ikissdhimbck | OOM: Green Lake, Fourth of July

Doc keeps his arm steady for her to link hers with, as they follow along behind the older couple, and he smiles a bit, bashfully.

"Ain't nothin', really. Figured if I was from someplace like New York City I aught to look the part."

But he glances over at her.

"Not half as nice as you look today, Miss Katherine," he adds quietly, almost bashfully.

It's been a long time since he's been so nervous. So proper. But it's something that he doesn't mind.

"Doc Hawthorne and his wife certainly made me feel welcome," he chuckles a bit. "M'sure Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Tennyson will be glad t'hear it."

Edited 2008-08-14 08:31 (UTC)

And she does, almost instinctually, letting her fingertips graze the sleeve of his fine coat.

"I think you managed that masterfully," she smiles, before her cheeks blaze at his later compliment.

"Thank you," she mumbles, unable to wipe the grin from her face.

"I'm sure the ladies will be quite glad to hear it," Katherine laughs. "As am I. They're good people, though I imagine they must have kept you half the night talking about New York and your business out this way." She tilts her head up to look him in the eye. "Hope they didn't give you any trouble."

"Wasn't any at all. I enjoyed tellin' the story," he says honestly, with a nod.

Doc keeps his gaze forward, for the most part.

"And it wasn't like I was really tired. More excited than anything, really, lookin' forward to the picnic and to gettin' to talk to your students," he admits. "Though once I did get to sleep I slept well."

He's rambling and he knows it.

Katherine still wishes she could wipe the grin from her face, but it's set firmly in place.

"I'm glad to hear it," she repeats with a laugh. "I was up before the sun this morning, myself. Hard to sleep when you have so much to look forward to."

She means the picnic. Really.

The music has been getting progressively louder as they walked along, and when they round one final corner they finally come upon the throng of folks milling about the square. The festivities are already in full swing.

This is definitely like Lincoln's New Year's Eve party, but he figures the day after will be a bit more pleasant than the last one was. There's music, and children running around, and the smell of delicious food on the air.

And the townsfolks.

As they join everyone else celebrating the day and enjoying the picnic, Doc mentally prepares himself for a lot of questions.

The idea of it makes him grin, a little, but he hides it quickly enough.

Most folk tip their hats to the two as they walk past.

Some stop to shake Doc's hand, or give Katherine a nod of their head.

But a few genuinely corral the two into conversation. And Hattie Parker is one of this latter group.

She makes a beeline straight for Katherine, all urgency on her features.

"Katherine, the Mayor and his Mrs. are looking for you. They have some matter of urgency regarding the contests they need to discuss with you. You better make haste, deary."

Surprised, Katherine excuses herself, all apologies, and leaves Doc to Mrs. Parker for a moment as she goes to find out what's happening.

Mrs. Parker smiles at him sweetly.

"Good Morrow, Mr. Scurlock!"

Doc tips his hat to those that they walk past, and shakes the hands and greets all the folk that stop them with an honest smile and a bit of charm.

But when Mrs. Parker approaches (just as Doc expected either her or Mrs. Tennyson to do so within the first few moments of joining the gathering) he offers her a nod in greeting, then stands quietly as Katherine is called away by her need to talk to the Mayor and his wife.

When they're alone (so to speak), he removes his hat and bows his head.

"Mornin', Mrs. Parker," he replies. "I hope this day finds you well, as it sure is a fine one for a picnic. I must admit I'm a bit jealous of the fine weather ya'll have out here. Much nicer than New York City -- and please, call me Josiah."

"A fine day, indeed, Josiah!" she chuckles good-humoredly.

You can call her Mrs. Parker, Doc.

"Won't you come and join us for a spell?"

She doesn't wait long before making her way over to a spot on the grass behind them.

Josiah follows Mrs. Parker much like a proper gentleman would who's just trying to keep up with someone.

Promptly.

"I'd be honored, Mrs. Parker," he replies, as he does so.

Katherine won't be too long. He hopes.

There are no chairs set up in the square today. Most folk are just standing, or walking, but there are some spread out on the grass with fine quilts and blankets.

Mrs. Parker is one such individual, and she stops at a fine patchwork quilt where several of the older married women in town are situated, talking. Their husbands are, wisely, off to their own devices.

"Ladies, Mr. Josiah Scurlock has asked if he could join us this morning," Mrs. Parker tells the group.

...Ohyesshedid.

"Josiah, I believe you've met Gladys Tennyson, Emylou Teager, and Kathy Smart."

Each woman greets Doc politely, smiles glinting in their eyes.

Well then.

He smiles politely and nods to each woman in turn, before he takes a seat at their urging (insistence, really) and sets his hat carefully to the side.

"You all looked like you were havin' such a fine time talkin'," he offers.

Because obviously as a proper gentleman, he'd love to join the ladies in their delightful conversation.

They all laugh, and it sounds canned when they do.

"Tell me, Josiah," Mrs. Smart smiles, "How have you come to make the acquaintance of our town's fine schoolteacher?"

"Oh, they went to school together, Emylou," Mrs. Parker nearly chides, adding a "don't you know anything" on the end.

"Oh, of course, old classmates," Mrs. Teager adds. "Which school was this?"

"Tulane, over in old New Orleans, don't you recall," Mrs. Tennyson intones, though the question was clearly meant for Doc.

"That's right, Tulane. How long ago was that?"

"About three years past now, isn't it?"

"At least three years, indeed."

The women banter as if Doc isn't even there. But eventually they all agree on a question they feel Doc can answer for himself.

"How long do you intend to stay for, Josiah?"

Eager eyes makes one feel perhaps they're fishing for his motives with this one.

Doc can't get a word in between the banter, and perhaps that's for the best, but once they do let him speak, he answers each question in turn.

