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Spare Parts
Spare Parts is a story that reimagines opportunity for the American worker. For National Voter Education Week, Route 24’s Scenic Route + Driver’s Ed intersect, where characters become the vehicle to explore regional issues and ask readers: What kind of American do you want to be?
Policy Roadmap:
Fed’s Favored Inflation Gauge Shows Cooling Price Pressures, Clearing Way For More Rate Cuts
Hurricane Helene Isn’t an Outlier. It’s a Harbinger of the Future.
Disinformation and Conspiracy Theories Cloud Helene Recovery Efforts in Hard-Hit Areas
World Leaders Mourn Israeli Victims and Call for A Ceasefire on Anniversary of October 7 Attack
Hitch A Ride
5AM in Bethlehem was unholy. Brenton moved to stand from his seat on the curb. There was a chill in the fall air and his knees were feeling the strain that came with early mornings. He took a sip of rest stop coffee. Its metallic taste lingered as he put it back down on the curbside.
The truck needed to be at the warehouse to pick up supplies for immediate transport. He’d fill up his tank and head that way. Tye said to be there early. That guy. Brenton didn’t think he’d ever pulled an all-nighter in his life. Another self-serving strongman. But Brenton needed the money. Insurance was expensive. He leaned forward to relieve the pressure on his knees, knocking his coffee over in the process. Off to a good start. He grabbed a few sheets from his newspaper and dabbed at the spill. He’d wanted to read the news for once, but fate had other plans.
“Can you spare a few?”
Brenton looked up and saw a man in uniform – eyes cautious, spirit hopeful. It’s not that the economy had been bad. It was the opposite. There were plenty of jobs. But corporate interest had kept prices high for a while. Too high for most. Concepts of plans from the past made life less affordable in the present. It was hard for people struggling to see the truth for what is was.
“What’s your name, solider?”
“Call me Pips.”
Brenton had served active combat in Vietnam. He knew the call of duty and he knew how hard it was to return home. He couldn’t afford to give up any cash. Maybe he could get Tye to hire Pips for the day...
“Need a ride?”
“Where you headed?”
“To a job at the stacks. It’s a long ride. Heavy lifting. You up for it?”
“What’s it pay?”
“The minimum. But there’s food.”
Pips nodded.
Brenton signaled to use the side door.
“Come on, then. Duty calls.”
It was easier not to ask Tye about bringing Pips. Tye had inherited the steel plant his family built over generations and his only talent was spin. He’d never understand what it took to earn your place in life’s assembly line and the last thing Brenton needed was to slow down for Tye’s bullshit.
Brenton entered the security key and raised the garage gate. Inside were stacks of steel panels, plywood, canned goods, generators, and sandbags. Pips would help load supplies, then they’d hit the road. He’d take I-95 - the fastest route with the least flooding - and reach Southern Appalachia in about 9 hours. The storm surge had shifted gears in 24 hours. Would recovery supplies be enough to help people not just get by, but get ahead? Brenton knew from experience: a united front succeeded. Action was better than apathy.
Pull Over
At a billboard along I-75, Fatima stepped back to take a look. She’d never shown her work from this vantage point. How many passengers would stop? Below her, opposing traffic lanes gathered speed. There’d been more cars on this route lately. Climate change had forced people to mobilize. But Fatima knew a much bigger storm was gaining traction.
The grassroots advocacy coalition who commissioned her work was committed to being seen and heard. Their opposition was well-supported and landed extensive media placements. Elected officials had listened to all concerns but, politics being a game of compromise, had also explored terms that didn’t meet demands. Her work was intended to steer people away from their anger, fear and apathy and encourage them to listen, learn, and lead with practical solutions. Fatima felt like the road to achieve this was like driving a car in heavy rain that made it hard to see through the windshield.
She’d said this and more at the town hall last night. Audience response was a rough road to go down, but the importance of the issues far exceeded the limits of her ego. With less than a month until votes would be counted, abstaining in protest was a misdirection. It may make a point in the short term but the damage it risked to the human rights of the people it sought to protect in the long term would far outweigh any momentum from a political statement. Her art - this billboard - could help to heal what policies alone couldn’t. And that made it worth it.
Hey, I’m Sam Reetz. I’m an indie filmmaker who believes stories can help drive public trust. If you enjoyed reading Spare Parts, share it with a few friends to help curb disinformation and build community.
Are we there yet?!
Route 24 has been building the car as we’ve been driving it. To accelerate subscriber progress, we’ve extended our deadline to October 15th.
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