Interest

Who: Adam and Jack
Where: The farm
When: Early morning

It would figure the guy was moving out onto the farm. He figured he was lucky he didn’t live in the south end of town; otherwise it would have taken him much longer to get there. He’d set his alarm for somewhere around eight o’clock and hadn’t bothered rolling out of bed until eight thirty, sure that the guy (Adam, his name was Adam, he’d have to remember that) wouldn’t want him rocking around just as soon as he’d started to unpack. Stretching and yawning, he ambled up the road towards the farm, eyes turned skyward.

It was a nice day, really. Not much cloud in the sky, the sun making the whole place kind of warm. He could get used to the town, he’d decided, booted feet smacking against the pavement as he made his way past the main drag. It was more activity than he’d seen in the town since he’d arrived, and he was surprised by the knot of apprehension that had settled in his gut. He wasn’t usually nervous, but then again, he wasn’t usually in a town this small, either. It took him less than an hour to walk from one end to the other (he’d timed himself and doubled back a few times, just to make sure) and compared to the sprawl of some of the major cities back home, it was positively rustic.

When the farm came into view, he was hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia. He’d had a friend when he was a kid whose grandparents had a farm. He’d loved the place, running around and generally creating havoc, far away from his dad and all the problems everyone else created. Sure, he’d had to go home at the end of the day, but that paled to the hours and hours of freedom he’d get out there.

He wasn’t surprised to find that the gate was a little creaky. From what he could tell, a lot of things were creaky in this town. Not that he minded, because between that and the bar it’d mean more work for him and less time to think about why he was there, but it was the principle of the thing. All these people had been in a pretty fucked up situation, and all they got was a dinky, creaky town and him as their carpenter. The poor bastards. Making his way up to the house, he paused for a moment before knocking, trying to see if he could hear anyone moving about inside. Admittedly his hearing wasn’t the best, because he didn’t hear a damn thing. Knocking loudly on the doorframe he grinned, calling out.

“Anyone home?”

Adam had arrived at his new lodgings at the crack of dawn and most of his time had been spent looking around, since he had hardly any actual belongings. His few clothes had been carefully folded away into a drawer in his plain room, the gift from Rebekah placed by the window. That done, he'd gone out to look around his new home, careful to familiarise himself with every aspect of the farm he'd be working on, that was his new home. He was remarkably equanimitable about the change in scenery, taking it in his stride much as he did everything else. It was all His will, after all and if this is where he was meant to be, then he would be here.

Adam approached the smaller of the two farmhouses, where he would be living, at an easy pace, slowing slightly as he saw the stranger at the door. "Morning," he called out, loud enough to attract the man's attention.

Jumping a little guiltily (although he had no idea WHY he was feeling so guilty), Jack turned around, scratching the back of his head and smiling. He'd been told what the other man looked like when he'd made enquiries, but it was still a novelty to meet someone new in town. Stepping down off the porch, he held out his hand to shake, almost on reflex. He didn't like making bad first impressions, so he tried not to stand over the guy. He wasn't that much taller than him, but he was still taller and he knew he hated people standing over him, so why wouldn't other people?

"Hi. Sorry, I'm Jack. I was told I could find you up here. Adam, right? The carpenter?"

Adam smiled easily and shook his hand, his long shirt sleeves pulling up slightly - enough that he took his hand back and shuffled them back down again as quickly as was polite, hoping that the other man hadn't noticed the scars which had been visible for a second. The scars themselves didn't bother him - they were a testament to his life, not something to be ashamed of - but people did ask such awkward questions and as a first impression, suicide-attempt scars were not a good ice breaker. "Yes, I'm Adam, nice to meet you Jack. What can I do for you?" he asked, his tone, as always, open and polite, if not easy. Adam didn't have a great amount of social grace, but he tried.

Jack shook his hand quite happily, not looking down but instead at his face, finding that a little more comfortable. He let go as soon as Adam did, not wanting to make the man uncomfortable, scratching the back of his head absently, not really aware that he was doing it.

