#Sacramento Mile

[fieriframes]

[SO HERE I AM IN LAND PARK. IT'S A COOL, LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD IN SACRAMENTO. AND WE'RE ABOUT A MILE EAST OF JAMIE'S, YOU KNOW, WITH THE REALLY KILLER STEAK SANDWICHES? AND WE'RE HERE TO CHECK OUT A JOINT]

[mypositiveoutlooks]

Singled dad of 6 surprised with free car after biking 16 miles to work for months

A single dad from Sacramento, California was surprised with a free car after a non-profit organization learned that he had been biking 16 miles for work in the last six months. Isaac Taylor has five daughters and one son and is taking care of his two young daughters full-time. After they lost their car in an accident, Taylor did not have a choice but to use his bike to travel to work. Every day,…

[20th-century-railroading]

From the high desert to the forest

Just past the west switch of Mott siding, this Southern Pacific lumber drag is just about to start the descent into the Sacramento River Canyon. Only three miles as the crow flies from the depot in Dunsmuir, the westman is nine rail miles and nearly a half hour of travel time away from the crew change. June 13, 1985

[fatehbaz]

The Clear Lake hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) is a rare endemic species of minnow living only in the Clear Lake watershed of northern California, a fish that was once a “symbol of abundance” for Indigenous people. In December 2022, the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Robinson Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake ask for immediate emergency protection of the hitch. The fish is in danger of extinction as the last observed successful breeding for the species was in 2017, and the creatures only have a six-year-long lifespan. US land management agencies say hitch numbers have “fallen to near zero.” However, in the past, there were millions of hitch in the watershed each year, and the fish was important to Indigenous food systems. Local “entrepreneurs” prefer to protect the introduced non-native bass, which voraciously preys on the endangered hitch. Clear Lake hosts dozens of bass tournaments each year, events large enough to attract international visitors. There is a past-time tradition (”hitching”) of children beating the hitch to death with baseball bats in the springtime as the hitch gather in streams to try to spawn. The hitch is also threatened by pesticides, runoff, and overuse of water for the region’s prominent local vineyards. The hitch is referred to as a “trash fish,” and some feel that this insults the importance of the fish to Pomo people.

Excerpts below from: Louis Sahagun of Los Angeles Times. “As a sacred minnow nears extinction, Native Americans of Clear Lake call for bold plan.” As published at Phys.org. 6 December 2022.

---

Spring runs of a large minnow numbering in the millions have nourished Pomo Indians since they first made their home alongside Northern California’s Clear Lake more than 400 generations ago. The Clear Lake hitch glinted like silver dollars as they headed up the lake’s tributaries to spawn, a reliable squirming crop of plenty, steeped in history [...].

In all that time, the hitch’s domain, about 110 miles northwest of Sacramento, had never suffered the degradation of recent years.

Now, with a growing sense of sorrow, if not anger, the Pomo Indian tribes of Clear Lake are watching the symbol of abundance and security they call chi dwindle into extinction.

---

On Monday [December 2022], they took the rare and drastic step of urging Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to use her emergency powers and invoke the federal Endangered Species Act on behalf of the Clear Lake hitch. “Bringing the chi back will require a bold plan of action devised by people with the power to move mountains,” said Ron Montez, tribal historic preservation officer for the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians. 

“I have almost zero confidence in state or federal officials to save the chi and our way of life,” Montez, 72, said. [...]

The Clear Lake hitch was designated as a threatened species under California’s Endangered Species Act in 2014. Since then, however, its numbers have fallen to near zero, according to recent surveys. 

Some causes of the hitch’s decline, however, seem extraordinarily difficult to fix: prolonged drought, mercury contamination, gravel mining, an overtaxed water distribution system, pesticides and runoff from vineyards [...], and predatory nonnative game fish. [...]

---

The 2023 spring spawning season is crucial for the continued survival of the Clear Lake hitch, scientists say. That’s because the last observed successful spawning was in 2017. “Hitch have a six-year life span,” said Meg Townsend, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. [...]

---

But until its fate is known for certain, Michael Fris, a field supervisor at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said his agency is unlikely to list the hitch on an emergency basis. [...] That kind of talk prompted the Center for Biological Diversity, together with the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Robinson Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians and the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake to take their request for emergency listing to Haaland.

All involved agree that seeking intervention under the federal Endangered Species Act is an act of desperation. Only two species have been emergency-listed as federally endangered over the last 20 years: the Miami blue butterfly in 2011 and Nevada’s Dixie Valley toad earlier this year. [...]

---

The hitch is a 12-inch-long minnow found only in and around the oldest, largest and perhaps most polluted and wildfire-prone watershed in California. In 2020, the Lake County region was charred by six of the 20 largest wildfires in state history. [...]

It’s been the poor luck of the hitch to require adequate stream flows in February, March and April to trek from the lake to spawning beds at the same time agricultural interests need water to defrost their vineyards.

---

“An emergency listing would force people to consider alternatives to the way water is used in this region,” said Sarah Ryan, environmental director for the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

Beyond water flows, the prospect of emergency-listing the hitch raises other economically significant issues connected to the lake’s food chain: Zooplankton are eaten by shad, crayfish and hitch, which are favored by monster catfish and largemouth bass.

Clear Lake entrepreneurs host dozens of professional bass tournaments each year that are supported by contestants from around the world.

The most popular lures in local tackle shops are hitch replicas that cost up to $180 each. Other lures are made to resemble juvenile hitch and sold under a slogan that some people feel mocks the creature’s cultural importance to Pomo people: “The All-American Trash Fish.”

Over at [C.O.], a sporting goods store on the southern end of the lake, old-timers still talk about how local kids had a tradition of “hitching,” beating hitch to death with baseball bats for fun as they ascended streams to spawn in spring. 

They also grumble over the thought of new special protections for a nongame fish disrupting human pastimes for any reason [...].

"The reason our bass grow so big is that they love to eat hitch," mused [D.B.], owner of [C.O.]. "So, when customers ask me, 'Where can I catch the biggest bass of my life?' " he added, "I send them to places hitch hang out in."

---

That kind of banter and lore suggests that unless government agencies yield to Native American concerns, they are headed for a showdown of complicated and competing values.

“The way some people ridicule hitch makes me wonder what they think about the folks who eat them,” lamented Robert Geary, cultural resources director for the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake. [...]

---

At the heart of the matter is that Pomo people [...] did not consider their native attitudes and lifestyles to be an expendable price of living in America.

Yet, their modern history is told mostly through economic hardship, rip-offs, massacres and environmental destruction.

---

Headline, image, caption, and text by: Louis Sahagun of Los Angeles Times. “As a sacred minnow nears extinction, Native Americans of Clear Lake call for bold plan.” As published at Phys.org. 6 December 2022. [First paragraph in this post added by me.]

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

(from IMDB)

"Born in Texas and raised in his hometown of Sacramento, Ryan Guzman never thought of becoming an actor, much less a professional dancer. At the age of seven, he developed an interest in martial arts and earned his first black belt in Tae Kwon Do by the age of ten. This led him into the octagon as a MMA fighter in Sacramento until his fighting license expired in 2010. A gifted athlete, he was also a sought-after left-handed pitcher with a fastball clocked between 87-90 miles per hour. A shoulder injury ended this career dream while Guzman was still a teenager, which transitioned later into a career in print modeling and soon after, acting."

.....When was anybody gonna tell me that Ryan Guzman apparently has ALL the skills...?!

[astranva]

Please explain the timeline for pe!

Following October of 2022, keep an open, flexible mind to the dates and time. Here’s Chris and pe!reader’s relationship timeline.

2011

Chris first publicly spoke about having pe!reader as his celebrity crush during the NYC comic con.

2012

July - pe!reader starts filming The Spectacular Now alongside Miles Teller as the two leads.

August - pe!reader and Miles Teller are spotted on a date.

October - pe!reader and Miles are official.

2013

February - pe!reader and Miles Teller go public.

October - pe!reader and Miles’ first anniversary.

2014

March - pe!reader and Chris meet for the first time at Vanity Fair’s Oscar afterparty.

September - pe!reader and Miles break up.

November 28th - pe!reader and Chris meet again in private Interstellar release-celebratory party hosted by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan and hang out the entire night together. They exchange phone numbers.

November 30th - pe!reader and Chris go out for coffee.

December 5th - pe!reader and Chris go undercover to the movies to watch Wild.

December 7th - • Chris invites pe!reader over to cook for her, burns the meal and gets her her favorite takeout after googling it. • pe!reader and Chris were about to kiss but she stopped so they can take it slow.

December 24th - pe!reader and Chris are papped together.

December 27th - They have their own late christmas celebration at pe!reader’s New York apartment with Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck, Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds, pe!reader’s best 3 best friends from theatre; Jia, Sophia, and Raymond.

2015

January - Chris realizes that he has strong feelings for pe!reader.

February - pe!reader realizes that she has strong feelings for Chris but chooses not to act on them because she wants to take more time to know him and be friends.

February 22nd - Chris and pe!reader are talked about when they greet with cheek kisses at the Oscars.

March - They frequently meet at each other’s houses as to not get papped.

April - Chris is busy with Avengers: Age of Ultron’s release.

May - First kiss and first date.

June - pe!reader is busy with Inside Out’s release.

July - They reunite with more dates and get papped once.

August - pe!reader meets Scott, and decides to stop going on talk shows and interviews unless it’s movie press.

September 21st - Chris and pe!reader make it official before she goes to Australia to start filming Hacksaw Ridge.

October - Chris watches pe!reader’s SNL monologue from the audience but it’s kept lowkey.

November - pe!reader and Chris decide to go public and are papped:

December - Hacksaw Ridge wraps up. pe!reader hosts a bigger Christmas party where people fawn over them as a couple.

December 31st - pe!reader and Chris spend the New Year’s together.

2016

January - pe!reader and Chris go to the Bahamas for a secret one-week getaway.

February - pe!reader and Chris make their red carpet debut as a couple at the Oscars & she meets the rest of the Evans’ family.

March - Chris meets pe!reader’s family, gets interrogated by her 7-year-old sister, Madelyn, but they welcome him.

April - Chris and pe!reader’s stepdad, Marshall, are papped golfing.

