Now What?

Now What? - Chapter 3

“Oh yes, Stella, I’m looking forward to what they have to say about yesterday’s event and how it will affect us,” Mrs. Krimble was beaming, as if a solar storm had burst within her.

“Whoa, Miss K,” Rainbow Diaz, who I didn’t even think was listening, interjected, “affect us how? Am I going to get burnt out here?”

Mrs. Krimble laughed, “No, Rainbow, you’ll be fine. I meant how the storm will affect our planet.”

Rainbow looked at Mrs. Krimble skeptically just as the “All ashore” announcement was made. We diligently packed our belongings and joined the slow mob exiting the boat.

***

Mrs. Krimble herded the twelve of us like a metropolitan shepherd. She directed us out of the ferry terminal shouting various commands as she ran up and down the sides of the group ensuring that we stayed together as a group. It was masterful work.When the girls and I come to the city together we split up the moment we get off the slip in the ferry terminal. Mindy is sucked into the aroma of the bakery, while Tracie can’t walk past a Farmer’s Market table no matter where it is set up - even if it is a single table offering up butternut squash and apples that have been sitting in a ferry terminal all day, and Jess, well, she and I have the same problem: we’re suckers for the touristy crap even though we’ve both lived in New York our entire lives. There’s just something special about being in the city. Manhattan has its own personality that adds an aura of excitement to whatever reason you have to be there, even after you’ve lost count on how many times you’ve been there. Somehow, my crazy science teacher was able to control her mob of students from doing the same thing.

Of course, I wasn’t worried about getting lost anyway because Murph hadn’t let go of my hand yet and I wasn’t about to make the first move. We were herded onto a 1 train going uptown where Murph let go of my hand to let me get on before him. Our group packed into one car of the train. Not surprisingly it was one of the loudest subway cars I had ever been in in my life. Murph was snapping pictures left and right - of the subway stations we passed, of groups of students, of me and of weird little things like our hands holding the pole. Brenda McNeil was the first to say something about it, “Hey Murph,” she yelled while snapping her gum, “this your first time on the subway or something?”

“Funny Brenda,” he said, “of course I wouldn’t expect you to find the beauty in the mundane.”

She rolled her eyes, “Whadda ya mean?” she asked.

“Cause it’s hard enough for you to find it in the mirror!” and he pointed his camera to her face and clicked while laughing.

I gasped. Then Brenda laughed and biffed him on the head, “And people wonder why I date your cousin instead of you! You are such a dork,” Then she looked at me, “He’s a smart ass, Turner,   you sure you can’t do any better?”

I knew she was joking, but how do you answer a question like that? If I assume it is rhetorical and let it sit unanswered, then I look like I’ve been struck dumb. If I defend my position with Murph then I am publicly admitting my affection for him - am I ready to do that when I haven’t even really let him in on my terribly held secret? If I agree with her, then I’m insulting Murph even though Brenda’s original comment was meant only as a joke.

In the end, as my mind squandered for a response, Murph answered, “She has no choice in partners on this trip,” he said as he pulled me closer to his side, “Turner is the subject of my latest piece!” I could tell these two were used to their sibling-like banter. I wondered how long Brenda had been dating his cousin.

Brenda looked me up and down and said, “Well Turner, you make sure you tell us all the tale on your tumblr page when he’s finished with you. Spread the good word about our budding artist.”