[Start, Official]
We jumped from the tower to the book store to the bakery and walked the rest of the way to the clinic. Orin saw us coming and walked our way.
“The prankster is back on his feet, ugh.”
“I’m sorry Orin, I really am. I didn’t mean for the wall to come tumbling down. I never understood just how powerful Fred is. Is he very mad at me?”
“Yes, he’s pretty mad, he was mad at me for firing him. But I made up with him. I told him it was up to him if you could have your job back or not. So you better think up a great apology.”
“What should I say, Rose?”
“Just tell him the truth, the first thing you said when you woke up was, is Fred hurt badly. Then tell him how sorry you are and ask him how you can make it up to him. That’s about all you can say.”
So Mossbeard walked off to give his heartfelt apology. Orin turned to the business at hand, asking Lottie just what she expected for the second and third floors. Did she want eight separate rooms or four double or two quads? The quads actually give each person the maximum amount of space with the least amount of privacy. Eight separate rooms, most amount of privacy with the least amount of space. Then what about the second floor, how many classrooms. Ronja talked about having two classrooms for ten people with small chair desks, she drew a picture so Orin understood what she meant. Then one large room to use as a lab.
Then Mossbeard was back, with a big smile on his face.
“I take it from that big smile you are forgiven.”
“Yes I am Rose, all I have to do is work two weeks for Fred, who’ll get my pay.”
“That’ll be two weeks from now after I dock your pay for destroying a wall.”
His smile slipped a little but was still evident.
“And wait till your da gets his hands on you, you’ll be back to see Lottie again before you know it.”
The smile was gone. But then relit.
“Rose, can I move into your tower, it’s such a huge building and I’m such a tiny little Gnome, you’ll never know I'm there.”
“I might not but the dragon surely will.”
“Now I’m not sure which would be scarier to face my da or your dragon. Maybe you could come home with me, he won’t yell so loud and so long if you were with me. He’s always saying he wants to meet a wizard, I’d say your magic is as good as any wizards plus you have a dragon.”
“I’ll come with you Mossbeard, is your home in the colony? But we need to stop at the theater, I need to talk to McCracken. Lottie, Ronja are you okay here, I want to find a way to recruit some apprentices? What about Gnomes would their size put them at a severe disadvantage, could a quarter of the apprentices be Gnomes? I’m heading there after I secure Ronja an apartment next door. Before you decide about the Gnomes take a look at how they work on construction for eighteen hour days, what they lack in physical strength, they make up for in teamwork and physical agility. I’ll be back soon.”
Mossbeard and I walked next door to the theater.
“Rose, will you really come home with me?”
“Yes, sure but we need to make a few stops along the way or I can come another day if you are in a rush to get home.”
“Nope, no rush at all.”
“Great, after I get these few errands done, I’m ashamed to admit it. I know almost nothing about Gnomes, so I’d appreciate it if you’d tell me something about you and your people, would you mind doing that for me?”
“Sure Rose, it’s not a secret, it is just very few big folk interact with us. That’s why little is known.”
McCracken heard the theater door open, when Rose and a Gnome entered.
“Hey Nathan, how do you like the theater?”
“Good Mossbeard, what are you doing hanging around with Rose?”
“She saved me life and she’s about to do it again."
“You don’t say, well she is remarkable, how are you Rose to what do we owe the pleasure?”
“Hi McCracken, I need two first floor apartments, for a pair of nurses. We only have one at the moment. I thought they’d be useful in an emergency, with many elderly actors as residents. The nurses will be teaching at the nursing school, above the clinic. The apartments are done right?”
“Sure Rose, having medical care nearby will be a clear selling point, if I need to recruit more actors from Earth. We have plenty of room. So when are they moving in?”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“Soon, Mossbeard was injured on the job, we were woefully unprepared for how to respond. So I’m trying to get a system into place that will leave the community with medical care from now on. Where’s Groucho, I thought he’d be down here rehearsing.”
“He’s at the library this morning, and then he’ll be coming down here for the afternoon. He’s already managed to sign up twelve kids to apprentice here at the theater.”
“That’s great, Lu and I are looking forward to the first production, when is it?”
“It’s just three weeks away, which reminds me I need to get back to the blocking before the actors arrive. I'll see you at home Rose, bye Mossbeard I’m incredibly grateful for the skill and dedication of your construction crew, the theater is beyond our expectations.”
“I’ll let them know you are happy with it. Nathan”
Then we walked back to the clinic to see how Lottie and Ronja were making out. Ronja was talking to a gnome who seemed to be sketching out what she envisioned the classrooms to be like. Lottie stood watching. We are close to having a medical facility, now we need the staff. I felt driven to do this because I felt it was my fault that Mossbeard was hurt. I’m relieved that it wasn’t. But now I saw first hand why we need a clinic, and the faster the better. We need a better transport network too. It’s very convenient for the people living in the tower and the bakery but what about the other end of town. What happens if someone is injured up there?
