#Ashamed of your disciplinary record.

[branch-wdk53]

An Impulsive Thought

Characters: Tom, Bong-Bong

Bong-Bong wanted to ask Tom about cannibalism. So she goes to.

“Do you actually like eating people? What do humans taste like?” Bong-Bong asked.

She had found Tom lounging in the Main Room of Disciplinary. It was a self-study day, so the other Disciplinary members were nowhere to be found.

“Damn, at least have some tact when bringing that up.” Tom huffed, scratching the back of his head. Is this the only topic that people seem to think of when talking to him?

Bong-Bong tilted her head, “I had the impulse to try to eat one of the corpses, but the texture of the skin was too off-putting, so I couldn’t.” She admitted.

He looked at her dumbfounded. “…To be honest, I didn’t think you’d be the type to actually try to.”

Back then, Bong-Bong was much more of a nervous wreck. After her encounter with the Mountain of Smiling Bodies, she was utterly terrified of Abnormalities for a while. It was soon discovered that her mental corruption was above threshold, so she was gone for a while.

And when she came back… A slight personality shift was an understatement.

Tom glanced at the ribbons on Bong-Bong’s clothes and body. Maybe her current EGO may have to do with it.

“But for the record, I haven’t actually eaten anyone. Yet, anyway.” He stated. He was only slightly annoyed by people already believing that as fact.

She looked at him quizzically. “I’ve heard that Clerks saw you looming over corpses, taking out their insides and eating them up…”

Tom sighed. “… I… guess I was sorta doing that, except for the eating part,” he said, “I need organs for entirely different reasons.”

He lifted up his shirt, to reveal that his skin and flesh on his abdomen was gone, with the bottom of his rib cage can be slightly seen, and his spine being exposed. There, Bong-Bong saw that some of his organs were graying out and decaying.

He quickly pulls back down his shirt, feeling a bit embarrassed that she barely reacted.

“I just need sorta-fresh insides when I feel like my current ones stop working.” Tom explained.

“Harvesting organs…” Bong-Bong muttered, thinking to herself. “I thought you were maybe a District 23 person, so you weren’t ashamed.”

“Is that how people perceive me…” Tom groaned, leaning his head back. Here he thought doing the organ harvesting more discreetly would’ve been better, but it just made him look more ominous.

“Is that why there were rumors about your endless stomach?” She questioned.

“Rumors? I guess so...” He replied. He didn’t even know there were other rumors…!

“Well… would you still try eating a human?” She asked.

He raises an eyebrow. “I mean… sure. I don’t think I can eat a corpse raw, but if you told me a meat pie had human remains after the fact… then I probably won’t care.” He mused.

“Okay. I’m going to see if I can find a dead body.” She said, standing up.

“…You seem rather insistent on eating someone, huh?”

“Mhm.” She simply nodded.

“Is there a particular reason, or…? Because I thought there’d at least be some hesitancy.” Tom questioned. He generally got the mood from the atmosphere that cannibalism is at least discouraged…

“Mmmh…” Bong-Bong only pondered for a moment, “I just feel like it. And I want to do it as soon as possible.”

And with that, Bong-Bong takes her leave. Tom scratched the back of his neck as he watched her disappear from view.

It’s not like he’s gonna stop her. Though, he is slightly worried about how people might treat her in the future…

It’s… mostly likely fine. Hopefully.

He will admit. His own urges do become painful at points, but he’d rather not act on it for now.

———

Author note time

This came to be thanks to insomnia, and using a wheel spinner to give me an OC interaction to write about. So if you see more oddball combos, this is why.

Sorry if the grammar is bad, I don’t feel like completing proofreading :’)

#facility x-535 #writing.logs #agent.tom #agent.bong-bong

[this-file-has-been-redacted]

ok ok ok ok ok i got a request idea

imagine, ok

lasko after hearing about what kody did ok

he seemed pretty mad pretty angry

what do u think would happen if he confronted kody?

CW: Kody. That pretty much sums it up. In other words, manipulation, gaslighting(?), general unpleasantness

If you asked everyone who knew Lasko to describe him in as many words as they liked, neither angry nor confrontational would be on a single one of those lists. Anger came about as naturally to him as flying. Rarely did he have occasion to get truly mad, but now? What he was feeling right now was the closest to furious he’d ever been. The feeling surged in him with renewed intensity each time he remembered the way the freelancer had looked, small and anxious and ashamed as they told him what the water elemental had done to them. It was the shame in the set of their shoulders and the way they refused to meet his eyes that broke his heart and boiled his blood, like they’d somehow convinced themself that this was on them. He wanted to reach out and wrap his arms around them, offer them all the reassurances he could muster, promise them he’d fix it for them, but that wasn’t his place. He wasn’t even sure they considered him a friend. He hoped they did, wanted to be that for them, but he couldn’t control how they saw him. What he could control, however, was what he did next. The proper thing would be to follow protocol. Talk to his supervisor, report it to the administration, then let them decide on the disciplinary action that would be meted out against the person that had done this. But Lasko wasn’t stupid. He knew the system. He knew what was going to happen-- absolutely nothing. The freelancer was human-born, new to the magical world, and that meant the administration wasn’t going to give two fucks about what happened to them, and this water elemental freak was most likely going to get off with just a minor slap on the wrist and a tiny mark on his record. It wasn’t fair. Lasko wasn’t the type to get angry on his own behalf. Most of the time he just ignored the flaws in the system, pretended he didn’t notice the occasional careless remarks during lectures or the teachers that either over- or underestimated his knowledge and abilities, pretended he had the same shot as anyone else at becoming a professor one day, and the constant need for perfection was his way of trying to live up to his own personal standards instead of trying to prove his worth. But this was different. This was them, and this was important. He couldn’t just ignore it this time. Following proper procedure would’ve been the right thing to do. But, fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it, Lasko had a name. Kody. He didn’t have a last name, but he did know Kody’s magical race, and that was enough. If anyone found out he was using his access to the student database for his personal benefit he would surely be chewed out by his supervisors and most likely fired from being a counsellor, but as he typed Kody’s name and specialty into the appropriate fields and waited. The page loaded and Lasko clicked on the file titled Kody [redacted].

Twenty minutes later, Lasko was glaring across the quad at a dark-haired head bowed a the phone, trying to get up the nerve to approach him. This had seemed like a good idea back in the safety of his office, but following through was an entirely different story, not helped in any way by the fact that he hadn’t actually thought of what he was going to say. What was he going to do, just walk up to Kody and say, “Hey, you bridged with my friend without asking and that was kind of a dick move, so kindly go fuck yourself?” He winced at the thought of how that would play out. He couldn’t do this. This was such a bad idea. He stopped himself before he could turn tail and run, taking a breath and reminding himself of why he was here. The image of the Freelancer’s face flashed in his mind and that was enough to spur him into action, striding determinedly toward the water elemental perched on the picnic table a short distance away. When Lasko stopped in front of him, Kody glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow in a mixture of confusion and annoyance. “Can I help you?” Lasko took a breath. His voice when he spoke came out shaky but sure. “W-what you did...it was wrong.” An abrupt start, but a start nonetheless. He paused, waiting for Kody to reply. Kody’s brows furrowed in momentary confusion before a look of realization spread across his face. He’d seen the freelancer with the man in front of him before, and he could guess what this was about. He shut off his phone, sliding it into his pocket and leaning back, resting an elbow on the table behind him. "‘What I did?’ Oh, is helping someone practise their magic against some academy rule that I wasn’t aware of?” There was the barest hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he stared coolly up at Lasko, who was trying his best to maintain eye contact. “You- you know what I’m t-talking about. You bridged with them and you knew they d-didn’t know what that meant. You don’t get to- to just pretend that’s okay.�� Kody’s eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t matter. The fact that they didn’t know what it meant doesn’t change the fact that they experienced it. They felt it happen, without all the ideas about its “significance” clouding their judgement, and they were fine with it. If they didn’t have a problem with it, why should you?” “But they did have a problem with it! That’s why they reported it! If they were really “fine” with it, they wouldn’t have felt the need to, but they did.” Anger flared in Lasko’s chest. He knew this was wrong, and so did Kody, but he couldn’t find the words to explain why. "No. No. Don’t try that. We both know they only went crying foul to you because someone else told them they should. And here you are, putting the same idea in their head, like what I did was some crime, instead of the friendly gesture it was. Don’t pretend this is about them.” At Lasko’s bewildered look and lack of response, Kody kept going, talking faster, more forcefully with each word. “They’re the only one that will put up with your incessant babbling, so when I start getting close to them, you help shove this false narrative down their throat that I’m some kind of monster, all so you can keep them to yourself.” Lasko’s eyes widened and he started firing off rapid denials, but Kody continued on like he hadn’t said anything. “You’re manipulating them into turning against me, and they’re too weak-minded and pathetic to even realize it. They’d rather let themself be led along like a mindless sheep than form opinions of their own.” Finally, Lasko had had enough. “Stop it!” he shouted, cutting off Kody’s rant. “If anyone here is being manipulative, it’s you. And for the record? The freelancer is a far stronger, smarter, and better person than you will ever be.” With that he turned on his heel and stalked off, unable to stay there for a second longer. He only hoped that Kody couldn’t see how badly he was shaking as he walked away.

As Lasko rounded the corner of the building, he ran directly into someone else and stumbled backwards, apologies already spilling from his lips. When he looked up at the person, though, he was met with a familiar concerned face. “Lasko? Are you alright?” The freelancer put a hand on his arm to steady him, their eyes filled with worry. “You’re shaking. What happened?” He hesitated for just a moment before the story flooded out in one long breath. He didn’t give them an exact recounting, more of a long summary, but by the time he was finished their eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Before he could say anything else their arms were around him, their face buried in his shoulder. “Thank you, Lasko.” He hugged them tightly in return, his chin resting on their head. As nerve-wracking as the encounter had been, it was worth it. They were worth it. just realized I should probably have a taglist, so uh. tagging a few mutuals. lmk if you wanna be added or un-added!! @daviah @1small-frogs @planticusp @starstruck-strawberry @salad-bar-but-better @teddybasmanov @bug-likes-monsters 

#redacted asmr #fanfiction #redacted asmr lasko #redacted asmr kody #asked and answered #mars #i am so so sorry this took forever #and also it's. mediocre at best #but hey it's finally done!! #so that's something

[manage-mischief]

Picture Prefect

Read on AO3 here. 

Author’s Note: So, I’m not really sure I ship Dramione. At least, not in an endgame type of way. But, this idea came to me while rereading Harry Potter for the umpteenth time. I think there definitely could have been more to Draco’s character than was in the books/movies. I felt like it would be interesting to understand Hermione’s relationship to him, and that there was likely a bit of romantic tension/pining that may have been behind some of Draco’s actions/motivations. You know what they say about little boys and pulling girls’ pigtails on the schoolyard. Anyways, this takes place during OoTP, before Dumbledore leaves. This is also my first FF, so I’m still learning. I’ve just always thought about writing something but have been too nervous before now. Any kindfeedback or reviews would be appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

Disclaimer: I’m not J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.

Summary: Hermione goes on evening patrol with Draco Malfoy and things progress quite differently than expected. Secrets, lies, and broom cupboards may be involved.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we,” she sighed as she descended the stairs and laid eyes upon her patrol partner for the evening.

He gave a noncommittal grunt in return. Uncharacteristically pleasant this evening, she noted. Without a word, the pair set off past the Great Hall and got to work.

When Hermione had first discovered she was going to be a prefect for Gryffindor House last summer, she had been thrilled, but not surprised. She had top marks in all of her classes, and a (mostly) clean disciplinary record. Sure, she, Harry, and Ron had had a few run-ins with the wrong side of the law. Still, there was, at least in her humble opinion, no one more qualified for the job. When she found out that Ron would have the job alongside her, she had been that much happier. During the celebration held at Grimmauld Place, she had never felt prouder. Yes, she was an intelligent girl. Yes, she had even scored a date to the Yule Ball with internationally-renowned quidditch seeker Viktor Krum (and had especially enjoyed the look of jealousy and disbelief on Pansy Parkinson’s face, she might add), but this accomplishment somehow carried more weight for her.

Being muggle-born, she knew that there were some who viewed her as unworthy of Hogwarts. Some would even go to unspeakable lengths to try and force her out of the wizarding world—as she had learned the hard way during her bout of paralysis-via-basilisk during her second year. But, here she was: the top of her class, muggle-born prefect. The prefect title meant something. Anyone in her world could understand the accomplishment, and no one could deny her the honor that the title bestowed.

Ok, maybe she was a bit over-enthusiastic about the role. It did seem that, most of the time, she was nothing more than a glorified hall-monitor. Yet, she wore her badge with honor. And, as she and Ron strode towards the Prefects Compartment on the Hogwarts Express on her first day she felt that nothing could have lowered her spirits. That is, however, until she saw him. Her new colleague, leaning against a table with his usual, haughty, I’m-better-than-you-because-I’m-pureblood air, his blond hair standing out in stark contrast with his dark robes with emerald green accents. Draco Malfoy.

And so, this is how she ended up on evening patrol on this otherwise wonderful night with a boy who was, in her opinion, one of the rottenest snakes to ever roam the halls of Hogwarts.

The first time she had met Draco had been on the Hogwarts Express during her first year. Bright-eyed and bushy-haired as ever, Hermione had hugged her parents goodbye and wandered onto the magical locomotive, anxious yet elated. She had been thrown into the magical world so fast. One minute, she had been running from bullies in the park by her house as they called her a freak. The next, she was meeting with a stern-but-kindly witch who explained to her that she was talented and special. Hermione was determined to learn as much as she could about her knew world as fast as she could, so she would be able to prove herself at school. Once she set her mind on something, nothing could stop her.

Armed with countless wizarding books and a new bank of knowledge, she confidently strutted into a train compartment and took a seat. She cheerfully introduced herself to the three other young wizards already occupying the space. The others followed suit. Two large, intimidating boys introduced themselves as Crabbe and Goyle. She was pretty sure those were last names, but had a feeling that prying for more information would be futile, seeing as they had both grunted out one-word answers to her questions and then looked away. They did not seem very bright. The third boy had brilliant blond hair and smiled in a way that made her blush slightly in spite of herself. “I’m Draco. Draco Malfoy. It’s a pleasure,” he replied with a cheeky grin.

