As Matthew strolls through Southside Park, he notices several places where the plants are just a little overgrown. They must be understaffed; perhaps I can help out a little. Besides, Taylor looks rather busy; I doubt he's had much chance to scout out very far beyond the school grounds. Perhaps I can help improve the territory and earn some money on the side. He walks toward the visitor's center, deciding to enquire about getting a job.


He had read the situation right. They were desperate. He had been accepted after only a few cursory questions. But the pay he had to agree to . . .

Matthew decides to take a jog; he had only just barely kept the annoyance out of his voice when he heard their idea of a paycheck.

As he winds his way through the park, the absurdity of this new turn strikes him. Back in college, he could never have guessed that he would end up working as a gardener. Suddenly, he has to laugh as it occurs to him how much he has taken his nature for granted this past year. If he had suggested to a classmate that he might become a gardener, he would merely have been laughed at. If he had announced that he would drop out after two years and become a werewolf, he would likely have found himself in an insane asylum.

Finally, he is ready to consider his pay dispassionately. While it isn't great, it is enough that he can become less reliant on Taylor's generosity. Settling in would certainly have been much more difficult if Taylor hadn't been so kind to him, but Matthew refused to rely on others for his basic needs indefinately. Now he could at least buy his own food, and maybe even find an appartment to live in.