May - pe!reader decides to direct Lady Bird. Captain America: Civil War premieres. They make their Met Gala red carpet debut as a couple.

June - pe!reader hosts a huge surprise birthday party for Chris, and also celebrates CACW with him. They go all the way. She starts filming Mother!

July - pe!reader is papped having breakfast with Chris’ mom, Lisa.

August - Mother! wraps up. filming Lady Bird starts, Chris is papped visiting pe!reader on set and stays for one week in Sacramento with her.

September - • pe!reader and Chris celebrate their 1st anniversary. • First big fight. • pe!reader and Chris are papped on her NY apartment’s balcony

• pe!reader sues the photographer and their agency for violating her privacy and photographing a private property.

October - • Lady Bird wraps up, Chris hosts a celebratory party for pe!reader and the entire cast and crew. • pe!reader and Chris go on a 5-day trip to the Amalfi Coast. • pe!reader starts therapy after her role as Mother in Mother! took a toll on her mental health.

November - pe!reader moves in with Chris at his house in Boston.

December - Chris moves in with pe!reader at her NY apartment.

2017

January - • pe!reader rescues her, then, kitten, Pam and is hers and Chris’ first shared pet. • pe!reader visits Chris on Infinity War set, meets the entire cast

February - Pregnancy scare!

April - Chris adopts Dodger and he becomes their second shared pet.

September - • Second anniversary! • pe!reader wins Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale, briefly and vaguely mentions Chris in her speech.

November - Chris buys an engagement ring and tells his mom only about it.

December - pe!reader and Chris buy a house together in Italy.

2018

January - pe!reader and Chris go together to the Golden Globes. Lady Bird wins Best Motion Picture. pe!reader gives an emotional speech and thanks Chris in it.

February - Chris takes pe!reader to Disneyland in Paris for Valentine’s day.

March - • Chris is busy with Infinity War press. • pe!reader launches her skin care brand, Bare.

April - pe!reader joins Chris for the first time as his plus one for the Infinity War movie premiere despite that she doesn’t go to other movie premieres.

May - • pe!reader sets her LA house on sale. • Chris and pe!reader buy a new house in LA together. • pe!reader buys a private island at the Bahamas. • pe!reader and Chris attend Prince Harry & Meghan’s royal wedding together.

June - Chris proposes and she says yes! They celebrate all month with family and friends.

September 21st - Third anniversary!

2019

February - pe!reader becomes an EGOT winner after winning a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album (Including Poetry, Audiobooks & Storytelling) for being the official narrator of the book, Circe.

March - • pe!reader hosts a big anniversary party for Bare. • Chris celebrates her on his own and buys her a 1967 Cadillac De Ville convertible car.

April - pe!reader joins Chris as his plus one again at the Endgame premiere and is papped crying emotionally because of Chris’ journey in Marvel coming to an end.

May - pe!reader buys Chris a yacht with ‘Property of Christopher Evans, with love, Y/N Y/L/N-Evans’ engraved on it. They’re papped.

June - They get married in Italy! They spend their honeymoon in Seychelles then went to Greece.

September - • Fourth anniversary! • They buy their farmhouse.

2020

September 21st: Fifth anniversary!

2021

March: pe!reader wins her fourth Golden Globe for Best Actress for Promising Young Woman.

April: • pe!reader receives her third Oscar for Best Actress for Promising Young Woman and thanks Chris so adorably in her speech. • They start trying for a baby!

September: • Sixth anniversary! • pe!reader wins her third Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale.

November: pe!reader and Chris get a false-positive pregnancy test because of her fertility medications.

2022

January: • pe!reader is pregnant! • They tell their families two weeks later.

February: They tell their close friends.

June: Chris announces the pregnancy on his Instagram when she’s 6 months pregnant.

July: pe!reader joins Chris for The Gray Man LA premiere and gets seen pregnant in an event for the first time.

September 14th: River Jude Evans is born. pe!reader announces a hiatus.

October: They move to stay at their farmhouse away from all the noise to raise River there for a year.

From that time forward, time truly is an illusion. Pe!reader and Chris will have 3 more kids and unless I write about this fic until 2028, I advise you read this fic with a grain of salt. Thanks for reading!

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Outside the California State Capitol last month, a fitness trainer turned school board president fired up the crowd at a parental rights rally, telling them they were all fighters in “a spiritual battle” for their kids and must answer the call from God.

Sonja Shaw, who was elected to the Chino Valley Unified School District board of education last November with an assist from a local megachurch and its Christian nationalist pastor, didn’t equivocate in naming the enemy: state Democratic officials who are challenging her right-leaning policies—and drafting laws that hinder book bans and protect teachers from harassment.

“Today we stand here and declare in his almighty name that it’s only a matter of time before we take your seats and we be a God-fearing example to the nation, how God is using California to lead the way,” Shaw crowed, adding, “We already know who has won this battle. You will be removed in Jesus’s name! You, Satan, are losing.”

Now Shaw is in the national spotlight in wake of her Chino school board passing codes that ban pride flags in classrooms and force educators to inform parents if their children identify as transgender—the first such policy to be passed in the state.

This summer, Shaw’s school board meetings, about 35 miles east of Los Angeles, became chaotic spectacles, ones that attracted the Proud Boys and other right-wing extremists and pitted them against students and parents protesting what they’re calling anti-LGBTQ practices that endanger children. When California superintendent of schools Tony Thurmond appeared at the July meeting in opposition, Shaw unceremoniously silenced him.

Weeks after state Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a civil rights probe into Shaw’s “gender disclosure” policy, his office sued the school board. Bonta said the policy violates the California constitution and state law, and would cause LGBTQ+ students, “mental, emotional, psychological and potential physical harm,” according to a press release.

Other right-leaning school boards across the state have followed Chino Valley Unified’s lead. Shortly before filing suit against the Chino board, Bonta issued statements denouncing the Anderson Union High School District, Temecula Valley Unified and Murrieta Valley Unified school boards’ decisions to pursue “copycat” anti-trans policies.

“These students are currently under threat of being outed to their parents against their will, and many fear that the District’s policy will force them to make a choice: either ‘walk back’ their constitutionally and statutorily protected rights to gender identity and gender expression, or face the risk of emotional, physical, and psychological harm,” Bonta said.

To concerned observers in Chino, Shaw’s tack is not unlike what’s happening at school boards across the country, with brawls over curriculum, social emotional learning, and the banning of books that focus on race and LGBTQ issues. Extremist groups like Moms for Liberty have spawned a mainstream narrative that public schools are “indoctrinating” children with “woke” ideology and into believing they’re a different gender.

But in Chino Valley, the school board’s new direction appears to be spurred on by a man behind the curtain: Shaw’s megachurch pastor Jack Hibbs.

Indeed, three of the board’s five members belong to his church, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.

At the Sacramento rally, Hibbs boasted of his congregation’s work in electing Shaw. Calling her a “true modern-day Deborah,” Hibbs said the soccer mom “heeded the call to run for the school board” and that “when churches get involved and get informed, people vote.”

God, Hibbs said, installed Shaw into her position.

“Get on your knees every night,” Shaw told the crowd. “All day I talk to him. People probably think I’m crazy, but I’m really just talking to God all day.” After reciting a Bible verse, she added, “I have looked demons straight in the eye and with God’s authority rebuked them back to hell where they belong.”

“You can do that too, trust me.”

Residents have long raised alarms about the school board’s religious bent. And Pastor Hibbs and members of his megachurch congregation appear to be more involved than ever in Chino’s public schools.

Last week, in an interview with right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk, Hibbs said that he brought the policy language to the school board after Republican state Assemblyman Bill Essayli’s “parental notification” legislation died without a hearing.

“He came back thinking he was defeated,” Hibbs said. “What we did is that we read his bill and we took the verbiage from that bill and then introduced it to our unified school district school board and they voted and adopted the verbiage.”

“Guess what happened?” Hibbs continued. “We found out something, Charlie, that the most powerful politics is local…”

Hibbs then turned to Bonta’s lawsuit against the board, saying, “We’re going to take that on, we’re going to make sure that this goes to the U.S. Supreme Court.”

The pastor, who hasn’t returned messages left by The Daily Beast, wasn’t shy about his fight on the school board’s behalf.

Before he signed off, Hibbs told Kirk that children are “groomed” into trans ideology in the classroom and that schools want to “castrate your children” and “mutilate them.”

Ahead of the parental notification vote in July, Hibbs also urged people to flock to the fiery board meeting. “We’re asking people to show up by the thousands,” he said in a video announcement on the church’s Facebook page. “Please make it a priority.”

Meanwhile, Calvary Chapel has boasted on social media of collecting tens of thousands of ballots for state and local candidates endorsed by Hibbs. The church’s ballot collection, a practice it’s engaged in for years, is conducted with help from Hibbs’ political organization Real Impact.

A teacher in another district—who alleges she was fired for refusing to follow her school’s gender identity protocols—heeded Hibbs’ call. “I could no longer be both a Christian and a public school teacher,” she said at the board meeting. “Then I remembered what Pastor Jack Hibbs taught me, that the word of God says… that being a coward is a sin.”

Still, Shaw claims that neither she nor the school board follow Hibbs’ orders. “Absolutely not. No one has a direct line to Pastor Jack Hibbs. Pastor Jack has never said, ‘Hey, guys, I want you to bring this policy forward.’ Never ever did he do any of that,” she told The Daily Beast. She added, however, that she couldn’t speak on Hibbs’ involvement with the board of education prior to her election.

The mother of two daughters—a freshman and junior in high school—Shaw was a Bible study leader at another church before joining Hibbs’ Calvary Chapel Chino Hills about two years ago.

Last September, Shaw told the San Bernardino Sun that she wasn’t running for election on the behalf of the 10,000-member Calvary Chapel. “They keep calling me ‘the church’s choice.’ I’ve never met Pastor Jack (Hibbs). I’ve never been brought up on stage,” she said.

One month later, however, Hibbs introduced her at the pulpit, telling his Sunday service that “she’s truly going up against the machine” before leading a prayer for her victory. Shaw bowed her head as Hibbs lifted a hand in the air and declared, “She has decided, Lord, to take on the woke-ism that is attacking our children.”

