Episode #7: Inconvenient Refugees 7: Filling the slots

Apr,03 2025

Finding a cook for Giovani

Unlike Genevieve, I don't like public speaking. One on one interviews are more my style, and I have a theory about that.

Genevieve, pretends to care about people, but doesn't. She uses them. Not that she is evil, if she were, I wouldn't have let her in my house. More like, result oriented. If you are on her side, it's ok, but like, she made a plan for both us, and focused only on her people.

Me? I connect. I went back to talk to most of the refugees I got in, and those I didn't, I will later. To be honest, I will even go to the Italian zone to make sure whichever family is found, is properly settled. Not that I could do much other than plead with Giovani.

I return to the podium.

"Lady who is a cook with 3 kids, I will keep you for later. We have a prime post for a family, and you are the second choice. But if the first family is picked, we have another position for you"

"Thank you sir" says the Father.

"Wait, are you the cook?"

"I am."

"Oh, which kind of cuisine?"

"French, Italian, some German"

"Oh, screw it, I'll get you to an interview room. Wait for me"

I asked Amanda to find them a place.

Triage

Then, I do it my way. I ask the crowd to split by family, and walk among them to get to know them.

A few construction workers, that's excellent. Another nurse, but also an orderly couple. Both the husband and the wife, with an adorable 2-year-old boy. I put them in an interview room. We need more orderlies for the hospital to properly function.

Three more farmers, a former police officer which I checked, is ok to recruit. We could use another border guard.

In fact, there are only two we didn't ask to interview. One was a Muslim religious leader, and his wife was his assistant. I asked if he was willing to immigrate to an atheist free zone, and admitted he wouldn't fit. Fine by me. The Italian one does have a priest, but we don't.

The other one was more complicated. The husband seemed, well, aggressive. I don't know how to put it, but I didn't have a good feeling about it. Instead of refusing him, I gave him some conditions, and got him to become less interested. Like that we don't have money and no promotion options. It's not true, you can get better jobs, but they don't pay more. We don't get paid at all.

Orderlies

I decided to start with the orderlies. We can train new ones, but people with experience? That is wonderful.

"We run a world-class hospital. Most of our orderlies are home trained, what about you?"

"We both have formal training. I was even a supervisor at our local retirement home", says the wife.

"Interesting. And your husband?"

"We met on the job. She was my boss, and so hot", he says, looking at her, filled with love. They kiss.

"Your son is 2 years old? Born on the boat?"

"We got married on the boat. We were just friends when we left", says the wife, "but found love on the sea", she says, putting her hand on his thigh.

"I think you would be a great fit. Your son would have a great school, we have a day care, we have healthy fresh food, he could go to the university, become an orderly, a farmer, anything he wants to be that we need, and we need countless people"

They smile.

"I know we can't leave, but you will really take care of us?"

"We will."

"We are in. We talked about it, and well, if you had a hospital to work at, we would join. We can't go back to the boat"

"Costa Rica might want you for their hospitals"

"We don't speak Spanish, and we asked around, the pay is too low to survive"

I wonder how they asked around, but I don't press.

"There is just one thing, we are a naturist free zone. This means that we are all nudists"

"Oh. Even when working?"

"I think that orderlies wear scrubs? I mean, you need to lift people, I presume you do? I mean, like, construction workers wear protective clothing, and special boots, but when off work, everyone is nude"

"I guess it makes everyone equal", she says.

"I wouldn't mind looking at you nude all day", says the husband.

"Aww", she says the wife, who kisses her husband.

"So, want to join?"

"What is the pay like?", he asks.

"The house is free, the food is free, daycare and healthcare is free. You have to work, but no one gets paid"

"Oh, we lack nothing?", she says.

"You can even get toys and gifts ordered, within reason, but people share the toys their older kids don't play with anymore"

They look at each other.

"What do you think?", she says.

"Would you mind being nude? I wouldn't, if everyone is", he says.

"Well, I hate sun burns", she says.

"Oh, you get a skin cancer vaccine which protects from sun burns too"

"Oh, then, I guess I can live with it?", she says, unsure.

"Let's do it. Let's be safe. Wait, did you say we get a house? I heard that free zones had cramped apartments"

I laugh. "Others do, it's true. They are not big houses, we don't have many things, but each family gets one. You would get 2 bedrooms"

They smile. "A house...", she says.

"Just, one thing. If you have another kid, you might get a three-bedroom house. It's not, like, your house. It's a house that you use, and when you need another one, you move"

"I don't mind. I lived with my parents", says the wife, "and I was stuck there. And then, we shared a tiny cabin on the boat with another couple"

"Would they like to join?"

"Please, don't invite them. They are rude, angry, and won't speak English at all" she says.

"They are also much older" says the husband.

"Ok, so you are in the American zone, with Dave, that's me. Amanda will help you get on the bus. Welcome aboard.", I say.

"Thank you"

The next couple, with a nurse, refuses. It's fine, we can't get all of them.

