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xp_logsWhile Angelo's in Oman, Juanita is putting plans of her own into motion.
"I'm just sorry I didn't talk more to the other parents before this", Juanita said cheerfully, drinking her coffee. "It was just in all the rush of moving East, getting a new job, and so on... I never thought to ask if many others lived nearby."
Gail smiled, taking a sip of her tea before she answered, she'd been hoping to get to know something more of the other parents and Juanita's call had seemed like the perfect opportunity. She had to remember to thank Nathan for putting them in touch, or would it have been Angelo? From Laurie's descriptions, he seemed a young man with a good head on his shoulders. "Better late then never, and I've been rather remiss in meeting any of the other parents myself. Laurie keeps me informed of what goes on at the school but it's so nice to talk to another parent. How long has it been since you moved?"
She had to think about that one for a moment - it almost seemed as if she'd always lived in New York, by this time. "It must be more than two years, now. Though closer to three when I first started planning to, when Marie brought me here."
"Marie? Would that be the same Marie who lives at Xavier's?" Gail asked, curious. Laurie liked Marie, and she had been one of the people instrumental in making Laurie feel welcome during her first weeks at the school.
"It is", Juanita said with a smile. "She and Angelo are very good friends, and she came to see me while he was away, as a surprise to him. I ended up coming back with her, though not very long that time."
"Now, while I'm glad to meet a fellow parent, and I'm sure we'll become great friends, I know you wanted to see me about something. You mentioned a group over the phone, what was it you had in mind?" Gail asked, getting down to business. There would be more than enough opportunities for socal time later and Juanita had sparked her curiosity when they'd talked on the phone.
Juanita nodded, setting down her coffee. "It came up in conversation with Nathan, just after Thanksgiving, that there isn't much of a voice for parents who do accept their children's mutations. I think it might be time to change that."
"I take it you have some ideas on how to change that?" Gail asked, smile widening.
She'd often thought the same herself, especially after what happened with the local police department. There needed to be more positive influences and opinions out there that weren't just from the mutants themselves.
"Talk shows might be a good start", Juanita said, smiling back. "To get things started, before word of mouth takes over in building the group."
"If you'd be willing, I could do a spot on my own show 'Good Morning Westchester' to start you off. It's only a small channel, with a local audience. After that, well, I have a few people in the business who owe me favours. I could see about getting you a spot on some of the bigger shows." Gail replied, mentally listing all the people in the business she knew, and who could be persuaded to take a risk on such a spot.
"I was hoping you'd say something like that. That sounds like a very good plan to me."
"Fantastic. I'll arrange for everything to be set up, and I'll draft a list of questions we can go over before taping." Gail replied, mentally preparing a list of 'things to do'. "Have you had a thought about where the group will meet?"
"That really depends on what size it reaches", Juanita said thoughtfully. "If it grows too big for my house, as I hope it will, I thought perhaps we could rent a hall in the city?"
"That's doable, although, and it pains me to say this, but you might not want to put your home address out there. For as many people who'll love this chance, there's those out there that'll take it as a God given opportunity to create havoc." Gail replied. "It's best if it's somewhere that already has some security, a local hotel conference venue could work."
"Good point", Juanita acknowledged regretfully. "You're right, of course. And booking a conference room would give the group an image it wouldn't get from being based in someone's home."
"This is going to work out well." Gail responded, taking a sip of her tea and sitting back against her chair as she idly looked at her watch. "And just in time, as well. I'm sorry Juanita but I've got to go. But we'll meet up next week sometime?"
"My schedule's very simple", Juanita agreed with a smile. "Just let me know when you're free."
"I'll let you know by tonight, it was nice to meet you Juanita. I can tell we're going to be great friends already." Gail replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder and standing up.
"I hope so", Juanita replied with a warm smile, standing in turn. "We're certainly off to a very good start."
"There's no doubt." Gail replied, smiling back. "You're doing a good thing, Juanita. I know it's going to work out wonderfully."