Hibbs has emboldened supporters to fight progressive education bills and prop up Christian candidates. In his sermons, he has tearfully prayed on stage for Donald Trump to win the 2020 election, said COVID-19 vaccines would lead people into accepting “the mark of the beast,” and called “transgenderism” a “sexually perverted cult” and “an anti-God, anti-Christ plan of none other than Satan himself.”

On education, he’s claimed that he and his acolytes are “trying to rescue kids from a system that is sexualizing them,” that kids “come out of school questioning their gender but they don’t even know how to do simple math” and “are being raped by the public school system.”

Hibbs has also taken aim at California’s abortion protections, describing them as “Infanticidal Death Policies,” in a document circulated to his congregation in October 2022, just before Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s re-election.

“If God does not intervene in this upcoming election through His people, which has always been his MO, and, if Newsom has his way, then this will certainly be proof that judgment has begun in California if not the United States,” the document reads. It ends by encouraging followers to return their ballots to the church.

“We should be able to stand against the school board,” Hibbs said in May. “We should be able to stand against some teacher that is molesting your child—if not physically, in their minds.”

In July, Hibbs delivered a skewed history lesson claiming that some founding fathers “inherited” slaves but actually cared for them. “Before you call them rich white guys who were slave owners,” Hibbs preached, “you need to finish the sentence: They were rich white guys who were slave owners who clothed, fed, and in many cases took very good care of their slaves while at the same time juggling two worlds…”

The megachurch has also tried to meddle in Chino Valley public school classes and teachings. Calvary Chapel members once funded textbooks for an elective course in two public high schools on the Bible as history and literature and tried to alter rules for sex education curriculum.

The church also runs a Christian “Released Time” program, where public school students can duck out of class for weekly one-hour Bible lessons held in buses outfitted with tables and chairs. This program had a table at the district’s back-to-school night, and a volunteer in a Calvary Chapel Chino Hills T-shirt handed out candy and Bible coloring books.

“This is a national movement and it’s intentional,” former school board president Christina Gagnier told The Daily Beast. “I think Chino Valley is a cautionary tale.”

District parent Glory Ciccarelli condemned Hibbs’ words on slavery at the August board meeting, urging Black parents to leave his church and “wake up and realize that what our ancestors went through is slowly getting phased out of the curriculum to the point where our kids will eventually be taught that literal slaveholders were nice guys…”

Ciccarelli told The Daily Beast that her biggest issue with Chino Valley leadership is “the apathy they have for the Black kids in the district,” and that the board needs professional development training relating to race and culture and diversity in hiring.

But she believes that Hibbs’ influence over certain board members could derail any progress in the district. In addition to Shaw, two other school board members—James Na and Andrew Cruz—are also members of Calvary Chapel.

“Cruz and Na are quite literally acolytes of Jack Hibbs at this point,” Ciccarelli said. “In my opinion, everything they say and believe as it relates to the school board is basically something they have heard from him.”

Hibbs, she added, “reminds me of Jim Jones with the way he is so easily able to control so many people at the same time.”

At the July board meeting that attracted far-right extremists like the Proud Boys, some local parents pushed back against the church’s connections to the school board.

“Madam President, board, cabinet, and staff,” quipped one father of a queer child, “I didn’t know I came to church tonight. I thought it was a board meeting.”

So many citizens had signed up to speak, waiting in a line outside in 100-degree weather, that the board cut the public comment period from three minutes to one minute per person.

Lisa Greathouse, a local mom and former school board candidate, defended teachers against claims they were “indoctrinating” and “grooming” kids. “Make no mistake,” Greathouse told the auditorium, “what this board is pushing through now is just the tip of the iceberg. They are taking their cue from their megachurch…”

Outbursts from hecklers interrupted the proceeding, which had a heavy police and security presence. Speakers from out of town and from Calvary Chapel preached about God and the Devil, facing off with parents and students who warned Shaw and her board they would have blood on their hands should the “outing” policy pass.

One moment in particular was so explosive it made headlines: Shaw excoriated Tony Thurmond, California’s state superintendent of schools, who’d asked her to reconsider the policy about notifying parents if their children identified as trans. He said it might run afoul of student privacy laws and jeopardize kids who “may not be in homes where they can be safe.”

Thurmond wasn’t finished with his remarks, but Shaw cut him off for time like she did anyone else. “Tony Thurmond,” she seethed, “I appreciate you being here, tremendously. But here’s the problem: We’re here because of people like you. You’re in Sacramento proposing things that pervert children!”

After Thurmond tried to continue, Shaw yelled into her mic that she wouldn’t let him “blackmail” or “bully” her district. Video of the scene showed Thurmond exchanging words with a group of cops before walking away.

In a statement, Thurmond told The Daily Beast that a group of concerned students contacted him about Shaw’s proposal, and he rearranged his schedule to be there. “Let’s be clear about these policies—a small group of anti-LGBTQ+ politicians like Ms. Shaw believe they have the right to dictate when and how students and their families talk about their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Thurmond said. “They are trying to turn our public school educators—who are already overworked and underpaid—into the gender police.”

“Choosing when to come out and to whom is a deeply personal decision that LGBTQ+ young people have the right to make for themselves.”

Ashlee Peters, the parent of a child in the district, watched the scene unfold. “As an educator and as a mom, you just sit there and go, ‘I can’t believe this is happening in my community,’” said Peters, who has been a public school teacher for 22 years.

Peters was also in line when far-right activist Bryce Henson, who also goes by Ben Richards, walked around trying to bait people into reacting on camera. “He would come up to you and be like, ‘I just want to talk to you, why can’t we just have a conversation about this?’” It was a sneak preview of the testimony to come.

Inside, people proselytized and spewed hatred, calling LGBTQ people “terrorists” and warning “demons are after our children.” Richards called transgender, Black Lives Matter and Juneteenth flags flying outside his San Diego school district a symbol of “systemic radical leftist indoctrination." One mother ended her speech with, “As Jason Aldean would say, ‘Well, try that in a small town.’”

When it was her turn, Peters warned that the “outing” policy would “create a hostile environment” for LGBTQIA+ students and that the board’s “reckless pursuit of personal agendas” could bring about “expensive lawsuits.”

The atmosphere was so tense that security escorted a person out who put hands on someone else, Peters said. “It seriously feels like I’m in some sort of weird dystopia,” Peters told The Daily Beast. “I don’t know how this happened because it does not feel real.”

Peters believes that what’s unfolding in Chino Valley Unified is a wake-up call to monitor school board elections. “I just didn’t think it was going to happen in my community because I live in California,” she said. “I feel relatively safe living in a blue state—that religion wasn’t going to suddenly take over my public school system, and it has.”

Even though the involvement of Hibbs and his megachuch in local public schools has been center stage in Chino Valley this year, it’s a battle that’s been brewing for at least a decade. Back in 2014, the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of parents in Chino Valley over prayers and Bible readings at school board meetings, arguing these practices “constituted an establishment of religion in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.”

The prayers and Bible verses were being led by Calvary Chapel members James Na and Andrew Cruz, who were elected to the school board in 2008 and 2012 respectively.

According to the prayer lawsuit, Na once told spectators of a school board meeting that their “lives begin in the hospital and end in the church, and urged everyone who does not know Jesus Christ to go and find Him.” In 2013, Na sent out a letter to school district “family member[s]” that referred to Hibbs with an excerpt from “Pastor Jack’s Christmas story.”

“The community is going to rise and create a war chest to help you,” Hibbs told the board in 2016 in the midst of the legal battle, though a crowdfunding drive affiliated with the church apparently never delivered. A school board spokesperson previously said that funding was intended to bring the case to the Supreme Court.

A federal judge ultimately ruled in the parents’ favor, and the board lost its Ninth Circuit appeal, leaving the district with $282,000 in legal bills.

This apparently hasn’t stopped Cruz’s Christian commentary. In April, he went on a rant wherein he said that if he were governor, he’d mandate citizens be trained in firearms and that, “I do love one man, I really love this man, and that is Jesus Christ. It’s in my head.”

Since his election, Cruz has especially ignited parents’ ire and weathered calls to resign as a result of his offensive remarks and chemtrail conspiracy theories. In 2015, Cruz said mothers who don’t vaccinate their kids are wrongfully vilified while “illegal aliens” bring infectious disease to America. In 2018, Cruz infamously said that “it wasn’t Hitler that was bad, it was the people that follow the laws and the agenda” while discussing “parents rights.”

That year, Na and Cruz (and Hibbs) proposed that parents have the ability to opt kids out of sex-ed discussions on gender identity, sexual orientation, and discrimination—and for schools to notify parents when a transgender student uses a locker room or shower. Those measures failed.

Na is also not without controversy. Aside from his religious musings at the board, he’s also been accused of trying to recruit at least one student to Calvary Chapel.

At a June board meeting, a statement was read on behalf of Esther Kim, who was the panel’s student representative in the 2021-2022 school year. “In sophomore year, I met Mr. Na through a personal phone call where his school board role and my school were acknowledged,” Kim said. “During an unrelated conversation, he attempted to persuade me to go to his church.”

[...]

Federal law explicitly prohibits churches from engaging in political campaign activity.

Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, where Jack Hibbs is pastor and school board member Sonja Shaw is a parishioner, should immediately have its tax exempt status revoked under 501 (3)(c).

File a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service HERE. Email the completed form to eoclass@irs.gov.

Specific info for the IRS form:

• This church's EIN (Tax ID #) is 33-0419808.

• Address: 4201 Eucalyptus Ave, Chino, CA 91710

• Complaint Against: Jack Hibbs, Pastor

• Date Of Violation: April 19, 2023

• Description: Pastor Hibbs held a political rally outside the California State Capitol in opposition to a specific bill pending in the legislature. Also published a notice in the church newsletter soliciting attendees for this political lobbying rally under the headline, "California Lobby Day: Stop AB 2223."

• Evidence #1: Political Lobbying Violation on the church's newsletter (include link)

• Evidence #2: Archive.org snapshot of the newsletter article (include link)

[horsesarecreatures]

THE TREK ACROSS AMERICA WITH TWO STRAIGHT EGYPTIANS

Arabian Horse World

"On April 16, 2021, Patrick Sullivan of Modern Day Horsemanship started his 2,500 mile journey from Sacramento, California to Georgetown, Kentucky, where he arrived on October 16, 2021. 