"I'm the other carpenter in town." he said, by way of opening. He wasn't sure how he was going to have this conversation, but he wanted to at least try. It wouldn't make the stay in town much fun if he managed to piss off someone he might have to work with.

"I figured I'd come say hi, first off."

If Adam was at all put out to find there was another carpenter in town, he didn't show it. And, honestly, he wasn't. One of the main tenants of the belief system Adam strictly followed was that he didn't lie. The man never, ever lied - not in word, not in deed, not by omission. "Well, hello, nice to meet you. Are you from another one of the experiments?" he asked. "They told me that you were around, but I have to admit that there's been so much going on recently that I missed most of what I was told about your background. I was given so much information that I have to admit that I tuned most of it out."

Snorting softly, Jack shook his head, flashing a smile before relaxing a little. It was always nice to talk to someone who was this...well, blunt. It made it easier for him to deal with the whole conversation thing.

"No, I'm just a volunteer. I'm going to be working at the bar as well, but I figured that if you wanted to open up shop or something, we could get into it and split up the workload. Make it easier for everyone concerned."

He wasn't sure if he should ask about the experiment he was told Adam was in, or anything of the sort. He'd tried to find out how to deal with people who have been under that kind of stress, but the details of exactly what happened in the experiments weren't really released to the public.

"Well, that's kind of you - but I don't work for money generally, but if you ever needed another set of hands, I'd be more than happy to help out," Adam told him, as though this was a perfectly normal, ordinary thing. And for him, at least, it was. He worked because work was what you did, it was the purpose behind life. To be industrious, to be helpful to those around you, to work with others for the common good. He didn't require payment for that. And with the money that he was vaguely aware he'd been paid for the experiment (he'd never really looked into the financial aspect of anything - he didn't quite get money, had never needed to) he'd never actually need to work for a living again.

Blinking in slight surprise, Jack tilted his head, looking at him for a moment before just smiling. It was kind of a relief, because he hadn't worked with someone in that job aspect for a while, and he wasn't especially looking forward to working out the dynamics of it all again. He was also a little disappointed, but that had more to do with being able to talk shop with someone and have them actually -understand- more than anything else.

"Oh, okay?" He didn't like the way the words sounded, more like a question than anything, but he supposed it didn't really matter. "If you're sure. If you want, I'll keep you appraised of what jobs people want done? If you feel like doing something, give me a shout and we can organise it?"

He did feel like a bit of a dick, offering like that. He was pretty sure he'd be glad of any job he could get, but it wouldn't be fair of him to shove someone else out of the way to do it. Besides, Adam seemed like a nice enough guy, even if he did have all that shit happen to him. What little he'd heard of the experiments wasn't nice, so he was surprised a majority of the people he'd seen looked so...well, normal.

"If you'd feel better doing it that way," Adam gave him. "I like to keep myself busy, so if you do need help, or you need someone to talk to or work with on anything, I'm always willing. But as for actually going into a business." He shook his head. "I grew up on a farm, I became a carpenter because that was what the farm needed at the time. The majority of my work was with fixing things and building fences. Whatever needed doing - and between that and helping out with the other farm work, that kept me busy enough. And that's all I want out of life - to be able to do what I can, when it needs to be done," Adam explained, calmly, a man at peace with himself. He often came across as a little odd to other people, but he himself didn't see it. he was who he was and he was comfortable with that. he simply didn't get how bizarre his outlook on life could be to some people, or that even his surface attitude could be off putting, simply because it was a couple of steps away from what people expected. he was aware that some people didn't try and get to know him, that something about him put them off, but even if he'd realised what it was, he wouldn't have tried to change it. If people wanted to know him, he had no problems with that, but he wasn't going to change for anyone else.

