Chapter 15: Coming to grips

"THE NERVE OF THAT ASSHOLE!" Yoshi swore fists on hips, almost matching the distant actor's volume. Pausing, obviously 'annoyed' to tie the sleeves of the bright orange 'channel Twenty-three jumpsuit' round her small waist before turning to 'stalk' sullenly over to the long-hauler.

"Coming down!" A voice from above suddenly sang, heralding immediate descent of a heavy, black equipment case.

"Shit!" Yoshi exclaimed, barely managing to catch it before impact. "Watch where you're throwing that crap!" She added angrily upwards.

"Whoopsey!" Yuba smiled sweetly downward. "My bad!" Standing on the edge of the flatbed, her short unkempt blond hair fluttering in the breeze, Yuba Obo tightened the drawstring on the pants section of her mismatched casual scrubs. "Try pulling your head out of your ass!" She sneered prettily, leaning then on the next case in line, showing ample charms in the process to both uninterested crew and steadily growing crowd of curious local morning onlookers. She noted Yoshi's retreat amid a hostile glare and the approach of Sara Small. Surly a bizarre enough name for a broad over six and a half feet tall! Dutifully taking position below with both hands up, eyes half closed with a foaming toothbrush still in her mouth.

"You fuck'n asked for it!" Yuba thought nastily, shoving the first of two large spotlight cases forward and over. Watching the large girl, 'pluck it' out of free fall then 'shoulder' the heavy case almost effortlessly before extending a hand impatiently mechanical for the other, repeating the process then turning to shuffle after Yoshi.

"American zombie!" Yuba Muttered almost shuddering as the raven-haired amazon shambled away past an older thrity-ish gentleman, whose union jacket proudly proclaimed as Ben Ofer, assumed her former position and smiled upwards.

"Yuba honey?" He then called. "Be a dear and send down my lighting board?" His eyes widening when a much larger case than expected flew his direction.

"How bout something a little heavier sweetums?" Yuba snapped, from above as the engineer reacted catching and compensating with respectable speed. "I don't know about these other bimbos," Yuba continued hotly. "But I sure as fuck ain't your pack mule!"

"My! my! Aren't we cranky?" A twenty-something man smirked upwards taking his place as the engineer stole grumbling away. "Is it already that time of the month?" he added joyfully seconds before the next case smacked into him.

"YES!" Yuba swore from on high. "And I would like to thank you for announcing it to the fuck'n prefecture!"

Shouldering his burden, giving her a gleeful 'thumbs up' with a click of his tongue, he then removed himself from the line of fire as a dark red haired young woman took her place within the drop zone below.

"Throw one at me..." Yuba heard drift quietly upwards. "And I'll make you eat it." In response seconds later two spools of coax, were gently lowered and received. Only then did a set of violet eyes glance upwards. "Domo!" the girl smiled tightly before turning. Yuba was contemplating her retreating form with her second shudder of the last few minutes, when another soft voice called up to her.