“Hi Lottie, did you have a moment to observe the Gnome construction crew?”
“Yes Rose, they are amazing, but I’m not sure they have the strength to actually do the job.”
“Lottie, would you consider coming up with a strength test for a nurse, then if I find any Gnomes who are interested in becoming apprentices, you could test them to see if they have the strength necessary.”
“Rose, why do you care if Gnomes are nurses?”
“Well they make up a percentage of our community, if one gets hurt or sick, they might be more likely to seek help if someone from their community was involved in their treatment.”
“Actually that is a very persuasive argument. I’ve read studies on Earth where immigrant and minority communities wouldn’t seek help for just that reason. So yes I’ll devise and administer a strength test to any applicant who applies not just gnomes, humans as well have to have the strength and endurance to physically do the job.”
“Great thanks Lottie, after I go see the gnomes, I’ll stop by city hall and the library and put up notices to apply for apprenticeships here at the clinic, is starting tomorrow alright?”
“Yes the clinic won’t be open yet I’ll still need to set it up, but I’ll be here every day so they can come apply anytime after today.”
“Maybe you could use the setup of the clinic as another test of the applicants, how well they work together, do they take direction well, and attention to detail. You’ll get a good feel for them and free help setting up the clinic. You won’t just be picking on strength but factoring skills in as well.”
“Rose, you could be our medical team manager.”
“No I can’t Lottie, I mean I’m always happy to help out, but I have a job, I signed a seven year apprenticeship with Sparky, he wants this medical facility up and running, that’s why he gave me time off from the store. I want to be a Bibliomancer, just like you want to be a doctor. Maybe one of the nurse applicants who doesn’t meet the strength requirements would make a good manager. Wyldwood is filled with amazing people, we’ll find the people to make the clinic a success. It’s not even open yet, and you already saved a life and are building a nursing school, I think it already is a success. Well, I better get going, I still have a lot to do. Oh tell Ronja, her apartment next door is all set. Hopefully we can move her in very soon. Maybe this weekend, I don’t want to ask Lu to take time off from her new job, she just started.”
“I’ll let her know and thanks, Rose, for everything you are doing to make sure this place is worthy of the community.”
Mossbeard and I started walking to his colony, which is on the town outskirts on the opposite side of town, past the library and town hall.
“Mossbeard, do you feel well enough to walk, or would you rather take a portal?”
“I feel fine Rose, really fine, a little hungry but fine.”
“Well, let’s stop for a bowl of soup at my girlfriend's brew pub. It’s on the way and you can tell me about the gnome colony.”
There wasn’t a table to be had at the brew pub. Even the outside tables were full. But I chatted with Lu, who’d get us the next available table. A group started to leave but another group waiting in the doorway rushed in and sat down. Lu walked over to them and said.
“I’m sorry gentlemen, but this table is already taken, you’ll need to wait for the next one.”
“No way Lady, we got here first.”
“Sir, I’d like to direct your attention to the sign on the wall. Number one, The Staff is Always Right. Number Two, Three Strikes means banned for life. Number Three, Fighting banned for life. I’m one of the owners, that makes me staff, I don’t want to give you a strike so if you’ll just go back and wait I’m sure a table will open up soon.”
He stood up and was about six inches taller than Lu, he glared down at Lu. I saw movement from another table in my peripheral vision, but was reassured that it was Dogberry, he was pulling out a truncheon. The guy went to poke Lu in the chest, but his finger never made contact, easy as could be Lu caught the hand and started bending back the finger, the man dropped to his knees.
Dogberry came over and said “Get up farmer, you’re not only banned from the pub, you're banned from the town. We don’t like outsiders coming here stirring up trouble. Enjoy your extra ten mile trip to sell your rotten vegetables, at the next closest town to your poor excuse for a farm." He looked at the rest of the men still sitting at the table, “Didn’t you hear, this table is already spoken for, either wait by the door or find another pub. Or join this bully on the other side of the wall it makes no difference to me.”
Lu let go of his finger, the giant farmer stood up glared at Lu, then at his friends who’d remained seated and mum, while he was taken down by a woman. Dogberry poked him in the back with the truncheon. The other men who were sitting at the table, made for the door as fast as they could.
Mossbeard said, “Must be damn good soup if you have to fight for a table.”
A man sitting at a nearby table said, “Aye lad, it is and the ale is too.”
The patrons who heard him started laughing.
