evangeline crofter // preservation matron

[SpaceSalt]

 

[SpaceSalt]

evangeline crofter
PRESERVATION MATRON

A sharp, stiff, formal woman who makes a career and lifestyle out of avoiding change. Better known as Eva, the starched and no nonsense archival scientist radiates only the mildest unpleasantness wherever she goes. When she is in a mood, she’s the sort who says “Coffee” when the barista asks her how she’s doing today. When she’s better, she’s on the stiff side of monosyllabic and nervous. It’s not personal, her head is just usually in her projects: The manuscripts in her lab for work, and the butterfly specimens collected for play. In spite of sharp edges on the surface, Eva is passionate about her field and other studies, and is more than willing to engage in enthusiastic conversation about them than her initial demeanor often lets on.

ASK AND YE SHALL RECIEVE

Eva needs things. But Eva is not charming or humble or very good at asking for them. First, she instinctively avoids having to ask for favors, usually to great expense to herself and not realizing it’s a foolish venture of pride that motivates her. When she is cornered into no other course of action, she’s too flustered and uncertain to make any kind of negotiation headway, and always blows it. There is a lot of ground between self-depreciating and entitled demands, but it typically eludes Eva. Her funding requests are atrocious. Her last request for a letter of recommendation was met with offense. Her sales pitches have been called everything from ineffective to combative. It would be an unfortunate lack of social skills if it wasn't for the fact she finds herself suddenly needing to justify her existence to remain employed and funded every financial quarter.

WELL SEASONED

Eva has trouble getting on the good side of people, but she seems to always be attractive and agreeable to other things. A certain group of things. Eva finds herself swatting away bugs more often than most. Specifically, bugs that seek out and feed on rot. Eva doesn’t mind. From butterflies to house flies, she’s comfortable with a wide array of creepy crawlies, but it does lead her to awkwardly ask if she’s kind of smelly today or what. They aren't attracted from a supernaturally wide range or anything. It's just when their paths cross, well. They really like hanging around.

ANYTHING ELSE?

• Eva has a habit of wearing too much perfume on occasion and is completely nose blind to it.
  
• Works at a document conservation and restoration facility, preserving and restoring old and vulnerable media for a variety of clients. Their recent state funded projects are the source of her latest woes, although she enjoys the chance to archive some more unique finds.
  
• 34 years old, but bitter and 80 at heart. Hopes to someday be the neighborhood spinster local children fear.
  
• Very meticulous. Very organized. Very uptight. All the better for sorting.
  
• Prides herself on her lepidoptera specimen collection. Always up for an adventure to find more.
  
• She likes other interesting specimens too. A preserved scorpion in a shadowbox is given a place of honor on her desk.
  
• Assumes her fly entourage is because she is just salty in more ways than one.
  
• Fancy scarab broach. Likes to be fancy.