Chapter 4:
Miss Understanding
The bed's at Marston's place where not soft, nor where they in any way comfortable. They were hard and stubborn, all of them, Jack knew this, because his complaining had lead him to them all, what few there were in such a tiny place, and they were all unfit for sleeping. He was so uncomfortable, he could swear he was being prodded by something, and would rather sleep on the floor. As he came to roll over he saw John standing over him. "How'd you sleep."
"Like a newborn baby."
"Sounds good."
"You should know; they wake up every two hours, don't they." Jack had a look around. The building they inhabited was a small structure, but one with as many rooms as possible, it was dilapidated, and the air smelled of soggy wood. "I never asked you what this place was supposed to be."
"Some kinda opium den. Closed it down not too recently, when the railroad found out their workers were medicating themselves... - heavily." He put a fist at his hip, "It's just a temporary place, they usually are. When you work with Dutch you aren't in one place very long, wherever you lay your hat, that's your home."
"Must be hard when you've got a family." Jack confided.
"Very." Marston admitted. "I got some errands to run for Dutch. You goin' be alright here by yourself?"
"Very." Jack insisted.
"Alright then." John left.
Abigail brought Jack some coffee. "Here you are Mr. Drifter."
"Thank you ma'am, but just the same, no thank you" he put his hands up, "You make that coffee too strong for me."
"You oughtta remember what happened the last time you raised your hands to a lady."
"How could I forget."
John Jr. and the younger Abigail entered, John J. screaming his little head off. "Look what I GOT!"
"It was mine," Abby, screamed back, "I found it!"
"She's a girl!" John J. said with supperiority.
His mother slapped the side of his head, "Right is right, don't matter what's in your pants."
He looked up at her with some confusion, "That's not what Uncle Dutch says?"
"Don't go listenin' to everything he says - like it's the gospel truth. He's deservin' of respect, and you give it, but if you listened to all that; you'd be disobeyin' me... do you want that boy?"
"What about dad?"
"What!"
"No ma'am." He came correct
"That's better. You gotta' ask your daddy first, you go right ahead, but I'll tell you right now, he'll agree with me nine times outta' ten."
"How often is that?" that he asked rubbing snott from his nose.
She scratched the back of her neck, "It's an expression honey. You know I don't do numbers that well... Now what'd you two groundhogs dig up this time?"
John Jr. held it up with both hands: "A frog"
"Ew, don't you two know they give you warts?"
"I found it!" Little Abby announced proudly, and obvliviously.
"Excuse me," Jack interrupted from his bed, "I believe that's toads, miss."
"What?"
"Uh, that give you warts, ma'am, it's toads, not frogs. And an old wives tale if I ever heard one, I'm sure."
"Well," she sat down on the bed by his feet, "You are the school teacher."
"Yes but, I wasn't that kind of teacher, really." John J. pushed the frog at his face, "Yes, I see that. Thank you. What are you going to name him?"
"It's a girl!" Abby said from behind her brother, pointing to it.
"Maybe Jack Jr." John J. said gleefully.
His mother looked soured by the idea, "Don't we got enough people with the same names around here. Before the frog, we already got two 'Johns' and two 'Jacks' between three people. That's right isn't it?..."
Jack laughed, "That's right."
"A teacher like you, you must really think I'm ignorant."
"I told you I wasn't that kind of teacher."
"Smarter than me, I'm sure."
"Possibly." He admitted.
"What did you teach."
"I taught Spanish, to Americans. But when that well ran dry, I jumped ship, and decided to teach English to Mexicans."
"Must be hard knowin' all them languages."
He laughed again, "Well, it's only two ma'am."
"The more I talk the more I sound like a damn fool."
"No..." He shook his head. "This isn't the kind of environment, I'd imagine would produce the kind of learning we're talking about, but I'm sure you know a thing or two. Believe it or not, you seem like a smart lady to me."
"You're just butterin' me up so I'll cook you warm supper."
"I'll pass."
She slapped at his shoulder, "You and my husband, cut from the same darn cloth."
"Do you know how to read?"
"Well... no. And I don't imagine much use to it now, what with school bein' over and all. They tried to teach me at tha orphanage, but John and I ran away before then."
"How old where the two of you?"
"I was a lot younger than him..."
"So he had already learned?"
"No..." she paused, "Dutch taught him."
"You found him together?" She nodded, "And he taught John how to read... but not you?"
She collected all of the cups from the table next his bed, "I'm sure if you won't be drinkin' from any'a these I should take them away."
As she turned to go toward the oven; "I'm just trying to understand what happened here." Jack insisted.
She dropped the empty metal cups on the oven - hard, "He said whores didn't need learnin'." She turned back to face him, "Understand it now?" she faced back toward the oven, rubbing her face with her palm, "If you're like this with most women, I'm startin' to understand why you got shot."