Prosperity: Gran! What are you doing here?
Alice: I’m here checking out the aquarium. Why else would I be here?
Prosperity: I’m just surprised to see you.
Alice: You seem upset. Is everything okay?
The last thing I need is for Gran-Alice to suspect that things are less than kosher with the conservation group. I ignore the colors that threaten to reveal my true feelings.
Prosperity: Oh, yes. Everything is perfect. I couldn’t be happier.
Alice: *not convinced* Uh-hmm.
Prosperity: I promise gran. I’m just out here doing my part to keep this place looking it’s best.
Alice: Well, you know where we are when you decide to stop this little charade. Is that bird crap on your shoulder?
She read my ass like a book, but I’m not about to admit it.
Prosperity: Uh…yeah. A little water, and it’ll be gone. Well…I’d better get to work. I’ll stop by to see you and pop-pop this weekend.
Alice: I look forward to it. I’ll make sure to put clean sheets on your bed.
Prosperity: Don’t put yourself out. I’m fine staying where I am.
Alice: My offer still stands. We’ll go out to lunch too. You’ll be desperate for a decent meal by then.
Gran is relentless. I give up on trying to convince her that my experience with the group is better than it actually is. Avoidance is my game plan now.
Prosperity: Well, I have to go research the …uh, fish. I’ll see you Saturday!
Gran takes off her sunglasses and watches me walk away. I do my best to hold my head high and keep a smile on my face, but my resolve melts away as soon as I’m out of her sight. My life is shit right now.
Gran eventually leaves the aquarium. As soon as I see her heading upstairs, I continue on my mission to have a word with Mr. C.
I find him in a little research room that’s off-limits to the public. I walk right in and take a seat next to him in front of a second computer.
Prosperity: Can I talk to you for a second?
Craig: *continues typing* How can I help you?
Prosperity: You’re wasting my talents, Mr. C.
Craig: I wasn’t aware you had any.
Is he trying to push my buttons? I continue…
Prosperity: I can be a lot more useful to the group than just someone who picks up trash. I want to be a conservationist.
Craig: Do you have a degree in marine biology? Are you even working on one?
Prosperity: No
Craig: What about civil design?
Prosperity: Um…no.
Craig: Do you know how to dive?
Prosperity: No, but –
Craig: *interrupts* So you have no degree, no experience and you haven’t proven yourself. If you’re complaining about cleaning up trash, how can I trust you to do the real work? This job isn’t a walk in the park. It’s thankless with long hours. You want me to give you more responsibility, then show me what you can do with the duties that I’ve already given you because right now, you appear lazy and entitled.
Prosperity: What? I’m not—
Craig: *interrupts again* Then prove me wrong. *turns back to the computer*
I open my mouth and close it again because there’s not much else to say…and he doesn’t seem up to any further discussion.
That did not go as planned. If I want to make living with this group work, I have no choice but to consider what Mr. C has said and prove to him that I’m not what he thinks I am. I get on my bike and head back to camp.
Before we left for the research center, Mr. C was working on upgrading the dew collector. I notice that he never finished, so I give it a try. Keith and Miles return from wherever they spent the day and entertain themselves with a game of chess while I work. Before too long, I manage to finish the upgrade.
I have yet to find a way to occupy my time with the absence of a consistent power source, so I try to make myself useful by cleaning up the beach near camp. Just as I’m getting started, Mr. C walks towards me half-dressed. He’s the last person I want to see right now, but I’m glad that he saw me actually putting in some extra clean up effort.
Prosperity: How’d your research go?
Craig: I’ve got a good start, but there’s still a lot to do.
Prosperity: I’ve just been out here picking up trash.
He doesn’t seem very impressed.
Craig: I’m about to go for a swim. Want to come?
I’d actually like for him to acknowledge my extra clean up efforts and apologize for calling me entitled earlier, but of course, I don’t say that.
Prosperity: No…I think I’ll just head back to camp and see what else needs to be done.
Craig: Do it for the environment, not to prove me wrong. See you later…
With that, he turns and runs towards the water. I watch him hoping he trips and falls on his face. I honestly cannot stand this man.
(Generation 2 Chapter Summaries)
