Thank you all for reading so far! I'm putting my character development skills to the test again, so I pray you will enjoy that.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Toy Story", and I do not own the song "Kick It Into Gear," I only own Justine and Emily.
March 17, 2040
"Justine, Justine, wake up."
I woke up to my shoulders shaking, and I saw my daddy with his sheriff's outfit, smiling at me.
"Daddy, what time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"Time to give Bullseye and Genevieve a ride," Daddy answered.
"Daddy, it's still dark out! And it's Saturday. Can I please go back to sleep?"
"Justine, please come with me. I think it's time we did something new together: something you enjoy doing."
"You want to ride with me?" I asked.
"I made a promise to myself, Justine: to listen to you no matter what. I want you to know that I love you and I will always be there. I promise to only say my part if I know what you are doing is wrong. So, what do you say, Justine? Will you take a ride with me?"
I sat on the bed, astonished that my daddy was willing to take time out of his day to spend time with me so early in the morning. I eventually smiled.
"Just let me get changed."
I watched my daddy leave the room, then I put on my riding clothes: a red plaid shirt with the same pair of jeans that my aunt has. I also had a yellow vest that my daddy gave me for my sixteenth birthday. Lastly, I put on my brown riding boots. Then, I went down the stairs to see my mother in the kitchen.
"Justine, I never see you up this early on a Saturday," Mother said. "Where are you off to?"
"Riding with Daddy," I answered with a smile.
"Wait, seriously?" Mother asked with a surprised look on her face.
"That's what I thought," I replied with a shrug. "But Daddy wants to ride with me, so here I am, awake at five in the morning."
"Well, I hope you two will have a fun ride."
I tipped my brown hat after I put it on my head, and I was out the door. I saw my daddy waiting for me with his steed Genevieve and my steed Bullseye.
"Are you ready?" Daddy asked.
"Shoot!" I exclaimed with panic. "I forgot the apples!"
"Don't worry, darling, I came prepared."
I blew a sigh of relief.
"Let's ride like the wind. You lead."
"Yes, sir! Giddy-up!"
We rode our horses like the wind out of Pride Ranch and into the country. It was totally dark when we left the ranch. The more we rode, the lighter the sky got.
"Justine, where are we going?" Daddy yelled.
"You'll see!"
We made our turn toward the west and continued to ride until we reached McAlester Lake. I turned my horse around to see the view of the sun rising from the east. The hills were to the south, but the view was just as beautiful in the east. There were plenty of clouds, but just enough sky for a pink sun to rise.
"Wow," Daddy gasped in awe. "How did you find this spot, Justine?"
"You remember what happened on my sixteenth birthday, right, Daddy?"
"How could I forget?"
FLASHBACK: February 14th, 2040
I had asked my parents to spend my birthday in town, but they had insisted I stay home because they had plans. Spending my birthday at home was the last thing I wanted to do, so I took Bullseye into town. The very first thing I saw coming into town was a banner that said "Happy Birthday Justine!" I had smiled at that and walked into Estelle's café.
"JUSTINE!"
I looked up to see Emily running toward me.
"GO GO GO!"
"Emily!" I exasperated as she pushed me out of the café. "What's the big deal?"
"Your family is planning a SURPRISE birthday party for you," Emily sternly explained. "They were doing all the planning in the back."
Emily shook her head.
"Justine, you need to go home."
"Wait a minute, why aren't you at school?" I asked my best friend with a raised eyebrow.
"Because a little voice in my head told me you were coming."
"Emily Proud, what does that mean?"
"I know you, Justine. You never sit still. You always need something to do, just like your dad."
"Actually… it's my mother who needs something to do."
"I rest my case. Oh! I know the perfect place for you to hide."
"Which is where?"
Emily took my hand and led me to…
"The saloon? Emily, I am sixteen. Daddy would kill me if he saw me in here."
"Exactly! This is the last place he expects you to be at. If you want to be in town, either stay in this saloon or go home and tend to the animals."
"What are you doing in here, Justine?" Don Potato-Head asked with a raised eyebrow. "You know I can't serve a minor."
"Justine's not here to drink," Emily explained on my behalf. "She's here to… to… to sing!"
"What?" we all asked her at the same time.
"Emily, are you crazy?" I angrily whispered.
"Sorry, Justine, you're on your own. Have fun!"
I watched Emily run out of the saloon while I stood there stunned.
"Now, how in the heck am I supposed to sing without music?" I asked out loud.
Suddenly, I heard a beat in the background. I turned around to see one of Don's sons playing a beat on the glasses. Then I had an idea.
"Do y'all know how to play music?" I asked loudly so everyone can hear me.
"I've got a guitar here, ma'am," one of the customers answered.