Jack was a little surprised that he'd volunteered that much information so readily. He was so used to guarding what he said around others that it always came as a shock when someone just blurted out to him what they wanted to say. He was also a little grateful for the other man being so straightforward about everything. As for what Adam wanted, well. He could work it out, he decided, nodding and jamming his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Sure, if that's what you want. I-, uh. " He was a bit stumped, really. He'd never met anyone with quite that outlook on life before. Smiling despite himself, Jack pulled a hand out of his pocket, scratching at the back of his neck out of nervous habit, more than anything else.

"If you need any help around here, give me a call then. It doesn't seem fair if I just call you in whenever I need help and you don't get anything out of it."

Adam never understood that point of view - that someone would expect payback for something. If a person needed assistance, then providing it was its own reward - yet Adam was resigned to the fact that some people held odd views in this world. "Thank you for your offer. And if I need help around here then it's good to know that there's someone I can call. But I'm happy to help you without any promise of return. I don't need that to offer assistance. Work is its own reward," Adam assured him.

Jack was having a hard time actually understanding Adam's point of view. Well, no, that was a lie. He understood it, he just didn't comprehend. To him, there was really nothing you could do that someone wouldn't want to call in a favour for, or that they wouldn't ask for something if they did something for you.

Strangely, it was a refreshing sort of idea.

"Okay then. I'll definitely give you a call if I need help." he said, mentally making a note to try not to take advantage of that. Because if he did, he'd probably feel even worse about it than he would have if he didn't know.

"I look forward to it," Adam assured him. "Have you been here long?" he asked, knowing that it was polite to make conversation, especially now that their agreement had been reached. He considered inviting the man inside, but he wasn't entirely sure of the etiquette of that, since he didn't own the house and wasn't aware of who did. Plus, he had nothing to offer the man, save for water. Which was fine for him, but he thought hat Jack may find that inhospitable.

"A few days. I've been working out the kinks in my new place." he said, smiling and relaxing a little. It was kind of cool, being able to talk to someone, really. He'd sort of kept to himself over the last few days, because he'd had more than enough trouble getting all his crap (what little there was of it, after he moved from country to country) into the house and put away.

"Mostly it's just been getting in and finding my way around. I think we're opening the bar up tonight, too." He shrugged, smiling, honestly not all that fussed about remaining outside. It was a nice day, the air was clearer than he was used to and there wasn't too much noise. Maybe he'd retire out to the country when he was old enough.

"Good luck with that - I would imagine that there's going to be a few openings over the coming weeks. If everyone was encouraged the way I was to take up some kind of employment," Adam told him. He supposed that was why he was living up here on the farm - because he'd asked for work, but hadn't wanted to take on a business of any description, plus he had no interest in education or any of the other things they were offering. He'd just wanted to be put somewhere he could get on with things.

Nodding, Jack smiled, shifting from foot to foot till he was comfortable.

"From what I heard there's a bookshop, a flowershop and a couple of other places opening." He said, taking a look around the area they were standing in while talking, rather interested despite himself. He didn't want to seem rude, but it was all new to him.

"Is this place anything like the farm you grew up on?"

Adam noted his interest and smiled a little. "Would you like the tour?" he offered, gesturing to the yard proper. "It's - actually it's a little smaller than the farm I grew up on, though the mix of pastural and arable is similar. I was really quite surprised to find out we were in Russia, actually - the climate seems to be fairly similar to back home and I'd assumed that we were still somewhere in the States. Not that I had anything to back that up, of course. But I don't have a passport of any description." he considered this. "Which, possibly, may be one of the problems they're having with sorting everything out - if people like me aren't supposed to be here..."

"Sure. A tour sounds great." he said, grinning at him despite himself. He was pretty sure this would be about as excited as Adam got, but he was always willing to learn something new.

"The climate here threw me for a loop when I got here too. And augh, passports are a -nightmare-." Wrinkling his nose, Jack looked out towards the yard, tilting his head and squinting a little to see out past where the sun hit him in the face.

