Tales from the ARVInn, 2

Chapter 1
ARVInn--Paint Crew

Chapter Description: Maintaining a collection of buildings, built with different materials in different eras, takes some work. People who take on the job need skills. Painting is one of them, and one that is frequently needed.

Tales from the ARVInn: Paint Crew  

Maintenance in any kind of facility is a vital part of its success.  Given the variety of structures and the many different sized spaces which make up the ARVInn complex, it is an ongoing work.  For instance, a full-time crew of painters keeps the buildings looking great.  Inside, outside, wherever a new coat or a touch-up is needed, these men are hard at work.

Painting is one skill that requires a steady hand and practiced eye.  It also takes being able to reach all parts of a surface.  Usually the crew works in teams, pairing one of the ARV-Adults with a full-size worker.  Some jobs, of course, can be handled by one person and are assigned to whoever fits the need.  The crew has available plenty of scaffolding, lifts and other equipment, as well as several vehicles for use around the campus. They operate out of one of the Central Maintenance warehouses.

The crew is led by Michael Darnley (13/2006) who has lived at ARVInn since 2065.  Before that, he operated a commercial painting business for just over 25 years.  When he contracted ARV, his wife took over his life and business.  Unfortunately, she was incapable of managing either and they found themselves in bankruptcy.  Losing the business meant they were then dependent on what she could earn in a variety of low-wage jobs.  For him, the situation in 2056 meant he could not work at all.  He suffered for the next several years in an abusive relationship until the development of various government programs allowed him to separate from her and then move to ARVInn. 

Coming to ARVInn, he offered to help with painting around the campus.  This started with the living spaces in the original building, which were being painted to order for new residents.  From there, it grew along with the facility, adding new employees as it did.  Mike came to be the acknowledged leader of the group, a position that was formalized in a reorganization plan in 2074.  His encyclopedic knowledge of painting techniques and materials has served ARVInn well ever since.

Read the remaining story here: Tales from the ARVInn--Paint Crew (mediafire.com)