ikissdhimbck | OOM: Green Lake, Fourth of July

"Perfect!"

Doc calls the word out as James finishes the last turn around the pole, and he swings the boy around once more before he hits the grass in a heap, his hat being knocked off with the contact with the plush surface.

"Very well done, Master James," he commends the boy and then reaches for the dark grey derby on the ground, his cheeks a bit flushed from the excitement. "Very well done. Now," he says, as he sits up a bit on one elbow, chest still heaving slightly as he breathes and tries not to laugh as he brushes a few locks of the young boy's hair back to tidy it.

"I think you deserve something for such a wonderful performance," he continues, before he settles the derby hat on James' head, the sandy colored hair almost disappearing beneath it, and he lowers his voice a bit. "If anybody asks," he says. "You got that hat from Josiah Scurlock, of New York City, because every proper gentleman should have a hat just like that one," he taps the brim lightly and then winks at the child with a grin. "And you, Master James, are quite the gentleman."

Edited 2008-08-15 10:22 (UTC)

Mostly all that can be seen of the young boy's face under that big, gray derby, is a broad, toothy smile. He could lead ships safely to shore with the light that smile cast off.

"My, what a fine hat!" Katherine exclaims, her own grin big and bright. The boy is sitting close enough to where she has collapsed that she can reach out and touch the brim, adjusting it so she can see his sparkling eyes. "Don't you look smart! Just as your father. Would you like to thank Mr. Scurlock for the fine gift?"

"Thank you!" James exclaims, holding the hat to his head as if he were afraid someone might snatch it away. By the way he's looking at Doc, Doc may have just won himself a new best friend.

The other children are scattered about on the grass as well, or leaning on their knees while they catch their breath, giggling. "Hey, no fair!" James' older brother cries from his spot a few feet off.

"You're from New York?" the young redhead, Linda, asks. She's sitting on her heels, skirts spread primly about her. Her eyes are focused on Doc as a quiet blush creeps to her face.

To be honest, Doc has the rapt attention of all the children in the yard. Even young MaryAnne, who is currently having her dark hair played at by Katherine's loving fingertips.

"You're very welcome," Doc replies to James, reaching over to pat him lightly on the back, his eyes moving to the young redheaded girl who's smoothing her skirts as she asks him about New York.

He sits himself up fully and brushes a few bits of grass off a knee as he sits cross-legged, nodding at the girl. "And yes, that's correct. New York City."

A glance around the group as he realizes that most eyes are on him, and he smiles a little.

"Would you like to hear about it?"

It's a question to the entire pack of children, even if he knows the answer already.

And, quite naturally, all the children nod their heads eagerly and gather around Doc.

"How tall is the Statue of Liberty?"

"Are there really enough automobiles for every family?"

"How big are the ships you get in to port?"

"Are there fine hat shops and confectioners stores?"

"What's the 'subway' like?"

Katherine hushes her students, telling them they'll have plenty of time to ask their questions if they'll just let Mr. Scurlock get a word in edgewise. She sits herself upright, legs tucked beneath her, and sets MaryAnne in her lap as they hunker down to listen.

The smile she gives him is resplendent.

"One at a time," he says gently, as he waits for them all to gather around on the grass before he begins.

The Statue of Liberty isn't even built yet, but he's seen the plans in the papers so he thinks for a minute. "She's awful tall," he says. "And you see, the Statue of Liberty sits up on top a pedestal. The statue by itself is 'bout 150 feet, then you gotta add another 100 or so for the base. Very tall."

Then he goes on to talk about the automobiles, about how not every family owns one because there are just so many people and not everyone has the money, about the big steamships that bring people over from England, from across the ocean. He tells them about the shops where you can buy everything you want, be it hats or fine suits, hundreds of flavors of stick candy and licorice.

"And the subway, well, they don't have much of it underground just yet, but they've got trains up above the streets," he holds his hands up. "It's a strange sight, having automobiles and the stage moving along the street, with the trains moving along bridges up above."

A smile. "And the place I live? It's so crowded in the city that we don't have houses like you do here in your Green Lake. I live on the sixth floor of a building in an apartment."

A beat.

"Can any of you guess how many stairs that is?"

Doc has made more new friends.

(Though it should be noted that James, hat still engulfing his head, has little by little scooted himself closer to Doc, to the point he's very nearly in his lap.)

The children are completely taken by him as he regales them with tales of the city, eyes wide like saucers and little mouths hanging ajar in wonderment. They 'ooh' and 'aah' and laugh along as he paints the picture of New York livin', pestering him with dozens of little questions at every opportunity. More than once Katherine has to remind them to mind their manners.

Though to be honest, when he describes the Statue he's never even seen completed, and the subway, and the steamships that roll through the harbor, she finds herself just as rapt and eager to ask questions.

"The sixth floor?"

"Wow!"

"Amazing!"

"That's a lot of stairs!"

"Twenty!"

"No, a hundred!"

"Fifty! Fifty!"

Every child has an answer, and every one is a little different.