Draco had been overly friendly to respond, and all too eager to converse with Hermione. They asked each other about their wands, their favorite shops in Diagon Alley, and the classes they were most excited to take. “I can’t wait for Transfiguration. I know it’s one of the more difficult branches of magic, but it seems quite fascinating,” Hermione blabbered on cheerfully. She had been very proud of herself for holding her own during this conversation. Her reading and preparation had paid off! Draco seemed to have no idea she hadn’t grown up in a wizarding household.

He smiled at her. “Well, I hope we’re sorted into the same house. It’ll be a shame if I can’t spend any more time with you in the future.” Hermione again blushed. She kind of liked Draco’s cockiness and confidence. “So,” he continued, “where d’you want to be sorted? I know where I’ll be…Slytherin. My family has been in Slytherin for generations,” he remarked, haughtily.

“Oh, I’m not sure I have a strong preference. Although, Gryffindor seems like it would be a good fit. Or Ravenclaw. I guess we’ll see,” Hermione said.

“Where were your parents when they were here?” Draco asked, eagerly.

“Oh…well…they didn’t go to Hogwarts,” Hermione replied. She didn’t know why she didn’t reveal that her parents were Muggles. She wasn’t the least bit ashamed. But, something about the boy’s mention of his Slytherin family heritage made her wary. Hadn’t she read somewhere that Slytherins were obsessed with blood purity? Surely that was ancient history. It couldn’t mean this boy believed that only pureblood witches and wizards were worthy of magical education, right? After all, with such a small portion of the population having magical blood, there must be hardly any purebloods left!

“Oh, so they went somewhere else? Ilvermorny? Durmstrang? My father wanted to send me there, says Hogwarts’ Headmaster is an old crackpot…”

“No, no. They didn’t go to any magical school. They’re muggles,” Hermione interrupted. Immediately, the tone of the conversation took a sharp turn. Crabbe and Goyle both stared at her as if she had grown an extra head. Draco sat up straighter in his seat, and where before there had been a playful look in his eyes, there was now only wide-eyed fear and accusing. “So, tell me, what makes you think you’re worthy to be here, talking about magic to me and my new friends, when your parents are so backward they probably can’t even tell a wand from a stick in the mud?” Draco sneered at her. His two cronies sniggered. Hermione knew she was not welcome anymore. She shot out of her seat, determined not to cry, and stormed out of the compartment. She could hear Draco’s voice in the distance as she quickly scampered away, fuming. “Well, boys, glad we got rid of her, eh?”

Of course, leaving that compartment was the for the best. She had met Neville and, not long after, her future best friends, Harry and Ron. Luckily, not all wizards were as closed-minded as Malfoy had been. She had not let him get to her, and since then, had outperformed him in every class. Still, she always found it strange to reflect back on the one pleasant conversation she had had with him and relate that cute, smiling boy to the absolute toe-rag she knew today.

Speaking of today, it was getting late, and Hermione was becoming fed up, fast. Her and Malfoy had only been patrolling for half-an-hour, yet it felt as if it had been an eternity. They walked in silence, keeping at least a foot’s distance in between them at all times. The corridor was silent. It was shaping up to be a long, dreadfully boring night.

They reached the first-floor bathrooms around 11 o’clock. “I’ll check the girls and you check the boys,” Hermione broke the silence. Malfoy rolled his eyes and sarcastically replied, “no really Granger? What an ingenious idea.” She simply shook her head and went to check for students out of bed. The bathroom was empty.

“Nothing in there.” She saw Malfoy emerge from the boys’ loo across the hall. “Same here.” On they went.

Half of their shift had now passed, and all they had seen was a sleepwalking Ravenclaw first-year, who Hermione had gently guided back to bed. They were passing by the statue of George the Smarmy when suddenly, she heard footsteps. She paused and cocked her head.

“C’mon Granger,” Malfoy sighed. “It’s probably Filtch and Mrs. Norris.”

“Hush!” Hermione hissed. It most certainly was not Filtch. The footsteps clicked, making it clear their owner was wearing high heels. They were approaching fast. She couldn’t ignore her gut feeling that something was amiss. But, what was it? Why did the footsteps sound so familiar to her? “Have you lost your marbles? Let’s go! It’s a professor or someone! Nothing we have to worry about!”

Aha. It was a professor. Of course. That’s why Hermione recognized the footsteps immediately. She could hear in them the haughty sense of purpose that made her loathe Defense Against the Darks Arts classes daily. Umbridge. Just as she could hear the toad-like professor approach their corridor, another pair of footsteps sounded in the distance. Umbridge must have been meeting someone. But who, at this hour?

She didn’t know why she did it. Perhaps it was because she was on edge from all of the secrecy surrounding the DA. Perhaps it was because of the wrenching feeling in her gut that Umbridge was up to more than she let on here at Hogwarts. But, no matter the reason, before she knew it, she was grabbing Malfoy by the front of his robes and pulling him into the nearest broom closet.

“What the bloody hell, Granger?!?” he hissed indignantly. At least he had the sense not to shout. Otherwise, their cover would have been blown. “What’re you playing at?”

“Be quiet,” she shushed him promptly. Quickly, she pulled out the pair of extendable ears she kept hidden in her pockets. As much as she hated to admit it, Fred and George had really hit the mark with their creation. She always kept a pair with her, and had found them to come in handy on many occasions. As she fiddled with the device, Malfoy continued to look at her, wide-eyed. “What the hell are those?!”

“Extendable ears, now, HUSH!” Hermione said matter-of-factly. “Extendable what?” “Ears. They let you listen in on other peoples’ conversations without getting caught. Now please kindly shut up so I can hear what’s going on!”

“…in this time of night. I wanted to do this privately. Most students use this corridor to snog without getting caught, so I thought it would do the trick.”

Umbridge’s girly voice echoed. Malfoy was still staring at her with a look of pure confusion.

A private meeting. But with who?

“Of course, Dolores. Do you have any updates?”

The second voice belonged to a man. She knew she had heard it before. But…it couldn’t be…

“Oh my god,” Malfoy whispered, now seemingly as invested in the conversation as Hermione had been. “What’s Fudge doing here?”

Hermione’s eyes widened. Fudge. The Minister of Magic. She was sure glad she had had the sense to hide in the cupboard, even if she was a little too close to Malfoy for comfort. She couldn’t have had him running away and blowing her cover.

The pair of them remained quiet, now both eager to hear what was going on.

“Well, Cornelius. I’m afraid matters at Hogwarts are far worse than we feared.”

“How so?”

“Well first of all, there’s the Potter boy. He and his little friends seem determined to undermine my authority at every turn! He has no respect for the Ministry. Always going on about You-Know-Who despite my countless warnings and punishments!”

There was heavy silence for a moment before Fudge spoke again.

“And do the other students believe him?”

“Some do. Others think he’s gone mad. Most don’t know what to think, and it has been hard for me to convince them to take our side, despite our efforts to disparage him in the Prophet.”

“Surely these students have more sense than to believe the word of a 15-year-old boy over the Ministry and the Prophet! Why are we having such difficulty keeping this under control? I thought I could trust you to handle this, Dolores.”

“I…I am doing all that can be done! But that’s the thing. It isn’t just Potter who has been proclaiming the story that You-Know-Who has returned. It’s Dumbledore, as well. It is not so easy to discredit the Headmaster in the Prophet. He is too well known and well respected. Students love him. Which is why I am proposing that we focus our efforts on a new plan.”

“Yes?”

“Removing Dumbledore from this school, and making me Headmistress.”

“That is quite easier said than done, Dolores. You said it yourself, Dumbledore has the respect of the student body, as well as most of the parents, I might add. Implicating him in illicit activity to remove him from Hogwarts will be extremely difficult.”

“We almost got Potter, this summer.”

“Yes, and the fact that those Dementors even showed up in Little Whinging was a happy accident! How can we expect something like that to happen again?  And at Hogwarts, no less?”

“Yes…a happy accident…well. I shall keep my eyes open for any ‘accidents’  that will allow us to relieve Albus from his post. In the meantime, you’d best be heading back to London. It is getting late. But I promise you this, Cornelius. Come hell or high water, I shall make sure Albus Dumbledore never sets foot in this school again. You can count on me.”

“We’ll see, Dolores. Have a good evening.”

Their footsteps echoed down the halls and disappeared into the night.

“I can’t believe it,” Hermione exclaimed. “That conniving little…”

“Blimey Granger. I thought you were intelligent!” Malfoy rolled his eyes. She glared daggers at him, daring him to continue insulting her. He sighed, “Of course the Ministry’s trying to oust Dumbledore! Fudge is scared of him. He thinks Dumbledore’s going to take his job.”

Hermione was taken aback at his words. She had known this information, of course, thanks to her months of living with the Order. Still, she was surprised that Malfoy knew this information, and that he had been so willing to admit it. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Draco couldn’t have come across this information by himself. What was his shifty father telling him?

“Like you even care,” Hermione tersely responded. “You and your father have been trying to get rid of Dumbledore since the day you arrived here! And probably before! You’d just love old Umbridge to become Headmistress and become her little pet.” Ok. Tirade over. Yelling at Malfoy, while satisfying, wasn’t going to do her any good. Hermione knew they should be continuing their patrol. Plus, she wanted to return to the Common Room and fill Harry and Ron in on the evening’s events. Hopefully they’d still be awake…

“You always think you know me, but you don’t.”

“Excuse me?” Hermione whipped her head towards him just before she was about to exit their cramped hiding spot. Had she heard correctly?

Malfoy gave a sad sort of grunt. He hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether or not he should continue. Hermione continued staring at him intently. She was mystified.

“You and your little Potter Protection Squad. You all always think you know me, know my story, know my life. ‘Oh, Malfoy hates everything good. He’s always out to ruin things for us. He’s a jerk. He’s the enemy. He’s evil,’” he mimicked her in a high-pitched voice. Hermione couldn’t speak, still baffled. He continued.

“For your information, I detest Umbridge just as much as you do. I just know how to be subtle about it. And I know my place. I know what happens to me if I don’t get on her good side. You wouldn’t understand. You’re from a muggle family.”

“You know what, Malfoy? I am absolutely sick and tired of you bringing up my parentage. I have as much of a right to be here as you! And I understand plenty, thank you very much! I am top of our class and work hard to prove myself to intolerant people like you and your family every single day! Don’t you forget you were impressed by me when we met on the Hogwarts Express first year! Impressed by more than just my knowledge of the wizarding world, I might add!” She spit back, her breath labored from the force of her outburst. She could feel her cheeks flushing. It had been an unspoken agreement between them to never mention their first encounter. She could see his face tint red as well.

He stared at her for a moment. Then, without warning, grabbed her by both of her arms and turned her so they were face to face, which was quite cramped due to their inopportune hiding place. His gesture was not threatening, however. He looked sad.

“You don’t understand. I…I sometimes envy that you’re from…well…your background.” He huffed. “I mean being a Malfoy is an honor. People envy me.” His voiced switched back to the shaky timbre it had been. “But…there’s certain…expectations. My family is one of the greatest pureblood lines in wizard history. Malfoy and Black. We have a reputation to uphold. My father reminds me of that every chance he gets.” His face darkened. “I have to hate Dumbledore. I have to be friends with people like Crabbe and Goyle. I have to suck up to Umbridge and support her for headmistress. You don’t understand what happens if I don’t.”

Hermione continued to stare at him. She blinked, trying to understand why and how Draco was capable of showing such vulnerability with her. He searched her face, almost desperately, for a reaction. Hermione softened her face. Perhaps there was more to him than she thought. Maybe he just needed someone to listen. When he realized her receptiveness, he spoke once again.

“Everyone in my family expects me to be like my father. Become a…” he stopped himself. But she knew what he would have said. “Well, become like him,” he carefully worded. “No one has ever asked me what I want to do. And I can’t tell them. I can’t tell my family to shove it…that I don’t want to be part of their circle! That I’m terrified of what’s coming and of what I’ll have to do!” Draco’s voice broke. Hermione remained silent, entranced. Without thinking, she took his hand gently. They both looked down at their hands, now touching. When he spoke again, he refused to meet her gaze.

“My parents were part of an arranged marriage. Even their lives weren’t their own. Everything…every bloody thing that’s ever happened in my life and before has been about blood purity. About money, and power, and respect. They expect me to uphold that tradition. I’ll marry a pureblood girl. I can’t object. I’ll be disowned. Banished. Burned off of the family tree for even thinking about, as they call it, ‘tainting the bloodline.’” He sighed once more. He finally brought his eyes back to meet hers. His stare was intense and a bit frantic. Hermione felt her heart pounding in her chest and her cheeks growing hot. Who was this boy, and what had he done with the tosser Draco Malfoy? At least she knew how to deal with him when he was being a jerk. But this? This vulnerable Draco standing before her? Her brain could not figure him out.

His voiced softened further. “I’m sorry I’ve called you names. I know you probably won’t believe me, but I truly am.” And then, it rose once more, “But don’t you understand? I have to act this way! You terrify me, Hermione. And…that just…can’t happen. I…I don’t have a choice.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. The pressure in her chest was too much to bear.

“Draco. Everyone has a choice,” she whispered, softly, her eyes still locked on his.

He swallowed. Then, he leaned forward, slowly. She could feel her own body move towards his in response. Her heart pounded and her mind went blank as she felt his strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her into a kiss. She pressed into him, her body moving with his in a passionate dance. He ran his hands through her hair. She could feel her pulse rising, heat surging through her body. The pair continued hungrily for a few more moments. Then, as if on a timer, they both regained composure and pulled back from each other, panting. Hermione smoothed out her hair. Draco fussed with his now-disheveled robes. They regarded each other once again, neither sure what to say to the other.

Hermione blinked in a vain attempt to regain focus. She couldn’t deny that had been the most passionate kiss she’d ever received, including those from Viktor—who had more than once professed his love for her. But, she thought to herself, that will never excuse his behavior. He had humiliated and degraded her, time and time again. The names he had called her were almost unforgivable. Had he changed? She couldn’t be sure. But, one late-night encounter in a broom closet was far from enough proof for Hermione. After a few moments of silence, she realized he was waiting for her to speak. To say something about what just happened. Her mind was still racing too fast to latch onto a single thought.

“I’m sorry about your family Draco. That sounds very hard.”