He took two Straight Egyptian Arabian horses, the black mare Gamilah MJA, sired by Bellagio RCA, out of the Thee Desperado+ daughter, Thee Bahieh, and her maternal brother, grey gelding Haleem MJA, sired by Thee Infidel, out of Thee Bahieh.

He did this incredible trek bridleless and mostly bareback, and visited 20 non-profits, local rescues, and charities while providing liberty demonstrations along the way. 

Shawn Crews sat down with Patrick to revisit this incredible journey.

Shawn:  I’ll never forget the day when you told me your plan to do this, and honestly, Patrick, I know your whole family and I come from a very optimistic family, however, I considered your level of optimism to be triple of what I know. I’ve known you since before you were involved in horses. Your goal is so large and you have such a positive attitude, but still when you told me about this we were shocked. We are all very horse show goal-oriented, so I was curious as to why you chose to do something so different with your Straight Egyptian. 

What was the seed that led you to this tremendous adventure?  How did you come up with this plan and was was the vision you had in mind?

Patrick: You were not the only one who thought this was a bit crazy. This idea started six to seven years ago, and started when my mother told me that my great grandfather saw his first Arabian horse in the Chicago state fair in 1945 and fell in love. He ended up purchasing a few horses, however after him, they got out of Arabians until my mother got involved through Arabians Limited and you (Shawn Crews).  The idea of this ride was to honor my great grandfather and ride from Texas to the location of the Chicago State Fair where my grandfather’s love began. Slowly the ride transformed into something much bigger, hoping to inspire people to think deeper about the Arabian horse and the connection we can have with them through liberty and bridleless riding.

I have read many historical books like The Classic Arabian Horse by Judith Forbis, and the Authentic Arabian Bloodstock books about how the Arabian horses lived in the tents with the bedouins and were treated as family. I wanted to test that legend out and bring our Arabian horses into our family. I want to really feel and say that these horses are exactly what history says. For me, the way to do this was to ride across the country with them and see if it is possible.

It was a long and amazing journey, one that I will cherish forever.

Shawn: No one in our time here has proved these horses’ athletic abilities until you and Gamilah. Did Gamilah inspire your plan to do this, or did the plan come first?

Patrick: It was a little bit of both.  The reason I chose Gamilah to be the main instrument in the journey is because she was the first horse I had started under saddle. She was strong, opinionated and sassy. She is incredibly intelligent and we butted heads for years, however, the more I learned to listen to her and train her in the way she wanted to be trained, the more she wanted to give me. Once we came to that agreement, I knew there was no other soul on this planet that I would want to make this trip with than Gamilah. At the end of the day, I have always told people that I trusted her with my life. I knew she would keep me safe and keep herself safe; We went through so much together. I told her, if we are going to do this, we are going to do it together.

When I think about mares, especially the Arabian mares, I know they can be very difficult at times to earn their trust and respect, a lot more difficult than the geldings. However, when you get to reach the heart of a mare, they will do anything for you.

Shawn: How old was Gamilah when you started this ride?

Patrick: She was 10 years old. We left two days after her birthday.

Shawn: Tell me about the logistics of this trip. Nettie followed you with the trailer, so you always had a safety fall back should you need anything, and you had host farms set up along the way. However, there must have been long stretches along the way without lodging. That is a lot of miles, many of which are not civilized, explain the logistics.

Patrick: Nettie is one of my best friends in the whole world.  Initially, she was going to ride with me. However, three months before, she called and said that she was pregnant and couldn’t ride alongside. So, they decided that she would drive the truck and trailer with her camera and document the journey.

We followed HWY 50. For the most part, the highways had a large shoulder which allowed them to stay 30-40 feet off the road, while the smaller roads we were right alongside. I kept panels on the side of the trailer and each night, we would set up a 20′ x 20′ pen behind the trailer where the horses stayed while we slept in the living quarters of the horse trailer.  

So many wonderful people stopped along the way were offering assistance, and inviting us into their homes and barns to layover. It was amazing to experience the generosity of the people, stopping to be sure we were okay.

The best part of the ride, in regards to logistics, were the western states of Utah, Nevada, California, and Colorado. It was more open and had so much public land. The terrain was difficult and at one point, we rode up to 11,000 feet in Colorado. As we ventured East, the logistics became a bit more of a challenge.

We went through mountains, deserts, valleys, small towns, fair grounds, rivers. We went through it all!

Shawn: As the ride progressed and word spread, you seemed to gain momentum with the local press.

Patrick: Yes, honestly the ride was amazing, but the most important part of this ride for us was being able to give back to the Arabian horse. We ended up stopping at 19 different non-profits in 11 different states. We would educate them about liberty riding and use our horses to showcase how capable the Arabian horse is, and how powerful the horse-human connection is.

We stopped by non-profits for kids, for the mentally ill and even a prison to educate the prisoners on horsemanship. Our horses were able to teach all that we visited and that was so rewarding. These organizations helped us get through the long days, knowing that our next stop was going to help and educate the next group of people about our Arabian horses and their amazing personalities.

Shawn: You have mentioned the liberty aspect of this ride a few times, can you explain a bit about what liberty means.

Patrick: Liberty is being able to do almost anything with a horse without a halter. Express to your horse what you want it to do, without a bridle or halter. The relationship between horse and human, along with trained cues is the key to create a bond. I often relate to the movie Avatar, if you have the ability to connect with another being, in this case being a horse, they can take us to see things that we could never do on our own. Gamilah and Hal gave me this experience along our journey.

Shawn: Did you feel a bit like those pioneers that crossed the country so many years ago in their covered wagons?

Patrick: One of the main parts about the trip (possibly 1,000 miles), we followed the Pony Express Trail. The pony express was used as a form of communication across the country long before technology. I learned how incredibly strong people were back then. Their lives revolved around horseback, compasses and reading the stars. From time to time, I liked to think that we were the new generation of explorers, experiencing what our ancestors had. Hoping to push the next steps in horsemanship and prove that the Arabian horse is one of the foundation breeds of our country. 

Shawn: I have great respect for all Arabian horses, however, my life has revolved around the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse. Are there any special traits to the Straight Egyptian that you feel helped in this experience? Knowing that you have experience with other bloodlines and other breeds, what made the Straight Egyptian special?

Patrick: I’ve never met another horse that could have made that trip, and there is no other horse I would attempt to do it with. What I feel separates the Straight Egyptian is their heart. If you really look at the heart, they are old souls. They seem to be here to teach us, and I believe this comes from their ancestors. I truly believe the Straight Egyptian is the old soul of all horses. When I look in Gamilah’s eyes, I see that soul and it has taught me so much! 

There are good things and bad things said about the Straight Egyptian Arabian horse. For anyone who has ever truly gotten to know one, I think can relate to what I am saying.

Shawn: In this project, you have mentioned Nettie being an amazing support, along with your family and a group of sponsors that helped make this possible.

Patrick: I think those who supported us are what made this trip so special. There was not a bigger supporter than my mother, Malinda Passmore. she is all about the Straight Egyptian and wants to make it accessible to everyone, especially the geldings. Our other sponsors were Marah Jamil Arabians, Keri and Carolee Wright, Ann and Fred Gabrielli and The Pyramid Society, 

There was one of the biggest professionals in the horsemanship industry that I am friends with. He is not an Arabian horse person, but he told me, “I don’t have a problem with you riding across the country brideless. I don’t have a problem with the time frame or liberty. My biggest concern is that you are doing it on an Arabian!”. This comment inspired me to prove the Arabian stereotype wrong. I will keep his name anonymous out of respect for our friendship, however, I was quite proud to show the world that the Arabian horse can do anything."

[goddamnshinyrock]

yes I got stuck in mount shasta for a night and yes flooding has derailed my camping plans entirely but I had the best birding day of my life today simply because I decided on a whim to pull off the highway at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge “just to take a quick look” and uhhhh

I spent three and a half hours doing both the walking paths and the 6 mile auto tour loop and got seven lifers in a single day. I had to give up on counting yellow-rumped warblers. There were so many marsh wrens I was literally counting another one every two minutes. I had to stop counting northern shovelers and american coots entirely, there were hundreds. At least 800 snow geese. I’ve never seen more than three meadowlarks in a group before but there was just a field FULL of them. I saw eight northern harriers. I was spinning in place at one point because I was trying to spot everything I was hearing and there were birds calling or singing in every direction. And this was mid-afternoon! I wasn’t even there at a good time of day!

pictured: me losing my mind to my girlfriend mid-auto loop:

[pickle-de-packle]

Prompts Fluff 1 + Smut 8 - Elon Musk

Fluff Prompt 1: “I’m glad you decided to meet up with me.”

Smut Prompt 8: “Don’t be so rough. There can’t be any marks.”

A/N: First-ever prompt!!! Yay!

Word Count: 750

Tonight Elon is unveiling the second Boring Company tunnel, which stretches 75 miles from San Francisco to Sacramento and cut the travel time from 90 minutes to 25 minutes.

Your driver pulled through security and next to the staircase descended to the tunnel entrance. You thank the driver and slide over to the door but before you can open it, someone opens it and reaches out a hand to help you. You grab the hand, slip out of the car, and straighten out your dress.

Looking up to thank the person who helped you, “Kimbal!” you say hugging the man.

“Hey, how’s your evenin’ going?” he says pulling back after returning the hug.

“Good so far, your?” you ask, walking to the stairs.

“Good too. Here let me help you,” Kimbal says, giving you his hand as you both reach the stairs.

As the two of you reach the landing, you note Elon is at the tail end of an interview with Tim from Everyday Astronaut. Kimbal and you plan to stay to the side until it’s done but Tim waves you over. Elon wraps an arm around your waist as he shakes your hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet the infamous girlfriend of Elon Musk,” Tim says, “I got to ask what do you think of the tunnel?”

“I’m excited to ride in it and I think it’s a good solution to all the traffic we have,” you give a little laugh at the end.

“Oh! you’ve never been in it? Well, let me know how it is and try to convince him to let me have a ride,” Tim gestures at Elon as the three of you laugh.

“I’ll try Tim,” you chuckle out. You let them wrap up the interview. As the two walk over to the waiting Tesla, Elon kisses you.