Doc laughs at the multiple answers that get thrown at him, and he pauses just one moment to lift James up and settle him in his lap, one arm around his back to hold him steady. It's a natural movement, one that you can only get from being around children for any period of time.

"A hundred and twenty," he says. "Every morning I walk down, a hundred and twenty stairs, and every day after I'm done teaching my students I walk back up a hundred and twenty."

Not to mention carrying anything.

Wooooooooooooooow.

That seems to be the general consensus from the kids. As well as from Katherine.

"What do you think of that, children?" she asks the boys and girls, peering around the group.

All eyes are on Doc. Even little James has his head tipped nearly all the way back, tiny hand holding his new hat in place, so he can look up at the man's face in wonderment.

Katherine grins at Doc. It's a content little expression.

"And I don't even live on the top floor," he adds.

Doc thinks for a moment before he looks around at the students.

"What do you think I should know about Green Lake," he asks. "Can you tell me what you love most about it?"

"The lake!" one young boy cries. "'N goin' swimming!"

"I like Mrs. Teager's farm. She lets me brush her horses," a girl says, giggling.

"I like Miss Katherine's peaches," says another boy.

"And her poetry!"

"An' when she lets us write outside!"

Katherine chuckles, eying her students the way one might if they were worried they were being buttered up for something. "Why don't you tell him about the town, class."

"Oh, I like Mr. Pike's store. 'E always gives me free candy. You should go get some free candy, Mr. Scurlock!"

"You can go down to the shore, an' there's a spot where the peach trees grow in a circle, n' the grass is soft and tall. I like to take naps there."

"Yeah, when you're cuttin' class!"

"I do not!"

The children erupt into laughter.

And Katherine is laughing too.

"I hope that you all come to class tomorrow," Doc says, with a laugh. "Even after such a fine day here at the picnic."

He makes a note of the things that the children mention to him and tucks them away for later, for use in the lessons tomorrow. He's not quite sure how long they continue talking about things -- New York City, again, and Green Lake, and the things that are the same and different in the two -- and there is plenty of time spent laughing.

It's a welcome change.

"So what sort of things," he finally asks. "Happen later this afternoon?"

He expects things like food to be eaten, soon enough, and perhaps a contest or two. Nevermind Miss Katherine's spiced peaches have already taken the best prize.

"They'll be starting the contests, soon enough," Katherine replies, for it is indeed growing late in the day. Even with all the excitement, MaryAnne has managed to fall asleep in Katherine's lap, and the loving teacher is methodically smoothing her hands through her dark, silken hair.

"Pie eating contests!"

"And pig rustlin'!"

The children giggle excitedly.

"An' there'll be horseshoes, an' golf, an' swimmin', an' an' an' fireworks!" James cries, still in Doc's lap. His chubby little fingers have started playing with Doc's hair. It's long and blonde and soft, and he couldn't resist.

"The fireworks don't really start until tonight, dummy!" Jack snipes. He looks instantly remorseful when Katherine shoots him a warning look.

"Perhaps it is time we adjourned, though, children," she says. "Some of the games have already started, and you'll want to be filling your tummies before all the excitement begins."

They don't need a second prompting, though some of the girls are more reluctant to go. They make Doc promise to dance with them later.

When they've departed, it's just Doc and Katherine and MaryAnne, still sleeping in her lap, and little James with one fist clutching at Doc's sleeve.

"So Jack is your older brother, hmm?" Doc asks of James once the rest of the children have left them alone and run off to go find food and games to entertain themselves with.

"Yeah."

"Well," he begins, as he tips that derby hat back so he can look James in the eyes as he tells this story. "I have an older brother too, and when I was your age, he liked to hack on me just like Jack seems to like teasin' you sometimes. Callin' me names and sayin' I couldn't do things that the older children could do just 'cause I was small."

A beat.

"And it never seemed like he liked me very much, the way he was always teasin', but you know what? There was a time when I was first startin' to learn to ride a horse, back on our farm, and we were out in the pasture and I got thrown off. Didn't hurt myself too bad, just scared myself a bit, and it wasn't my ma who came running first when I hollered. It was Daniel. And he didn't tease me 'bout fallin' or make jokes about the fact that I was cryin' because I was scared, he was just worried that I was hurt. Even if he was hackin' on me just a few moments before, he was more worried that I'd hurt myself when it mattered most."

He smiles a little.

"So you gotta remember that he don't really mean it when he says stuff like that, alright? He's just tryin' to show off for the other boys."

"I know," comes the boy's quiet reply, eyes cast downward and fingers playing at Doc's fine vest.

It warmed Katherine's heart to see Doc interact with her young students, his words kind and warm as he spoke to them. She sat quietly while he told his tale, listening carefully as she continued to stroke the sleeping girl's hair. "Do you have other siblings, Doc?" she interjects, head cocked to the side in curiosity.

"I did have an older brother," he says. "He was with the 1st Alabama Cavalry unit at Athens in '64. Michael was older than both Daniel and myself."