Oh, if she could have kicked herself in the moment! Sorry about your family?!? That sounds hard?!? She felt like a proper wanker! What an idiotic response to what had just happened!

“I wish things were different,” he replied. This shocked her.

“Are you saying you want to be with me?” She inquired.

“I’m not sure,” he answered, almost inaudibly, sheepishly running his hands through his hair.

“Draco,” she sighed. This was all too much information for Hermione to handle. “I’m not sure, either. Thank you for apologizing for calling me those awful names…but…I’m not sure that’s enough. You just said it yourself. Your family life is complicated. I’m sorry. If you ever want to change, to escape, I will be here for you. And, I may even want…this…too. But, I won’t be the girl who you degrade in public and then snog in a broom closet when no one is watching. I don’t deserve that.”

Draco simply stared back at her for a long time. She could tell he was thinking. Would he really say he wanted her? Would he really change? Would she really want to be with him, even if he did? Ugh, Harry always said girls were confusing, but she was beginning to think that boys that were really the ones who were bonkers!

Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke once again, “I’m sorry. I just…” he shook his head. He glanced towards the door. “We had better finish patrol and then head to our dorms.” Under his breath, Hermione heard him mutter, “I have a lot to think about.”

Unable to form any intelligible words, she just nodded her head. The pair emerged from their cupboard and set off back down the corridor, as silent as before. When they finally parted for their respective common rooms, they met each other’s gaze once again. Draco smiled softly, “Goodnight, Hermione.”

She gave a tentative smile in return. “Goodnight, Draco.”

As she entered the Gryffindor Common Room, she was deep in thought.

“Oi, Hermione! You’re back late,” Ron shouted to her from the table in the corner, on which Harry and him had stacked piles of books and essays. In the back of her mind, she mentally rolled her eyes. Of course, they hadn’t finished their homework.

“Was patrol with Malfoy as awful as we thought?” She gave a noncommittal sigh which Harry took for annoyance. “That bad, huh? What a git,” he shook his head. He and Ron then launched into a conversation about how much they hated Draco Malfoy. Hermione did not listen. She was still deep in thought, her thoughts swimming as if she were looking at them from the surface of a pensive: slippery and liquid and not quite fully formed.

“You alright, Hermione?” Ron asked, snapping her back to reality.

“Fine,” she answered half-heartedly. “Just dead tired. I think I’m going to head to bed.”

She climbed the stairs to the 5th year girls’ dormitory, and told herself she would tell the boys about Umbridge’s conversation in the morning. Right now, she was too preoccupied with thoughts of a certain Slytherin prefect to think about anything else. As she crawled into bed and closed the curtains of her four-poster, she found herself clinging to a small bit of naive hope. It did seem like Draco was serious when he kissed her. Maybe, just maybe, people could change for the better, even people as entrenched in the pureblood movement as Draco Malfoy.

She should have known it was silly to hope for such things.

#harry potter #hp fanfic #hp #dramione #draco x hermione #draco malfoy #hermione #hermione granger #being prefects #order of the phoenix #hp ootp #ootp #can pretty much be inserted into canon without changing much of anything #please be niceeee #my writing

[clementineviolet]

what are some of your fave violentine fics??

i get this question so often haha here’s just a master post i guess

Complete

A Girl Like You. (A Guy Like Him.): Violet notices things, and those things happen to be Clementine, and a lot of things about Clementine.

oh the somersaults you make my heart do: “Rollercoasters are fast and rough and dangerous. The people who ride them have to be tough and daring and fearless. Girls like girls who are tough and daring and fearless. Violet bets Clementine would be impressed if she survived such a feat.” Or, Violet tries to impress Clementine and fails spectacularly.

your name on my mind: Violet scratched Clementine's name on to her desk. It was just an impulse - one of those quick decisions that had actually been simmering in the back of her mind for a while, and just decided to pop up now. It was kind of romantic, she though. And Violet was nothing if not romantic.

in between the lines: Aasim’s got more important things to do than to document the developing relationship between two of his friends. He should focus on their supplies and lessons learned. But, well, he’s a teenager. And the school gets boring.

memories of a campfire: Clementine’s track record with campfires is far from good. It’s hard to think of anything positive when all she associates with them is pain. Luckily, her new compatriots might just help change that.

ambiguity: "You're fine with not knowing if your parents love you or not?" Clementine asks, her eyebrows furrowing. The thought of not knowing stinging deep in her chest, boiling her down into the little girl she used to be. Not knowing wasn't blissful for her, it was painful and it stopped her from accepting herself fully. Violet clenched her teeth, her eyes looking to the floor ashamed. Her arms resting behind her, the rest of her body looking shrunken in like a sponge wringed out. "I know how they would have reacted," Violet admits, her eyes flickering from the ground to Clementine. Her voice quiet, almost a whisper as if she'd never said that out loud. Maybe she hadn't, Clementine certainly hadn't said anything like this before.

Ultraviolet: Clementine isn't one for getting attached. But for some reason, she just can't let go of Violet.

and i claw for solid ground: Clementine remembered so much she choked on it, and on nights like this, when her heart was bursting and her limbs ached, she climbed to the roof of the school and sat still and quiet, and tried to forget.

an allowed moment of vulnerability: You take whatever moments of bliss you can in the apocalypse and you hold them close. Clementine thinks she’s lucked out with this one.

Under the moonlight: “You wanna talk about it?” Violet rubs her left arm, looking her in the eyes with an open expression. Clementine can see the worry and care dancing on them and she wants to drown herself there, she looks so beautiful under the moonlight. She stops her thoughts from going there immediately. Clem deals with the aftermath with a little help from a friend, or something more

breaking the ice: When an unexpected snowstorm hits during their hunting trip, Violet and Clementine get lost and spend the night together.

WIP (Work in progress)

You Make Me: At age 18 Clementine is struggling to figure out what life holds for her, she loves her job at the roller skating rink, but what about the future? A girl named Violet crashes into her life at a very pivotal point, leading her down an unexpected path.

Hate/Love: Violet hated life, being stuck in a disciplinary school for three years. But when drama stirs, she finds herself interested in a cute girl with a baseball cap.

you'd look good in (my) football t-shirts: "Clementine you'll be working with Violet," The teacher announces, and Violet can already hear the future arguments in her head. A know it all and authority hating student. Not really the best match.

You can also check my fic recs tag if thats helpful

#twdg #violentine #hell ya #fic recs #Anonymous #Ask

[ssportsnews]

"Live somehow" 'Tracer'

Go Ah-seong was comforted by Im Si-wan's words and burst into tears.

In the MBC Friday-Saturday drama 'Tracer', which was broadcast on the 21st, Seo Hye-young (Go Ah-seong) burst into tears at Hwang Dong-joo (Im Si-wan)'s words.

On this day, Baek Seung-ryong (Park Ji-il) recommended Oh Young (Park Yong-woo) to the position of the 5th bureau chief. Upon hearing the news, Kim Seok-min (Hwang Byung-guk) recalled what happened with Hwang Dong-ju. Hwang Dong-ju, who visited Kim Seok-min, said, "Reporter Kim Seok-min? You say you have a lot of questions about me? That's why I want to help" and handed over his corruption file. Hwang Dong-joo suggested a deal, saying, "Please pass it on to Manager Oh Young." Kim Seok-min asked, "I'd be kicked out right away because of that human personality." Hwang Dong-joo said, "It's a plate I made for that. I want to remove this eye thorn, but I don't have enough strength? Then wouldn't it make me worry? What will I do with the remaining 5th director position? "He predicted Oh Young's behavior.

Meanwhile, Oh Young-e, In Tae-joon (Son Hyeon-joo), who was nominated for the 5th Directorate, said, "It seems that Manager Oh Young's qualifications for the nomination are sufficient. The disciplinary record has also been erased. If it is more than 17 years ago, there is enough time to reflect. Above all, Commissioner Baek Seung-ryong. Would it have been possible to raise him as a candidate if he hadn't been convinced?" Baek Seung-ryong said, saying, "I would like to have all the right to operate and investigate the five tax bureaus. Problems arise within three months or the qualities of that friend If there is a problem, I will step down from the position of chief executive.” He actively pushed Oh Young.

Hwang Dong-ju pointed out to Seo Hye-young her doubts about her today's credit, and she doubted the collusion between the 4th country and today's credit. Afterwards, Seo Hye-young told Oh Young, "I started lending again under the name of Gold Cash of Geumil Credit. We got along two years ago. We're picking money, and we won't stop unless it's revealed who it is."

Hwang Dong-ju is in danger of being demolished by a video of stealing documents from Ahn Seong-sik (Yun Se-woong)'s office at the tip of Lee Ki-dong (Lee Kyu-hoe) and Park Seong-ho (Yeon Je-wook). However, Hwang Dong-ju escaped the crisis by threatening Lee Ki-dong. Angry at this, Oh Young tried to let Hwang Dong Joo go, but Hwang Dong Joo said, “Have you ever won against those people? Do you? Don't be shaken any more."

Oh Young asked, "Can you solve this case? Can you find Gold Cash and Gold Cash?" and Hwang Dong-joo said, "How can I do it?" In response, Oh Young suggested, "Come to me. If you can't solve it within a month, give up your seat and leave."

Hwang Dong-ju, who was listening to the story of the Gold Cash victim's mother, checked the data received from Ahn Kyung-hee and said, "It is said that there are two things in the world that never give up. One is a loan and the other is a lie. Are you hesitating to answer because of this? It seems to me that my father told a lie that he should never have told me.” He said, angering the victims who had high-priced accident insurance, and fled.

Meanwhile, Hwang Dong-joo sought help from Seo Hye-young to find a student who was being chased by her gold cash. Seo Hye-young asked, "Do you have anything else to say?", and Hwang Dong-joo was comforted by the words, "Don't be ashamed to live and live somehow, don't even think that it's your fault, and live somehow. If you live like that, then that's okay" exploded

토토사이트,먹튀검증,먹튀검증소,먹튀,먹튀사이트,토토 사이트,먹튀 검증,먹튀 사이트,먹튀신고,토토 사이트 검증,먹튀 검증 사이트,먹튀검증업체,먹튀 검증 커뮤니티

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 5/30/2019

Good MORNING  #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Thursday 30th May 2019. Remember you can read full articles for FREE via Barbados Today (BT), Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

WHITE OAK – The Government has allowed an unusual amount of transparency with the White Oak contract. The recent (May 12, 2019) Financial Times article reported that White Oak would receive an “absurd” fee of US $27M. I assumed that they meant US $2.7M since the calculations were done by Financial Times’ staff, and the error could have been missed by the editors. Avinash Persaud responded to the Financial Times article, but surprisingly, he did not challenge the reported fee. Rather, he claimed that Barbados got value for money. Then Clyde Mascoll provided a similar endorsement, with the shocking claim that no Barbadian could have done the job. Their uncritical and fawning endorsements of White Oak should demand an unbiased examination of this no-bid contract. In their contract, White Oak specifically state that they are not providing any accounting or legal services. They are mainly giving advice, for which they are to be paid a monthly retainer fee of US $85,000. They also get a success fee of 0.45 per cent on foreign debts that they can get cancelled or amended, and 0.40 per cent on any local debt that they can get cancelled or amended. The total Barbados debt was approximately $BBD15B, with about $12B in local currency and $3B in foreign currency. The BERT restructuring of the local currency debt resulted in a $BBD2B reduction of our debt. We were told that White Oak were working on the foreign currency debt. If White Oak can save Barbados from paying 25 per cent of the foreign currency debt after one year of negotiations, then they stand to earn a success fee of approximately US $1.7M plus a retainer of US $1M. This total fee of US $2.7M led to my assumption that the decimal point was mistakenly omitted from the Financial Times’ article. The only way that White Oak can earn anywhere near the reported US $27M, is if their success fee rate is applied to the total local currency debt, instead of just the amount that they can successfully negotiate to avoid us paying. Clearly, that could not be the intent, since success fees are normally applied to the amount that the consultant can save the client from paying. If White Oak’s success fee rate is misinterpreted to be applied to the total debt, then White Oak can ludicrously get creditors of Barbados’ $15B debt to agree to a one-month delay of payment. For that lunatic advice, White Oak can legally earn US $30M, and we would still have to pay the entire $15B of debt. No political administration could be foolish enough to sign such an unfair contract. The retainer is also badly arranged, since White Oak can simply make US $1M each year by doing absolutely nothing. After approximately one year, they still have not completed renegotiating our foreign currency debt, which is what they were reportedly contracted to do. This confusion could have been avoided if the Contractor General, who should be able to identify weaknesses in contracts before the Government signs them, had been appointed. The BLP promised to address political corruption by appointing such a person, but has yet to do so. The listed services that White Oak are contracted to provide should be well within the competence of any accounting firm in Barbados experienced in liquidation or judicial management. If such local accounting firms agree with Clyde Mascoll’s assessment of their competence, then they should be ashamed of themselves for their incompetence, cowardice, or both. Grenville Phillips II is a Chartered Structural Engineer and President of Solutions Barbados.  He can be reached at [email protected]. (BT)

STIGMA, DISCRIMINATION ‘BIG HIV/AIDS POLITICAL ISSUE’ – Politicians will need to overcome the huge obstacle of stigma and discrimination and political implications if they are to deliver on Government’s goal of eradicating HIV and AIDS by the year 2030. Over a dozen Government Ministers, MPs and religious leaders responded to the call of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP), which hosted a sensitization Wednesday workshop and forum at the Radisson Aquatica. While PANCAP president Derek Springer praised the efforts of previous governments to address the alarming prevalence of discrimination he noted that most countries, including Barbados, had still not adopted a model CARICOM anti-discrimination bill since 2012, considered to be critical to the fight. Springer told the parliamentarians: “While we are aware of your legislative, representational and your oversight roles, we are also aware that you come from families who come from communities and you are constantly engaged with your constituencies and are therefore aware of the issues and challenges faced by your constituents. But in a keynote speech, Minister of People Empowerment Cynthia Forde pledged Government’s commitment to tackle the challenge head-on. She said: “Stigma and discrimination will really retard the progress of what we are doing in the Caribbean and unless we get hold of it and unless my parliamentary colleagues become a little more familiar with the problems. “As a ministry, we take our mandate seriously. We look forward to a transformed social landscape that provides equal opportunities for all citizens to achieve a sustainable and acceptable standard of living and the ability of all persons to fully participate in the development of this country.” Forde added that Government would continue to provide free healthcare services for all Barbadians, but stressed that this alone could not eradicate the disease. The Minister said: “As you know, access does not always translate into uptake of services, just as knowledge does not always translate to behaviors, especially if we cannot get beyond some of our prejudices and our judgments. “It is in this regard that we must recognize that the Ministry of Health and Wellness cannot do it alone and that successfully combatting HIV begins with empowering households and communities.” Ambassador Daniela Tramacere of the European Union’s delegation to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, which sponsored the programme, identified the fight against stigma and discrimination as a human rights issue. Tramacere said: “This is a matter of human rights… This is a matter of ignorance of those who discriminate and don’t understand what the problem is, where it comes from as if it was related to a specific group of people or sinners or whatever you may call them. “This is a matter of general concern because we all are exposed to HIV and AIDS, we all are ignorant about the risks we take in our social relations, when we go to hospitals for blood transfusions, when we don’t know what HIV is and we don’t pay attention to the preventative measures.”  (BT)

