sorrows and woes - klaus baudelaire

the wide window

FOR BEATRICE

I WOULD MUCH PREFER IT IF YOU WERE ALIVE AND WELL

•••••••••••••

"HERE WE ARE, BAUDELAIRES AND NATALIA." Mr. Poe stood on the edge of Damocles Dock, trying to read the sign as he, the Baudelaires, and Natalia disembarked from their journey on the Fickle Ferry. Natalia rolled her eyes as she listened to Mr. Poe horribly pronounce Damocles, "Deemo... Dimmo... Dudy Damo... Democlay... Dimoclath... Dimoclat... Demcaca...  Dock."

"It's pronounced Damocles," Violet corrected.

"After the probably apocryphal figure in Sicilian mythology," Klaus explained.

Mr. Poe checked his watch, "Well, I don't have time to learn things. The banking day has already begun. In any case, I'm sure you'll be off on some exciting adventure with your new guardian. Remember, you can always rely on us at Mulctuary Money Management," Mr. Poe handed Natalia his business card. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I will leave you alone on this mostly deserted dock to wait for your taxi to your Aunt Josephine's house."

"She's not meeting us here?" Natalia furrowed her eyebrows.

"Strangely, she said she'd be unable to come to the dock, and I didn't think it was polite to ask why. Perhaps she's planning a surprise party for you. Which reminds me, I know you've had a frightening and mystifying time with that horrible man, what, um, Count..."

"Count Olaf," Natalia finished for Mr. Poe. She understand how he could possibly forget his name.

"Olaf. Who knows where he came from?"

"You put us in his care," Klaus reminded the banker.

"I lived with him for many years," Natalia informed.

"I wouldn't exactly call it care. He's a thief and a murderer and so far has completely escaped capture," Mr. Poe said as if the children didn't already know that. He reached in his bag and pulled out two smaller bags. "But I have some things that just might turn things around. Peppermints and chocolate! Delicious peppermints! Tasty chocolate! My two favorite candies when I was a boy. You can eat them in the taxi on the way to meet your dowager aunt."

Mr. Poe handed the children the bags of candies and Violet asked, "What's that?"

"Oh, Violet, I'm surprised at you. A girl your age should know that a taxi is a car that takes you someplace for a reasonable fee," Mr. Poe explained, not comprehending that Violet knew what was a taxi was but didn't know what dowager meant. He pulled out some cash and handed it to the eldest Baudelaire, "And this should just about cover it. Cheers, Baudelaires! And Natalia!"

The children waved goodbye as Mr. Poe coughed and got back on the Fickle Ferry. Klaus explained to Violet, "Dowager is another word for widow."

Violet smiled, "Thank you."

Klaus looked back at Mr. Poe, "Should we have told him we're allergic to peppermints?"

"You're allergic to peppermints?" Natalia asked.

Klaus nodded, "Yes. Are you allergic too?"

"No," Natalia shook her head. "I'm allergic to cocoa beans, which are in chocolate."

Violet took the bags of candy and tossed them into a trash can, "Well, it didn't seem worth mentioning. We have a lot more important things on our minds."

"Like asking Aunt Josephine if she can help explain all the strange and mysterious things that keep happening to us," Klaus added.

"And how to get a taxi," Natalia sighed.