The past tense of the subject explains all that she needs to know about how that turned out, but he doesn't dwell on it. Instead, he smiles. "I got a sister, too, though. Younger than I am by a year and a couple months. She was studyin' up in Memphis last I heard. Daniel works for a company that runs steamboats up the river, now."

By that, he means The River.

"I saw him a few years back."

Katherine understands his discretion, what with the young children about, so she doesn't say much; she simply nods her head, sympathy in her eyes.

She wonders if his meeting with Daniel came after his departure from school--after he became an outlaw.

"Was it a good meeting?" she asks, wincing slightly.

"It was, yes," he nods a bit and smiles more. "It was while I was still at Tulane, he stopped by on the way from Mississippi back to Alabama."

And then he had left Tulane, stolen a horse, a rifle, a few hundred dollars, and a new pair of boots and headed west to Liberty, Missouri. But he leaves that part out of the story.

Wouldn't do to inspire young boys to become outlaws, after all.

She smiles with quiet relief. "I'm glad.

"I never had siblings to tease me or look out for me when I was growing up," she laments, brushing a strand of hair behind one ear. Then she turns her attention to James.

"You're lucky to have an older brother, even if he does torment you a bit. Think of how boring it would be without him."

James looks about ready to whine about something in reply, when his mother starts calling to him from the square. He puts his hand to his hat and darts off, like a puppy rushing to a meal, and Katherine can't help but laugh at the abrupt departure--

--And look out into the crowd for the first time in a while, where she notices several onlookers whispering and pointing.

"Perhaps I should get this little one to her mama," she tells Doc, carefully scooping MaryAnne into her arms. She smiles easily. "She might be looking for her, after all."

"Most likely," Doc admits, as he stands up from the place on the grass where they had settled and then offers her a hand up from the ground where she's sitting.

He doesn't offer his arm (as she's got a young, sleepy child in hers) but he does follow alongside her as they move to rejoin the picnic and the crowd.

They can talk all they want, for all he cares.

Of course he would never say that. It's just not proper.

The hand is gratefully accepted as she steadies herself on the lawn, nestling MaryAnne against a shoulder.

It doesn't take long to locate the parents and settle the sleepy child down on the quilt they're using. When she wakes up there will be a picnic waiting for her.

After some brief conversation, Doc and Katherine are able to move on and head back to the crowd, where they'll stick out a little less.

Even if they're not sticking out, there are still plenty of brief conversations shared with the townspeople as they move through the crowd.

(Doc, to his credit, actually does eat.)

As the afternoon progresses further towards the evening, Doc finds himself wondering on more than on occasion if this is what it might have been like if he'd never left Tulane.

And silently, Katherine is glad to see Doc eat.

There were only half a dozen women trying to get him to try their cobblers, pies, jams, breads, and so forth when they made their way to the contests, after all. Katherine graciously accepted her special ribbon, and having her out of the way afforded several other women the opportunity to win a few of their own.

As the evening sets in, the lamps around town are lit one by one. In the gray dusk hours most people clear the square, and dancing commences. There's a band playing, and the music is lighthearted and festive: guitars, banjos, flutes and drums, a violin and even a man playing the spoons.

The people about town are joyful and laughing, and it puts Katherine in fine spirits. "Are you enjoying the shindig?" she asks Doc, smiling.

This reminds him of Lincoln on New Year's Eve.

It's a good memory, the night before his world all went to hell.

Doc smiles, and nods a bit. "Yes," he answers honestly, quietly. "This...all this, it reminds me of Lincoln before the war," he adds. "It means a lot to me t'think about that again."

He spots a group of her young students, the girls in particular, looking at them and when he glances over, they giggle a bit and glance away.

Lincoln. Before the war.

She looks up at him with an unassuming little smile, wondering what kind of memories are going through his mind. "I'm glad," she says quietly.

Not really thinking about it, she lifts her hand slowly, crossing the few inches between them with the intent of gently brushing his hand with her knuckles.

"Pardon me, Miss Katherine?" a young voice disturbs, making her jump only slightly and retract her hand before she can make contact.

"Oh, Thomas. Good eve," she breathes, nodding her head. The boy before her is wearing a tie and a fine jacket, hair combed back perfectly. He could be no more than thirteen.

"I was wondering if I might request the honor of your company for a dance?"

She smiles at the boy. "Of course." She doesn't particularly think she needs to ask Doc's permission, but she does turn to him and politely asks for him to excuse her just a moment.

The young man leads her to the "dance floor" and assumes the proper stance, left hand in Katherine's, right lightly at her waist, and about a clean foot of space between them. Katherine is a small woman, only standing at about 5'1, so there's only about six inches difference in height between them.

They're doing the box-step, and they're doing it rather well, actually. Katherine is beaming.

Doc watches for a moment as Miss Katherine and Thomas move around the dance floor, and then he remembers his promise to the young girls in her class about dancing with them, later.

He runs a hand quickly over his hair to ensure that none of it is too out of place, and then approaches the young redheaded girl and offers his hand.

"Miss, I was wondering if you would give me the honor of a dance?"

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