The Help Box

[birdical]

Who: Elleru's Help Box and you! [OTA]
What: Someone decided the best way to figure out what help people need was to just ask.
Where: Anchor, housing level
When: Thoughout March and into April
Misc: Wasn't sure if this needed to go in the log comm or the network comm, given the format of it, but feel free to hit me up at grimmhooke or on Discord if you've got any questions!

A box has appeared outside the barracks.



It looks something like the above, save for that it is literally rough around the edges: the box itself is fairly nice, but the slot in the top looks as though it was clawed out with a jagged knife, the edges having barely been smoothed over. There's a lock on the front, hanging above some writing painted in a childish, curlicue script. It reads as follows:

❀ Need Help? Looking for Something? Fill Out A Card. I Want to Help You. ❀

And above the box is a bulletin board with a number of colorful, paper flowers pinned to the corners. That must be for replies. Get creative with notes, steal the flowers from the board, ask a vague question with no real answer -- have at it Anchorites, as Elleru's Help Box is open for business... or trolling. Or both.

Comments

[nothinglikefather]

[ Uh huh.

Well... this is interesting. He's seen bulletin boards and help wanted columns in the papers but this is something else. This is an odd, anonymous form of charity that he isn't sure he understands. Or likes.

He's very much used to going out into the world, looking around and doing what he sees needs to be done. The concept of asking people what they want seems counter productive, because you just get arseholes asking for a bathtub full of beer or a lifetime supply of money or something else stupid.

Then again, when someone makes such a sweeping offer, without specifying what is possible, how are you to know what to ask for?

And, when it boils down to it, what do they want in return?]

How much does it cost? Or what will we owe you?

[birdical]

Cost? Do you mean money?

[Do the uprights here have money? What would they even buy with it?]

[nothinglikefather]

Or goods, or services. What do you want in return?

[ Nothing is free, after all. Not when you don't know who is making the offer. ]

[birdical]

I do not require goods or services. I enjoy meeting new people, and too many are afraid to ask for help. ♥ Companionship and learning about others is a reward itself. We are all here together, and we should help one another!

[She might be just a hair idealistic.]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Just a little.

But Jacob is... well. Maybe a tad naive, still, too ready to trust people. And so when that message is posted, Jacob reads it and believes it. ]

Alright. I need to find a boiler. Like a big barrel. Made of metal. We can heat up with liquid in it.

[birdical]

[Well, that's certainly not the kind of request she expected, but if nothing else, it'll give her a chance to snoop around Anchor with purpose.]

What will you use it for?

[nothinglikefather]

Brewing!

[ No one can be upset with that, right? It's a great idea! ]

[birdical]

[Thankfully, she's not upset. Just confused.]

What is brewing? For [some blots and a couple of scratched out words as she was trying to figure out the right one] drinks or potions?

[nothinglikefather]

[ Anyone who was near the box when Jacob came passed the next day would have witnessed his amusement at the reply left for him. ]

The important thing, obviously. Beer. Maybe whiskey if we can work that one out. Anything that isn't techella
techilla tecila.

[birdical]

[Okay, beer and whiskey she knows, and assumes what the last one is through context.]

I will try to find this for you. [And she's drawn a small picture of what appears to be a mug with froth at the top of it, the stereotypical glass of ale.] Or can it be made?

[nothinglikefather]

[ Okay that's cute. He'skeeping that note because that is a damn good picture of a beer and it makes him happy.]

Happy to work together on it but appreciate the help. More eyes etc.

We could make one. I think. But need to find a lot of bits and pieces.

[birdical]

[She hopes the fact he took the note means he liked her drawing -- or maybe he fed it to an animal friend, like one of the visitors to her board and box keeps doing with her paper flowers.]I can look for pieces, as well. But when you have your brewing, do you think we could have a party to celebrate?

[There's another note tacked onto this one with a squiggly line pointing to Qubit's and the replies. Nothing boosts morale like booze, right?]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Rook seems to fend for itself. Sure Jacob feeds it little bits of his own meals, just as he does to Charles' wolf, but he knows paper isn't actually food.

Not until you're really really hungry.]

A party? With booze? Of course!

[birdical]

I will take this offer when you have your boiler. Until then, allow me to search. I will be in contact.

[She's going to find a boiler so hard because she loves her an excuse to party.]