"I was lucky. I came here with Habitat for Humanity, so they helped me sort out my passport and all that s-crap."

For some reason he didn't feel like he should swear that much aroud him. It was kind of odd.

"Come on then," Adam said, leading the way into the yard. the large barn stood to one side, doors open to show part of the interior, bales of hay stacked high to one side of the door. A half dozen cattle stood off the other side in a pen and there was the distinct smell of chickens coming from nearby. "There's not a whole lot to see," Adam warned him as they walked across the yard. A larger farmhouse stood a way off across the road, which was one place Adam had yet to go, and the fields stretched into the near distance, some already harvested, one field still with corn standing, ready to be picked. "What's Habitat for Humanity?" he enquired.

Following after him, Jack looked on with interest. He'd never actually seen a cow this close before. His friend's farm had been more about sheep and horses than anything else, so unless he was eating the animal, there wasn't much cattle-interaction going on there.

"Hey, it's better than a regular house, right? And uh, Habitat for Humanity's a non profit organisation that helps rebuild places and makes housing developments for people who're victims of natural disasters or economic recession or whatever. Or, y'know, things like this. They'll find workmen or women who'll go out and set up businesses in places that need it." He'd never really talked about it before, because nobody was all that interested. Looking over at the field, Jack wrinkled his nose, bringing his hand up so he could see a little further.

"Have you figured out how you're going to harvest that yet?"

Adam looked really very interested as jack described the organisation. "That - so, are there a lot of people like you? And you volunteer to do this?" he asked, smiling at that. He'd always had faith that there were good people in the world, but so far so many people seemed to simply be out for whatever they could get. To meet someone who would dedicate their lives to helping other in needs was refreshing - or, at least, that was how Adam saw what Jack chose to do and it lifted the man in his eyes. " As for the harvest, I'm hoping there will be others and we can work it together. Obviously, some of the work has already been done, so there must be the resources around. And, if not - well, there'll just be very long days, I suppose," he said.

Shrugging, Jack nodded, really rather pleased with the fact that he seemed interested. "Yeah, they've got a whole host of them. They've got people on basically every continent, but I needed a change of scene anyway, so here I am."

It was interesting, hearing the other man talk about farm work in such a matter of fact manner. He'd never really had that much experience with it, because he'd spent most of his farm time running around like a total idiot, as most eight year olds are likely to do.

"Hey, i'm sure you'll be able to find people to help. you can get it done in a couple of days if we get enough people, right?" He asked, really not sure at all, talking completely out his ass.

"Yeah - harvest isn't technically very hard, just labour intensive. If enough people help out, even if it's done by hand, it doesn't take that long. Just a day or two," Adam told him. A day or two of backbreaking work from dawn til dusk, but that was the kind of work Adam preferred, so he saw no problems in that. "So - have you been all around the world with your organisation?" he asked, still incredibly interested in that.

Nodding in agreement, Jack shrugged. He had really no idea what was involved with a harvest aside from the vague ideas he had from books and movies, none of which were probably accurate.

"I did most of my work for them while I was on my apprenticeship." he said, following after Adam amicably, quite happy to stand or wander around the farm. He was right, it wasn't very big, but it was a nice change.

"This is the first overseas trip I've done with them, but I worked with a bunch of people from all over the place while they were in the states. I'd like to go more places, but this kinda trumps everything right now."

He hadn't really thought about the travelling opportunities. In fact, he'd tried to stay as far away from that sort of work as possbile, until the organisation had contacted him with the job idea. And made him take his finals. Jerks.

"It's good work though. I won't be charging people for the structural work I do around the place, because that's sort of part and parcel of the whole volunteer deal."

Adam considered this. "So, you volunteer to go to a place and you have a certain amount of work which goes along with that, but there's the possible opportunity to do more on the side, as it were - and you get to set your own standards for that as in whether you charge or not?" he asked, thinking that this was possibly something which he would enjoy doing, though, of course, he'd be looking to do his work on the side without requiring financial reward for it.