REGIONAL CO-OPERATION NEEDED IN MEDICAL CANNABIS APPROACH – Barbados and other Caribbean countries are being encouraged to form partnerships to tap the lucrative medical cannabis industry. At the same time, one industry expert is predicting that with Barbados having the highest consumption rate of cannabis per capita in the region, this could result in tremendous economic benefits for the country. However, Dr Machel Emanuel, Teaching Assistant in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, warned that developing the “right legislative framework” would be critical in how much the country benefits. “We always say we need to understand the strengths and weaknesses, meaning that Belize and Guyana being mainland and having a history of producing stuff like sugar cane and rice on a very large scale, they could be more privy to growing hemp, whereas Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines could grow the more psycho active component, and we have that indigenous knowledge to enhance that,” Emanuel told the May luncheon of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Wednesday under the theme Medical Marijuana: The Next Major Growth Sector. “Whereas Trinidad being the more production and manufacturing hub with low energy consumption, they could focus more on manufacturing,” he added. Emanuel, who has participated in extensive research on marijuana, told his captive audience that data recorded from the police force in the Windward Islands showed that cannabis contributed more to the domestic economy than bananas did. “Barbados now being a country in the Caribbean that has the highest consumption rate per capita, which translates to the highest domestic value, meaning that cannabis fetches the highest price locally, higher than prices globally,” he added. As such, he said, Barbados was in a unique position to develop “the right legislative framework to encapsulate that domestic consumption”, which would help to grow the island’s gross domestic product (GDP). “So Barbados is very unique too because we can understand the cross linkages across the various sectors from agriculture to health, to wellness tourism, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, to really ensure that the sustainability can be maximized and really get the true earning potential from cannabis as a commodity,” he pointed out. Government has already indicated that it was keen on building out a medical cannabis industry here, and recently added five cannabis-based prescription drugs to the drug formulary. Emanuel said how regional governments strategise, develop and integrate a formal cannabis industry, should include the cultivation, processing, transportation and distribution of products. He said it should also examine the historical and cultural experiences and how it would be marketed. “So there needs to be an inter-disciplinary approach to understanding cannabis business within the region,” he added. As a result, Emanuel said private and public sectors, and academia should partner to facilitate research and funding, which would “maximize” the region’s true earning potential. Pointing to the different impacts and strains of weed, Emanuel warned that as Barbados looked to develop the industry, careful research and testing would be critical. Past head of the National Council on Substance Abuse Tessa Chadderton-Shaw raised questions relating to prevention and risk reduction, suggesting that more focus seemed to be on the potential for economic investment and returns than the protection of the island’s future human resource, “our at-risk females and males and university students”. However, while Emanuel said legislation and regulation of the industry would help in that regard, Founder and Executive Chairman of Medicanja Dr Henry Lowe said while he understood the concern “we have to move on”. “Some people have been damaged, some will continue to be damaged, but it is when we create new opportunities . . . new insight and they realize they can do this legally and they understand the problems, you can eventually get people to go where we need them to go,” said Lowe, who is also one of the founding members of the National Council on Drug Abuse in Jamaica. “We can’t dwell on that and destroy a potential that we have to do far more than anything else we have been focused on for a while,” he added, while pointing out that it will take government, private sector, academia and other stakeholders to provide the needed training, education, guidance and resources needed. (BT)

‘FARMERS DISCOUNT’ ON GSC COMING, SAYS ABRAHAMS – Farmers paying the Garbage and Sewage Contribution (GSC) levy, which is set at 50 per cent of their water bill, are to receive a discount, said Minister of Water Resources Wilfred Abrahams. Government is in the process of putting a cap on the levy, said Abrahams, who did not reveal the extent of the cap but stressed that Government was determined to apply the tax more equitably. He said: “The Barbados Water Authority is working hard with the Minister of Agriculture and for the farmers we accept that some people may be disadvantaged because of the increased rates. “Some of these people cannot manage to recover their input cost and this would largely include farmers. But the Minister noted that Government was not in a position to grant any further reduction on new commercial use rates. Abrahams said: “So, we are looking at a cap on the GSC. We may not necessarily be able to make an adjustment on the water rate for them, but we are looking at finding a cap for the GSC that would be a bit more equitable to those who have to use a certain amount of water.” Commercial entities, including farms using water from the BWA supply, are expected to pay $4.66 per cubic metre up to 40 cubic metres. The rate moves to $7.78 for every cubic metre above 40 cubic metres of water, up 12,000 cubic metre, after which the rate reverts to $4.66 per cubic metre. But even as he promised relief, Abrahams suggested that Government was seeking to make farms that go off the BWA grid pay for water they privately draw from underground wells for irrigation. He said: “There is private abstraction from the systems that we are all supplied from and these persons are not paying a cent for it. “There are a lot of farmers that benefit from that water and we are looking at ways to regulate that because every drop of water has to be accounted for and in a way that provides equity to as many people.” Last August, the head of the Barbados Agricultural Society James Paul revealed commercial farmers fear that the tax would make it virtually impossible for them to compete against international producers. In terms of livestock farmers and those who use a lot of water for processing at their farms, the impact is going to be severe for them,” Paul, the BAS general manager and former Government backbencher in the Freundel Stuart administration, said. “Any farmer who is registered commercially is worried because it carries up the price of the product and they have to compete with international producers,” he said last year. Paul further contended that farmers were being taxed for waste disposal services that they do not use as they were levied the Garbage and Sewage Contribution at 50 per cent of their total water bill. (BT)

ST PHILIP FARMERS WILT UNDER WATER SHORTAGE – Vegetable producers in the east have now joined farmers in the north complaining that water shortages are destroying their businesses. Farmers at the River Plantation Land Lease Project in St Philip, told Barbados TODAYthat after harvesting the current crop they will be forced to abandon the plots until the rains return. The wet season begins on June 1. Farmers explained that while they have been experiencing water shortages on the project for years, the water levels at the pond which feeds the Barbados Agricultural Development & Marketing Corporation’s (BADMC) pumping station, is critically low and drying up. Anthony Singh said he has already lost more than $50,000 to drought. Now he is in a race to save his current crop of tomatoes to prevent even more losses. “We don’t get consistent water, but it is worse this time around and right now we are losing all of our crops. “We would like to plant but all of the time we keep getting losses. Between last year to now, I have lost about 50 to 60 thousand dollars,” he said. Antonio Pilgrim said he is unable to re-plant his cucumbers even though market prices are quite good. “Right now, I have cucumber seeds at home burst and ready to plant but I can’t because they will just die like the last set,” he said. With the BADMC’s irrigation pump out of action, farmers have invested in their own pumps to drain the remnants of the pond, but this exercise is proving quite costly, as these individual pumps can utilise as much as $80 per day in fuel, depending on the farm’s water needs. Some growers have resorted to the even costlier exercise of using their own connection to the Barbados Water Authority supply just to see their current crop to harvest. Others are trucking water from their homes. But like their counterparts at the Spring Hall land lease project in St Lucy, the St Philip farmers revealed that they too are being pressured by the BADMC to pay their outstanding water bill arrears and quarterly lease payments. Singh told Barbados TODAY: “We don’t get water from the BADMC pump, but we are still getting a bill and we can’t afford to pay the bill because we are not getting any money. “We have written to the BADMC telling them that we cannot pay because of the pressure that we are feeling right now. “Right now, I have a contract to supply melons to a supermarket but I can’t plant any and I have to import melons to keep that contract. Singh revealed that even during the months that the BADMC is unable to provide water, there is still a $20 monthly service charge that must be paid. He added: “[BADMC] sent letters to us this week telling us to come in make arrangements to pay them by the end of this month. We can’t afford this right now because we just not making money from the farm.” On Monday, Spring Hall farmers told Barbados TODAY that they are growing increasingly worried that critically low water levels in the wells that feed the irrigation system, are threatening their yield and would inevitably result in the scarcity of certain crops on the market. Farmers also complained that they are being threatened with eviction by the BADMC, as several of them have been unable to pay their bills due to low production, which they claim is as a result of the long-term water supply issues. (BT)

OFF PLAN – The farm charity for at-risk youth has had its water supply cut off for failing to keep up with a plan to pay its water bill to the Barbados Water Authority, said to amount to $25,000, BWA general manager Keithroy Halliday said today. In a statement issued a day after Barbados TODAY reported the story of the Nature Fun Ranch’s padlocked pipeline, at Bruce Vale, St Andren Halliday said: “The Nature Fun Ranch has been and continues to be in arrears to the [BWA] for several thousand dollars over a protracted period of time. “BWA facilitated Corey Layne representing Nature Fun Ranch to meet with Minister Wilfred Abrahams, Chairman of the BWA Board of Directors, Leodean Worrell and myself Keithroy Halliday several months ago. “Mr Layne presented his story and was told that we would work with him. He was allowed to determine his own payment terms so that we could be assured that he would honour them. In good faith we restored the water without receiving any payment. “We also went as far as to advice Mr Layne that if he could not manage the payment plan which he had proposed, then he should contact us.” Halliday further stated Layne had not made any payments to the BWA since the payment plan was reached therefore the BWA’s disconnection. Halliday added: “It is important to note that no payment towards the outstanding balance was ever made from the date of that meeting to date. “To my knowledge, Mr Layne also made no attempt to contact any agent of the Authority nor to alert them, as instructed, that he was experiencing any continued difficulties in meeting his commitment. “Regrettably, the BWA had no choice but to follow its disconnection policy, once the agreed payment terms were breached.” But in challenging the BWA GM, Layne told Barbados TODAY that he entered into a payment plan agreement with the Water Authority back in March after his water was turned off. He said: “They cut the water since the 15th of March so that part is totally false. Totally, totally false. The first time I got a meeting with them was in March. I never had a meeting with them before in my life. The first meeting I had with them was in March.” He further revealed the agreement which was verbal required him to pay $1,000 by March 15, after which he would have to pay $9,000 by March 31 which would be followed by monthly payments of his current bill plus $500.00. Layne declared: “I did not sign any agreement. No signature contract, just a word of mouth thing and that was really pending the approval of the board. They said they needed to get approval from the board.” He said in the interim the farm was using a backup emergency water supply as well as towing water from the neighbourhood standpipe.  (BT)

‘FOOD SCAM’ – “Career feeders”, who are “greedy, lickerish and wicked” working people, are scrounging off feeding programmes for homeless people, a leading advocate has revealed to Barbados TODAY. The Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society has been watching a scam develop for several months, president Kemar Saffrey revealed. Meals prepared by individuals or groups for vagrants and the homeless were being collected by others often dressed in work clothes, some even working very near to feeding sites, he said. “Some people just greedy and lickerish and wicked. There are about five feedings a day in Bridgetown, from us with breakfast and there is still another lady who does breakfast in Jubilee Gardens. Then there is still the Salvation Army that does lunch; there is still churches that does lunch around the same 12 o’clock, 1 o’clock. “Then there is a feeding at 5 o’clock; then there is a feeding at 8 o’clock. So these guys get sometimes five to six square meals a day, sometimes ten because some of them get two servings at the various feeding agencies.” The homeless advocate said he believes that some of those providing the meals were not moved by the development, because they were more focused on recording numbers. “They don’t look at if the person is really in need. They are not delving in a little bit more to see if this person is homeless; [saying] ‘let me refer them to BVHS, if this person was retrenched; let me refer them’. “But if you go into the food line today and you get away with somebody giving you food, you would obviously try again tomorrow, by the next person Friday, and that is how then you become what you call a career feeder. “You just go into every line that there is food and nobody is stopping you, nobody is telling you anything so obviously you see this as another way of surviving.” Some individuals and groups who carry out the feeding programmes have formed an online chat network to share information about feeding times and new developments, he said. Saffrey said his charity has created a system where clients were issued with tickets so that they can access meals from feeding organisations and individuals. He said that whenever it was the BVHS’s turn to feed the needy, an inquiry was made into those who were not registered with the society or who appeared to be in an economic bracket that would allow them to finance their own meals. “We assess you, and if you don’t want the assessment then you can’t come to our feeding. The fact that you are not government funded, you are helped by corporate Barbados or by the general public, you have to save every single dollar that you get. “There are people getting serious benefits for invalidity, NIS, pension or welfare money; then they would not be in my line. “So my line numbers would be 60 and I don’t mind it being 60 because I know it is 60 people that deserve it and not because I am trying to say to you I feed 120 people and I feel good with those numbers. You can’t feel good with numbers when it comes to helping people. So you have to be able to cut it out. “Don’t get me wrong. There are people who come into the line for the first time that you don’t know and you feed them. But then we would just direct them to our office so that we could do the back ground research on them, so we could do the investigations.” (BT)