“You look beautiful,” he whispers before kissing you again. You smile against his lips at the compliment.

“I’m glad you decided to meet up with me,” his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you against him.

After a few more kisses he finally says, “We should get going,” and he opens the door, helping you into the backseat. He slips in after you and starts the car with his phone.

The car rolls forward into the dark tunnel, the only light in the car coming from the headlights dimly reflecting from the walls. Only once you can’t see the light of the entrance from behind, do you act

You swing yourself into his lap and roughly kiss him. He lets out a sound of surprise before his hands find your hips and squeeze. Your fingers slip through his hair and roll your hips against him, already feeling some resistance.

Elon moans at the friction before lightly biting your lip in retaliation. You pull back with a giggle, before attaching your lips to his neck and grinding on him harder

“Don’t be so rough. There can’t be any marks,” he groans, hands pulling your hips flush to his so you stop moving. Your lips disconnect from his neck with a whine at the feeling of his hard cock completely pressed along your cunt.

“Fine,” you breathe onto his neck with a pout, the heat of his cock slowly making your brain fuzzy.

He kisses your hair before mumbling, “Good, and since you agreed…” trailing off he rolls your hips harder into himself. A pathetic whine comes out of your lips at the unexpected stimulation. Your arms come to wrap around his neck as you keep breathing on his neck.

Elon increases the roll of your hips, occasionally groaning along with you. As you get close he stops. You whimper as the edge of your climax fades. He captures your lips in a searing kiss as you come down.

After a minute or two of kissing, he slowly moves your hips on him building you back up to the edge. Right as you're about to go over, he stops again. You mewl his name in frustration.

“I’ll make it up to you tonight,” he promises with a kiss, “we’ll be there in a few,” pushing you back enough to see your face. You grumble as he cups your face and uses his thumb to clean up your smudged lipstick.

Defeated, you slip back to your seat and lean against his shoulder. He runs a hand through your hair before readjusting his pants. Just in time too, as the light in front of you brightens as the end of the tunnel comes into view.

“Tonight,” you whisper in his ear as the car slows to a stop.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

did we ever get a straight answer as to where animorphs takes place? my personal headcanon is santa cruz cause of that one time comment about jake not seeing a boardwalk from the ocean and santa cruz has a really cool boardwalk lmao

Canon clues have allowed us to narrow it down to:

Costal city (1)

Southern California (2)

Not Santa Barbara (3)

Not Los Angeles (4)

But other than that, we don't know! So Santa Cruz could fit.

1. We know it's a costal non-rural area because, like OP said, there's a boardwalk within walking distance of the kids' homes. There are also dozens of books (#4, #15, #32, etc.) that feature the kids spending their days on a public beach. We also know that there are at least a few large office buildings (#23, #30) so it's not a tiny town.

2. #54 states that Rachel’s body is flown "back to California" for the funeral, making it clear that this is their home state. #51 states that "the state capital" (so, Sacramento) is "over 200 miles north" of the hork-bajir valley, so this isn't San Francisco.

3. Jake states in #54 that "I bought my parents a house in Santa Barbara" and they "moved" there, suggesting that this is a relocation to a different city than the one he grew up in. (Setting my Animorphs fics there was artistic license; at the time, it was the only SoCal city I'd ever visited and I had cousins living there whom I could DM with questions about the area.)

4. Ruling out L.A. is mostly deduction, but it's notable that Cassie’s land backs up onto a national forest, Marco's apartment is within walking distance of the beach, and a short bike ride will take you from one to the other (#4, MM2). It's my understanding that the best bicyclist in the world couldn't get from the woods-and-canyons part of L.A. to the coast of L.A. in less than an hour, so they're probably not in the city proper.

[rabbitcruiser]

Willow Creek Picnic Area and Beach, CA (No. 1)

The California state legislature passed a law in 1915 that allowed the state to use convict labor under the control of the State Board of Prison Directors and prison guards. In 1918, state highway engineer Lester Gibson led a mule pack train along the Big Sur coast to complete an initial survey to locate the future Coast Highway.  When the convict labor law was revised in 1921, it gave control of the convicts and camps to the Division of Highways, although control and discipline remained with the State Board of Prison Directors and guards. The law helped the contractors who had a difficult time attracting labor to work in remote regions of the state.

The first contract was awarded in 1921. The contractor Blake and Heaney built a prison labor camp for 120 prisoners and 20 paid laborers at Piedras Blancas Light Station. They began work on 12 miles (19 km) of road between Piedras Blancas Light Station near San Simeon and Salmon Creek. Most of the road lay within San Luis Obispo County. As they progressed, the work camp was moved 9 miles (14 km) north to Willow Creek and then another 10 miles (16 km) north to Kirk Creek. When the section to Salmon Creek was completed, the crew began work on the road north toward Big Creek.Looking north toward Big Creek Bridge with Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve above the highway

Contractor George Pollock Company of Sacramento started construction next on one of the most remote segments, a 13 miles (21 km) stretch between Anderson Canyon and Big Sur in September, 1922. The region was so remote and access so poor that the company brought most of its supplies and equipment in by barge at a sheltered cove near the middle of the project. Machines were hoisted to the road level using steam-powered donkey engines.

Construction required extensive excavation utilizing steam shovels and explosives on the extremely steep slopes. The work was dangerous, and accidents and earth slides were common. One or more accidents were reported nearly every week. Equipment was frequently damaged and lost. In one incident, a steam shovel fell more than 500 feet (150 m) into the ocean and was destroyed.

Overcoming all the difficulties, the crews completed two portions of the highway in October, 1924, the southern section from San Simeon to Salmon Creek and a second segment from the Big Sur Village south to Anderson Creek. When these sections were completed, the contractor had used up all of the available funds and work was halted.

California Governor Friend William Richardson felt the state could not afford to complete the 30 miles (48 km) remaining, including the most difficult section remaining between Salmon Creek and Anderson Canyon.

Source: Wikipedia

[lboogie1906]

Rodney Glen King (April 2, 1965 – June 17, 2012) was a victim of police brutality. He was a taxicab driver. He was born in Sacramento. He moved with his parents to Altadena when he was 2. On March 3, 1991, he was the victim of a brutal police beating that occurred in the San Fernando Valley. Caught on tape by a local witness, the video showed four LAPD officers restraining and repeatedly striking him with their batons while six other officers stood by, gaining international notoriety as the beating was broadcast around the world.

The incident began at 12:30 am on March 3, when a California Highway Patrol team attempted to pull him over for speeding, he led the police on a 7.8-mile high-speed chase. He pulled over at a dark park entrance. He was shot twice with Taser stun darts, kicked, and beaten with batons for eighty-one seconds before he was handcuffed. He suffered a broken cheekbone and multiple facial fractures, lacerations on the forehead, a fracture of the distal fibula in the right leg, and various bruises, contusions, and abrasions.

They were white LAPD officers, and the LAPD had a long record of brutality against African Americans. Four LAPD officers were arrested and charged with assault and use of excessive force. The trial was moved from downtown Los Angeles to suburban Simi Valley, where a jury without any African Americans was chosen. Three of the officers were exonerated and another was acquitted of all but one charge.

The announcement of the verdict spurred four days of rioting in Los Angeles beginning on April 29, 1992. A twenty-five-square block section of the city was torched. Fifty-four people died in the riots, two thousand were injured, and nearly ten thousand were arrested. More than eight hundred buildings were burned, and damage estimates neared a billion dollars. The riots touched off similar outbursts in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and other cities across the US.

The officers charged with beating him were prosecuted federally for civil rights violations. Two of the officers were convicted and sentenced to thirty months in prison. He was awarded $3.8 million in his lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Catching Out: Part Two

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~1.8k

Summary: Spencer has his suspicions about your parents but you refuse to even listen to him. There is nothing going on with your parents... right? No, they’re normal parents that are just overprotective of you. Spencer is just being paranoid.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: So, I know in previous episodes I had mentioned the reader's birthday is in February, but I forgot that when I wrote this episode. I have decided to change it to April since I've also based some other episodes around her birthday being in April. So, from now on, the reader's birthday is now in April.

I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

x

The nearest train tracks around the Modesto home are only a mile away, given it's close enough for the unsub to get off the train and watch the couple he killed for a few nights. There are freight haulers at the train station, and they are willing to talk to you, Derek, Emily, and Rossi when you arrive.

"The guy we're looking for is using freight trains to get around. He targets homes within a mile of the tracks," Derek says after he explained what's going on.

"Bulls and 'bos don't usually cross paths."

"Bulls and 'bos?"

"They call rail cops bulls. We call them 'bos, as in hobos."

"You're saying you rarely see hobos around here?" Rossi asks.

"I see them plenty. To tell you the truth, I'm nothing more than an armed scarecrow. When they see me coming, they get the hell away. Their biggest problem is with each other. If you get two of them in one boxcar, it usually gets ugly."

"So, if a 'bo jumps off one of these trains in a new town, is there someplace he goes first?"

"The jungle. That's what they call the camps. A local one's a couple of hundred yards that way," the man points to where it is.

"Do you happen to have a vending machine in here?"

"Yeah."

Rossi thinks if he has food for them, then they might be willing to tell them what they want to know. Your phone rings, and you step off to the side and answer your boyfriend.

"Where are you?" he asks.

"We're just off Highway 99. We just got done talking to the freight haulers. I think I'm going to drive back up to you and leave them down here. Though, I can tell this area is nothing but crops. There are neighborhoods on one side, and the other are all crops."

"They are farmlands. You can't see that from standard road maps."

"The railway track runs parallel to Highway 99 most of the way. I think I'm seeing a lot of what the unsub saw."

"Most of central California is one big valley. It's a flat basin surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides, supported by rivers, lakes, and aqueducts. It's ideal for farming."

"Well, I don't know what it gets us, but I think we should at least factor it into the conversation."

"I agree."

"I'll see you in about an hour." You hang up on him and approach Rossi who has a couple of candy bars in his hand. "I think I'm going to drive up to Sacramento. You two can handle it down here, right?"

"Yeah. We got it."

"I'm going to come with you," Emily says.

By the time you two get to the headquarters in Sacramento, they are ready to give the profile. Spencer told Hotch and JJ about the farmlands, so they have a better-sculpted profile to give.

