Red X Log: Let's talk about the birds and the bees

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and the flowers and the trees, and the moon up above...

Clarice hurried through the rows of cots at the hurricane evacuation center, not really paying attention to the people around her as she moved about her work. "Miss?" a gravely voice called, stopping her and bringing her focus back to where she was.

"Uh...yes?" she replied, momentarily disoriented.

"Can you tell me what happened to..." the woman trailed off, squinting up from her cot. "You're purple!" she exclaimed, surprised.

Of all the things she had experiences today, from looks of supressed hostility in some of the teenagers, exhausted wariness from their parents and hope from the few who didn't care, this was a new reaction. "I am."

"I wasn't sure for a minute, I lost my glasses somewhere," the old woman explained, babbling slightly. "Not too common, is it?"

"Purple skin? No...not really, but it means I always stand out in a crowd!" be positive, Clarice told herself, the woman might be a bit nutty but was otherwise harmless. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Well, anyways, I was wondering what was going on about the animals, I need my doggies you see, because my eldest daughter, Sara, she's married to Harold..."

"Um, I need to go find some more blankets, but I'll be back okay?" Clarice hurried off before the woman could tell her anymore about her kids, grandkids and assorted (now missing) pets. Or pieces of the stories, since she seemed to be sidetracked fairly easily.