"Yeah, pretty much. As far as I'm aware, disaster zones are full on, so there's not much spare time. But specialty stuff, like types of furniture that aren't already owned and things like that? You can charge for those. You just have to pay for the materials yourself." he was rather gratified that Adam looked so interested, really. It was kind of cool, having someone to talk to that would actually take an interest.

"As a volunteer, lodging and food are generally taken care of, if you don't already live in the area. It's actually not a bad deal, all things considered. Espeically coming somewhere like here."

"What made you get into that line of work?" Adam asked him, wondering at the guy's background. The other people he'd met over the years - most of them were all about what they could get, material wealth. Shut off from the suffering of other people when it got in the path of their own goals and requirements. "It's an admirable thing to do. Was it something you always wanted from life - to help other people?"

"Oh, uh." That was the question, wasn't it? He couldn't really come right out and say that he got into it because he beat the shit out of a guy and needed to do community service. It wasn't something he liked to talk about anyway, but he didn't want to lie to the guy.

"Uh, I found out about it through my apprenticeship, and my boss hinted rather heavily that it was something I should be doing. I figured why not? It was better than the alternatives, at least."

Not exactly the whole truth, but not a complete lie, either. Smiling, he scratched the back of his neck again, looking over at the field.

"Not quite as selfless as what you believe. I mean, from what I've gathered." Wow, now he sounded like a dick. Fantastic.

"But it's something you enjoy now though?" Adam pressed. "You kept doing it, after all," he pointed out - at least, that was how it had come across to him. That the man had started volunteering and then had kept on with it. "Or is your 'boss' still pressurising you about it?" he asked, the word 'boss' sounding slightly alien on his lips. He'd never worked within such a hierarchy, the commune being structured so that all worked together towards a common goal. Nobody have been in charge of anyone else. Even Ammiel, as the cults father figure, had refused to be known as a leader and worked alongside the others as was only proper and right.

"Yeah, I kept up with it. I didn't mind the work, y'know? As long as I didn't get stuck in one place forever, it was okay. There was usually work whichever town I was in, and I got free board while I was doing it. I just figured I might as well stick with it, whenever I had the time. " Which was sort of a stretch of the truth. He went for a few years completely forgetting about the program, and if not forgetting then avoiding their phonecalls.

He hadn't really stayed in contact with the man who'd given him that chance, and he knew that he should have. As far as odds go, they were pretty high that he was dead now. Pity. He'd been a good guy.

"So what do you need to do around here to keep this place running during the day? It looks like a lot of work for just one guy."

"I'm not just one guy, thankfully - there are two farmhouses here with room for at least a half dozen people, maybe more. Again - that zoning out thing. I really should hae paid more attention," Adam admitted. he felt more guilty about that - this was his life, his work. This was important, but he had faith He would provide. He just needed to keep that faith. he brought Jack full circle round back to the door of the smaller farmhouse. "I still have to meet anyone else around here, but I've been assured that there will be others, so we'll have to see."

Jack honestly didn't want to overstay his welcome, but he did like the other man. It was an instant sort of thing, the fact that he was so calm just sort of seeming to relax the people around him.

"Well, if they've told you there'll be other people, there should be. And don't worry about the zoning out thing. I did that on the flight over here. I had this gigantic file to read on rules and regulations and crap and I never got around to it." Grinning, he shrugged.

"I can but hope, and I will. And in the meantime, I'll simply do the work that's in front of me," Adam told him, holding out his hand. "But, it was nice meeting you, Jack. I'm sure we'll see a lot of each other," he said, warmly.

Nodding (because he knew an exit line when he saw one), Jack smiled at him, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Adam. I look forward to it."

And strangely enough, he was. Weird. Snorting at himself and letting him go, he waved absently as he made his way back to where he came from, a little more relaxed if nothing else.