Kate Gainey

“Basically, you assemble squads, roll dice, and use strategy to destroy your opponent.”

“Okay, like toy soldiers. You wanna break?”

“No, you go ahead, and it’s more complicated than that.”

Kate swigged her beer, lined up her shot, and bam! The balls reached every corner of the table, two stripes finding a pocket. 

“Nice, so enlighten me.”

-Sherm to Kate, Book II

Kate enters Sherm’s world when he spots her singing on the train. To Shem, Kate is a sophisticated, older-seeming, very hot woman who instantly makes him giddy. She surprises him and eases his usual high frequency existence. For Kate, who is slowly stitching together a life that she wants to lead, she prioritizes having fun over any sort of grind. While she certainly suffers from the typical self-doubt that comes with being a young woman, she is skilled at erasing any evidence of this truth. She is unafraid to put her foot in her mouth. Kate strikes the balance between living with a purpose and finding herself in adventure. She leads with her chest, cleavage first, and wields sarcasm like a yo-yo.

Sherm took Kate up on her offer for a conversational switch. She explained the broader premise of roller derby, laid out the rules, and set a track-side scene for him. While Kate explained that she plays as a blocker, but would much rather play as a jammer, Sherm emerged back out from his shell. The pair laughed as they ate their burgers, onion rings, and respective forms of fried potato. 

-Kate and Shem at their diner, Book II