Sekkura and Brahim

But the next one, now that is a surprise. The wife, Sekkura, is a woodworker. She sculpts patterns in the wood, like for church benches, for the town hall staircase and so on. The husband, Brahim, is a hard worker, doing jobs for hire. They have two kids, a 4-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son.

I talked to them about our musical instrument factory, and she is excited about the idea. She likes to carve wooden recorders, and even shows me hers. It's gorgeous, and when she plays it, it has this deep, rich tone that is just out of his world.

"I think you will find a place in our factory. Perhaps even launch a new line of recorders, but I don't make those decisions"

"Can my husband work with me? I mean, not just me, but like, to carry the wood we need, to pack the crates, to clean the wood shavings. It would mean the world to me if I had him next to me while I work"

I think. "I can convince the manager. I think I heard her complain they needed more help, but no one wanted this kind of hard labor job"

"I do. It's peaceful. I feel useful", he says.

"We are in", she says.

"But you don't know the conditions"

"I don't care. I want to make beautiful things with my hands. And now, I won't have to peddle them on the side of the street. I might learn to make violins. Can you imagine that? That's the dream. We are in", she says.

"We are"

"Well, there is one detail"

"We don't care. Even if it's that we work 7 days per week"

"No, it's what we are naturist. Everyone at the free zone is nude"

She looks at her husband. "Do we care?"

"I don't think we do. At the lake?"

"Right, we don't care. We used to swim nude at the lake as kids. It was just normal. Couldn't afford any bathing suits anyway. Everyone did it. Keep us safe and let me make musical instruments next to my husband, and I will wear anything you want me to. Or, I guess, not wear anything?"

And like that, I added 7 new residents.

The next three tents were busts. Meanwhile, I heard that the cook for Giovani accepted and that they were already on the bus, so I jump to the tent with the French, Italian and German cook, who is married and has 3 kids.

Sara and Samir

The first issue, is that the mother, doesn't work. She only takes care of her kids. After some consideration, I asked if she would mind, during the day, taking care of more kids.

"As long I am there for my kids"

"But you would need to help all of them"

"Sure"

"So you would run a small daycare, and when your kids go to school, that would be your job"

She thinks. "I could do that. Yeah. But it doesn't pay much, right?"

Her husband says. "Well, more than not working at all", and I got the impression that he resented his wife not working.

"Wait, no one is paid. The house is free, the food is free, the day care is free..."

"So why work at all?", says the wife.

"Because everyone has a job. You need to."

"Like an honor system or a sort of send me to jail if I don't work system"

"Honor, but like, I will come see you if you don't work, and eventually, people will start offering you positions, and you would have to take one"

"Would you physically drag me to a post to make sure I work?"

"If you don't want to work, you wouldn't be a good fit"

"Oh, just humor me. I love the idea of a daycare. I just want to get a feel for your place"

"Sara, don't do this", says her husband.

"We can't leave if we join. Shouldn't we know what we are getting into? What if I get too old to take care of the kids?"

"If you can't work, it's another thing", I say

"So not everyone works"

"Everyone who can work, works"

"See, I like that distinction. And If I can't work full-time, can I work part-time?"

"Sure"

"Would I be expected to?"

"Perhaps. But we do let people pick their jobs. If you want another job, you can get one, provided one is available, and some even create their jobs"

"Give me an example", she says.

"Sara", Samir, her husband says, exasperated.

"Ok, tell me, is asking those questions reducing our chances?", she says.

I think. "No. Not really. I wish more people asked questions"

"See? What's your name?", she asks.

"Dave"

"Can I call you Dave?"

"Sure, it's my name"

"Are you married?"

"Yes, to Cathy"

"What does she do? I mean, you are some sort of official"

"I am the administrator. I basically run the free zone for our leader. My wife is one of the cooks at the hospital"

"Wait, would I cook for the hospital?", the husband says

"Oh no. We have a restaurant, and would like to beef up the menu"

"Oh, so I would be a sous-chef?"

I think.

"At first. I mean, we don't know you. But I think the kitchen is a meritocracy"

"I don't know that word", he says.

His wife speaks up. "It means that the best cook becomes the head cook"

"Well", I correct her. "The best leader as a cook. You can be a great worker, but not a great leader"

"Wait, could I run my own food, but not be the top chef?"

"Possibly. I mean, if you like to do that and run into problems, I will talk to your boss, and people tend to listen to me"

"Ok, so, do you want to do it, honey?", he says.

"I will run a day care until my kids are out for school. I might change after"

"That's fine. We have people who change, and others who stick to one job for life. As long as it's not to avoid work, we don't mind"

"Ok, count us in"

"There is one thing"

"Here we go. The shoes going to drop", she says. She turns to her husband. "There is always a catch with these places"

"It can't be that bad. Did you pick to live there?"

"I did"

Sara asks what it is.

"We are naturists"

She laughs. "Of course" She laughs some more.

"Wait, so I have to work nude?" he says, confused.

She is still laughing.

"Well, I think the cooks wear clothes not to get burned.

"Sara please"

"Don't you see the irony?"