"Let's get started," Hotch announces. "I'd just like to reiterate that this unsub is not getting around on Highway 99. His travels are linked near railway lines."

"He's targeted five homes and killed eight people in six weeks. We're looking for a male, indigent transient between the ages of twenty-five and forty-five. He's fit enough for the physical demands of train hopping, or 'catching out' as they call it," you inform.

"He'll be bruised from jumping on and off trains, and he might also be beaten up from just defending himself in any kind of turf war. He may look homeless, but he's taking clothing from his victims' homes. So, he'll be the only transient on the tracks in clean clothing."

"The trains and the rail yards are his home. When he gets tired of these, he chooses a house to make his own," Hotch says.

"He'll have a pronounced red, dry rash around his mouth and nose. It's what's commonly referred to as a 'sniffer's rash'."

"How do you know that?"

"He takes household cleaners and sniffs them," you explain. "We believe he's abusing them as psychoactive inhalants. He'll use nail polish remover, glue, paint thinner, lighter fluid, or whatever is the cheapest high available. They're referred to as 'tollyheads' because they derive a high from sniffing toluene, a chemical solvent. Once inhaled, the effects are felt instantaneously."

"We believe he's living out a fantasy in these homes. The fantasy is that it is his house for the night. He spends hours enjoying the comforts of his victims' homes. Upon leaving, he takes clothing, money, jewelry, and small electronics. If you get close to him, you won't miss him. He will smell like a combination of human filth and paint thinner."

"Please spread this around to the other departments in neighboring cities. Thank you."

The profile is disbanded, and you look at JJ who takes a seat tiredly. She places a hand on her stomach, and both you and Spencer walk over to her.

"Are you okay?" you ask and sit next to her.

"He's kicking a lot today," she chuckles.

"In the third trimester, there's an average of thirty fetal movements per hour. Babies kick to explore movement and strengthen muscle," Spencer explains.

"Have you ever actually felt a baby kick?" When he shakes his head, she grabs his hand and places it over the area where her son is moving. "Do you feel that?"

"Doesn't that freak you out?"

"No, not at all. Why? Does it freak you out?"

"Very much so."

"Okay, I see how it is," you nod.

Spencer looks at you with a weird expression, but you don't say anything more about it. You and JJ lock eyes, and she knows exactly what you're thinking. JJ's phone rings, and she answers it when she sees it's Penelope.

"Hey, Garica."

"Bad news alert."

"Hold on a second," you tell her. "Guys!" Hotch, the detective in charge, and Emily walk in when you call them. "Go ahead."

"Earlier, I had Garcia look into all unsolved burglary homicides in central California while paying particular attention to small farm towns."

"I found his DNA in three more cities."

"How did I miss this?" the detective sighs.

"Small towns don't always link their evidence up to state or national DNA databases. It can happen when unsubs cross jurisdictional lines."

"What are the cities, Pen?" you ask.

"Tehachapi, Vacaville, and Orange Cove. They're all farm towns, and all super far away from Highway 99."

"Thanks, Garcia. Could you look into the farm life surrounding those areas? The sales of the crops, maybe?"

"I'll hit you back when I have more."

JJ gets up and waddles over to the fan that is blasting. The air conditioner must either be out or not working well. Being pregnant is hard enough, so you want to make this as easy as possible for her. You grab some cold water and a damp cloth and approach her with a smile.

"Here. It looks like you need it."

"Thank you."

She takes the water and gulps half of it down before placing the cloth on her forehead. You kneel next to her chair and look at her stomach with a smile.

"May I?"

"Of course."

You place your hand on her stomach, and she moves it to the spot where her son is kicking. Your eyes light up at the feeling.

"I'm not going to lie. I kind of miss this. It was different before, of course, but when I felt my daughter kick for the first time... It didn't matter how old I was or what happened. At that moment, I felt pure joy."

"How is she doing?"

"She calls and texts me, but she has her own life. She knows I'm here if she ever needs me though. With your baby, though, I am going to be the best aunt ever. I'm going to spoil the shit out of him." You realize your mistake and smile shyly. "Sorry. I don't mean to cuss around him."

"Would you consider having babies with Spencer?"

You look behind you at Spencer and Emily, and you can't help the smile from forming on your face.

"In a heartbeat," you say truthfully. "I'd be very lucky to have his kids, and they'd be lucky to have Spencer as a dad. I can picture it now. He'd play chess with them, but our baby girl would want to play with her dolls instead. He'd read them bedtime stories and dance with them to the music on an old radio. He'd perform magic for them because they'd laugh and he'd never want to stop making them laugh."

"You're happy."

"I am. He makes me feel like I'm the only woman in the world. It's why this is so hard with my parents. My dad doesn't like him, and it hurts me. I know he'll come around eventually, but I just wish he'd get there sooner."

"It'll be alright. I know it."

Spencer looks behind him at you and JJ in thought. Emily sees the look he's giving you, so she nudges him.

"Are you considering it?"

"Considering what?"

"Having baby geniuses one day?" she smiles.

"With Y/N? In a heartbeat," he says truthfully. You two have been together for over two and a half years. He's not ready to be a dad, but he knows that one day, he'd love to have some with you. "I'd be very lucky to have kids with her one day."

Penelope calls Spencer back, and he calls in you, JJ, Hotch, and the detective.

"I've noticed in the cities, including the new ones we've discovered that there's a spike in the sales of certain crops during the time the unsub is there. In the last week of August, the apples in Tehachapi spiked. In the first week of September, the tomatoes in Bakersfield rose. In the second week of September, the fall squashes in Fresno were high."

"He's in town whenever there is a big harvest. If this unsub is riding trains from town to town during big harvests who doesn't have a car or permanent residence, then we're looking at a migrant farm worker."

There is news of another murder close to where you are, so you quickly head over there. The murder is still fresh, so the victims are still lying on the ground in their bedroom. You can't look at the victims without seeing the unsub beating them over and over again.

"He left a shirt on his male victim again," Hotch says.

"That's not all he left." Spencer holds up the newspaper that was printed a couple of days ago. The headline reads 'Modesto Couple Victims of Highway 99 Killer'. "This was printed before we released to the press he's using trains to get around."

"He's taunting us, telling us he's smarter than we are because we got his mode of transportation wrong. The more confident he gets, the more he's experimenting with his ritual."

"The first few murders were five to eight days apart. This one was just one day since Modesto. If we don't find him soon, he's killing another couple tonight."

"Okay, this couple is Hispanic. The previous couples were Caucasian. He switched his victim profile," you say.

"I don't think he knows or cares what race they were. I think this house was just an easy target."

Spencer's phone rings, and he places them on speakerphone.

"Yeah?"

"So, we got something," JJ says from the office. "The jewelry stolen from the home in Sacramento turned up at a pawn shop in Modesto. Garcia just sent you a picture from the security cam. The employee said he was about 5'8", slight build, late thirties, and has dark skin with a red rash around his mouth."

"Circulate the picture, JJ," Hotch says.

"I'm already on it."

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[mariacallous]

Every so often along 99 between Bakersfield and Sacramento there is a town: Delano, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Modesto, Stockton. Some of these towns are pretty big now, but they are all the same at heart, one- and two- and three-story buildings artlessly arranged, so that what appears to be the good dress shop stands beside a W. T. Grand store, so that the big Bank of America faces a Mexican movie house. Dos Peliculas, Bingo Bingo Bingo. Beyond the downtown (pronounced downtown, with the Okie accent that now pervades Valley speech patterns) lie blocks of old frame houses - paint peeling, sidewalks cracking, their occasional leaded amber windows overlooking a Foster’s Freeze or a five-minute car wash or a State Farm Insurance office; beyond those spread the shopping centers and the miles of tract houses, pastel with redwood siding, the unmistakable signs of cheap building already blossoming on those houses which have survived the first rain. To a stranger driving 99 in an air-conditioned car (he would be on business, I suppose, any stranger driving 99, for 99 would never get a tourist to Big Sur or San Simeon, never get him to the California he came to see), these towns must seem so flat, so impoverished, as to drain the imagination. They hint at evenings spent hanging around gas stations, and suicide pacts sealed in drive-ins.

But remember:

Q. In what way does the Holy Land resemble the Sacramento Valley? A. In the type and diversity of its agricultural products.

U.S. 99 in fact passes through the riches and most intensely cultivated agricultural region in the world, a giant outdoor hothouse with a billion-dollar-crop. It is when we remember the Valley's wealth that the monochromatic flatness of its towns takes on a curious meaning, suggests a habit of mind some would consider perverse. There is something in the Valley mind that reflects a real indifference to the stranger in his air-conditioned car, a failure to perceive even his presence, let alone his thoughts or wants. An implacable insularity in the seal of these towns. I once met a woman in Dallas, a most charming and attractive woman accustomed to the hospitality and social hypersensitivity of Texas, who told me that during the four war years her husband had been stationed in Modesto, she had never once been invited inside anyone's house. No one in Sacramento would find this story remarkable. ("She probably had no relatives there," said someone to whom I told it), for the Valley towns understand oen another, share a peculiar spirit. They think alike and they look alike. I can tell Modesto from Merced, but I have visited there, gone to dances there; besides, there is over the streets of Modesto an arched sign which reads:

WATER- WEALTH CONTENTMENT - HEALTH

There is no such sign in Merced.

From "Notes from a Native Daughter" in Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

[gumballavocadoharry]

How Jack met Alice: Jack Chambers:

*This is not a part of 'don't worry darling'! This is just a random scenario of how Jack and Alice first met each other! Also time rewind as because if Susan and Roger were born in the 50's, then Jack and Alice had met around the 40's.*

Jack had just shot out from the pervaded streets of New York City and into the more rural, sleepy city of Sacramento. He had unloaded boxes from the back of his ocean Buick and took in the brown cube shapes one by one into the pristine bachelor pad he rented for himself. Jack could all picture it: the couch would be neighbors to the kitchen, the dining table would be only sideways into the living room and the bedroom would be decorated in posters of cars and....maybe a small Lauren Bacall picture hanging somewhere.