RECALLING THE FATEFUL FALL - The 34-year-old mother of two who had a brush with death last Friday when she fell into a 32-foot deep limestone well at Inch Marlow, Christ Church, is thanking all those who played a role in saving her life. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Tynicya Rollins told Barbados TODAY that though her body was aching from cuts, bruises and a broken leg, she was nothing but grateful that her life was spared for her beautiful daughters, ages 13 and 10. “When I was falling I thought I was going to die. I really thought this was it,” she recalled. The National Conservation Commission (NCC) worker fell into the well around 10:30 a.m. while on the job. She was rescued by a team from the Barbados Fire Service (BFS), and transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) by ambulance. During the interview at her Sayes Court, Christ Church home, Rollins said she was happy to be alive to tell the tale. “I can’t walk. Even sitting up takes a toll on me. I can’t put no weight on my broken leg. I was treated the Friday and sent home but I had to go back on Sunday because of how I was feeling I knew that something was wrong.” The young woman said she vaguely remembers the moments leading to the fall. She said she was in the process of raking clippings that her colleague Adrian Williams had cut from a hedge. The next thing was the feeling that the fall would never end. “I thought I would have never stop falling. I can’t remember tripping. All I could remember is picking up clippings and then I was going down. All I knew I was going down the hole. Adrian tell me I wasn’t hollering but I swear I holler for Adrian. That is the truth. “Going down, all I was telling myself is that I hope down in there ain’t got no water because I can’t swim. I could remember seeing my children flashed before my eyes. I was studying my children and just grabbing to grasp anything.” Though she was in the well for just about an hour, Rollins said she felt as though the time was much longer. She prayed and asked God to keep her body intact and for her to get out alive. “I also told him that if I am going to die He knows best. I asked Him to make sure that He protects my children. And after a while I felt calm and I felt at peace,” she recalled as the tears continued to fall. Rollins’ fellow workers, who were at the scene, were shaken up by the ordeal, which they described as a scary experience. They said they admired how the injured woman kept her composure though they knew the fall had taken a toll on her emotionally and physically. The workers did their best to keep Rollins alert until emergency officials arrived. They also sent down beverages to keep her hydrated. She heard their voices and saw the light, but she said she knew that they could not see her because the hole was complete darkness. “Adrian asked me if I want water, if I want mauby. I had to keep telling him ‘Adrian move from by the well, the rocks dropping in’ and was hitting hard. But I know he didn’t mean no harm he was just there to try to keep me awake and aware. “They were good to me and that is the truth. Every day they message and ask me if I am okay. They kept talking to me, telling me not to fall asleep. Now hoping for a full recovery, Rollins also has much praise for the officer from the BFS who ventured into the dark hole to take her to safety. Rollins said she would forever remember the empathetic look on the face of the officer as he introduced himself and walked her through the steps that they would be taking to get her out. “He was more frightened when he see me than anything else. But he was so gentle he actually didn’t want to touch me because he looked and he saw the cuts on my body. “He told me he putting this harness on me and it’s going to hurt me because I have cuts all on my bottom, all on my back. I told him it is okay and I started helping him to put it on because he didn’t even want to touch me. So he told me I putting it on wrong and eventually he started putting it on,” Rollins said. Rollins said she believes that every experience should teach a lesson. She noted that the lesson she learnt from her near-death experience was that she must continue to encourage her children to pray for guidance, protection, knowledge, wisdom and understanding, and to always be spiritually and mentally prepared for the unexpected. “I was telling my friend “Birdie” we going partying the Saturday night, and then look what happen. Actually just before I fell, that same morning, I was telling my supervisor that God don’t give a man more than he can bare. “I was telling her whatever problems you have you just have to throw it behind your back and try to be happy,” she added. Rollins also thanks her relatives and friends who have been at her side since last Friday’s tragedy. “I thank everyone. I thank all of your readers who sent their prayers and their blessings. I thank all of them and ask them to keep praying for me. (BT)

‘ROOM FOR DOUBT' – Queen’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim, Q.C., today asked the Crown to state its case against his clients, businessmen Arthur Charles Herbert and Christopher Glenn Rogers who are both before the court on drug charges. The prominent lawyer made the call in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court this afternoon on the grounds that the file handed to him and attorney-at-law Kamisha Benjamin on the matter “does not disclose any case” against his clients. Pilgrim revealed that he had already written the clerk of the court and the Commissioner of Police on the issue. “Our position is that if the Crown is of the view that there is some aspects in this evidence, which disclose as a case, we urge them to point to it. Or, if the court is of the view that there is some aspect of this evidence that touches and concerns our clients, and implies some sort of either knowledge, control or possession or any of those things, of its own motion, we invite the court to point us in that direction,” Pilgrim stated. Herbert, 62, of Redland Plantation, St George and Rogers, 56, of No. 27 York Road, Navy Gardens, Christ Church are charged along with Walter O’Neal Prescod, 55, of No. 107 Emerald Park East, St Philip with possession, possession with intent to supply, trafficking and importation of 267 pounds or 121.4 kilogrammes of cannabis on July 23, 2018. The illicit substance has an estimated $534,160 street value. According to police the charges against the trio allegedly stemmed from a drug bust aboard the Ecstasy, a private yacht owned by Goddard Enterprises. All three men are currently on bail. The Queen’s Counsel went on to state that if there was any doubt “at all” it could be resolved by calling witnesses but if the court shares the defence team’s position and there was no need to call those witnesses then “we are happy”. “Because if the court wants us to specify why we think we could run into error if we commit this matter without a hearing of those witnesses, if there is a scintilla of evidence that points to knowledge of any of the parties whom we represent, we are anxious to be heard on those points. It may be a starting point to invite the Crown to indicate what their case is,” the lawyer told Magistrate Douglas Frederick as the trio sat in the dock. He however stated that there was an easier way for his side to put its case forward. “At least the simplest way to state our position is to say that parties other than us, in statements disclosed to us, point to this case happening in one particular way which does not involve us, that in our view those statements are statements which we are entitled to rely on in our defence pursuant to the Evidence Act,” said Pilgrim who conceded that he was not making a no case submission on the case against his clients “as yet”. In response, prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Trevor Blackman told the court: “I have requested a directive from the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to this matter . . . so I am awaiting a response from her in relation to this matter.” Magistrate Frederick however informed Pilgrim that his submission may be “misplaced” as Prescod had now retained a new attorney-at-law. Today attorneys-at-law Shadia Simpson and Arthur Holder formally withdrew, with the court’s permission, as Prescod’s legal counsel. He is now represented by Verla DePeiza. Magistrate Frederick said DePeiza now needed time to read the file on the case against her client and take instructions from him. The case will continue in the No.1 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on June 19. (BT)

STATELESS NO MORE – A Barbadian version of the Tom Hanks movie in which a man is stranded in an airport with no nationality entered its final scenes today as the once-stateless man prepares to return to his native Dominican Republic. Like the 2004 film The Terminal, Juan Abraham Ramirez Rijo, 35, has been caught in legal limbo, a non-national who was unable to return because he had no travel or identity papers and his homeland would not accept him back until he could provide them. But unlike the movie, in which Hanks’s character was stuck at the airport terminal, the construction worker was moved from the airport detention centre to Her Majesty’s Prison Dodds pending repatriation to the Dominican Republic by weekend. The Immigration Department has finally obtained travel documents for the stranded Ramirez who was among 13 people rescued by a passing cruise ship en route to Barbados on December 20. He was picked up from a small vessel which was adrift 47 nautical miles from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Immigration Officer Terry Simmons today told the District ‘A’ Magistrate Douglas Frederick: “We have received the travel documents… and the next available flight is Saturday.” Simmons told the court the department could purchase his ticket home as early at today to facilitate his one-way flight to Santo Domingo. The magistrate agreed and ordered Ramirez brought to the court tomorrow from Dodds to break the news to him officially. The stranded 13, including a pregnant woman, were medically examined, found to be in good health, and were housed “in a secure location” here until they were identified, the court was told. They were also allowed to contact family and friends in an effort to return home. After being held here for two weeks, all but Ramirez has secured documents for their return. Thus began a wrangle with authorities in Santo Domingo who refused to admit Ramirez unless he could prove his identity and nationality. Ramirez’s frustration reached boiling point in a violent outburst two months ago when Ramirez, who had listed his address as Calle Sanches, Casa 112, San Pedro, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was remanded to Dodds for almost two months for criminal damage he admitted he did at the airport detention centre where he was being held initially. He admitted to damaging an external door, two door locks and hardware, a washroom doorframe and drywall were damaged as the stranded man became belligerent, the court was told. It was revealed on his first appearance in court on April 6, that Ramirez had defecated in the room and placed some of the faeces inside a Styrofoam container and pushed it under the door.  He also held onto the door and shook it until it was damaged. His actions were caught on CCTV camera. Magistrate Frederick ordered Ramirez to be transported from the St Philip prison directly to the airport and deported once the arrangements are completed. (BT)

PHONE CHATS DISCLOSED TO COURT – A forensics examiner today presented conversations that were “pulled” from a Barbados Defence Force (BDF) cellular phone assigned to Coast Guard Lieutenant David Harewood. The evidence was presented by Sergeant Emille Jacobs, who took the stand today on the third day of Harewood’s court martial at the BDF’s St Ann’s Fort headquarters. The senior military officer, who is represented by Vincent Watson, is charged with between August 7 and 10, 2018, without lawful authority knowingly communicated with Akem Waithe, alias Ellis, while using a cellular phone belonging to the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) and that on an unknown date in January 2018, he communicated with a well known drug trafficker. Harewood also faces a charge that on an unknown date in January 2018, being a commissioned officer in the BDF, having knowledge of a threat to the life of a junior member, neglected to inform his superiors of such a threat. Additionally, he is charged with conducting unauthorised information gathering operations, conduct unbecoming of a commissioned officer in the BDF. Jacobs presented the report that was prepared by his colleague Station Sergeant Candacy Maynard, who was absent due to sickness. Both Jacobs and Maynard work with the Regional Security System (RSS) forensics lab. Under examination by prosecutor Lieutenant Jamar Bourne, Jacobs explained that Cellebrite software was used to retrieve the data from the cellular phones. He said in addition to the BDF phone assigned to Harewood, data was also extracted from a phone belonging to Ordinary Seaman Terrell Gibbons. Jacobs said the BDF phone assigned to Harewood had outgoing WhatsApp calls to 230-7875, a number attributed to Akem Waithe. It also had incoming calls from that number, as well as one WhatsApp message which read, “Yo bro”. However, Jacobs admitted that no name was attributed to 230-7875 on Harewood’s BDF assigned cellular phone. Jacobs said data retrieved from Gibbons’ cellular phone revealed a group chat and a personal conversation. On that cellular phone, Gibbons had contacts saved as Shrek Lord, Boss HWood and World Boss. In the group chat in which Boss HWood was a member, persons had conversations where they spoke about “juices”. However, in another chat, World Boss sent a message to Gibbons saying, “I want to see your boss.” A screenshot of a subsequent conversation was pulled from the phone which Gibbons sent to Boss HWood. Boss HWood then responded by saying, “I am not about meeting anybody else so he can speak through you, you know the procedure.” Gibbons then relayed that message to World Boss who said he did not deal with informers. When the forensics examiner was cross examined by defense counsel Vincent Watson, he admitted it was possible that although the phone was assigned to the accused someone else could have had access to it. Under further cross examination, Jacobs said while he was not the person to perform the tests on the phones, from all accounts the machinery used was in good working order. Jacobs denied the machinery used could track and monitor cellular phones as well as intercept and manipulate data. The prosecution is expected to wrap up its case when the matter resumes at 9 a.m.  (BT)

TEENAGER ACCUSED OF HURTING HIS MOTHER – A 17-year-old male who allegedly wounded his mother is out on $2,000 bail. Absalom Abejeh Francis-Hunte, of 3rd Avenue Gills Gap, Eagle Hall, St Michael is accused of unlawfully and maliciously committing the criminal offence against Michelle Francis on May 27. The teen is also accused of damaging a cellular phone belonging to his mother on the same day. He pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared before Magistrate Douglas Frederick today. Sergeant St Clair Phillips objected to bail for the accused based on concern for the safety of both the accused and the complainant since they lived in the same house and there was fear that the matter could escalate further. However, his attorney Harry Husbands put the prosecutor’s fears to rest informing Magistrate Frederick that the accused would stay at his father’s residence at another location. Bail was granted with one surety and Francis-Hunte will reappear before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on October 23. (BT)

WOMAN TO RETURN TO COURT IN JULY – A 37-year-old woman was released on bail after spending a few days on remand at Dodds. Ianthe Rita Marley Marshall, of 2nd Avenue Alleyne’s Land Bush Hall, St Michael was granted $2,000 bail today when she appeared before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant. She was remanded last week after she had no surety. The unemployed woman is accused of assaulting Lamar Francis on April 12 occasioning him actual bodily harm. She has denied the charge. The case against her will continue in the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on July 18. (BT)

ALLEGED TRESPASSER ON BAIL – The District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court released a 28-year-old man into the custody of his surety today following a successful bail application. Rasheed Kamalh Prescod, of Beckwith Street, Bridgetown, St Michael was granted $2,500 bail on the charge of entering the house of Maria Asgil as a trespasser on May 22 with intent to steal. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge after Magistrate Douglas Frederick read it. Sergeant St Clair Philips objected to bail on several grounds including the strength of the evidence “linking the accused to the crime”. “There are witnesses who connect him to this case and based on his antecedents,” the prosecutor submitted. Officer Phillips also stated that the accused had another matter pending before the court and had failed to adhere to his reporting conditions. Prescod however stated that was not the case saying that he previously had a number of charges before the court, which were eventually committed to the High Court. “I think that is where the confusion is.  It’s for a burglary case . . . I do two years for it,” Prescod stated adding that he had been reporting to the Worthing Police Station “every single day” as required by the Supreme Court but had fallen ill as a result of his diabetes but had informed officers at the station of the development. After making the necessary checks the magistrate granted him bail and gave him an October 21 date to return to court. (BT)