"I do, let's not bother Dave with it"

"Can someone fill me in?" I say.

The husband talks.

"We aren't from the village that got hit. The one we were in, was a tourist place. I was the chef at a fancy tourist trap restaurant. We had a good life, but tourism was dropping, and they turned the resort into a naturist one", he says.

"And not a clothing optional one. They wanted me nude, I was pregnant with my oldest, and we moved to that wretched town. Now, if we stayed and became naturists, we would still live there, my husband would still be a chef, and we wouldn't have had two of our kids on the stupid boat. As far as I know, the naturist resort got spared"

But I think I know which one they are talking about.

"I have news for you if it was called New Cartagena"

"It is!", she says.

"It's underwater now. Major landslides. Some survived, but the place got shut down."

"Oh", she says.

"I guess it's fate", he says.

"I guess it is"

"Is that a yes?"

"What, do we need to undress right away?", she says.

"No, only at the free zone. Amanda will process you and get you settled. And we give the skin cancer vaccine"

"We both got it from the resort, but not our kids", he says.

"Good. Even better. I'll get you a 4-bedroom house"

"Thank you", she says.

I feel like I shouldn't put Lindsey and Sara in the same room for some reason.

Final Tally

But now, I have 22 total new residents. I found Genevieve, who got 26. She was busy!

I count. 22, plus 6 for Giovani, plus 26 for Genevieve, that's 54.

After speaking with Amanda, we realized that it's still early, so I keep going, and get Genevieve to do the same.

I only get one more family of three, and a couple without kids, taking my total to 27, including two construction workers and a welder. A woman married to a carpenter with an 8-year-old son. Genevieve gets three more families, for a total of 10 more people.

That's 68 in total, two short of the 70 they wanted us, but one of the free zones didn't participate.

My main issue, is that I am starting to run out of houses to give, so I can't recruit more. Genevieve, as a hotel and will house some of the new families there until we can build her more houses.

The bus wasn't big enough, so my people got together while the bus dropped Genevieve's new residents. Of course, she went first, but she did agree to pay for the bus rental, so there is that.

Back at the free zone

Patrick was back, not only with all the things on his wife's list, but also with food for Genevieve, Amanda and me.

He does regret not getting food for the refugees, but I reminded him that it's not our job until they get to us.

In the end, I copied Genevieve and rode the bus with our refugees, with Amanda also joining me, and well, Patrick too!

We cancelled the car service and put the purchases on the bus.

It was chaos to get everyone in the right house, but Amanda, Patrick and even Fatima helped.

Sara, was almost a leader, helping people settle down, and she even was the first to undress, even before her husband, while we were just waiting for Amanda to associate people to houses on her tablet.

I stayed dressed, I was the face of the free zone. Amanda or Fatima would go with the people to their houses, and I would stay with those waiting.

There was no logical order, they went with the closest houses first, so that people would wait less.

Sara, insisted they could be last, and got her husband and her kid to undress while waiting.

Once everyone was settled, I undressed and did my run and went to see every new immigrant, starting with the first ones from the first day, and ending with Sara's family.

Not everyone undressed, but most. Those which had not, were just settling in and taking time to relax and get ready. Fatima was helping one of them.

Sara, was thrilled with her house.

"Could I run my daycare here?"

"We have a daycare center"

"Not every kid does well in a big place. Send me those who are scared, or who need a more personal touch. And get me some lawn toys, like a slide or something."

I laugh. "You really are something"

"Hey, there is already a Lindsey here, I met her. But maybe once my kids are grown up, I can do something to help you. I don't know what. I am not an Amanda, good with computers and stuff. And I don't have your patience. But I get things done"

Of course, Lindsey showed up before I did. Perhaps she did with everyone else, and no one said anything.

"I do have an idea. Let's talk in a few years, meanwhile, I'll get you a smaller job you might be good at"

Back home

I walked to my home, thinking about it. I have two jobs. Well, three. One of them, is making sure that everyone is alright and pushing to solve any issues. Like getting Sara's husband to run his food lines apart from the rest. Or that woodworker to have her husband by her side.

When I intervene, I usually don't have the authority to do much, but because people respect me, I get things done.

Lindsey, couldn't do it. She is, in a way, our black marketer. Our unofficial fixer. She gets things done because she is not approved officially by us. It's why we let her do her thing. Because that way, people have a way around our rules when something needs to be done.

Like, I know she got lingerie in. It's not allowed. We are naturists, but lingerie is worn between a couple, so who does it hurt? Well, because of that, Lindsey can never be an official presence.

And to her credit, her problem-solving is usually limited to things. Not to people. She leaves that to me.

Well, I could see Sara helping me out. She did get undressed first, and helped the other wait. And people responded positively to her. Her questioning, well, was what I look for in a sort of assistant. Someone who will push to know what is really going on.

So, in a few years? Maybe.

But for now, I find my wife with Scott's very pregnant wife, in my kitchen, preparing the lamb.

I smile. With luck, my wife will be next to have her womb filled.