Jack wanted a fresh outlook from the usual hometown streets of his New York City neighborhood. His old townhouse apartment supported him while he majored his studies in technology. Jack wanted to be an engineer and worked hard at his different odd jobs as a mechanic, a bartender, a supermarket attendant and most recently, a piano player at a jazz club.

Despite finishing his studies, Jack became excited at the idea of being a 'musician' in the public eye. He didn't hop into a position at as an engineer just yet, but he didn't abrade that from his list. Jack had settled down by now; the strong passions and desires of his youthful roaring 20's had worn itself out by now. He traveled a lot, smoked, drank, did some sordid things with friends, grappled the seams of independence from his parents, whom he still left in the suburbs of Buffalo.

"Oh Jack, that's so far away!" His mother exclaimed, "Even with route 66, it'll still take a week to get there!" Jack knew breaking the news to his parents would be very arduous. But he couldn't blindside them with no explanation to where he was going. "This is something that's going to be good for me. And besides, California's not so bad."

Jack glanced over to his father, who was sitting in his usual chair. His eyes were widened, a bit glossy like his eyes had been sprayed with clear coating. Jack lowered his head and shot back to his mother. He notched a crooked smile with pity eyes, shoving his piercing dimples in their faces.

That innocent smile that he's gotten from his mother and those mystifying, scheming eyes he inherited from his father, except with more character...kindness, a gentleness like a fuzzy wool teddy bear with button eyes. They were the softest green eyes that would make you run to him, arms wide with whatever was on your mind, yet they still struck a measure of uncomplicated meekness and scrutiny.

His mother threw her arms around his tall lanky neck and buried her face into his shirt. "We'll miss you." She said, quiet with unsureness. Was this really a decision she had to accept from her child? Jack's father uprooted himself from the chair and for the rarest occasion, he hugged Jack from behind. Jack's mind raced, almost in a solace he created from emotionally distancing himself from the hug for a temporary moment.

His heart pitter pattered as this was just as much as the nerve racking step he had taken upon telling his parents he was moving out for the first time. Jack could still remember the look on his mother's face. Granted she knew- just like any other mother- that he child's desire to leave the nest would only be a normal cry of growing up; the tears still didn't dry themselves. In fact, she grieved like she had lost her child in an accident, when he had only moved a couple miles away into the city.

Jack wasn't too aware of the nature to her despair, but he would only come to harbor it once he himself became a father to two children.

Jack's father had only given him a pat on the back; suckling in his despondency for the sake and pride of masculinity. But it was actually Jack who had no tears in the regards.

*******************************

He looked at the picture of himself, a younger version with his friends after a trip to the cabins. Even the innocence of his eyes were shaded differently than who he was now. Jack sighed to himself with sentiment before unsettling the rest of his belongings.

The picture glass window that was a glassed in cavity to the baby blue sky of the evening that was sun dusted in orange. Despite all the moving and unpacking Jack had done earlier in the day, he still didn't hesitate to put on his dressy black slacks, a clean navy blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He took one last glance at the apartment before grabbing his jacket and departing.

"Jack!" He shot his head up to see Mr. Granderson, the landlord and next door neighbor to Jack. "How are liking the place so far?" Jack couldn't help but unwind a convivial grin. "It's very nice. I'm especially fond of the bay window in the living room." Mr. Granderson showed a toothy grin. "That's one of my favorite features too! I had it specially installed because it really gave class to the place."

Even Jack had to give a nod for how well put together and clean his new home really was. He scanned his watch, trying to cordially end the conversation. "Aw gee, I gotta go, but it was really nice talking to you Mr. Granderson," The middle aged man smiled warmly, "Please, call me Charlie."

Jack lifted his smile higher and winked before running off.

There it was.....The Demally. One of Sacramento's finest clubs in the city. Jack walked in, hung his jacket on the workers coat rack and took his position at the piano. His fingers pattered over the keys with such nuance and grace like he had played this machine all his life. But nope....he had only tempted the skill a few weeks before applying for the job.

The place immediately had the vibe of classiness; like it had become one of elegance in the break of New York City; headlights flashing its glow onto the club, gathering all people from everywhere into this newfound worldly scenery. But the coasts and sunsets of Cali were just fine for Jack. The owner couldn't ignore the panache poise style Jack had mastered in his piano skills. The thick aroma of smoke; smell of cigarettes would sometimes bug Jack's eyes, but he lowered his head to focus mostly on his playing.

The following week, Jack received his first paycheck from his new job that was double than what he expected. "Oh gosh, thank you!" He wanted to hug Benny, his boss, from pure happiness, but decided a firm handshake would seal in his gratitude. The weeks went on and on; Jack would play his soulful melodies and people everywhere would ask who 'the man on the piano was?'.

Jack's ego was built on compliments and praise for his skills on the piano, but still kept his humble point of view of matters. And then....a blonde lady walked in with her friends.

Jack's eyes skipped between her and the piano keys. He was pleased when the ladies were enthralled by the feisty sounds of the club music. "Alice, why don't we get drinks?" Her redhead friend suggested. Cigarette in between fingers and perilous tassel black dress, Jack knew this girl's type. Alice, the shy but observant blonde wore a red curve hugging dress with her hair twisted into a ponytail. Jack couldn't take his eyes off her sweet face.

Even from the piano, she wore a vibrant smile and sophisticated sense. Her red fingernails wrapped around the martini with such elegance. Even when her red lips latched onto the cup, she still drank it with delicate manner. Slowly biting the olive sticking out of it-

Bonk!

Jack's eyes widened when he realized he hit a wrong key; souring the note. His cheeks blushed a hot red, sending a drunk smile and mouthing an apology before correcting the musical pattern. He was so focused on the music, that he became taken aback seeing another guy stand over Alice as she was sitting alone, making her visibly uncomfortable. "Come on baby, come with me tonight," He grabbed her arm, which she struggled to wrestle out of. "No! I'm not that type of girl!"

She tried signaling for her friend, Mary, who was still in the bathroom powdering her nose. Jack watched to grueling scene, seeing Alice try fighting off the guy. "Leave me alone!" Jack found himself shooting up from the bench and grabbing the guy's shirt collar.

"She said 'leave her alone!'" His teeth were gritted, still having a furious grip on to the man's shirt making eyes boggle in their direction. "What are you gonna do about it?" He gave Jack a hard shove. Jack lifted his fist to throw the first punch, but was stopped upon seeing the crowd and remembering Benny; he would be fired instantly for disrupting his place of business.

Instead, Jack motioned for Benny to come over. "This guy making trouble?" Jack and Alice nodded, before the man was escorted off the premises. "Are you alright?" Alice nodded, but still looked down at her feet. "Thank you." She snatched her purse from the table and stormed into the bathroom.

Jack went back to the piano, continuing his song. A bunch of chatter came from the women's restroom before he saw Alice storm out and leave the club. A couple later, Mary, Alice's friend, went over to Jack. "Have you seen my friend? She's the one you saved from that drunk guy?"

Jack's cheeks blushed, "Uh, I think she left." Mary nodded and sent a him a smile. "Thank you. Alice is kinda of your independent type girl...doesn't want a superman." She joked. Jack smiled, "I saw someone in trouble.....I was afraid of what would've happened."

Mary nodded with a smile, "Thank you again." Jack watched Mary walk away to fetch her friend while he stayed at the piano.

The morning was fresh. The birds sung their daily tune, the sun rose to its platform and the radiance of the sky spotlighted everything from the greeny trees to the black streets and tan sidewalks of the city.

Jack awoke in his messy bed head, stomach grumbling from the scamper of a dinner he had the night before he left for work. But the only thing that stood vivid in his brain was Alice. The woman he had saved; her beautiful smile, the one she had when she was dancing with Mary. It broke Jack's heart more than it should've when her smile dropped and turned into a look of humiliation from the wondering eyes around the trio.

The man traveled into his kitchen for a simple meal of toast with cereal. He had a big day ahead of him. Jack hadn't forgotten about his engineering credentials from college. He sent in several copies of his resumes to different companies who would accept him. Today he had an interview with Marshall institutes. He out on one his best suits and hopped out the door, heart pounding louder than his stomach.

The car ride was just clamor of cars shooting back and forth on the freeway, Jack's being one of them. Sweat beads dripped a little from his head; mostly from the blamed humidity of the morning and the unspoken fraught steaming inside of Jack's chest. If he could bite his nails now, they'd be nubs.

Jack's nerves didn't exactly ease when he pulled into a parking space. Out of anything, they worsened. Jack could count the amount of gulps that jumped down his throat. He cleared his throat, did tongue exercises and straightened his tie before walking into the office with superficial confidence.

He stopped at the receptionist's desk ready to alert Mr. Mackenzie of his arrival. "Hello, are you here on an appointment?" A friendly voice asked. A recognizable voice....Jack furrowed his eyebrows before looking into the green eyes of Alice. The girl at the club.

Her hair, perfectly pitched into a bun, her cherry red lips complimented the cat eye she did in her liner. Her forgery eyelashes that hooded her kitty cat eyes seemed to show a similar glance of realization in them. "Uh-" She stuttered over her words a little. Jack was no better as he allowed the awkward silence of the sounds of his dry mouth to echo through the aperture.

"H-Hi, I'm Jack....Jack Chambers, I'm here on a interview with Mr. Mason Mackenzie?" Jack breaking the silence made a flabbergasted Alice shake her head and immediately searched his name. "Oh yes, Mr. Chambers....he's right in his office." Alice telephoned her boss who had sent a green light for Jack's entry.

"Thank you." Jack smiled his best professional one before carefully stepping into the elevators. The hallway seemed long and empty; only the sounds of telephones ringing off the hook and meeting chatter were the only sounds that bounced off the walls. But compared to Jack's mouse steps, they clobbered him in professional dominance. Even with all the tumult circling around, the isolation of Jack alone in this protracted hallway rang louder.

"Mr. Mackenzie?" Jack knocked on the door. "Oh come Mr. Chambers!" The man seemed nice enough. He greeted Jack with a polite smile and approving looks seeing the young man came prepared with his suitcase and formal suit of dress. Jack sat anxiously in the chair, crossing his legs and tapping his foot so lightly as not to disturb the interview.

"I see you graduated from Columbia University?" Jack nodded, "Yes, I majored in technology and engineering." Mr. Mackenzie looked through Jack's resume. "Tell me, why do you think you'd be a good fit at Marshall Institute?"