WORLD CUP BEGINS – The premier global cricket extravaganza gets underway tomorrow when England and South Africa contest the opening fixture of the 2019 International Cricket Council’s World Cup. The ten best teams in the world – England, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, England and Bangladesh – will seek to bring joy and honour to their respective countries in the tournament. West Indies won the first two editions of the World Cup in 1975 and 1979 but have since endured four decades of frustration.  Odds are for that frustration to continue with their One-Day International record making for abysmal reading in the past few years. But their showing against the top-rated England in the Caribbean where they drew the series has given West Indies fans reason for guarded optimism. Talismanic West Indies batsman, Chris Gayle, has made a rallying call for fans to get behind the team and show their support during the ICC Cricket World Cup. Speaking on Monday night at a social event attended by scores of West Indians living in the United Kingdom, Gayle made a passionate speech and asked members of the audience to join him on the journey towards winning the biggest prize in the sport. “This is my last World Cup and I want to go out on a high. We want to give it our best shot … we want to win the world Cup for the third time,” the veteran opener told the audience. “We want to win it for people like you here tonight who support West Indies cricket every day, everywhere and we want to win it for the millions around the world who love us.” Gayle, who is playing in his fifth World Cup, was the guest speaker at the specially arranged function in Bristol, where the team is currently based for their official warm-up matches. The event was held at the Bristol West Indies Cricket Club and hosted by Steve Stephenson, a Jamaican who has been a sporting administrator and senior social worker for over three decades. Along with honouring Stephenson, the West Indies  also made a donation towards the Winston Davis Charity, as they offered support to the former West Indies fast bowler, who is wheelchair-bound. Davis still holds the record for the best figures for West Indies in World Cup history with seven for 51 against Australia in 1983. “I travel the world and I meet a lot of great people like any of you here tonight and they always say ‘Chris Gayle we love you and we love the West Indies brand of cricket’”, Gayle said. “We want to play that kind of cricket and entertain the fans. I do it for the fans, they are the ones that keep me going. “So tonight, I’m reaching out to each and everyone of you to let you know that we value your support and to keep the support going strong. We want to reach that final at Lord’s and we want to win that World Cup.” West Indies start their campaign on Friday against mercurial Pakistan at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. This is perhaps an ideal opportunity to begin the World Cup on a winning note against a team whose unpredictability and inconsistency are perhaps only matched by their own. West Indies showed great batting form in their last warm-up match and it is expected that big scores will be the norm in the competition. Bowlers are expected to be under pressure throughout the World Cup on batsman-friendly tracks. West Indies allrounder Carlos Brathwaite noted that scores over 300 would be crucial with totals in excess of 400 even being the desired target. “Hopefully, we can get 325 consistently. That is probably about par in these conditions. And then, the odd day we can get 400 and give the bowlers a little bit of leeway,” he noted. Brathwaite said he wanted the West Indies to show up and show off in the tournament. “ If we can win, we can be looked upon in the way that the team of ’75 and ’79 was looked upon, as heroes of sorts. Once we do the things we’re supposed to do often, we should go far enough in the tournament. It’s one of our better chances in the last 40 years or so to win the World Cup, so it’s time for us to show up and show off. On our day, in semi-finals and finals we have some guys who can win it on their own,” he said. West Indies ODI star batsman Shai Hope also acknowledged the importance of the team aiming for in excess of 300 and stated that West Indies had the firepower to achieve this goal. Hope noted that it was vital that West Indies made totals over 300 in all their matches. “It is just the style of the game in these recent times, we know that,” said Hope, who averages 51 from 54 ODIs. “Three-fifty is almost par in these times, so you have to really keep up with the run-rate. It is just about trying to adapt to the style of play these days,” he said. Captain Jason Holder has urged his men to enjoy their cricket, to play with freedom and compete to bring smiles to Caribbean faces. He said that not really enjoying the cricket had had a negative effect on team performances in the past. “I think one of the things that has hampered us sometimes in the past is that we’ve not really enjoyed it to the extent that I think we should be. It’s our living, our job,” he pointed out. “We have put so many smiles on people’s faces back home in the Caribbean and for me, I just want to continue to do that. I think we’re at our best when we play with freedom and a smile,” Holder stressed. The World Cup’s first encounter starts at 5.30 a.m. Barbados time.  (BT)

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[klovenhooves]

The Setauket Chronicles, Chapter Six: Bated Breath

I’m finally back! Please take this long chapter as an apology for staying away so long. 

Abigail’s nurse’s station was empty, save for the woman herself, when Billy approached. He had kept his distance for the first week of school, unsure of where he stood with her. Abigail no longer brought him coffee in the morning; the smiles that she sent in his direction that she thought were covert were no more. Billy kept his ears open while others in the office gossiped about the rest of the staff, but no one seemed to know anything about Abigail’s sudden change in disposition. Even more frustrating, it seemed she only changed her behavior with him.

He knocked gently on the doorframe, two cups of coffee in his hand. Nothing risked, nothing earned, right, he thought as she turned to him, her face registering first surprise and then trepidation. She gave him no words of encouragement or even of greeting. He faltered in the doorway for a second, lingering in limbo. What now?

 He powered forward. “I figured you’d need a cup of coffee if you were still dealing with all of those students who haven’t gotten their shots,” Billy explained, but still Abigail didn’t take the coffee cup. She straightened up, wiping her hands on her lab coat, eyeing the beverage warily.

 The mention of the latest administrative debacle prompted normalcy from her, if only temporarily. “I just don’t understand why it’s a problem,” she sighed. “They aren’t even supposed to be able to register without updated shot records.”

 Billy chuckled. “Administrative oversight, as usual,” he agreed, holding the coffee cup to her a little more, but still she didn’t take it. Her eyes dropped to it and rose back to him, and finally he confronted the issue at hand. “Abby, it’s just a cup of coffee.”

 Abigail’s eyes focused on the diagram of an ear on her wall. “I, uh, I already have coffee,” she said, motioning to nothing in particular.

 “Where?” he asked.

 The awkward silence followed that seemed to have no end. Finally, Billy cleared his throat and set the coffee cup down on the counter. Abigail looked like she wanted to protest, but couldn’t come up with the words.

 “If I may be frank –” Abigail looked horrified at the prospect, “You and I have been friends for a long time, and there was always the option of…” he hesitated, unsure of what to call it, “more, when and if we ever wanted to take advantage of the opportunity.” He flinched inwardly at his sterile delivery. A romantic, he apparently was not. “And suddenly, you look like I contracted the plague. Did – did something happen? Have I perpetually had something in my teeth?”

 Finally, she smiled at his lame joke, long enough for him to know that he was making headway. But still, she hesitated in responding, the silence stretching for so long that Billy found himself speaking again.

 “You’ve never been the woman afraid to speak,” he pointed out. “All I need is a word; any word that can tell me why everything suddenly changed.”

 She sighed, her eyes dropping to the floor. Finally, he sensed that she was about to say something.

 The moment came…and passed. She held her tongue.

 “One word, Abby,” he pleaded.

 “Akinbode.”

 “I – just –” he paused, confused and trying to right himself, “I’m sorry, you’re going to have to give me more than that.”

 “Akinbode is back in town,” Abigail confessed, the rigid, sharp angle of her shoulders loosening just a bit at her admission. Billy sighed. Akinbode, while not Cicero’s father, was nonetheless attached to the boy and to Abigail, no matter how many times they broke up. If he was back, Billy admitted silently, he had no chance.

 “Oh,” was all he could think to say.

 Abigail seemed to read the discouragement on his face. “It isn’t like before,” she hastened to add. “I don’t – I don’t want to be with him anymore, but with Cicero…it’s hard to be completely separated.”

 Billy nodded. “I understand that.”

 Her hand came to rest on top of the coffee cup that Billy had left on her counter. She cradled it gently between her hands, letting the warmth of the liquid through the cup keep her fingers at a comfortable temperature. She looked down at it with a soft smile; he found his eyes were focused on the cup as well, on the soft trace of her fingers over the lid.

 “You know, I think this is the first time you’ve ever brought me coffee,” she noted, her eyes still on the cup.

 Billy shrugged. “It was about time I returned the favor.”

 “Bring me more tomorrow?” she asked hopefully, her eyes finally meeting his. Billy felt a smile take over his face, and gave her a happy nod.

 It wasn’t a date, but it was a start.

 ***

 The bell that signaled the beginning of lunch was always the most perilous for Ben. By then, he was starving, his temper short, and he probably had to pee. But he always dutifully stood outside his classroom door, his blue eyes darting through the crowd, ready to restore order should anarchy threaten to take over.

 Anarchy threatened more often than one would think in a high school hallway.

 He leaned heavily against the wall, his eyelids lazy. He had stayed up late the night before grading papers that he had let pile up against his better judgment, and he felt the three hour difference in his usual sleep schedule. He’d been through two cups of coffee this morning, and he felt the jitters lingering at the tips of his fingers, though his energy level stayed the same: low.

 The first shove of a student that Ben didn’t know took him almost by surprise; the student that took the push held his ground and pushed back, and soon, anarchy ruled again. The students in the hallway, as if by an instinct that Ben had long lost, immediately made a circle around the brawling boys, yelling insults, egging their favorite on, probably taking bets.

 Ben’s eyes searched the now wild crowd for another teacher, for backup. He found none. The hallway had emptied except for the high school rendition of Fight Club going on in front of him. He groaned and joined the crowd.

 It was like walking through a boxing match of a throng of people slightly too short to be adults. Nonetheless, Ben was the only teacher in the hallway that seemed to take his duty of watching the halls seriously, and if anyone was going to break up the fight, it was going to have to be him.

 He pushed his way through the crowd, trying desperately not to elbow the students out of the way, even though he may have tripped the kid that was blocking his way into the circle.

 He grabbed the first pusher by the crook of his arm, trying to wrestle him away from the other student, who took the opportunity to land a nasty punch to the side of the other kid’s face. In response, the instigator immediately flailed his legs, catching the other student in the leg.

 “That – is – enough,” Ben grunted through pants, struggling to keep the students separated with only two hands. Where was everyone else?

 He didn’t see the fist until it caught him in the lip, and he was surprised to note that high school kids packed more of a punch than he remembered. Finally, slightly dazed and completely fed up, he yanked both students away from each other and held them by the backs of their shirts.

 “Enough!” he roared. The students surrounding the fight seemed to finally take notice of him for the first time and scattered down the hallway. Only a few brave ones staying behind to finish the video that would surely circulate through the students and the faculty by the end of the day. He returned his focus to the two students, now limp in his grasp. “You two, to Principal Washington’s office, now.”

 He took them there himself, not even bothering to ask them why they felt they needed to fight. The stinging in his lip preoccupied him; how had he managed to get punched in the face by a student within his first month of teaching?

 As he turned the corner toward the offices, he was surprised to see the one person he would have liked to never see with a stinging lip: Peggy Shippen, pointing one student down the hallway to the counselor’s office, a happy smile on her pretty face. He watched, as if his embarrassment demanded slow motion, as she turned toward him, surprise clouding her face for a moment, and then concern.

 “Benja – Mr. Tallmadge,” she corrected herself quickly. Her eyes fell to his squirming cargo. “What…what on earth?”

 “Fight,” Ben explained shortly. “These two need to go to Washington.”

 Peggy’s eyes landed on his mouth, and Ben allowed himself a moment to feel flattered before he realized that his lip was probably bleeding. Peggy offered her hand and took one of the students by the arm, joining Ben in his journey to the front of the school.

 “I don’t know why I’m in trouble,” the smaller student pointed out. “He’s the one who started it.”

 “You’re the one who punched a teacher,” the other one spat, pulling against Ben’s grip to look his enemy in the eye.

 “Patrick, I am ashamed of you,” Peggy admonished to the student Ben was holding. “I thought you wanted to stay out of the principal’s office this year.”

 “It wasn’t my fault, Miss Shippen, he started telling people that my girlfriend was going to dump me for him,” Patrick whined, seeking for the pretty teacher’s approval once more. “I was defending her honor.”

 “Because she is going to dump you –”

 “Enough,” Ben snapped, and the still unidentified student fell silent once more.

 “The best way to defend a woman’s honor is to let her do it herself,” Peggy pointed out dryly. “In any case, there’s no point in appealing to me; it’s Principal Washington you need to be preparing for.”

 Patrick fell silent after that, staring at the door to Washington’s office. Happy to be rid of his cargo, Ben left the two students waiting for their punishment and glanced up at the clock. Half of his lunch time was gone. He wanted to curse, but he found he was too tired to do it.

 “You know your lip is bleeding, right?” Peggy’s voice, much sweeter now that she wasn’t being disciplinary, caught him by surprise.

 “I would’ve thought you would be heading to lunch,” Ben replied, touching his lip gently.

 “I confess, I was interested to hear how you got punched by a student,” Peggy’s smile surprisingly made Ben feel a little lighter, a little less tired. “Where was the rest of your hall?”

 He explained to her the whole debacle, realizing toward the end of the story that Peggy had led him to her classroom without explanation. She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a tissue, pressing it gently to his lip without asking permission. He could feel the warmth of her body, almost touching his, as she inspected what she determined to be “just a little” cut on his lip.

 “Good thing, I suppose,” she said softly, as she pulled a cold can of soda from her tiny blue lunchbox and pressed it to his skin. He hissed at the temperature change.

 “Why is that good?” he asked.

 “I would hate to see those lips too terribly bruised up,” she answered easily, the compliment, the almost intimate implication making his cheeks flush bright pink. She took in the sight of his blush with a smirk that was somehow full of appreciation and not smugness.

 “Do you always say things like that to people?” he asked, the words tumbling from his mouth before he could stop them.

 She looked momentarily scandalized, and stepped away from him. Ben hastened to add, “I mean…I feel like I hardly know you.”

 “Benjamin, have you ever considered that you hardly know me because you haven’t asked me out yet?” Peggy replied easily.

 “Oh,” Ben spluttered. “I – uh – well –”

 “Do you want me to do it?” Peggy asked. “Would that make you more comfortable?”

 Ben swallowed thickly, trying not to find her determination, her boldness, charming. She was waiting for his response, her eyes wide and innocent, but Ben could find no witty reply that was good enough for her. She was too tactful, her tongue too sharp. He feared he couldn’t keep up.

 “Tell you what,” Peggy finally relented, and Ben released a sigh of relief. “How about we eat lunch together in my class tomorrow? Just two teachers, chatting.”

 Ben felt a smile tugging at his lips, and despite the pain it brought him, he grinned. “I think I can handle that.”

 ***

 Philomena was sure that she would never truly get used to seeing Sarah covered in splatters of multicolored paint, paintbrushes sticking out of her messy bun. While the look was extremely endearing, it also made her want to pull the brushes out of her hair, just to see the hair tumble down. It made her hands itch to wipe some of the paint off of her skin, but the resulting, lingering eye contact that followed was too heavy with subtext for her to bear.

 But still, she sought her out, wondering what color would be smeared down the length of her cheekbone. Would it complement her eyes? Would it bring out the permanent flush in her cheeks? Philomena struggled to put those thoughts out of her mind as she trudged up the stairs to Sarah’s apartment. Even the doorknob had paint splattered on it, a smear of dark oil on the yellow door.

