The Long Summer 23
The new day dawned with a new crew joining the old at the worksite. They were making progress. Xander moved around his people, sometimes surveying and other times lending a helping hand. He kept spirits high with a casual comment here and there. Overall, he felt pleased by the headway they were making.
"Hey, Harris?" The site chief found him on his lunch hour, sipping coffee and sitting on a bench across the street from the worksite.
"Hey boss." Xander tipped the thermos toward him.
"Doing a good job, kid. Inspector just sprang a surprise visit. Passed with flying colors."
"We aim to please." Xander's thumb and forefinger formed a gun and he winked at the chief. "Should be moving up to framing the main building by next week. Basement won't take much longer."
"Good. Good." His boss nodded, pleased. "I was a little worried about you there for a bit Harris. Thought you were going to the bottle too much. But you're all right kid."
Xander pasted on another over bright grin. "Just doing my job, boss."
"Well, keep at it." The older man clapped him on the shoulder. "If we finish this on time, I'm sure the mayor himself will thank you."
"Peachy!"
Xander rolled his eyes once the man's back was turned. He reached inside his denim jacket and pulled out a letter. The postage on the corner seemed overmuch, but then he needed to send it overseas. He twirled the letter in his hand idly contemplating it while sipping the coffee.
"Xander?" The familiar British voice wasn't entirely unexpected.
"Giles." Xander found a smile and squinted into the sun to see the familiar tweed-wearing gentleman wiping his glasses.
As usual.
"What brings you down here? Oh wait. It's a library. It probably calls to you, doesn't it?"
"Hardly." Giles smirked. "Though that is partially why I'm here. Do you mind if I sit?"
"Would you care if I did?" "Well," Giles hesitated. "No, not really. I think there are some things we need to say."
"Well, lay it on me. I've got fifteen minutes until the whistle blows." He tossed back some more of the coffee and waited while Giles settled himself.
"Xander, I know you're aware of what you are building on."
"Yup. I went to school here. I got to be here when we blew it up. I have a lot of fond and absolutely horrifying moments. So I'm up with the location."
"May I ask you why, you are participating then?"
He shrugged. "Because I need to work for a living, Giles. Unlike you, the Watcher's Council doesn't pay my bills. Hell, they don't even bail out their slayer, just let her sling hash or rot in prison, take your pick. I live in the real world."
"You also know what haunts the real world."
"And my starving isn't going to make that any better."
"Do you realize the risk you are putting thes-"
"I'm not putting anyone at risk." Xander cut him off. "I'm doing my job. You don't like the location or the project; take it up with the town council. They voted to put this school back up. They are paying me to do it. That money puts clothes on my back pays my rent and puts food in my refrigerator. If you can offer me a better deal - - - "
He stood and looked down at Giles. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like the inferior. He knew the answer to his challenge. No one was going to pay him for being a roadblock toward the destruction of the planet. It was a feel good position only.
"I didn't think so." He twirled the letter once more then stuck it out to Giles. "I wrote this. Think you can make sure it has enough postage to get to jolly old England?"
"Of course." Giles stood, he seemed befuddled and when he took the letter Xander thought he was going to say something, but then he didn't.
"See you around, G-man."
"Xander - "
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
"Hey, it's me!" Xander pasted on a grin of bravado and gave Giles the thumbs up. He pretended to ignore the 'that's what worries me' that followed his statement and just headed back to the site.
The faster they finished the better it would be.
Yes, the faster they finished.
The new day dawned with a new crew joining the old at the worksite. They were making progress. Xander moved around his people, sometimes surveying and other times lending a helping hand. He kept spirits high with a casual comment here and there. Overall, he felt pleased by the headway they were making.
"Hey, Harris?" The site chief found him on his lunch hour, sipping coffee and sitting on a bench across the street from the worksite.
"Hey boss." Xander tipped the thermos toward him.
"Doing a good job, kid. Inspector just sprang a surprise visit. Passed with flying colors."
"We aim to please." Xander's thumb and forefinger formed a gun and he winked at the chief. "Should be moving up to framing the main building by next week. Basement won't take much longer."
"Good. Good." His boss nodded, pleased. "I was a little worried about you there for a bit Harris. Thought you were going to the bottle too much. But you're all right kid."
Xander pasted on another over bright grin. "Just doing my job, boss."
"Well, keep at it." The older man clapped him on the shoulder. "If we finish this on time, I'm sure the mayor himself will thank you."
"Peachy!"
Xander rolled his eyes once the man's back was turned. He reached inside his denim jacket and pulled out a letter. The postage on the corner seemed overmuch, but then he needed to send it overseas. He twirled the letter in his hand idly contemplating it while sipping the coffee.
"Xander?" The familiar British voice wasn't entirely unexpected.
"Giles." Xander found a smile and squinted into the sun to see the familiar tweed-wearing gentleman wiping his glasses.
As usual.
"What brings you down here? Oh wait. It's a library. It probably calls to you, doesn't it?"
"Hardly." Giles smirked. "Though that is partially why I'm here. Do you mind if I sit?"
"Would you care if I did?" "Well," Giles hesitated. "No, not really. I think there are some things we need to say."
"Well, lay it on me. I've got fifteen minutes until the whistle blows." He tossed back some more of the coffee and waited while Giles settled himself.
"Xander, I know you're aware of what you are building on."
"Yup. I went to school here. I got to be here when we blew it up. I have a lot of fond and absolutely horrifying moments. So I'm up with the location."
"May I ask you why, you are participating then?"
He shrugged. "Because I need to work for a living, Giles. Unlike you, the Watcher's Council doesn't pay my bills. Hell, they don't even bail out their slayer, just let her sling hash or rot in prison, take your pick. I live in the real world."
"You also know what haunts the real world."
"And my starving isn't going to make that any better."
"Do you realize the risk you are putting thes-"
"I'm not putting anyone at risk." Xander cut him off. "I'm doing my job. You don't like the location or the project; take it up with the town council. They voted to put this school back up. They are paying me to do it. That money puts clothes on my back pays my rent and puts food in my refrigerator. If you can offer me a better deal - - - "
He stood and looked down at Giles. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like the inferior. He knew the answer to his challenge. No one was going to pay him for being a roadblock toward the destruction of the planet. It was a feel good position only.
"I didn't think so." He twirled the letter once more then stuck it out to Giles. "I wrote this. Think you can make sure it has enough postage to get to jolly old England?"
"Of course." Giles stood, he seemed befuddled and when he took the letter Xander thought he was going to say something, but then he didn't.
"See you around, G-man."
"Xander - "
"Yeah?"
"Be careful."
"Hey, it's me!" Xander pasted on a grin of bravado and gave Giles the thumbs up. He pretended to ignore the 'that's what worries me' that followed his statement and just headed back to the site.
The faster they finished the better it would be.
Yes, the faster they finished.