"Well, I know I have the skills to fulfill the type of position that's needed. I had training before in those areas and have been working with them at several jobs before. Plus I feel like this would be a good opportunity for me to gain more skills and challenge myself in providing the best service possible."

Jack wanted to face palm himself. To him, he sounded like a pamphlet they hand you for a vacation. His heartbeat sped up when he realized he sounded external. Or maybe not....at least not Mr. Mackenzie.

Jack was saving those words for his cover letter, but apparently that was all Mr. Mackenzie needed to hear. "I really like that about you Mr. Chambers. You have such a positive work ethic. Well," The man stood up and reached for Jack's hand. "You are definitely on my recommendation list. I'll give you a call if anything changes."

He shook Jack's hand and handed him back his portfolio. "You have a nice day." Jack smiled, "Thank you, you too." Jack put his portfolio in his briefcase before heading out. The long hallway didn't seem so long anymore. He trailed through it before reaching the elevators. Inside, Jack realized he would see Alice again. His heart sped to maximum speed and his breaths sounded like a panting dog whose eyes were fastened onto a bone that they so desperately wanted to fetch.

The doors opened and Jack hustled out of there, eyes expediting towards the front desk. Alice wasn't at her desk, but much less coming back to it. Jack got a clear view of her white top that was cover in a grey open sweater and a black office pencil skirt with matching heels. Her silver watch that was smaller wrapped around her wrist compared to Jack's bulky black one around his, made all the more contrast.

"Mr. Chambers?" Jack's head looked to Alice's direction. She walked over with a shy girl like stance. "I just wanted to give a proper thank you for helping me last night at the club..." Her cheeks went red, "I was just embarrassed, so I ran out of there. Mary sure got an earful." Alice's eyes went to the floor again. Jack chuckled. "She asked for you when you left. She came up to my piano and I told her you went outside." Alice beamed. She licked her lips and blushed again. "You can play the piano really pretty...it had such a classy, sophisticated tune to it." Jack blushed and shrugged.

"Thanks....I'm glad you're okay by the way," He looked down again, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause a scene....you know.....I was gonna punch that guy, but I knew how my boss would feel about that. He likes to keep the place upscale......That's something I've always had to work on," Jack looked embarrassed upon saying it.

Alice's eyes widened, "Yeah....respectfully but....you've got quite the temper." She giggled. Jack laughed, "It's a Chambers men trait...I guess... I don't know.....I just...panicked." Alice's heart beat louder than desired. There was something about Jack's protective awe that excited her. His broad shoulders, and slight rasp to his voice swirled Alice into a fantasy land of her own.

"I'm Jack, by the way," He held his hand out. Alice blinked, snapping her from her thoughts, "I'm Alice." She shook his hand. "I know you probably already know....because, wel....my name was on the list." Jack's eyes motioned towards the desk. Alice giggled.

"I knew your name already too...I heard your friend Mary call you 'Alice'." Alice blushed, "You got me," She pointed a finger, joking. She looked down at her feet again, "Well, I better get back to work,"

"Me too.....will I see you tonight at the Demally?" Alice's breath became slightly heavy. "Maybe...." She threw off a flirtatious look. But deep down, the effects of last night still played like a record in her mind. Jack could sense it. "Don't worry....if anyone tries to hurt you...I'll have em thrown out." Jack said with a protective arrogance.

"I don't need superman," Alice smirked; going back to her desk. "Your friend said the same thing to me too." Jack licked his lips, "But the way I see it, everyone needs a hero from time to time.....I know how things are right now but......" Jack came closer to her desk, "I find a lady in red to be quite my style."

Alice shot her head up but Jack snatched her a wink and a smile before walking out, leaving Alice without a breath.

The sun lit sidewalk, illuminated Jack's careful steps through as he was marking a way to his car. A thud had bounced off shoulders; upon looking down to see a bright red rubber ball. He picked it up, scanning it to see where it came from. "Sorry about that mister," Jack turned to see a group of kids. "We were playing and it accidentally rolled over here." One of the boys piped up. Jack waved a friendly smile to them.

"Oh, it's quite alright," He handed them back the ball. "I'm a bit of a kickball player myself." He chuckled. That convinced the kids to smile. "Thank you!" Jack gave them back the ball and they all ran off like puppy dogs, waiting for the toy to thrown for them to fetch. Jack smiled to himself. The thought of having kids mitigated into to him like it was his natural purpose. Hearing the laughter from his children playing in the yard, the giggles before bedtime and the sounds of their snoring noses from a long a day in the sun.

The picture made Jack's heart flutter. Usually it was the mother who would daydream about changing diapers or going on long walks with the baby carriage, but it was something that was no surprise or aloof for Jack. "In my day, a father couldn't raise children without a wife....they'd just ship em to an orphanage or with a grandparent or other relative...that is if they'd want them."

Those words came from the sour mouth of Jack's father. In his mind, a father was meant to work grueling hours rather than be at home with his children. He was meant to doll out harsh discipline whenever his children stepped out of line, and affection: kisses, cuddles, lullabies were meant for the mother.

Jack rolled his eyes at his father's illiterateness of human nature. He valued social merit rather than reasoning with himself of the makeup of a man and a woman. But nonetheless, Jack shook off the thought and marched to his car, keeping his mind sharp on his job. Of course, a well deserved coffee break was needed.

Jack parked in lot, scanning over important documents from his portfolio while sipping his coffee and munching on a muffin. His mind became swirled into this loop of Alice, Mr. Mackenzie and the Demally and Benny. Alice spun the loudest. Her song like voice still echoed in Jack's head of her "not needing superman." Oh, and how could he forget that black seemed to also be her color.

His stomach knotted itself once his mind ran over the Demally. He hoped she'd be there....alone, without Mary.....but just her....and him...and her laying on top of the piano as he played a sweet sexy tune...

Jack snapped his thoughts from anything else. He swallowed the rest of his coffee and shoved away his portfolio. Jack managed to return to his apartment and unlock the front door, only to plop down on the couch, completely exhausted. His eyes scanned the clock that only read 11:23. Marked with the auspicious daylight, Jack realized that it was late morning. You think downing that coffee would make me jump awake? Jack thought. He rubbed his eyes and decided a good lunch would be a wake up call for him.

Jack made a turkey sandwich with a bottle of pepsi before sitting down in front of his TV, turning on a detective show. The casual lunch put his mind at ease for a little while at least. The morning newspaper had been read. Then 8:00 struck.

The man found himself scrambling to put on his best suit for Alice- The Demally. Jack donned a grey suit jacket with a white dress shirt, black slacks and black dress shoes. He grabbed his car keys, his house keys and his wallet before scampering out the door in a discreet fashion.

The Demally was already packed. Jack managed to find the piano and sat down to play a twinkle of jazz notes for his arrival. The crowd actually cheered and clapped when Jack's fingers had hit the gauzy polished white keys of the instrument. Jack's glances went back and forth to the piano and the crowd....searching for Alice. And sure enough....there she was. All dressed in this black and red dress, black dangling earrings and black heels with maroon nails came marching into the scene.....alone.

Jack licked his lips like a hungry wolf; pupils huge because of admiring something that snatched his ripened attention. Coming closer, Alice was wearing a black head band, the same from work with those distinguishable cherry lips and kitty cat eyes. Alice had glanced to Jack, only to turn away with teenage girl crush like feelings. Her infatuation made her cheeks sting the color of her dress, but Jack's alluring eyes and boyish smile didn't seem to fade.

"Could you play me a song please pretty boy?" This curvaceous, olive skinned and black haired lady asked, making sure to shove her melons in Jack's face practically. "Of course, what's your request?" She whispered something in his ear, leaving a gap wide enough for Alice to see the stunning lady tickling Jack's ear with her dark maroon colored lips. But Jackhad his eyebrows pinched the whole time. "That song....it's not a piano melody?"

The woman nodded with a smirk. "Leave that to the band then, and come join me." She kissed his cheek, making Alice storm out in humiliation. Jack, brokenhearted whispered to the band who started to tune, but rushed out to catch Alice.

"Alice?" She was standing there, trying to hail a cab and refusing to look at Jack. He was too tongue tied to say anything, but that didn't stop the man from trying. "You look absolutely beautiful," Alice turned to Jack before turning back, "So was she....you still have her on your cheeks by the way." She hissed a little. Jack ushered his fingers to his cheek, wiping off the lipstick mark. "Yes she was.....but I wasn't looking at her...she shoved herself in my face...but....I noticed you. That's why I ran out here because.....I just couldn't pass up the chance to dance with the most beautiful lady I have ever seen.....well...besides my mother," Jack joked.

"You know how they can have satellite hearing." Alice snorted a little, but still looked down. Jack stepped closer and carefully touched her shoulder. "Please Alice....I told you I like a lady in red.....that woman was wearing black." Jack's eyes held a sneaky, but lovey dovey look. He couldn't deny his smitten for the woman in this moment.

"May I have this dance?" Alice's crush feeling overcame her again and grabbed Jack's hand and wrapped one arm around his shoulder and the other on his back. "Shouldn't we be inside?" She asked, eyelashes twinkling. "I like it here without all the riff raff. Plus....I get to see you in the most beautiful form." Jack leaned in and pressed his nose to Alice's, tips of each other's smooshing. And then......they kissed.

Right there in the moonlight.

************

A couple weeks down the line, Jack had been introduced to the Victory Project, where he became one of the technical engineers. His boss, Frank, was very impressed by the credits Jack had and didn't hesitate to hire him on the spot with an abundant salary.

Of course, that would suit him well once a couple years down the line Jack and Alice had married and settled in San diego, in their new home. Life was indeed perfect for the Chambers couple.

Jack was sitting in one of his favorite chairs, reading the sunday paper. Alice following in with two cups of coffee and a morning kiss. "Jack, I feel so much better than I did last week. I took you advice and went to the doctor," Jack's eyes moved from the paper to meet his wife's green orbs.

"What they say?" Alice chuckled. "I'm expecting."

Jack spat out his coffee and looked to his wife with bewilderment and astonishment. He felt himself falling back in his chair and gleaming happily.

"Yes," He mouthed to himself, "Finally....I'm gonna be a dad."