Green 7, Tractor Red 14: Assistance

[bookblather]

Author: Kat
Title: Assistance
Story: In the Heart
Colors: Green 7 (it's not easy being green), tractor red 14 (work the field) with Nikki's paint-by-numbers (Sometimes, even money wasn't worth this job.)
Supplies and Materials: Canvas (Ivy being about sixteen), eraser (Framed AU), oils (painful healing), stain (Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught - Sir Winston Churchill), modeling clay (sinking), seed beads, chalk (mess with the bull), pastels (unnatural).
Word Count: 1213.
Rating: PG-13.
Summary: Gail goes to a job interview and winds up delivering a smackdown.
Warnings: lots and lots of autism-related ableism.
Notes: Hey, back to the rage. And it turns out this AU isn't all bad. Who knew.


Gail knew the interview was over when the woman's eyes widened.

It had been going so well, too. Her educational credentials were impeccable, and she'd left off her disastrous stint in government under the (perfectly valid) reasoning that it wasn't relevant to the educational outreach position available with the charity. Probably didn't hurt that Summer was on the spectrum, either-- she'd talked about Summer's difficulties with, apparently, just the right blend of exasperation with the perpetrators and adoration for her child. Not that she had to feign either. The trouble was getting the balance right.

And Adelaide Sebastios, founder of Autism Unites, had looked so impressed right up until she remembered where she'd heard Gail's name before.

"I beg your pardon," she said, stiffly. "Are you the Gail Hirschfeld who..."

Gail sighed, and suppressed the hurt. Damn that asshole, anyway. "Yes," she said, "but I did not do it and I was, in fact, proved innocent."

"Hmm." Adelaide did not sound convinced. "Well, I'm sure that you're a very good candidate for the position, but..."

Gail had braced herself for rejection, and thus was totally unprepared for a third woman to come bursting through the door. "Adelaide," she gasped. "She's back."

"Oh, fuck." Adelaide clenched her fists. "I thought you told her she wasn't welcome anymore."

The third woman rolled her eyes. "Oh, but she's special."

Gail raised an eyebrow. "Who is this, now?"

Adelaide looked sharply at her, but the third woman, oblivious to the byplay, explained. "This bitch-- sorry, but it's accurate-- seems to have decided that we're here for her, specifically. I guess her niece is on the spectrum, and that makes her life so hard."

Gail covered a quirk of amusement at the whining tone in the other woman's voice. "So she's decided you all are her personal therapists?"

Another eyeroll. "Something like that. Adelaide, will you please make her go away?"

"I'll do it," Gail said, getting up. "I was just on my way out anyway."

Adelaide gave her a suspicious look. "Not that I don't appreciate the thought, but..."

Gail shrugged, cutting her off. "I was a teacher and then a politician. I'm used to dealing with oblivious idiots. Thank you for your time." She didn't bother waiting for Adelaide to extend a hand-- she wouldn't-- but gathered her purse and went out into the lobby, where a blonde woman with the look of the spoiled was haranguing the beleaguered-looking receptionist.

"Excuse me," Gail said politely, and received a sharp look for her troubles. "I can see you've got something on your mind. Why don't you and I go outside and talk about it?"

"No," she snapped, and tossed her hair. "I'm not leaving until these people help me."

Gail tossed a sympathetic look at the receptionist. "Well, this nice lady here obviously can't help you or she would have some time ago." If only to get her to shut up. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

The blonde woman looked her up and down, then sniffed. "You can get me some help. Monetary or psychological, I don't care, but my niece has autism, and I need help."

Ah. Telling phrasing there... still, perhaps she was just expressing herself badly. That nasal whining tone would put anyone off. "What sort of help are you looking for?"

The other woman thawed visibly, and waved a hand. "Oh, you know. Things that make it easier to deal with my niece. A caretaker or something."

Gail frowned. "Well, first of all, you can only get those things if your niece is under your guardianship. If she isn't her parents will have to apply for that aid. Second, this is a charity aimed at helping people with autism, not their caregivers. Have you tried..."

"No!" The blonde woman stomped her foot-- actually stomped her foot. Summer would have thought that beneath her, and she was only five. "Is this or is this not an autism charity? I want help, and you're going to give it to me!"

Gail closed her eyes, and inhaled through her nose. Amazing how the parent-teacher conference survival skills came back. "Ma'am, are you on the spectrum?"

