(This post is part eight of a series. If you’re interested in reading the tale from its beginning, look here .)
From the journal of one Michael Gideon
June 19, 2010
I’m making some headway today on the book, twenty solid pages and counting. It’s about a quarter to four now. Think I’ll take a little break and have one of those pears I don’t remember buying out on the porch. Weird or not, it’s been a productive day. Patty should be happy. I guess I should be thinking about what to take to Mrs. Nicoline’s get together, since I’ve decided to go. I just flipped back a few pages to see what it was that Audrey said would make a nice gift. You’ve come in handy, Journal!
6:48 pm
So. . .
I just had my first real conversation with Angela. I think I need a second before I get into this.
I was out on the front porch, eating my pear and looking over some typed pages. I – I don’t know what made me look, but I looked over toward Hurd and Angela’s place to find Angela standing at the edge of their property, looking at me. Her blue dress billowing in the breeze reminded me of sailing the Cape in the summer as a kid; her silver hair was loose around her shoulders. She held her hands out to either side of her, as if preparing to feed cartoon bluebirds out of them.
“I was once an actress, you know.” She said to me.
Caught up in my childhood memory as I was, she continued, seemingly unaffected by my lack of response,
“But that was a very long time ago. I enjoyed it, though, being part of the arts. I was a foolish girl, giving it up like I did.”
I walked over to her, apologizing for staring as I offered my hand to formally introduce myself. I needn’t have bothered.
“Yes, Mr. Gideon, I know who you are. You’re new to town. A gifted artist, if not self-confident in your gift. I’m familiar with your type.”
“Have I somehow offended you?” I asked, recalling privately the “waking up on my front steps” incident, “If so, for whatever reason, I apologize.”
“I’m far too difficult to offend at my age, Mr. Gideon, have no concern on that front. No, no, I’m merely letting this business with my husband effect my opinion of you, and for that, I apologize.”
I was confused. I haven’t had any contact with Hurd. “How is your husband? I haven’t seen him around.”
“And you shan’t, I’m afraid. He will be laid up for some time. Not surprising, given what happened. Not that you should feel guilty. My husband has a mind of his own.”
Thoroughly mystified, Journal, that’s what I was. Before I could ask what in God’s name she was talking about, asking carefully in light of the Alzheimer’s she was clearly suffering from, she continued,
“Mr. Gideon, I have a boon to ask of you, though I cannot ask it without first knowing that your answer will be yes. Will you do me this kindness?”
I said I would. I didn’t figure it could hurt, helping a woman of Angela’s years out. I’m really a stupid man.
“As Hurd is unable to attend Lady Nicoline’s Gathering, and I cannot go in his place, I need you to speak in favor of the third matter to be decided upon. A proxy for me, you understand.”
“I really don’t.”
“Forgive me, I was being polite. Your understanding the matter is completely irrelevant, Mr. Gideon, so long as your lack of understanding is in no way indicative of an inability to nod your head Yes.”
I hadn’t been dressed down in such a way since college, Journal. I felt like you do when you’re a kid and you get caught going through the cool stuff in Grandma’s attic without permission.
“Have we reached an accord, Mr. Gideon?”
“I say yes, as your fill-in vote, on the third topic of conversation. I really, I’m just renting the house for a few weeks. I don’t think, I mean, if there’s some sort of housing committee issue going on, I can’t imagine that I’ll be part of that. Truth be told, I don’t understand why I even got invited to this thing.”
“This thing?” she seemed very put off by me at that point, “Mr. Gideon, I assure you, ‘this thing’, as you so aptly refer to it, changes everything and should not be entered into lightly. Though, as I talk to you, I’m not sure that I understand your invitation either. Good day, sir.”
And she walked back to her house, leaving as quietly as she’d come.
What is this Gathering?
This is very suspenseful. I thoroughly enjoy following the Diary of Mr. Gideon.
If it just me or am I clueless as to what is going on.
And I mean that in a good way.
Keep it up.
I meant the ‘only one clueless as to what is going on’.
Rarely if ever can anyone else shed light on one’s state of mind.
And read that post over again. This time replace the first ‘.’ with a ‘?’.
Thanks.
Oh! I’m loving this. That Angela is something else! Your characters are so vivid. You’ve given us very little description, but told us so much about her. I can’t wait to see what happens at The Gathering.
First time I am catching up to this. Like the format and the premise. The Angela character is very cool and vivid. Nice job.
To jeremy B.
I’ve worked it out….Mr.Gideon is Spartacus….no wait that’s me!!
All will no doubt be revealed.
Happy New Year.
Colin 😉