Vacationing with evacuees

[Tech Rathgen]

I follow him inside and I blush heavily when he mentions how lucky he is that I'm single. There's really nothing I can do, except to tell the truth. "I'm actually single. I swear it sweet heart."

[Gail Strafer]

"Maybe Soleanna is just different from where I come from," Gail said, sitting back down. He seemed to look off in the distance as if staring back at his original home. "I grew up on a farm. The nearest town had only 7,000 people in it. Nothing but fields of crops everywhere you look. I suppose people there got hooked up a lot faster due to lack of available partners."

Oh, and let's not forget that everybody went to church, and in church they want you to get married as fast as you can, so you can have kids and they can go to the same church too, so they can get married and have kids, and so on and so forth...

Gail laughed.

"I presume that people aren't as strict about religion in Soleanna either, right?"

[Tech Rathgen]

I sit down across from Gail and explain my dilemma. However, I do make sure not to reveal too much about myself. "Look at it in my perspective. I try to go to church every now and then. However, I'm always working on a hectic schedule. I always have to be on the call for my job, even on both of the weekends. Nine times out of ten I typically have to leave church for an emergency that my boss needs and it isn't always a necessity to bail out on my boss for church. The only reason I'm vacation now is because of the war going on, otherwise I'd be working right now.

"I work for a very important business that takes care of the less fortunate. I have to feed the homeless and all sorts of things. In a way, you could say I'm like a secretary. I keep track of the food that's shipped across Soleanna to help out the less fortunate. I also keep track of donations. So I'm busy all the time, so even though I would like to go to church it isn't very likely that I'll be able to sit for the whole service. So you could say I'm single because I'm always working.

"You sound like you might hate Church goers, that's understandable. There's more people like you than there are church goers. However, I can understand if you didn't like church or the farm life. Its tough out there, but it sure does bring on the muscle. Farming does. The less there are of people, then I guess there's a greater chance that they won't have much of a preference in the opposite gender. The more people there are, the more people criticize each other so that must be why I don't see anyone jumping head over heels to marry right away.

"Could you tell me more about your farming and the fact that people were so eager to marry?"

I smile in anticipation.

[Gail Strafer]

"I hated the farm life and I don't miss it one little bit." Gail said, returning Tech's smile. But the smile didn't last long. The wolf took on a loud, ranting tone. "Hard labor all day, every day...whether wind or rain or snow. And that was my parents' entire life, and that's what they wanted me to grow up to be. We never went anywhere or did anything if it didn't relate to that damn farm. It's why I left them when I was still a teenager. I just couldn't stand it any more.

"Now the church out there...they want you to marry, and marry fast. Then you've got to have kids fast, so you can help grow the congregation. Then they get the same indoctrination. It's an endless cycle."

Gail shook his head, giving a big sigh as he did.

"It's so self-serving. Not to mention it leads to more broken marriages, since people get together before they know any better about what they're doing."

He shifted in his chair so he could look at Tech directly.

"So...do you work for a charity organization? Like a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen?"

[Tech Rathgen]

I laugh to settle down the mood. "That farm and dat dere church, man. I'd hate to be there. No wonder you left that son of a gun."

I explain. "Its like a homeless shelter. Although we mostly deliver the food straight to their house. Its a rewarding job."

If you can call prison a homeless shelter.

I ask. "Do you think I'm perfect for you? I feel like we have this conection. I feel like the stars destined for us to meet. I just wanna take it slow with a cuddle bug of a wolf. You're so friendly and I just feel like I can trust you."

[Gail Strafer]

As Tech talked about working at the homeless shelter, Gail made a quick glance around the house. Seemed like an awfully pretty place for someone who worked at a non-profit. It tended to be a job people did out of love, rather than money.

As she finished her talk about, the wolf returned his gaze to the vixen.

Cuddle bag?

He inwardly chuckled some at that. But he did like the rest of what Tech had to say. "We do have something. I do feel like I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Gail gave a small laugh. "But let's hop straight to marriage, hmm? I wouldn't wanna rush like my church wants me to."

[Tech Rathgen]

I shake my head a little. "I don't think we should marry right away. That would be irresponsible. Plus I'd be working all the time, so I don't know what you would do without me. However, I would try to make time for you. I just don't know if my type of job would be best if I were married. I tend to doubt it. But anywho, it would still be wonderful if we could give it a try one of these days once we've gotten the chance to really get to know each other. Who knows? Your parents might find me to be quite the catch."

[Gail Strafer]

"I know what I would do," Gail said, grinning as he stood up and flexed his muscles.

Considering he wore nothing but a vest on his upper body, it gave him ample opportunity to show how ripped he was.

"I went to a city called Gerrant after I left my parents. There, I trained to join the city's fighting ring, since I was already...and still am...a pretty strong guy. They called me the "Farm Boy"...fer obvious reasons...and it wasn't long before I became a household name there."

He seemed to look off into the distance again, reminiscing about bygone fights. All those different rings he'd been in with so many different opponents... Gail just loved jumping into the fight, and felt even more of a rush when he came out of the fight all bloodied versus when he'd won easily. It was more fun when it was close, and when he was showing he was working hard out there. The audience loved that.

He looked back at Tech. "Does Soleanna have anything like that? Or...maybe I could fix motorcycles. You saw my bike right?"

He smiled.

"I'ave it for many years. Been fixin' it and ridin' it all by myself."

The mention of parents made his smile fade though.

"My parents... Do they even exist anymore? Even if I'm not gonna go visit anymore...I hope they're okay..."

He gave a soft sigh, before looking Tech in the eyes again.

"How about yours? Are they all right?"

[Tech Rathgen]

I gasp with surprise. "So you're a street fighter, that's pretty cool. Maybe you should join UFC. Its a pretty fun sport to watch. It always makes me wonder how they were able to take such a beating. I got some fight training at a boxing gym for awhile and I still go there to keep my strength up. Its very rewarding. I don't actually go into any boxing matches or anything. Its just something I like to do. We should go there sometime and spar. Just make sure it isn't anything too brutal. I wanna make sure I stay cute for you.

"As for my parents, my dad wanted me to be a ballerina and I didn't like any of that. I wanted a job more suited to my status of caring for others. My mom is still out there somewhere. Sometimes I go for a visit, but it doesn't happen very often because of my hectic work schedule. I do plan on calling her eventually. As far as when, I don't know."

[Gail Strafer]

Gail gave a toothy grin at the mention of joining the UFC. "Oh yes! I think about it all the time. I'm totally worthy of being there!"

Assuming it is still there... You know, I'm getting tired of having to add that caveat to everything.

"I find it...interesting you work for a non-profit, and do boxing too. The two things just seem odd for someone to pursue at the same time. What got you to start? Was it just the exercise or was there any other reason? Like, was it for self defense?"