 It made her smile.

 She knocked, listening for sounds of the other woman’s approach. The faint sounds of classical music from inside the apartment held, then slowly diminished. Footsteps neared, and butterflies took flight in her stomach.

 As the door swung open, the butterflies morphed into a stampede of something much more substantial, like elephants. Her hair was down, falling in messy waves over her shoulder, her eyes bright and happy, just like they always were. What a pleasant constant to be blessed with, Philomena thought as Sarah easily moved aside, pulling her into the apartment with a grin that was soon mirrored on her own mouth.

 Someone pleased to see her.

 “I know exactly why you’re here,” Sarah said as a greeting, her hand tightening around Philomena’s own for a second before she released it and returned to her living room, Philomena following. “You got the part!”

 Her complete confidence in Philomena’s possible success brought easy laughs from her. “No, no, I haven’t heard anything yet,” she replied, falling onto Sarah’s couch, pulling one of the frayed pillows toward her. Her fingers wrapped around the fringe, tightening around the tip of her finger until she was forced to let go. “I probably won’t get the part. There were a thousand other girls there.”

 Easily, breezily, Sarah brushed off Philomena’s self-deprecating comment. “Well, since you’re here,” she began, her hands wringing together nervously, “I have something I would like to show you.”

 Philomena did not answer, but gave her an encouraging smile that seemed to bolster Sarah on. “Okay, but if you don’t like it, you have to say something, okay?” her confidence, so easy in Philomena, did not seem to extend to herself. “Promise me you’ll tell me if you hate it.”

 “I won’t hate it,” Philomena said, her voice firm.

 Sarah’s smile was weak, but the twinkle in her eyes was real. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Cheer.”

 “Just show it to me,” Philomena demanded.

 Sarah raised an eyebrow at her tone, but moved toward a canvas covered with a sheet. Her fingers curled around the material, but still, she did not lift it. Her eyes stayed on Philomena, on her relaxed posture on her couch, her fingers tight around the old cushion, her feet, crossed daintily at the ankles. With a sigh that sounded a lot like resignation, she lifted the sheet and tossed it away from her, her eyes back on Philomena.

 She couldn’t find any words with which to immediately assuage Sarah’s insecurity. She was caught up in the gaze of her own eyes, reflected back at her from the portrait Sarah had promised to finish. Her hair, much more detailed than she would have imagined possible, practically sparkled gold, her curve of her fingers graceful around her drink. The background was the bar they had met in, but it didn’t look the same. It was colored with something that only memory could give it, a kind of soft reverence and a warm blur that said nothing but the woman in the foreground was important.

 “You hate it,” Sarah said simply.

 Philomena held out her hand for her, and let Sarah pull her to her feet. Philomena was just a tad taller, thanks to her heeled boots, but it didn’t stop her from tilting Sarah’s chin up toward her mouth.

 “I thought you said I was going to be in love with you when you finished this?” she asked.

 Sarah chuckled, a weak, breathy laugh that told Philomena that the joke was entirely lost on the woman struggling to stay afloat in her gaze. “Yes, well, I finished it earlier than I thought I would,” she admitted.

 Philomena had just committed herself to kissing the artist when the back pocket of her jeans started jingling. With a groan that Sarah matched, she reached for her cell phone, ready to ignore anyone on the other line. This was more important.

 But the number emblazoned across the screen was familiar, if only in an unattainable way, and before Philomena could stop herself, she was pressing the little green icon and pulling the phone to her ear.

 Sarah turned away from the other girl to give her the privacy to listen to her phone call, but only found herself face-to-face with Philomena once more, this one of her own creation. Her critical eye lingered on her tiny mistakes, the slightly darker pink of her lips, the exaggerated eyelashes, the lack of depth of focus in the background. The study allowed her to calm the thundering in her chest. Philomena had been about to kiss her, she knew it. There was only one outcome to those fingers on her chin.

 Just letting her mind graze over the thought made her giddy all over again.

 “Yes, yes sir, thank you so much,” Philomena was gushing into the phone, and Sarah slowly turned back around as she hung up the phone. “You’ll never guess –”

 But Sarah was already grinning, her smile satisfied and smug. “You got the part.”

 “I got the part!” Philomena’s happiness only bled into Sarah, who pulled her into a hug, relishing in just that even if the moment for their kiss had passed. But Philomena’s hands were low on her waist, and when she pulled away, her nose brushed Sarah’s own before her right hand left her hip and tilted her chin back up to meet her mouth.

 She tasted like cinnamon and coffee, her lips warm and pliant on her own. Her fingers left her chin and splayed gently across Sarah’s cheek, sliding easily into her hair. Sarah allowed herself a few moments of sinful indulgence before she gently pulled away.

 “As much as I would love to do this all day, and I would,” she pressed a momentary kiss to Philomena’s lips. “I think we have some celebrating to do first.”

 “This is celebration enough,” Philomena insisted, pulling Sarah tight against her body, and Sarah almost melted against her.

 “Nope,” she gathered her fortitude and pulled away again, this time to a safe distance, but being in full view of Philomena Cheer, thoroughly kissed, was not much of a safety. “I insist on at least taking you out to dinner before we get back to that.”

 Philomena made a show of crossing her arms and pouting, but the effect was slightly marred by the growling of her stomach underneath her arms. Her eyes fell to her own stomach at the sound, and both women dissolved quickly into giggles.

 “Fine, dinner first,” Philomena relented, holding out her hand for Sarah to take. “But we get to kiss at dinner.”

 Sarah allowed herself a giddy smile. “That seems like a fair compromise.”

 ***

 Anna stared into her closet, still not used to seeing so much closet space available to her. Selah had never had a whole lot of clothes to hang in their shared closet, but the small space in the corner that he used to occupy was glaringly empty, the wall stark white compared to her mostly jewel toned clothes.

 But no, she wouldn’t think about him right now. Instead, she renewed her focus on the dresses in question. Her first date with Edmund was tonight, and she was determined to have a good time. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure what attracted her to Edmund initially; perhaps it was the innocence and fear in his soft eyes that she had to see again. Maybe it was just that he had been in the vicinity when she needed someone to talk to. Either way, once she had decided to talk to him, he had endeared himself to her.

 He was sweet, she thought as she grabbed a dark green dress out of her closet. He was smart, she could tell from his vocabulary. He wasn’t putting on airs when he talked to her, like so many other men did. He was genuine, and sincere, and that was refreshing.

 He made her feel like she could be a good person. She hadn’t felt like a good person in such a long time. The way he looked at her – like he believed she was still capable of being worth something.

 She left her hair down, too nervous to put it up and wrangle with bobby pins, and brushed lip balm over her chapped lips. Her dresser, like her closet, was empty, wobbling without the extra weight of Selah’s shirts, boxers, and pants. She dropped her hands on it and refused to dwell.

 She poured herself a glass of wine in the kitchen while she waited for him, her phone close by just in case he got lost. When it did ring, she fumbled for it, desperate for company outside of her empty home. Her eyes registered the name dully: Abraham.

 She let the call go to voicemail.

 After over two weeks of trying to talk to him, dozens of unanswered texts, unreturned voicemails, he picked tonight to open communication again. Anna groaned, finishing off her wine in a large, unladylike gulp. No, she would not answer, she would not respond.

 But her fingers betrayed her, and soon, his voicemail was playing in her ears.

 “Anna, pick up.” A long silence and a clunk that sounded like a glass bottle being set down. “Anna.” His voice was rougher this time. “Mary is cheating on me, Robert doesn’t want to speak to me anymore. I need you.” There was a longer silence now, punctuated only by what sounded like muffled crying. “Please, Anna. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. I love you. Call me.”

 His voice, so broken, brought tears to her eyes, but she held them in, refusing to let them fall. They had been through this circus before; he would get drunk and call her, upset, crying, because of some imagined slight by Mary, and he would reel her back in. They would comfort each other, filling their empty shells until they felt like real people again.

 But that wasn’t working anymore. Every indiscretion felt like it punctured a new wound, and the happiness that he left behind would leak out faster every time they were together. It was an addiction, a habit that could be kicked, that needed to be kicked, for their own good.

 She dropped her phone on the table and left it there to rinse out her wine glass, ignoring it when it vibrated. It was Abraham, she could tell now. He was testing her, trying to see if she would answer a text but not a call. She wouldn’t give in.

 The expected knock at the door nonetheless made her jump, and Edmund’s nervous eyes were a welcome distraction. She invited him in long enough for her to grab a coat, just in case it rained on them again. He passed her a bouquet of lilies, a soft, pure white that was far more than she deserved. His pressed suit was a navy blue, with a light blue shirt. His eyes lingered on her green dress for a moment appreciatively, and she knew she had made the right decision.

 “They’re beautiful,” she breathed, letting the petals brush against her skin. He flushed, pleased with her response.

 “I tried to find some flowers that – well, flowers that would match your beauty,” he avoided her eyes, and Anna could see their date had sent him into uncharted waters. He was more nervous than just a guy who hadn’t been on a date in a long time; he was nervous like a man who hadn’t been on many dates at all.  

 “You’re going to charm me, aren’t you?” she asked him, her smile stretching when he stumbled over a coherent response. “I can tell you are far more charming than anyone else I’ve met.”

 “You are too kind,” he finally stammered, and Anna took his arm, leading him into the evening, her phone forgotten on the table.

 Their short drive to the art museum was quiet; Anna didn’t want to engage him in too much conversation immediately, and she found herself at a loss for what to talk about. She took the time to study his face, an angular, almost severe profile that reminded her of the art they were going to see. His face certainly wasn’t one that she often saw, and when he caught her looking, his lips quirked upward in a shy smile that crinkled the skin around the edges of his eyes, and Anna, true to her prediction, found herself completely charmed by the genuineness of his open expression. So often was she forced to hide her own feelings that she was unaccustomed to seeing someone unabashedly shy, or nervous, or even happy.

 “It’s a small museum,” she pointed out as they pulled into the almost empty parking lot, “but they do have some nice pieces in it.”

 Edmund seemed a little more at ease with a conversation about art. “And who is your favorite artist?” he asked, offering her his arm on the uneven pavement. She took it, sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow gently.

 “Oh, they wouldn’t have any of his pieces here,” she dismissed quickly. But Edmund’s eyes, his kind eyes, were still full of questions, and she realized that she was allowed to talk about what she liked here, instead of having to censor herself. “My favorite artist is Vermeer.”

 “Oh, the Girl with the Pearl Earring, right?” Edmund replied enthusiastically. “I saw a documentary about him the other day, and it was quite interesting. If you like, I can show it to you sometime.”

 He seemed to catch the implication the moment the words left his mouth; he flushed a bright red, and struggled through an explanation. “That is – if you would like to – I mean, I would be happy to – oh bugger.”

 His final exclamation pulled a giggle from Anna that startled him; his eyes met hers, probing for her approval or disapproval. They paused in the doorway of the museum, Anna’s hand still nestled in his arm.

 “I would love to see that documentary,” she replied easily.

 “Even if –” he couldn’t bring himself to find the words.

 “Even if tonight is a complete disaster,” she agreed. “That is, unless you decide that you don’t want to see me again.”

 He scoffed like that was an impossibility.

 They wandered the museum aimlessly, with no plan, with no necessary order of operations. Anna found herself completely wrapped up in the serenity of the quiet museum and Edmund’s quiet questions, his soft declarations of “ooh, I like that one,” or “I’m afraid I don’t see the appeal,” and offered her opinion as he asked of it, and sometimes disagreed with him just to see him get flustered and defend a painting that she secretly loved.

 The more they talked about art, the more relaxed Edmund became. He seemed to find his words easier now, soothed by the quiet and her steady hand on his arm. When he spotted a painting he really liked, his other hand dropped to hers unexpectedly, lingering there on top of her fingers while Anna waited to see how long it would take for him to retract it.

 But he was so caught up in the painting, his eyes tracing the lines of color, that she managed to slip her fingers between his and hold his hand gently in her own for a few moments before he realized what had happened.

 He took in their joined hands with a timidity that softened her. She wanted to ask him if this was okay with him, or if she presumed too much, but her stomach had other plans. It rumbled accusingly, and even Edmund allowed himself to laugh at her expense.

 “I think it’s time for dinner,” he suggested, leaving their hands together. “Now, do you like Indian food?”

 Anna furrowed her brow. “I think I’ve had it maybe once. Why?”

 He tugged on their joined hands, pulling her toward the exit. “Because I know exactly where we’re getting dinner.”

 The restaurant Edmund took her to was a gas station. She stared at it, confused for a moment, while Edmund got out of the car and opened her door. She let her hand fall easily into his, lacing their fingers together almost without thinking.

 “Edmund?” she asked as he led her to the shabby looking gas station. “What are we doing here?”

 He looked as confident as she had ever seen him. “Trust me,” he said.

 The restaurant wasn’t a restaurant, really, but a stand at the back of the gas station. Edmund ordered quickly and with purpose, talking easily with the man behind the counter. They seemed like old friends, exchanging jokes and small comments while the man prepared Styrofoam containers before their eyes, sliding them into plastic bags. Before Anna knew it, they were done, and Edmund was leading the way back out to the car, and Anna was more confused than ever.

 “Are we not going to eat the food?” Anna asked finally, as the smell of whatever Edmund had ordered wafted toward her. She couldn’t place the spices that she smelled, but it still smelled delicious.

 He chuckled, his previous nerves gone. “Patience, Anna,” he admonished lightly. “We’re almost there.”

 “There” was a park that Anna had grown up playing in. She, Ben, Caleb, and Abraham had skinned their knees on the playground, had climbed the trees, had gotten drunk there when they were only sixteen.

 But it doesn’t matter, she thought forcefully. It didn’t matter what had happened there. What mattered was what was happening now. Edmund spread their feast over the picnic table, opening all of the containers and explaining the different dishes, arranging them in order of spice. He let her taste them all first, watching her face carefully for her approval.

 They fell easily into their past conversations, going back to art, and music, and books. He was so very smart, Anna thought; she worried that she wouldn’t be able to keep up. But never once did he condescend her. If she didn’t know the book, they’d move on to another one. They easily passed the plates between each other, picking food off of each other’s plates.

