The Warden Threat

  ~*~

  Trixie sat on a wooden bench under a large oak tree in the park. She idly watched a frisky gray squirrel scamper through the fallen autumn leaves and then race up the trunk. It paused halfway up to look down at her expectantly. She wished she could give it something.

  The squirrels in University Park were semi-tame creatures whose primary survival mechanism seemed to be looking cute to students willing to share their lunch. Through generations of natural selection, in which the most endearing got the most potato chips, they grew quite good at it. This one presented a perfectly pitiful gaunt stare hinting at near starvation, a state noticeably contradicted by its chubby haunches if one could look past the sad face. Few could.

  “Good afternoon, young lady,” a familiar voice said. “Do you mind if I sit down?”

  She turned and beamed a smile at Grandpa Nash as she quickly stood to give him a hug.

  “It’s so nice to see you.”

  “And you,” he replied, providing a smile of his own. “You look well. How have you been the last couple of days?”

  “Well rested! I’ve been a lazy slug for the most part. I’m afraid I can get that way sometimes.” She said it with no sense of guilt. She thought more people should learn the skill of letting themselves be lazy occasionally. She seldom found time to do nothing, but when she did, nothing was one of her favorite things to do. “It’s been very relaxing, and I’ve enjoyed every minute,” she added proudly.

  “There’s nothing wrong with that at all.” He sat down next to her.

  “I know. I figure I’ll just take it easy for a couple of weeks then see what the Guildhall has for another job. How about you?”

  “I can’t complain.”

  “Were you able to get a teaching job?”

  “Not yet. They aren’t short any instructors here at the University, and the other schools aren’t hiring right now. The University people are expecting a drop in enrollment next semester because of the military mobilization. It seems a lot of young men are answering the call to arms.”

  Trixie noticed again the hint of sadness in his eyes that showed whenever they spoke about things like this. She sometimes thought he might be a bit too sensitive, but his compassion for others was one of the things she found so appealing about him. “I almost think you care too much—and about people you don’t even know. You can’t let it bother you. It’s not your fault, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  “Perhaps. Maybe not this time anyway. One thing is certain; it’s not something we can do anything about right now. What else have you been up to besides taking it easy?” His smile returned.

  “Not much, really. What about you? What have you been up to? All you told me was that you don’t have a teaching job yet.”

  “There isn’t much more to say, I’m afraid. I’ve been telling stories down in the markets, and I’ve been enjoying that. I always do, though. It provides me a few coins as well. I thought I might try to find a job as a tutor, too. I don’t suppose you know anyone looking for one, do you?”

  “No, but I’ll keep my ears open.”

  A rustling of leaves distracted Trixie. The same squirrel returned. She recognized the soulful eyes. This time it brought along a smaller companion. The urban rodents placed themselves in easy view of the two friends seated on the park bench and assumed a sitting position with their front paws held before them as though pleading.

  Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. “In the meantime you can be my tutor! You already are, in a way. Now we can make it official.”

  “Sure. What would you like to learn?”

  “No, really. I mean, formally. You can give me lessons and I can pay you.”

  “You don’t need to pay me. We’re friends.”

  She considered arguing the point, but another idea came to mind. “All right,” she said. “I won’t pay you, but you have to come by Madame Brockwell’s boardinghouse tonight at dinnertime. I think I can get you a real paying job teaching.”

  “Oh?” he said with mock suspicion.

  “Just be there.”

  “All right. I don’t know what you have in mind, but I’ll be there. Is that allowed though? After all, it is a boardinghouse for ladies. I don’t want you to get into trouble with your landlady.”

  “You can come in as far as the common rooms without any problem at all so long as you’re an invited guest, and I’m inviting you.” Her decisive tone signaled an end to the conversation.

  As the two rose to leave, the larger of the two squirrels turned to the other and shrugged in an almost human way.

  Chapter Sixteen