a/n at the end of the story.
San Francisco, 2015
Jeannie closed the book and pinched the bridge of her nose, carefully lifting her reading glasses in the process. The look on her face was far from happy. An audible sigh escaped her lips.
"What's the matter, babe?" Steve asked as he lowered the newspaper to peer at his wife, a still stunning woman in her sixties.
Jeannie sat still for a few moments.
"Babe?" Steve pressed.
"You know, I am just a product of my time and clearly my time has passed," she answered with a little bit of disgust in her voice.
"Uh oh," Steve commented and started to raise the newspaper again, but then caught a glimpse of sadness in her face. "Want to tell me about it?"
Jeannie obliged. "Do you remember not long after we first met? You would come over to Sunday dinner when I was home from college. One day, while we were in the kitchen doing dishes..."
"And Mike was in the family room taking a nap..." Steve interjected.
"Yes," Jeannie answered. "Those were such great days. Anyway, you asked me why I called my dad "Mike" instead of dad or father."
"You hit me over the head with a wet frying pan, as I recall," Steve quickly answered.
"Jerk," she countered with a slight smile.
Steve chuckled. "Okay, I'll be good and yes, I do remember it. You told me the story of how you likened your father to Atticus Finch. How you were Scout - and I seem to recall me being "Jem" in this little story - and that your father gave you such comfort after your mom died, similar to a scene in the Mockingbird movie. Scout called her father Atticus - and you took a cue from that, calling your father "Mike" from that point onward."
"You remember!" Jeannie paused.
"Of course, my dear. You are the love of my life and you and your father were my family," Steve said, but quickly corrected himself. "Still are - even though he is no longer with us, I feel his presence often. Now what made you think about that conversation?"
"This," she directed as she held up a copy of "Go Set a Watchman", the newly published book by Harper Lee. "I just read it. It's good and everything - brilliant, actually. But I don't like how Atticus has changed. He was such an icon for good and fairness, why change that?"
Steve nodded his head in sympathy. "I understand this book is really an earlier draft of "To Kill a Mockingbird" and that Harper Lee reworked the draft into the book that became the beloved novel. Her editor wanted her to tell the story from a child's eyes. A child would not have seen the nuanced character like an adult would, so Atticus became more idealized. Maybe that's why he was such a pure pillar of truth and justice in the original book."
"There is nothing wrong with being a pillar of truth and justice - even if it's seen through a child's eyes," Jeannie announced with a pout.
"Absolutely not. But nowadays, we like our heroes to have faults," Steve said as he returned to his paper. "It makes them more human and maybe more realistic."
Jeannie glared at Steve and he could feel it through the newspaper. He didn't understand why. "What did I say?" Steve asked sheepishly, knowing that he had somehow offended.
"What happened to pillars of truth and justice? What happened to the men - and women, mind you - who showed strength and endurance and did things the right way?"
"Whatever happened to Randolph Scott, has happened to the best of me..." Steve recalled.
Jeannie squinted for a moment. "The old song, right?" she said as she picked up on the lyric. "All those old cowboy movie star heroes in the song that the Statler Brothers sang about. Am I at that point where I'm reminiscing for 'good old days'?"
"Maybe, but I'm there with you. I can't believe I'm saying this because I didn't agree with the guy politically, but the days of the Duke are over and in some ways, it's sad."
Jeannie smiled at a memory. "Dad loved John Wayne movies. Those Sunday dinners with a John Wayne afternoon movie followed by dessert and a long nap...that's was a good day to Mike. Wayne's characters stood on principle. I think we miss that today and now to have Atticus gone by the wayside, too. It's too much!"
"But that was all pretend anyway. You have to think of the real heroes and get away from all that you see in the media and online. There are still a multitude of people out there who stand on principle. They protect and serve. They heal and they nurture. They apparently just don't live in Hollywood or within the Beltway."
"Don't get me started," Jeannie said as she rolled her eyes but then she calmed. "And also never forget, we will always have Mike."
"Iron Mike - man of steel, principled and trustworthy," Steve countered. "I am so lucky to have met him and so lucky to be influenced by him. He was a rare find."
"I was lucky to have him as a father. And how lucky am I that you are cut from the same cloth in many ways."
Steve paused slightly, contemplating his next comment as a slight frown crossed his face. "No, Jeannie, I'm not. I mean, I like to think I do the right thing when presented with choices. But I'm not that pillar. I never had to make the sacrifices your dad did - in the Depression, the War and later on the Streets. For him and his kind, it was a question of survival and it made them stronger."
"I seem to recall you making a rather large sacrifice in the Streets," Jeannie debated as she recalled the shooting that ended his police career and almost ended his life nearly fort years before.
"True, but being a pillar means that you stand strong, no matter what. I think the generation that came after your dad, John Wayne, Randolph Scott and that group - we had opportunities where we weren't forced to stand strong. It was really a gift that his generation gave us - our lives were better as a result and we didn't have to be a strong all the time."
Jeannie nodded as Steve continued with a chuckle. "We could grow our hair long, live in our VW vans, listen to rock and roll and maybe even smoke a little weed. Free love, man."
With that remark, she raised her eyebrows as he quickly defended. "Er, uh, not that I ever did any of that. I went to the police academy, remember?"
Jeannie sat for a moment knowing full well her husband had sowed some rather wild oats in his college days. "Could you imagine Mike doing that? Wow, that was a gift, wasn't it - the lifestyle we had then - and now."
"Cause for celebration, actually," Steve said with a smile. "Let's just hope that we don't get so used to it, that we lose sight of what it took to get here."
Jeannie smiled and looked back at the book that now sat on the end table. "Feel better about Atticus?" Steve asked.
"Nah, but I'll get over it. You know, we haven't been out to see Mom and Dad in a while. Why don't we go take some flowers over there."
"Sounds good. How about dinner and a movie after that? I hear there's a new kind of hero movie out there - he's the size of an ant!"
"An ant, really?" Jeannie asked suspiciously.
"It's supposed to be good. Especially the guy who plays the doctor. I've heard he's fantastic..." Steve encouraged with raised eyebrows.
Jeannie squinted at her husband. "An ant," she sighed. Under her breath, she could be heard mumbling, "Whatever happened to Randolph Scott, has happened to the best of me."
finis
a/n I normally would have posted this little story in the "Street Shorts" anthology, but today I just wanted to post it as a standalone with a 'thank you'.
This fandom was started 3 1/2 years ago by a couple of talented writers. One still contributes here as well as in other fandoms - the wonderful Tanith! Prior to that, apart from the fabulous EKW's stories - posted years ago independently and are now shared here - and some fanzines that weren't readily available on line, there was no place where you could read ff about SOSF.
It's remarkable that nearly 35 years after the show ended, this category within FF . net was created. We now have over 200 stories, including crossovers - AND COUNTING! There are several amazing writers and many wonderful readers who keep everyone encouraged. (Cause for Celebration!) I think these stories have served the show and the characters (of which none of us own and we reap no profit, etc.) well and with the respect they deserve.
I know we've had some hiccups along the way, but nothing inconsistent - and in some ways, much less - than in many other fandoms. For the most part, we've had wonderful support and interest - far surpassing anything I would have hoped.
So, thank you, thank you! It's been an honor to be a part of this. Hopefully all have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy being here.
(also - I do not own SOSF, characters, etc. I make no profit on this or any thing by Harper Lee, Stan Lee, Marvel or the Statler Brothers).