"I can use the table for drums," said another.
"Okay, okay, now, do y'all know Kick It Into Gear?" I asked, and everyone cheered.
"You lead, sugar," one of the prostitutes encouraged me.
"Alright, hit it!" I pointed to the customer who could tap the table, and the music started.
When your grip keeps slipping and your clutch is gone
You're tired of spinning your wheels on your brain's front lawn
I heard the prostitutes vocalize behind me as I turned to face Don.
Well, keep your asphalt under sunny-side up
A gas credit card and a giant coffee cup
The rest of your life is gonna find you here
Get up on the highway and kick it into gear
I turned toward the customers as the prostitutes helped me onto the counter and vocalized behind me.
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
That's the only way you're gonna get on out of here
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
Sometimes you've just got to kick into gear
Don looked at me proudly.
"I kinda of like this song!" Deputy Slink exclaimed happily.
"Is this a concert?" Rex asked at the door.
"It's Justine!" Hamm yelled along with Rex. "Yeah!"
Had the money for a turbo drive
But it ain't the destination, it's the ride, ride, ride
Suddenly, all the men got up to put the tables together to make a stage for me.
You put the heavy to the metal, grab onto the road
I hear your motor running, it's about to explode!
Still be waiting this time next year
Head on down the highway and kick it into gear.
Rex and Hamm got me onto the tables, and I started to walk on them. The two prostitutes were standing on each side.
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
That's the only way you're gonna get on out of here
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
Sometimes you've just got to kick it into gear
WOODY'S POV
"Alright folks, I think we have everything planned out perfectly!" I said with pride.
Me, my family, and Estelle walked out of the café. The first thing we noticed was how quiet the street was.
"Where's everybody?" Jessie asked.
"Wait, do you hear that?" Bo asked.
We all stood still, not moving a muscle. Suddenly, I heard a noise.
"It's music," I said.
"It's coming from the saloon," Estelle chimed in, pointing toward the saloon. "But that doesn't make sense. Don doesn't know how to play music. Heck, there's nothing music-related in the saloon."
"I'm going to check this out," I said, putting a firm expression on my face and walking toward the saloon.
"I'm going with you," Jessie replied.
"We'll all go," Bo chimed in.
I heard the footsteps of the three women behind me as we approached the saloon, the music getting louder. I saw the bartenders playing music using the drinking glasses, glass bottles, the counter, and the ice box. To the left, I saw all the tables pushed against the wall, and most of the customers were sitting on those tables playing music. Straight ahead, all of the townspeople and the rest of the customers were dancing.
But words could not describe what I saw next. Emerging from the crowd… was my underaged daughter, smiling and dancing away, leading the flash mob in the saloon. Suddenly, Justine started to sing with the people clapping behind her.
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
That's the only way you're gonna get on outta here
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
I watched Justine encourage everyone to continue dancing.
So if you want to, yeah!
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
That's the only way you're gonna get on outta here
Kick it in gear, kick it in gear
Suddenly, the music stopped, everyone stopped dancing, and Justine turned around toward all of them.
Sometimes you've just got to kick it into gear
The whole saloon cheered.
"What is Justine doing in there?" Jessie asked.
"Justine was supposed to be home," Bo said with worry in her voice.
"I'll handle this," I replied.
I slammed the doors open and everyone in the saloon turned to look at me with surprise on their faces. I glanced toward Justine, who had fear written on her face.
"Uh-oh," I heard Justine say.
"Justine Jessica Pride, may I see you in my office, please?" I asked sternly.
"Yes, sir," Justine replied.
I watched Justine pass me out of the saloon. I prepared myself to follow her when Don pulled me back.
"This was not Justine's fault, Woody," Don told me. "Emily pulled her in here and encouraged her to sing."
"Potato-Head, let me take care of my daughter, okay?"
I walked out of the saloon and met Justine in my office at the jail. I closed the door so that no one would hear us. Thankfully, no one was in the jail so that it was just the two of us in the building.
"Daddy, let me explain—"
"Explain what, Justine? How you disobeyed me and ventured into town without my permission? How you found out that we were planning a surprise party for you because we love you? Why did you get out of the house in the first place?"
"Because the last thing I want to do on my birthday, Daddy, is to stay in the house."
"There are things to do around the house, Justine, you know this!"
"Oh come on, Daddy! I just wanted one little peek—"
"NO."
I pointed a finger at her.
"Mother and I specifically told you to stay home. Besides, what were you thinking when you went to the saloon?"
"It was not my idea, Daddy, honest!" Justine pleaded with me. "I went to Estelle's café to see Emily when she pushed me out because you were planning my party. Emily thought the saloon was the last place you would look, so she pulled me there and encouraged me to sing in front of all those people. Honestly, I had fun."
