would bug her if such hope was dealt to a blind man with nothing to back it; something said loosely to mollify and give false hope. Surely Amy couldn't be so cruel.

"What about…" Kitty pauses, continues on. "Learning how to can?!" Asked suddenly.

There goes a man in coke-bottle glasses, looking harried and strained and exhausted. His gait bears the ghost is some kinda swagger, like a hip-slinging desperado… he's being followed by about three kids. Stair-step ages. Cripes, she considers; she wouldn't trade anything in the world for that many mouths. Kitty, being Kitty, thinks out loud. "Lord almighty, his wife must've still had one latched when he took a poke at…. wait….."

"Holy shit, Jesse!" She exclaims, Pancake snorts. "I-I GOT IT!"

"Your kitchen and our kitchen are different, I bet…" since the houses here seem to have more modern appliances. "There's Dot and Ethel…they can show me if I need showin', I guess." Probably not a skill he'd try to hone though. "Canning? Dot was doin' some of that…lots of pieces and steps. I

"Your kitchen and our kitchen are different, I bet…" since the houses here seem to have more modern appliances. "There's Dot and Ethel…they can show me if I need showin', I guess." Probably not a skill he'd try to hone though. "Canning? Dot was doin' some of that…lots of pieces and steps. I'm better off buskin' if you ask me…" and his head turns some at the sound of the harried man with the kids. Not unusual…he might even know who the man is if he's a local.

He can't help a bit of a start as Kitty swears and Pancake snorts, "You got what?"

"That there fella is Johnny Buford, passin' us on by. Got himself a troop of kids… didn't give the wife much of a break between shootin' em out." Kitty explains who this 'local' is. "Blind as a bat without them glasses… nixes him from the military runnin'. Plumber by trade. Lord knows he's had a time with pipes.." Snicker, snicker. She sobers then, still a bit close to Jesse so as to not be heard easily. If she looks to be too close to the Walker, she really could care less. This is big news because she Figured. It. Out.

"She meant makin' babies, had to." She says ruefully, brow furrowing. "Ya do that at home, don't ya? Well… mostly…" Cough.. cough. Kitty won't expand on something as simple as 'location'.

"I know him. Of him. Clyde probably knows him better," being a plumber. Maybe he'll be working on the McComb mansion? Jesse shrugs at the mention of so many kids. At least, he seems blasé about it until Kathleen explains what Amy might have meant. Then, well, he blushes and takes a step back, "Well…at least someone seems to think I'm good for -somethin'-…" even if it's just that. Honestly, he's not entirely sure how to react to that as it's both flattering and insulting at the same time.

The woman eases back, after giving her 'take' on matters. "I dunno' … I reckon that could be it." However Jesse takes it, whether flattered or insulted, Kitty takes it in stride. Little does she know exactly, how off the mark she has fallen. His blush doesn't go unnoticed and she grins despite herself, biting back the chuckle. She could poke fun or get the boy to go redder, but feels it's not her right. "Bah.. yer good at plenty. Domestic production ain't hard, we're all qualified." She cackles then, and sighs… "But I bet I could be off the mark on it. I been out of school since I was Maddie's age.. yer best bet is to find that Miss Long and ask her proper, what she meant, if the bee is still in yer bonnet."

"Ain't a job I'm gettin' into." Kitty says flatly, reaching up to give Pancake a solid scritching on the side of his neck.

"Yeah, it is, ain't it…" Jesse sighs. Seems that the insult has won over the flattery. Yet another person saying that he's essentially 'good for nothing'. He's not completely unused to it coming from townsfolk but from a complete stranger? "I think she can keep doin' whatever she wants to do and I'll just stay out of her way. Probably best for all involved."

The carpenter shrugs lightly, a brow quirking. "Seriously.. go on up and ask if yer wonderin'. I'm the last person ya should be bankin' on, knowing what she meant. For all we knows she could mean making artillery!" Kitty exclaims, seeing the dampening in Jesse's spirits and trying to consider. One more glance at Pancake and suddenly, the carpenter's lithe but strong palm settles upon Jesse's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze unless he backs away.

"Don't be so quick t'shoot yerself down before even knowing the whole story. I ain't knowin' what that lady is here for entirely, what she can offer.. but it's a bit of a jerk thing to do to yerself to hobble yerself before yer out of the gate. But I guess ya have to wanna talk to her, to ask. That's entirely up to ya to give yerself that chance." Kitty explains, leaving it up to Jesse to take it as he will.

"Ya just give yerself a chance, march yerself up to folks when ya got questions, and say ya deserve to know." Kitty says firmly, turning to look at the flyer again and sighing gently.

How the hell can she talk to a bunch of girls?

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