Authors Note - Here's the next bit of the chapter. Hope you like.
"A picture's worth 1000 words"
Lee didn't look at him for awhile, she looked like she was having a mental argument with herself, then she looked at him mysteriously, 'Do you want me to show you?'
'Uhh, yeah definitely.' Gordie said stupidly, a look of slight apprehension on his face.
'Okay then' she replied casually and crawled over so she was sitting right next to him and placed the exercise book on his lap.
She flicked open the first page. Gordie (still a bit shocked by the close proximity the girl was holding) had been expecting to see paragraphs of writing, journal entries, or something like that. He was very surprised to see on the clean white page, no writing, but a sketch of a dog. A dog he recognized immediately to be Arty. But it wasn't just a sketch. It was good. Like really, really good. It actually looked like the dog could have jumped right off the page it was that lifelike.
He flipped to the next page to reveal a very picturesque drawing of the lake.
'Jeeezus Lee, this is beautiful.' He looked up at the girl beside him who was looking at him intently.
'Keep going' she nodded towards the book.
Gordie turned the next page and gasped when saw his own face staring back at him. Of course it wasn't just his face. Gordie chuckled. He felt as if he was actually looking in a window as such, at one of his Chris' and Teddy's poker games. He couldn't believe how lifelike Lee had managed to draw the scene. The way she had captured Chris' serious gaze towards his cards, a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. The way Teddy's eyes were slightly wrinkled behind his glasses, he had obviously been laughing bout something, as usual. She had drawn him to have this anxious look on his face, his forehead all crinkled.
He snorted, 'Is this really what I look like when we're playing cards?'
Lee gave him a sheepish smile.
'Yeah sorta. Gordo you must have the worst poker face in the world.'
'Oh well thanks' he replied in mock offence as he flipped the page dramatically.
The next drawing was again of the gang. Lee had captured them as they were all midair jumping off the dock into the lake. Their backs were silhouetted against a stunning sunset.
'These are... amazing!' Gordie said in awe, 'are they all drawn from life?'
'Mmhmm'.
'Shit Lee, how could we have not noticed you doing these?'
Lee just smiled in response to this and leaned in closer to flip the page. Instead of one big drawing Gordie saw just an arrangement of small pictures on the next page.
'Oh the rest are just some doodles. You don't have too look at……' Lee quickly tried to close the book.
'No no no, I want to see,' Gordie interrupted looking mischievous as he held the page open. On it was a simple picture of a large jar. A large jar that Gordie came to realize was full of pennies. Scattered around the jar he saw these little squares. Gordie looked closer then suddenly looked up at Lee.
'Cherry flavored pez?'
Lee nodded shyly, blushing openly.
'Amazing……… thats fucking amazing! You do realize that you have somehow managed to sum up Verno in 2 simple drawings!'
Lee's blush deepened as she started fiddling with a strand of her hair.
Gordie flipped the page to see on the next another collection of drawings. His eyes traveled over a sketch of a gun and a packet of Winstons. He snorted with laughter, 'Chris…' he muttered to himself. 'Did you do one for all of us?' he said looking up at Lee. She just pretended to not to hear him staying totally focused on her hair.
Gordie shrugged and turned the next page to find yet another collage of pictures. This one was so easy to pick that he hardly had to think. I mean, who elses pictures would be of a pair of coke-bottle glasses and dogtags. Gordie smiled to himself. It intrigued him how a few simple pictures, drawn in the right way, could sum up a whole person's being. He let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. Only one person left. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lee abandon her hair to look in his direction as he turned the page. A sudden flood of memories came back to him as he sat looking down at the drawings. On the page he saw a small depiction of a Yankee cap, just like the one Denny had given him, and beside that, a rather detailed picture of a train.
Suddenly Lee was beside him again looking over his shoulder. 'I was just finishing the train off when you fell out of the tree before' she said smiling lightly as she grazed her hand over the part of the train picture that had not been completed.
Gordie was in a state of utter amazement. 'These drawings are…… unbelievable. I had no idea that you paid so much attention to the stuff we told you.'
Lee seemed pensive for awhile as she sat back against the wall. 'I think about things a lot…….and when I get sick of thinking ...I draw'
Gordie smiled as he relaxed against the wall. 'Doesn't sound like a bad philosophy.'
Lee returned his smile shyly, 'You know, I haven't ever shown anybody my drawings before.'
Gordie looked taken aback at this. His face became serious. 'Then, why did you show me?'
Lee's eyes looked blank and empty in the flickering lamplight. She hung her head slightly and looked out the window sadly.
'I…I don't know…….I guess I thought you might understand. You, of all people……' she looked up and Gordie saw in the halflight a lone tear making its way down her cheek. Gordie was horrified that he had made her cry.
'Oh Lee. I didn't mean it that way. I was just surprised s'all.' He tried to put a comforting hand on her shoulder but she just moved away and so he let the hand fall back into his lap.
Lee was avoiding eye contact with him, looking back out the window. 'I've heard about the stories you write. About how much of yourself you put in them………that's the same way I feel. My father tells me to stop wasting my time with it. I just thought you might appreciate…' she didn't finish her sentence suddenly letting her head drop, as if her neck had unexpectedly decided that her head was to big a burden.
Gordie was overwhelmed. This girl was obviously harbouring some major emotions and all she had been trying to do was let them out, try to make a connection with someone. God knows when the last time was that she had tried to do that.
At that moment Gordie came to a realisation. He scooted over so he was he was crouched in front of her. Slowly, so as not to startle or upset her, he gently lifted her chin up so she would be forced to look at him.
'Lee……' he said in almost a whisper, '… I know exactly how you feel.'
A.N. Just randomly watched Stand By Me again last night. Have found new determination to write this story. Last bit of the chapter will be up straight after Christmas. Now if you would all be so kind as to click that little grey box in the bottom left-hand corner that says 'submit review' i will do a happy dance for your entertainment. (hows that for subtle eh?) Merry Christmas/Hanukah. happy holidays. laura.
