It was an odd sort of assignment for Solo and Kuryakin, providing security for Alexander Waverly's granddaughter.
The agents had performed that task before, but for both grandchildren, Susan and Thomas, while visiting the Waverly home in Connecticut.
This however was a new one for both agents…
Susan was a member of Girl Scout troop Number 47 out of Ridgefield Connecticut. The entire troop as well as their troop leader the matronly Mrs. Edna Gracey, and a chaperone named Miss Luciana Romero, were gathered to celebrate a special day for the Girl Scouts.
Miss Romero was a curvaceous, dark haired aunt of one of the girls who'd definitely caught Napoleon's eye. Kuryakin, as usual had no interest and was focused on the children, but more specifically Susan. She was an exceptional child, even by Illya's standards, while the others were typical for their age and not very interesting.
They were on a field trip at the National Mall in Washington D.C. to celebrate a dubious holiday, and that was 'Thinking Day.' And riding there in a school bus with a gaggle of giggling little girls was tedious for both agents who sat in the front of the bus, but essentially had to remain distant from their traveling companions.
Back in 1926, Girl Guide and Girl Scout delegates from around the globe met in the USA for the 4th World Conference. They decided there should be a special annual day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world would think of each other and express their thanks and appreciation for the Scout Movement. They called it 'Thinking Day" and it would fall on February 22nd. The date was chosen as it was the birthday of Scouting and Guiding founder Lord Robert Baden-Powell and of Lady Olave Baden-Powell, his wife and World Chief Guide.
Mrs. Gracey was well aware of Susan's special status and permitted the presence of Napoleon and Illya, who for most of the day merely kept in the background as the twenty-four prepubescent girls skipped from one museum to another on the National Mall.
They had saved the The National Gallery of Art as the piece de resistance as it was the location of a copy of Rodin's sculpture, 'The Thinker."
"How appropriate to end our trip on Thinking Day by observing Rodin's masterpiece," Mrs. Gracey exclaimed with great enthusiasm.
"Mrs. Gracey, why is he naked?" One of the girls asked. That sent the others into a fit of giggles. Their troop leader was at a loss for words as it hadn't dawned on her that the bronze was a nude.
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance Madam,"Kuryakin stepped forward.
"Please do Mr. Kuryakin," the woman's eyes pleaded for help.
"The Thinker, which is the depiction of a man hunched over in apparent thought was originally part of Rodin's sculpture The Gates of Hell. Standing nearly 20 feet tall, the work was meant to capture the first section of Dante Alighieri's epic poem Divine Comedy. The Thinker was meant to be seen perched above the door in a new museum of decorative arts in Paris. The grand size and incredible detail of the towering sculpture required 37 years of work from Rodin. In all that time, the Gates of Hell was never finished and the museum itself was never built."
"Wow 37 years for nothing," one girl said aloud."That's a long time."
"Indeed it is," Illya replied. "Rodin originally called this pondering figure The Poet. This name supports the theory that the statue was meant as a depiction of Dante. Because The Thinker did not fit with the 19th century view of a tall, slim Dante, some saw its as being more allegorical in nature. There were theories that it might be Rodin himself regarding his creation, or perhaps the biblical Adam considering the sins of his descendants. The name The Thinker was credited to foundry workers who felt the sculpture bore a notable resemblance to Michelangelo's sculpture of the same name."
"What's a foundry?" A blonde girl spoke up, raising her hand and waving to get Illya's attention.
"A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools."
"Like making cookies with cookie cutters?" Illya was at a loss on that one but was saved by another question.
"Who's Dante Al...Alligatori."
"That is Dante Alighieri," he corrected the child.
Another hand immediately shot up, waving as well to gain his attention.
"Yes young Miss?"
"So if he took 37 years to make those statues, was that the only thing he ever did?"
"Very good question. Auguste Rodin created thousands of busts, figures, and sculptural fragments over more than five decades. He painted in oils and in watercolors. The Musée Rodin in Paris holds 7,000 of his drawings and prints, in chalk and charcoal, and much more."
"When did he do all this?" The blonde asked.
"He was born 1840 and died in 1917 at the age of 77 and had worked as an artist since he was a very young man."
Illya noticed it was the same girl asking the majority of the questions, but he saw by the look in Susan Waverly's eyes that she already knew most of what he'd said. The children and grandchildren of Alexander Waverly were very well educated and intelligent.
Most of the other youngsters were beginning to fidget.
"Did you know," he asked them,"that there are many copies of The Thinker all around the world?"
"Is this a copy?"
"Yes it is. Rodin made the slightly larger-than-life version we know today, casting it in bronze, that Thinker was 6 feet tall and became the center of instant media praise. The original marble copy of the Thinker currently resides in France. After his death his whole estate was given to the French Government."
A different girl finally raised her hand.
"Yes?"Illya acknowledged her.
"Mrs. Gracey, I'm tired and I'm thinking we should go back to our hotel now, please?"
The others giggled again at their troop mate's little pun.
"Very well girls, if that's what you want," Mrs Gracey seemed to sigh in relief.
"Yes please?" They practically begged in unison.
Illya stepped back, returning to his partner's side.
"I am afraid most of what I said was for naught," he whispered.
"I thought it was perfect tovarisch."
"Why thank you Napoleon. Having lived in Paris I gleaned a lot of information regarding the arts."
"Yeah, your little lecture, as well as the question and answers gave me time to umm, chat up Miss Romero." Napoleon flashed a sly smile.
"Oh please do not tell me?"Illya groaned.
"Yes I have a date with her this evening, then we'll go back to our...umm hotel room for drinks and maybe something a bit more intimate."
"Really, Napoleon do you ever stop?"
"It's like breathing, can't live without it." He grinned.
"And where am I supposed to go while you entertain Miss Romero in our room?"
"I'm sure you'll figure something out, you always do."
"One of these days Napoleon…"
"What?"
"Nevermind."
Susan Waverly suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Illya, I was wondering if maybe you could bring me back here to the museum later and tell me more about what you know."
Illya smiled; the child was wise beyond her years and was most certainly a Waverly as she undoubtedly overheard Napoleon's plans.
"I would be delighted Susan. Perhaps after the tour of the museum I could take you for some ice cream, if you like."
"I'd like that a lot, but just don't tell the other girls okay?"
"But of course, it will be our secret. Except I will have to inform Mrs. Gracey."
"I don't think she'll mind. My grandfather makes a lot of donations to the troop."
She lowered her voice, covering her mouth with her hand as she spoke. "Grandmother told me he paid for this trip for all of us."
"Very generous of him,"Illya nodded."I will not tell a soul.
"Yeah, I know. You're good at that kind of stuff,"Susan winked.
Kuryakin gave her one of his shy, half smiles.
"Yes a Waverly indeed," he thought to himself.
.
A/N: Thinking day was the original name, but it was changed In 1999, at the 30th World Conference, held in Ireland, the name was changed from "Thinking Day" to "World Thinking Day", in order to emphasize the global aspect of this special day.