"Of course not," she said, smugly. "I'm normal."

Her nails bit into her palm, and Gail consciously unclenched her hands. "Then this charity is not for you. We do not assist the neurotypical. We help those on the autism spectrum to navigate..."

The blonde woman stomped her foot again. "I cannot believe you're refusing to help me. You have no idea how hard it is raising an autistic! They're so closed off, it's like talking to a brick. Why, if I had..."

"Ma'am," Gail interrupted, her voice very level. "If you say one more word, I may slap you."

"How dare you!" The other woman's face purpled. "You have no idea..."

"My daughter," Gail interrupted again, "is on the spectrum, so yes, yes I do know what it's like. And you know what? I wouldn't give her up or change her for the world. She's different, yes. I have to adjust for her, yes. But all that makes her is different."

The blonde woman narrowed her eyes. "I think you're lying. You can't possibly know how much you grow to hate--"

"Stop."

The blonde woman froze.

Ah. Funny how the "quiet down right now or everyone fails this test" voice came back too...

Breathe. In and out. In through the nose, out through the mouth, and Gail was ready to speak again. "She is my daughter," she said. "Do you understand that? She is my daughter. There is nothing wrong with her. I get frustrated, yes. I get upset. But she is my daughter. I love her exactly as she is. And you know what? I find your attitude extremely entitled."

She stepped forward, looked the woman right in the eye. "No one cares how hard life is for you. This charity is not for you. This charity is for people like your niece, who suffer in ways you cannot possibly imagine because you and people like you are incredibly hostile to their very existence. Here and now, your feelings do not matter. We do not give a shit. We care about your niece, and my daughter, and the people like them, but you can fuck right off to the hole you crawled out of."

The blonde woman regained her breath. "How dare you..."

"I dare because I have a child with autism," Gail said. "Now get the hell out of here."

The blonde woman sputtered a few more incoherent words, but Gail merely folded her arms and stared her down. Finally, she snapped, "You'll be hearing from my lawyers!" and stomped out.

Gail let out a breath, closed her eyes, and forced herself to relax. Then she turned around, to see the receptionist, Adelaide, and the other woman all staring at her in varying degrees of awe.

"Like I said," she said. "Experience. Anyway, thank you for your time, and I'll be on my way."

"Wait." Adelaide took two steps forward. "Wait. I'm sorry about..." She stopped, shook her head. "You know what I'm sorry about."

Gail nodded, warily. Where was she going with this?

Adelaide glanced back at her colleagues, then asked, "Can you start tomorrow?"

Comments

[isana]

OMG, that blonde lady. Any lawyer worth his/her salt would laugh her out of their office. I mean, for serious.

Gail is amazing, as always. I mean, goodness, that blonde lady and her "I'm normal" bullshit.

Good on you for writing this, seriously.

[bookblather]

I KNOW. Grow up, lady, and please fuck off.

I wrote it per Rusty's specific request, but it's good to know other people like it too. <3

[rustydragonfly]

And I just had to come all the way over here to see it. Well worth the trip! GET DOWN, BLONDE LADY. Though I do hope her niece is ok what with having HER in the family.

But I just... Gail. Gail is epic. Don't ever change a thing.

[bookblather]

THANK YOU BB. <3 I'm glad you like it. And don't worry, Blonde Lady's sister and brother-in-law are a lot better about parenting than she is. Her niece is fine.

[sarcasticsra]

Go Gail! Srsly.

Good job.

[bookblather]

I know, right?

Thanks.

[kay_brooke]

Yay for Gail, but she should think twice about the job offer. She doesn't need the judgment from those people any more than from the blond woman.

[bookblather]

Well, to be honest, everybody's judging her. The news coverage of her acquittal was a lot smaller than the news coverage of her accusation and firing. :/ At least these guys admitted they were wrong.

Thanks.

[clare_dragonfly]

Ahaha awesome XD You go, Gail!

[bookblather]

She does deliver the smackdowns well. Thank you!

[shipwreck_light]

I THINK I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THAT WOMAN EARLIER.

I'm used to dealing with oblivious idiots.

Thank you, Gail. You made my life, and the lives of your fellow characters, so much better ^_^.

[bookblather]

HAHA I'M SORRY. And Gail is... well, resigned to it, anyway.

Thank you!