#firefly

I've lived in this neighborhood for 20 years, and never seen one here, before.

In less than a decade, I've watched the proliferation of native planting, habitat planting, signs saying an area is for pollinators and no pesticides allowed, fewer and fewer monoculture grass lawns. Better raking and soil health practices. Businesses and schools are installing rain gardens and native plants all over my neighborhood, and it's slowly spilling out into more and more types of neighborhoods.

if you haven't been paying attention to gardens for the past decade you'd never notice it.

But it started slow and now it's speeding up rapidly.

Expectations here are shifting.

Harley Quinn, formerly Dr Quinzel, getting greeted by all the nurses and doctors as if she never left, being directed to her "office". It has some of her old things from her actual office, her diploma, her plastic cactus with the googly eyes. It makes her feel safe.

The RN at the desk loudly contemplating her crossword answers so the Riddler can help her out "It's DIAGONAL, Donna."

The guard who is growing weed in his basement to pay for tuition offering Poison Ivy hypotheticals to solve while she's being escorted to the yard.

Killer Croc is brought in and after he’s been calmed down and medicated, he’s pretty chill. He loves the RNs, doctors not so much, adores the secretary Lucy who always makes the same joke every time he arrives “Mr Jones, would you like the pentahouse or a city view room this time?” and he always give the same answer and tells her that he’s “Just checking in for a spell.”. It makes him feel human.

“Oh my god, Bane, could you not have waited to crashout until after the game? It was my night off, man.”

A college student working in Arkham to pay rent gets advice from Two Face about his lease and shitty apartment with the damp and mould, leading to Two Face calling up an old legal aid buddy who does that sort of work to help the kid out.

Calendar Man wishing the staff happy birthday or whatever but also telling them that they can of course have that little sweet treat they want because it is World Water Day and it would be rude not to celebrate it.

Psychiatrists discussing other patient files with Scarecrow, not enough for him to know how it is but enough detail so he can help.

The Joker being wheeled past in a straightjacket, telling one of the “good docs” that he might want to take Wednesday night off. “You know, see your rugrats and your wife. Make sure the doors are locked. Better yet, go on vacation.”

The Arkham staff have a fantasy league going on where they bet on which Rogue is going to be brought in, by which Bat and how much damage the Bat takes in the process. One of the porters slipping a $5 bill under Bane’s door asking that next time he’s in a fight, could it be Tuesday after 2am and to please punt Robin like a football, otherwise he’s out of the pool and that “bitch Mary in HR is never going to shut up”.