"Well, I'm sorry to say you will not be going there again, young lady," I replied, crossing my arms. "I don't want you anywhere near that saloon. Who knows what might become of you if you hung out there often?"
"Daddy, oh my word, you do not seriously believe I'm dreaming of being a prostitute, do you?" Justine asked angrily.
"I should hope not, and do not take that tone with me," I replied, pointing a finger at her again. "Now, I'll deal with Estelle regarding Emily, because you're not the only one at fault here. But I want you to go home like Mother and I told you before and do your chores. I'll talk to your mother regarding your punishment."
"Yes, Father," Justine replied, hanging her head down.
I watched Justine head out of the jail, still hanging her head down, and I let out a sigh, wondering if I was perhaps too harsh on her.
END OF FLASHBACK
JUSTINE'S POV
"I remember being so upset I cried," I told my daddy when we finished the story. "I couldn't go home. I took Bullseye out for a ride far away from town and I found this spot. There was still some snow in the mountains and it made the view so majestic. That was already the best birthday gift for me: God's majestic art."
"I'm glad the rest of your birthday was better," Daddy replied. "Especially that flash mob that Emily created for you."
"I did not like the punishment that came after: mucking the stalls for a week."
"Punishments are not supposed to be fun, Justine. They are there for you to learn."
We paused, taking in the fresh air.
"So, what day did you want to shadow Dolly's classroom?" Daddy asked me.
"Well, which day do you need me the least?" I asked.
"Justine, Mother and I are flexible with rearranging our schedule if we need to. We have you to think about, remember?"
"How about next Friday?"
"Friday it is. That's a good day, too. Dolly does show-and-tell every Friday. Maybe you could bring something that you treasure to school."
"I love it! Thank you, Daddy."
"You're welcome. Now, shall we head back to the ranch?"
"Can I go back to sleep?" I asked teasingly.
"Next Saturday," Daddy answered, taking a lasso and playfully catching me in it. "Let's go."
March 23, 2040
"Mother, what is this?" I asked, looking down at my plate.
"Ham and Swiss omelets with red potato hash and bacon," Mother answered with a smile.
"It all sounds delicious, Bo," Daddy replied with a smile, sitting down and taking a bite.
"Woody, aren't you forgetting something?"
I laughed as my daddy stopped eating and gave us an embarrassing reaction.
"Justine, would you like to pray for the food?" Daddy asked, still with his mouth full.
I said our prayers and we ate our breakfast.
"Woody, is the food as delicious as you said it sounds?" Mother asked with a smirk.
"Yes, Bo, it's delicious. Thank you."
"This omelet tastes so filling," I said.
"That is a very interesting way to describe food, Justine," Daddy replied.
"It is! I'm not sure if I'll have room for the potato hash."
"Well, do what I do: eat half of the main portion, and then a little bit of the rest. You do want to try to finish the main part as it has the most nutrients."
"The ham and eggs alone has the protein you need," Mother chimed in. "Swiss cheese not only provides protein, but it also has the potassium you need."
"Swiss cheese has potassium?" I asked with surprise. "I didn't know that."
"I did not know that either," Daddy replied, putting a grin on his face. "Potassium… that's a nutrient found in fruit, isn't it?"
"Yes, mostly in bananas, which why I'll make—"
"Banana bread once a week," I finished my mother's sentence. "That explains a lot!"
"Of course!" Daddy exclaimed. "The more ripe the banana is, the more potassium the banana has."
"Exactly!" Mother replied with a smile.
"Wait a minute, Mother, is this your way of trying to get me to stay homeschooled?" I asked with skepticism.
"No! Not at all. But teachers do not know everything either, Justine. Schoolteachers may teach you math, science, history, all that stuff you need to obtain knowledge in the world. But we, your parents, teach you life. Nutrition is a part of life."
"Your mother's right," Daddy chimed in. "Which is why we teach you all we know so that you live your best life."
"I never thought of it like that," I replied, pondering in thought. "Well, how about this: if I like school so much, would it be possible for you two to teach me after school, too?"
"Well, it wouldn't be much—"
"On the other hand," Daddy interrupted my mother. "You are sixteen years old. While you still are learning, we've taught you a whole lot of everything we know. There isn't much more we can teach you. I think, Justine, if it turns out you like school, then we won't try to surprise you with a lesson, although this nutrition lesson was very helpful."
"Oh, Daddy, I didn't mean to say that I don't want you and Mother as my teachers anymore."
"Justine, I think your daddy is right. We've been teaching you everything since you were a toddler. And here you are: a young woman. Of course, we'll be here to help you in case you need it. But I have nothing more to teach you. What about you, Woody?"
