( bree kish, 26, cis woman, she/her ) ☼ congratulations, LORETTA “LORA” BAKER, you’ve been accepted as a DINING HALL HOSTESS at PASCORD MEADOWS in grand hazel national park this summer! we could tell from your application that you are WELCOMING and SILLY, so we are so pleased to welcome you from BOISE, ID for your FOURTH summer on staff. hopefully you can check go cliff diving, make the perfect s’more, and have a summer fling off your bucket list. please consult your employee handbook with questions! @npbulletin
about
loretta baker – given her grandmother lorna’s nickname, inspired by iconic singer loretta lynn – was all set for a stable career in corporate graphic design after college graduation. but when she decided to spend one summer at grand hazel national park to recover from all the academic burnout, everything changed.
after having so much fun working at the national park, loretta’s priorities did a complete 180. she backed out of the internship she’d landed and decided, instead, to focus on what actually called to her heart; to help her grandfather get their old family restaurant back on its feet and back to its former glory.
over the following months, loretta recruited her siblings and cousins to help renovate and run the joint. her father and each of his siblings disassociated themselves from the restaurant in their twenties, as if it was something you grew out of, and that left loretta’s grandfather to run the restaurant – lorna’s – by himself; aided only by his work-family.
his grandchildren unanimously agreed that this was a wrong that needed to be righted and collectively put careers in law, finance, and corporate america on the backburner to make it happen. he and their grandma lorna’s love story was legendary amongst the grandkids and the thought of leaving the old romantic high and dry inspired each of them.
over the past four years, most of the baker grandkids have returned to their chosen professions, but not loretta. loretta stuck around boise, having fun with the menu and slinging hash with the best of them. every year in the spring, when everything feels like it’s getting to be a bit too much, her calendar reminds her that it’s almost time to pack for grand hazel and the world melts away.
when it comes down to it, if there’s anything closer to heaven than a sunrise over lake hazel, loretta has never experienced it. and who wouldn’t want to come back to heaven every summer?
headcanons
loretta is the park's biggest cheerleader, its proverbial soccer mom with the orange slice, and its most dedicated guardian angel of caffeine. she wholeheartedly believes that her daily good samaritan deliveries of coffee, tea, and red bulls have saved lives
hangs out in central hazel more often than not, she needs to be in the hubbub to really feel like she's at home. but the views from lake hazel and all of pascord meadows can't be beat and are a major reason why she keeps coming back to the park
refuses to let anything - red tape, poison ivy, naysayers, etc - stand in her way, but also loves the slow life - cozy nights over rowdy parties, stopping to smell the roses, taking the scenic route even if it takes hours longer. that being said... also loves rowdy parties
connects
ride or die besties! / rivals and frenemies! / past crushes and will they, won't theys! / someone for lora to mom friend! / a bad influence on lora!
