Under Lock and Key

26: A Tiny Taste of Fall

Lee Clarke, September 22nd, 1949, Crescent City

7:20 am

"Have a good day, Lee," Helen said distantly as she always did, after our morning walk.

"See you at lunch," I returned as I always did. Not unhappy to have a routine to follow.

I went inside and had a quick breakfast. My mother normally had something ready for my father and I. A mess of scrambled eggs and peanut butter toast, or reheated leftovers from last night's dinner. Something substantial since we worked such physically intensive jobs. No matter how much she fed us, I was starving at noon, and grateful to my friend for bringing me lunch that she organized if not made herself.

My dad ate whatever Mr. Pomroy brought him, and they discussed... business... alone before we both went back for the afternoon shift.

We'd followed this routine since I'd returned. It was fine. I don't mind working hard, but I was... bored, I'll selfishly admit. I know I'll never be an academic, I still don't love to read, but I do miss the discussions we'd have, almost all day long, when I was away..at...school. Here, I do talk to the other men, but just in passing. Felling trees and stripping bark don't leave a lot of breath or breath for jabbering away.

Thankfully, I'd gotten used to the routine enough that I had time after work and in the mornings to walk around with Helen, and occasionally have dinner with Michael and Rose.

I tried to stay away from the Pomroy's home, as often as I could. I wasn't ... I felt like....a clean break was in order. From the memories I had there. The Bailey's were nice enough, I actually liked all three of them quite a bit. Eddy was funny and excited about everything new, which was a lot compared to growing up in London. Miriam was calm and sensible and still interesting.

Miles was a little more difficult to ... handle...because he kept trying to..get to know me better. He asked sincere questions about my likes and dislikes, wanting to join Helen and I on our walks. Thankfully Helen being who she is, always said no without any qualms when he asked.

Eddy too, seemed desperate to accompany us, ready for any kind of entertainment. It must be difficult to make nice with her future mother in law, talking and socializing. Miles told me that back home, her nickname was flutterbudget because she never sat still.

A few times, we did take the three of them to the beach. It wasn't horrible. Again, they were nice people.

But just being around them made me remember the past. And wonder about Eddy's future. Maybe I'm being a coward, but I just don't want to think about that.

=

The day went by like normal, and that evening, Helen and I walked the old path to school. It was one of our many different meanderings. A nice evening. I just let my thoughts lie fallow while Helen turned over logs in her never ending search for interesting bugs.

We saw several people approaching us in the distance, so we did what we always do, which is climb any nearby fallen log or rock, and let them pass, unconcerned how foolish it may look for people our age to do so. Helen hates making small talk, and honestly, I'm happy to avoid it when I can as well.

But today...

"Hello! Look here, a few robins nesting above us. Mistress Mary, them ar't like tha' robin' in the secret garden."

I knew the story Miles was referencing, as he elbowed his sister Miriam who only rolled her eyes, but I wasn't paying any attention to them.

I was frozen, but then breathed, and looked away.