"I'm just sorry I didn't talk more to the other parents before this", Juanita said cheerfully, drinking her coffee. "It was just in all the rush of moving East, getting a new job, and so on... I never thought to ask if many others lived nearby."
Gail smiled, taking a sip of her tea before she answered, she'd been hoping to get to know something more of the other parents and Juanita's call had seemed like the perfect opportunity. She had to remember to thank Nathan for putting them in touch, or would it have been Angelo? From Laurie's descriptions, he seemed a young man with a good head on his shoulders. "Better late then never, and I've been rather remiss in meeting any of the other parents myself. Laurie keeps me informed of what goes on at the school but it's so nice to talk to another parent. How long has it been since you moved?"
She had to think about that one for a moment - it almost seemed as if she'd always lived in New York, by this time. "It must be more than two years, now. Though closer to three when I first started planning to, when Marie brought me here."
"Marie? Would that be the same Marie who lives at Xavier's?" Gail asked, curious. Laurie liked Marie, and she had been one of the people instrumental in making Laurie feel welcome during her first weeks at the school.
"It is", Juanita said with a smile. "She and Angelo are very good friends, and she came to see me while he was away, as a surprise to him. I ended up coming back with her, though not very long that time."
"Now, while I'm glad to meet a fellow parent, and I'm sure we'll become great friends, I know you wanted to see me about something. You mentioned a group over the phone, what was it you had in mind?" Gail asked, getting down to business. There would be more than enough opportunities for socal time later and Juanita had sparked her curiosity when they'd talked on the phone.
Juanita nodded, setting down her coffee. "It came up in conversation with Nathan, just after Thanksgiving, that there isn't much of a voice for parents who do accept their children's mutations. I think it might be time to change that."
"I take it you have some ideas on how to change that?" Gail asked, smile widening.
She'd often thought the same herself, especially after what happened with the local police department. There needed to be more positive influences and opinions out there that weren't just from the mutants themselves.
"Talk shows might be a good start", Juanita said, smiling back. "To get things started, before word of mouth takes over in building the group."
"If you'd be willing, I could do a spot on my own show 'Good Morning Westchester' to start you off. It's only a small channel, with a local audience. After that, well, I have a few people in the business who owe me favours. I could see about getting you a spot on some of the bigger shows." Gail replied, mentally listing all the people in the business she knew, and who could be persuaded to take a risk on such a spot.
"I was hoping you'd say something like that. That sounds like a very good plan to me."
"Fantastic. I'll arrange for everything to be set up, and I'll draft a list of questions we can go over before taping." Gail replied, mentally preparing a list of 'things to do'. "Have you had a thought about where the group will meet?"
"That really depends on what size it reaches", Juanita said thoughtfully. "If it grows too big for my house, as I hope it will, I thought perhaps we could rent a hall in the city?"
"That's doable, although, and it pains me to say this, but you might not want to put your home address out there. For as many people who'll love this chance, there's those out there that'll take it as a God given opportunity to create havoc." Gail replied. "It's best if it's somewhere that already has some security, a local hotel conference venue could work."
"Good point", Juanita acknowledged regretfully. "You're right, of course. And booking a conference room would give the group an image it wouldn't get from being based in someone's home."
"This is going to work out well." Gail responded, taking a sip of her tea and sitting back against her chair as she idly looked at her watch. "And just in time, as well. I'm sorry Juanita but I've got to go. But we'll meet up next week sometime?"
"My schedule's very simple", Juanita agreed with a smile. "Just let me know when you're free."
"I'll let you know by tonight, it was nice to meet you Juanita. I can tell we're going to be great friends already." Gail replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder and standing up.
"I hope so", Juanita replied with a warm smile, standing in turn. "We're certainly off to a very good start."
"There's no doubt." Gail replied, smiling back. "You're doing a good thing, Juanita. I know it's going to work out wonderfully."
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