"I don't have much to teach you either, Justine. But, I do want to give you a piece of advice: bad things happen when good people do nothing."
"Daddy, when was the last time a bad thing happened?" I asked.
"That is a story for another time. But right now, we need to get you to school."
"Woody, Justine, welcome!" Dolly Anderson greeted us outside. "Justine, I hope you're ready for a day in the classroom."
"Actually, Dolly, Justine will not be here for just a day," Daddy replied, and I opened my mouth in shock. "I am giving you my permission to have Justine as a student in your classroom. We had a discussion at breakfast this morning, and Bo and I agreed that we do not have much of anything else to teach her. She is sixteen, and I have faith that she will be in good hands in your classroom."
"Daddy..."
I was speechless. All I could do was give my daddy a bear hug, and I felt him hugging me back.
"I love you, Justine."
"I love you too, Daddy."
"Hey, be a good girl. Don't get in trouble. Pay attention. Do your best."
"Daddy, I get the idea," I replied, smiling at him.
Daddy gave me a kiss on the cheek, and then I watched him walk back into town.
"Well, Justine, why don't you walk on in and take a seat at the front?" Dolly, or Miss Anderson, suggested.
I nodded and started to walk in the schoolhouse as Miss Anderson ran a cowbell, which I thought was interesting. I watched behind me as all of the students took their seats. When the last student walked in, Miss Anderson followed him and closed the doors. She walked up to the front of the classroom.
"Alright, class, let's start our day by standing up and reciting the pledge."
We stood up to say the pledge of allegiance, and then we sat back down.
"Next, we have a new student in class today. Now, I'm sure you all have heard of Sheriff Woody, and today, his daughter Justine is joining us in the classroom. Justine?"
I stood up and walked to the front of the classroom.
"Hi, Justine!" all the students greeted me with smiles on their faces.
"Hello, everybody!"
"Justine, I like to have our new students answer a series of questions in order to get to know them better. With that said, Justine, what do you love? What are you most proud of?"
"I love to ride my steed Bullseye in the mornings before I start my day, and I am proud that I get to start my day by taking care of all the animals back on the ranch. I want to be a veterinarian when I go to college, so I'm hoping that coming here and learning here will be a great first step for me."
"Way to jump ahead of the game, Justine," Miss Anderson replied with a smile. "Another question I usually ask is what you want to be when you grow up, and you already answered that. Why do you want to be a veterinarian, Justine?"
"One of my passions is taking care of the animals on the ranch. When you announced that funds were being raised to build a doctor's office, my family was talking about it and the topic of my being a doctor came up because no animal had died under my care."
"That's awesome, Justine. That shows that you are a compassionate person and you want the best for them. Do you have any other hobbies or interests?"
"I do like to yodel and sing to the animals," I answered.
"Can you yodel for us?" one of the girls asked.
"Yodel-ay-yodel-ay-hee-hoo!" I yodeled sweetly, and the classroom clapped.
"That was awesome, Justine," Miss Anderson said with a smile. "Now, I have one more question for you: who is your hero?"
I pondered this question, because I had never considered this question. Sure, there were many people who played a part in my life, but to pick one to be my hero was hard. Suddenly, one person came to mind, and I spoke with my heart.
"My hero... is Woody Pride. All of you know Woody as the sheriff of this town, but to me, he's my daddy. He and my mother birthed me in our barn, and my daddy's been there for me since my first breath. He's loyal, and he's kind, and he'll sing me to sleep sometimes when I can't slumber. We disagree sometimes, and in those times, we do fight, but he always looks out for me and wants the best for me. He's smart, as he knows everything about the ranch and the animals, and he knows how to bring justice to town. But he has never abandoned me, and I pray he won't abandon me ever. He's in my heart, and I'm in his."
"That was a very touching tribute, Justine," Miss Anderson said as I took my seat. "Now, class, let's take out our Latin books and turn to where we left off yesterday."
I had learned Latin, geography, history from the beginning of the 21st century, how to use algebra, and we read some of The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. After our literature lesson, we did Show-and-Tell, which was always done on Fridays. After telling Miss Anderson that I had forgotten to bring something, she suggested I show of my cowboy hat, so I did, explaining that I got it for my sixteenth birthday from my daddy.
School was dismissed, and I walked outside to see my daddy, waiting for me with a smile. I walked up to him and we hugged each other.
"Was school everything you dreamed about, darling?" Daddy asked me.
"Yes, Daddy, it was. Where's Mother?"
"She's in town getting supplies for the animals. Why don't I walk you to her so you two can go home together? There are still some chores to do at the house."
"I'd like that."
We walked back to town with our arms wrapped around each other, and we waved to everyone we knew before going our separate ways for another three hours.