 “How on earth did you find that place?” Anna asked, pulling her favorite dish closer to her. Edmund smiled at her possessiveness, proof that she truly did approve of where he had chosen.

 “Accident, I suppose,” he shrugged. “I went into the gas station for, as you may guess, gas, and the little stand in the back was giving out free samples. I was hooked on it after that, I suppose. I’ve always wanted to take someone there.”

 “Well, it’s delicious,” she assured him, her other hand landing on top of his. His eyes fell to their hands, so often together.

 “I’m having fun,” he confessed, his eyes still on their hands.

 “I am too,” she replied, and her voice drew his eyes up to hers. She smiled warmly, watching as he mirrored her facial expression. “I’m glad I ordered you to take me on a date.”

 “Hey,” he protested, “Let’s not forget that you also made me late for an important business meeting.”

 “Since I was not aware of your previous obligations, I can take no blame for that,” she shrugged, and Edmund’s incredulous laughter spread warmth through her chest. “I’m sorry, Edmund, but your professional irresponsibility is your own fault.”

 “My professional –?” he broke off the statement when his laughter overtook him. “That’s some mighty big talk for a woman who lost her coffee.”

 “That was not my fault.”

 “Oh, and who saved the day?” Edmund gestured to himself, pointing his little plastic fork at his own face. “I believe I was the one that gave you my other coffee, if you so recall.”

 “Uh huh,” Anna conceded, taking a sip of her drink, squeezing his hand gently.

 “Anna?”

 Her eyes rose immediately to a voice she already recognized. Her laughter slid slowly from her face. “Abraham.”

 Edmund, a smile still ghosting over his face, took in the countenance of the man Anna had once chosen over her husband. He was a scraggly mess, his stubble uneven and untrimmed, his flannel shirt buttoned incorrectly.

 “I’ve – I’ve been calling you all evening,” he said, his eyes landing on Edmund for a moment before disregarding him.

 Anna stayed sitting down, kept her hand inside Edmund’s. “I left my phone at home.”

 “Anna – I,” he glanced at Edmund again, his jaw tightening as his eyes fell on their joined hands. “Can we talk? In private?”

 Anna tightened her jaw, and Edmund could feel her grip on his hand clench. “I’m actually a little busy –”

 “Anna –”

 “Abraham,” she said more forcefully. “Not now.”

 The man was beside her in a moment, ready to appeal to her better judgment. Edmund felt insecurity wash over him heavily and, after a long moment, took his hand out of Anna’s.

 “Mary is –”

 “I heard your voicemail, Abe,” Anna interrupted, her eyes flickering over to Edmund. “I chose to leave my phone behind tonight, because I didn’t want to think about it.”

 “But I –”

 Anna quickly cleared her throat and stood. “Actually, Edmund and I were just about to leave,” she said, her eyes locking onto Edmund’s quickly. He read her plead in the brown depths, and together, they closed the little packages of food and bagged them up, leaving Abraham behind on the bench. Anna took Edmund’s hand again, long enough to squeeze it. His eyes met hers for a moment, and he knew what she was trying to say.

 I’m sorry.

 ***

 Edmund took Anna home, the drive as silent as their first drive to the museum. But Anna refused to meet his eyes, her gaze locked on something far away from both of them. When he pulled into her driveway, she was forced to turn toward him, and he was surprised and horrified to see tears swimming in her eyes.

 “I’m sorry,” she said to his expression, wiping at the tears that she hadn’t yet shed. “I never wanted –”

 “I know,” he answered readily. “I know.”

 “I feel like I ruined everything,” she admitted, her gaze on her hands.

 He turned the car off and turned as much as he could toward her. “You didn’t ruin everything,” he reassured her. “I promise. Nothing that happened tonight changed any opinion I had about you.”

 His compliment shook a tear free from her eyes, and he reached immediately to wipe it away.

 “What would make you feel better?” he asked, his voice soft.

 “Come inside?” she asked. “We can finish our dinner there.”

 With a distinct notion that he was playing with fire, Edmund agreed.

#billy/abigail #peggy/ben #sarah/philomena #annlett #the setauket chronicles

[michaeljames1221]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/

from Criminal Defense Lawyer West Jordan Utah https://criminaldefenselawyerwestjordanutah.wordpress.com/2019/05/23/employee-discipline-policies/

[melissawalker01]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

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How Often Are Convictions on Appeal Overturned?

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from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/ from Divorce Lawyer Nelson Farms Utah https://divorcelawyernelsonfarmsutah.tumblr.com/post/185075799920

[mayarosa47]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

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How Often Are Convictions on Appeal Overturned?

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from https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/

from Criminal Defense Lawyer West Jordan Utah - Blog http://criminaldefenselawyerwestjordanutah.weebly.com/blog/employee-discipline-policies

[advertphoto]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Contract Drafting Law

How Often Are Convictions on Appeal Overturned?

Eviction Lawyers for Landlords

Family Lawyer Salt Lake City

Renter’s Insurance

Same Sex Marriage and Divorce

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/

[aretia]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Contract Drafting Law

How Often Are Convictions on Appeal Overturned?

Eviction Lawyers for Landlords

Family Lawyer Salt Lake City

Renter’s Insurance

Same Sex Marriage and Divorce

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/

[divorcelawyergunnisonutah]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Contract Drafting Law

How Often Are Convictions on Appeal Overturned?

Eviction Lawyers for Landlords

Family Lawyer Salt Lake City

Renter’s Insurance

Same Sex Marriage and Divorce

from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/

[gonnagoandrunwiththehorses]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

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Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/

[ericfruits]

More Than Banter

The Minnesota Supreme Court has imposed an indefinite suspension for at least two years

The petition alleged that Kennedy violated Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 8.1(a), 8.4(a), 8.4(c), 8.4(d), and 8.4(g), by bartering with his client for sexual favors and making false statements to police and to the Director about his misconduct with knowledge that those statements were false. The supplementary petition alleged that Kennedy violated Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 1.15 and Appendix 1 by failing to provide checkbook registers to the Director as required.

The attorney was admitted in 1976

Kennedy’s disciplinary history includes a public reprimand, multiple suspensions, and multiple periods of probation. Some of Kennedy’s past misconduct has included improper communication with clients. Kennedy has violated the probation conditions each time he was placed on probation.

While on probation, Kennedy was retained by 22-year-old K.P. in April 2015. K.P. was charged with fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance (three Adderall pills). Outside of a single speeding ticket, K.P. had no prior involvement with the criminal justice system. K.P. was embarrassed and ashamed that she was charged with a crime and wanted to avoid public attention.

K.P. owed owed a $4,700 balance of an $11,500 fee but

Shortly after retaining Kennedy, K.P. told others that she was uncomfortable with Kennedy. K.P. recorded conversations with Kennedy using her cell phone during two meetings in June 2015. K.P. met with police in September and gave them her cell phone to retrieve those conversations. Police met with Kennedy regarding K.P.’s claim that Kennedy had attempted to obtain sexual favors from her in exchange for payment of legal services. Kennedy denied the allegation. He was not charged with a crime arising out of his representation of K.P.

The Director subsequently interviewed Kennedy. Kennedy denied engaging in any sexual conversations with K.P., stating that “none of that happened.” When asked if he was being truthful, Kennedy responded that he was being truthful.

At the disciplinary hearing

At Kennedy’s disciplinary hearing, K.P. testified that, throughout their attorney client relationship, Kennedy had repeatedly made sexual remarks to K.P. For example, when discussing legal fees during an initial meeting, Kennedy said, “A cute girl like you,  you should not have to pay anything, right?” In addition to comments related to K.P.’s appearance, Kennedy asked where K.P. lived, the location of her bedroom in her home, and whether she lived with other people. Kennedy also requested to come to K.P.’s home after business hours, or alternatively, proposed that she come to his office after business hours to make payments on her attorney fee obligations. K.P. testified that she believed his comments and suggestions were an effort by Kennedy to obtain sexual favors as payment for her outstanding bill for legal services.

The cell phone recordings made by K.P. were also admitted at the hearing. A recording from June 2, 2015, included a number of sexual comments by Kennedy that were interspersed with the discussion of K.P.’s case.

E.g.

I promise 14 inches. Think about that when you’re thinking about this case...

Kennedy: And then I want you to do like you’re doing now. K.P.: Be serious. Kennedy: Yeah. You’re not smiling. You’re not acting goofy. You don’t have your tits sticking out and stuff like that. Not that I don’t like that, but not -- it’s not for court...

In the same meeting, Kennedy also told K.P. that a former client who worked at a hair salon had offered him oral sex for legal services in a criminal case

The court

The referee determined that Kennedy’s repeated unwelcome sexual comments harassed K.P. in violation of Rule 8.4(g). The referee also found that Kennedy’s conduct was motivated by an attempt to have sexual relations with K.P. and that this conduct violated Rule 8.4(a), which prohibits lawyers from “attempt[ing] to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct.” Kennedy argues that his comments to K.P. were the product of consensual sexual banter, and therefore he did not violate the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct. We disagree.

...During client meetings with K.P., Kennedy made comments related to K.P.’s appearance, such as whether or not her breasts were “sticking out,” and stating that she was “a cute girl.” Throughout the span of their professional meetings, Kennedy made clear that she was charged with a serious crime. When discussing her payments of attorney fees, he repeatedly tied those conversations to sexual activity by asking to pick up her payments owed at her home after business hours, by discussing other clients offering to pay him with sexual favors, and by inquiring about a “nap.” Others observed the effect of Kennedy’s behavior on K.P. and noticed her discomfort. K.P. was sufficiently concerned about Kennedy’s behavior that she recorded conversations with Kennedy and she went brought those recordings to the police. Under these circumstances, we find that the referee did not clearly err by concluding that this conduct was not mere consensual banter, but rather harassment, and therefore Kennedy’s conduct violated Rule 8.4(g).

The court upheld the referee's conclusion that the attorney was attempting to violate the sex with client prohibition.

Sanction

Kennedy abused his position of power and trust to exploit a client in an attempt to achieve his sexual desires. He then, while on probation, repeatedly made false statements to police and the Director about the conversations with K.P. His disciplinary history and probationary status warrant substantial discipline, and under these circumstances, we conclude that the referee’s recommended discipline, a 2-year suspension, is appropriate.

(Mike Frisch)

  https://ift.tt/3eb7dZ1

https://ift.tt/3eb7dZ1

#IFTTT #Feedly

[coming-from-hell]

Employee Discipline Policies

We’ve talked about the importance of discipline policies on this page. It is always a good idea for businesses to form solid discipline policies for their employees, and even more important to stick to them. Contrary to what many disgruntled employees think, managers and supervisors do not relish the idea of disciplining employees, even when it is needed. As a result, having a good discipline policy in place is an important tool to have available for your supervisors and managers to use.

There are many benefits that come with having a well-formed and followed discipline policy. When you have a clear discipline policy that is easy to understand, employees will have an easier time adapting their behavior to fit your company’s needs. In addition, when you enforce your discipline policy, it will show your employees that the policy is not just a piece of paper on the wall. When you have a clearly laid out discipline policy that explains the consequences of bad behavior to your employees, you will gain some insurance against future lawsuits. Former employees will have a harder time arguing that their termination was unjustified if you can show where their behavior violated a company policy and how your actions were in accord with the posted discipline policy.

Although it is probably true that having one employee disciplined will not be a major morale boost for that employee, it can be a morale boost for all of your other employees. Generally speaking, employees do not like it when a co-worker gets away with coasting through work or engaging in disruptive and unproductive behavior. By enforcing your discipline policy, you will show your good employees that such behavior is not tolerated, and many of them will be appreciative of that message.

Perhaps the most important part of a good discipline policy is clearly communicating the policy to your employees. Make sure you have it in writing. By having your discipline policy in writing, you give your employees clear notice of the consequences of violating company policies. As an example, if the main thrust of your discipline policy is that of progressive discipline (where an employee will first receive warnings that later build to more serious consequences if the improper behavior continues), you should always reserve the right to immediately terminate an employee for particularly egregious conduct. In addition, you should try to avoid any language that could give employees the impression that they will not be fired unless they act in a specific way.

You want to keep much of the wording in your discipline policy general. You never know what kinds of behavior your employees will engage in. If you spend time to lay out specific punishments for specific behavior, your own carefulness may come back to haunt you in the end. If you have an employee that you know has seriously violated your company’s policies, you will have to act upon those policies and hand out some sort of punishment. Here are some tips that you should follow:

If you already know the discipline that is mandated by your discipline policy, there is no sense in beating around the bush. There is often never a “right time” to dispense discipline. In addition, the sooner that you can notify an employee of their discipline, the sooner that the employee knows to change or modify their behavior. Also, the sooner that you get it over with, the sooner you will know whether or not the employee is willing to change.

Whenever you have a disciplinary meeting with any of your employees, you should make a written record of the meeting and place it in that employee’s personnel file. If you give a written warning, be sure to give the employee a copy of the warning for their own records. If the employee later decides to file a lawsuit, these records can help your case. Many times discipline meetings end with you setting a deadline by which you expect to see improvement in your employee. If you set such a deadline, be sure to follow up with the employee and see if such improvement has occurred.

Many employers often feel the need to soften the blow of discipline by telling the employee what a great job he or she is doing in other areas. However, now is not the time to give praise. Instead, be sure that your meeting is focused on the employee’s bad behavior and how he or she can rectify the situation. Getting to the heart of the matter will solve more problems in the long run than if you sugar-coat it.

One common mistake that many employees make is to discipline their employees in public. Instead, discipline should almost always take place behind closed doors. This prevents the employee from feeling ashamed and can also limit the office gossip. Just like good news, bad news should be delivered to your employee with respect. When you set up a meeting, be sure that you have set aside enough time to deal with the situation fully. Ask your receptionist to take messages on all calls and not to disturb the meeting. When an open conversation is set up in a discipline meeting, problems are often revealed. Perhaps an employee’s performance problem is instead a communication problem that originated from the top.

Employee Discipline Policy Attorney Free Consultation

When you need legal help with an employee discipline policy, please call Ascent Law for your free consultation [phone]. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: [phone]

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Contract Drafting Law

How Often Are Convictions on Appeal Overturned?

Eviction Lawyers for Landlords

Family Lawyer Salt Lake City

Renter’s Insurance

Same Sex Marriage and Divorce

Source: https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/employee-discipline-policies/