"Tulane University in New Orleans, that's right," he replies, with a bit of a nod to Mrs. Tennyson. He's a bit surprised that they already are figuring out the dates and such but when one word gets out, it travels awful fast in such a small town.

"As for stayin' here in Green Lake, well I was plannin' on just stoppin' in for a short spell, see your fine town and visit for the picnic and such, and I'm excited for the chance t'git to talk to the students for a short lesson. I was taught many things by many teachers, and I've always believed in passin' that tradition on, so to speak."

He nods a little, as if to emphathsize the point.

It's for the children. Really.

"Didn't I tell you he was a fine boy?"

"A fine boy, indeed."

"Oh, he's so polite!"

Obviously these ladies aren't shy in any way, shape, or form.

"Well, we're very pleased to have you, Josiah."

"Yes, we value our education here in Green Lake."

"Indeed we do. It's always a pleasure to have a fellow academic with us."

Yes, it's all obviously for the children.

And the children are our future.

"Tell me, Josiah," Mrs. Tennyson begins. "How does a fine young man such as yourself find the time and the freedom to make such an arduous trip to visit us simple folk in Green Lake?"

"Well," he starts out. "I just finished up the term at the private school I was teaching at in New York City, and I've always wanted to make my way out West -- something about the rugged nature of the land and all that, like you read in those articles in the Harper's, you see -- and I knew Miss Barlow had settled out here in Green Lake and was teachin', and just thought it would be a right wonderful idea if I came to talk to her students."

Doc ponders for a moment.

"As for the freedom, well, New York City's a big town but I don't have myself a..."

He trails off a second as he thinks quickly on that tiny apartment in New York City and his wife.

You ain't going to get to New York City again, Doc. You're going to go back out that door and you're going to die on the way to Mexico.

"...don't have myself a Mrs., so I suppose I've got the freedom to travel and see the country before I settle down a bit. I'm interested in travelin' out to California, perhaps. Wherever there are children, there's a need for teachers, after all."

"I see," Mrs. Tennyson is the first to speak, her tone sing-songy.

"Isn't that interesting now?" says Mrs. Parker to Mrs. Smart.

"Such fine goals," Mrs. Teager interjects with a knowing smirk.

"Such a happy turn of events, then, that you happen to know Miss Barlow."

There's a great silent exchange of looks between the women; one can probably see the wheels literally turning.

Doc can.

Way to shoot yourself in the foot, you idiot.

For the briefest of seconds, he feels nervous as all hell, and it's not a good sense of butterflies, either. It's that kind of nervous he gets when he hears a hammer get cocked back, or heavy boots on a wooden walkway, or when the fire crackles just like a torch.

Then he pushes it aside.

He clears his throat, lightly, and innocently, to get his voice back.

"Probably settle up near San Francisco," he continues. "With the immigrant population and all comin' over from the East, they've a need for English teachers."

"My, San Francisco?" Mrs. Parker repeats.

"So far away," Mrs. Tennyson clucks.

Katherine is walking back through the crowds of people, sans her basket of peaches, when she finally spots Doc a few yards off.

...And then the company he's in, which causes her to draw in a sharp breath.

She beelines it to the group on the lawn, a sweet smile masking the inner-apprehension she actually feels. When she catches Doc's eye, she gives him a very apologetic look.

"Good morning, Mrs. Tennyson; Smart; Teager; Parker," she says politely, curtsying.

"I see you ladies are enjoying the fine company of our visitor this morning."

If he didn't already think she looked a bit like an angel, her arriving at just the right moment to rescue him from the flock of questioners seals the deal, somewhat.

But Doc's very polite.

"We were just talkin' about my time in New York and where I'm headed after visitin' here," he says. "And a bit about teachin' and such," he smiles at the ladies and nods at them. "But it's these ladies who are the fine company."

Not as fine as Miss Katherine, but he's not going to say that.

"Is that so?" Katherine smiles at him, silent laughter shining in her eyes.

"To be honest, I'm sorry I missed that. But if you're enjoying yourself so, I can leave you five to continue your discussion in peace?"

If Katherine wasn't such a proper lady, one might think that was a wicked smirk on her face.

Katherine is a very proper lady, so that is not a wicked smirk on her face. Of course it's not.

"I'm certain that we'll get much more time to chat, and I wouldn't want to take over the whole conversation," he replies, as he turns to the ladies. "If you'll excuse me?"

He's quite certain that he'll be the subject of conversation once he's gone.

That's a very good estimation, Doc.

"How very gracious of you," Mrs. Parker nods, granting Doc leave of their company. "We'll be sure to speak more later, indeed."

The other women titter their goodbyes as well, their eyes darting back and forth between Doc and Katherine as the two move on.

Freedom, Doc. How does it taste?

"I'm so terribly sorry," Katherine says, but she can't keep the chuckle from her voice.

"But I did warn you."

"You did."

It wasn't that bad.

"Though I do think I should apologize if they start askin' you questions," he adds. "But hopefully they won't be too insistent."

Freedom tastes wonderful.

"Everythin' alright with the Mayor?"

She arches a brow slightly. "Anything I should be forewarned about?"

She manages to look equal parts embarrassed and proud at his question, a smile lighting her face before she ducks her head.

"Oh yes, everything is fine. There's just been a bit of a change with the contests, is all."

"Well I may have set 'em off 'bout my intentions," Doc says. "You know how they can get when you've got a 'fine young man' and a beautiful young woman like yourself in one town together..."

He looks down at the ground a moment, hiding the smile, before he glances back over at her.

"Well as long as you still get the chance to beat 'em all," he adds. "Then we won't have no trouble."

He's teasing. Maybe.

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