Monday Holidays

Leslie and Steve walked the streets of New York most days, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, depending on what Leslie wanted to show him.

He saw rush hour. "Where everyone is in a rush but no one can get anywhere fast," Leslie explained. "It's even worse just before a holiday weekend."

Which led to her explaining Monday holidays.

"So they made a law and just moved Decoration Day and Labor Day to Mondays?"

Leslie nodded, as she checked her phone. "In 1971, they passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which officially renamed Decoration Day Memorial Day and made it the last Monday in May."

"That seems disrespectful," Steve said doubtfully.

"It also made it a federal holiday, so more people got the day off," Leslie pointed out. "And May 30 was just a random date of remembrance anyway. It's not like Nov. 11 or July 4, which meant something."

"So Fourth of July isn't celebrated on the third or fifth?" Steve said sarcastically.

"No, even if it's inconveniently in the middle of the week, Independence Day is still July 4. You will still get fireworks on your birthday."

Steve mimed exaggerated relief. "And Armistice Day is still Nov. 11?" he asked.

"Affirmative," Leslie teased. "But we call it Veterans Day now. There are four holidays that are always on Monday, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day."

Steve nodded recognition of Dr. King, but frowned at Presidents Day.

"It was Washington's Birthday," Leslie explained, double checking the history on her cellphone. "When I was a kid, we got holidays on Lincoln's Birthday, Feb. 12, and Washington's Birthday, Feb. 22. The government decided to combine the two into Presidents Day to honor all presidents. Oh, I did not know this. The holiday is still officially Washington's Birthday, even though it can never fall on Feb. 22, which was his birthday. Weird. But lots of people call it Presidents Day now. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was added later, in 1983.

"The 1971 act also made Columbus Day a federal holiday. That's become controversial, as the 'discovery of America' began the exploitation of Native Americans. A lot of people use that day to celebrate Native Americans, in protest of Columbus. Some call it Indigenous Peoples Day."

"All the changes make my head spin," Steve admitted.

"No matter what you say, somebody will take offense," Leslie admitted. "I just try to follow the Golden Rule."

Steve nodded. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

"Don't cheat people. Don't treat them like they are less than human because of their skin color, or their gender, or who they choose to love."

"Don't be a bully," Steve agreed. "I hate bullies."

"Oh, me, too," Leslie groaned. "I was the smallest kid all the way through elementary school."

"Me, too," Steve said, nudging his "aunt" with his elbow.

Leslie swatted at him playfully. "So many people feel like they can only climb to the top by squashing other people under their feet, but I don't agree — not that I've ever been powerful enough or important enough to step on others. Working together is an advantage for everyone."

"A rising tide lifts all boats," Steve quoted.

"Exactly. As a short kid and a woman in a man's world, I've never felt myself above anyone else. I have been bullied and taken advantage of. It's only a small taste of what minorities have to put up with, but I can recognize the flavor. And I try to not forget how it felt.

"Fortunately, I didn't have to put up with that at SHIELD, not with Peggy Carter as one of the founders. That woman put up with such shit in the SSR. She got no respect. She had a stellar war record and the SSR had her answering p hones and fetching coffee. Fortunately, the founders of SHIELD knew her better. So when she was in a position of power, she respected everyone." Leslie quirked a grin. "She always said she learned that from you."

Steve scoffed. "She already knew that. She respected me when I was a skinny asthmatic and she respected Jones and Morita and the German villagers that some of our men harassed just because they were German." This time he grinned. "And if you abused your power, she would disrespect you with a fist."

He regarded Leslie curiously. "You sound like you knew her."

"She hired me," Leslie said. "She promoted me and, in the early days, occasionally we went for a drink together to bitch about the men. There weren't that many women in headquarters," Leslie explained. "Most of the women on Peggy's payroll were in her secret army of spies."

Leslie wasn't ready to explain that she still saw the ailing Peggy occasionally, so she determinedly returned to the original topic. "Our country is designed by rich white men to benefit rich white men. We make changes, but it never seems enough."

"What do you do?" Steve asked.

"I admit I'm a little too timid to join a protest march," Leslie confessed. "But I try to donate to charities that help the disadvantaged and promote equality. And, of course, I vote. I try to cast my vote for candidates that push for positive change. Not candidates that campaign on a platform of hate."

"Right now I can't vote for anyone," Steve pointed out. "Technically I'm dead."

"Yeah, we have to get SHIELD to fix that before November. This is a presidential election year!" She looked her friend square in the eye. "Steve, there are people who think Captain America stands for 'traditional American values,' by which they mean the racism, sexism and bigotry against immigrants that was so prevalent in the 1940s. I know — just from the makeup of the Howling Commandos — I know that isn't you. When your existence is revealed — because Fury can't keep you hidden forever — make sure to speak out for what you truly believe in. Don't let anyone pigeonhole you based on 70 years of propaganda."

Steve shook his head then nodded fervently in accordance with Leslie's rant. "My ma was a single woman from Ireland. She didn't make much, even before the Depression. She marched for workers' rights and helped anyone in the neighborhood no matter what color they were or what country they came from. I promise I won't forget that."

Leslie nodded in satisfaction. "They'll never know what hit 'em," she said.

"That was my strategy all through the war," Steve said with a twinkle in his eye. More frankly, he said, "I just hope I don't pull a boner when the time comes."

Leslie made a face. "Never use that term again," she instructed.

"It just means make a goof," Steve explained his out-of-date slang.

"Oh, I know what you meant. Anyone my age or older would know what you meant, but the word has come to mean slang for an erection, so don't use it any more."

It was Steve's turn to make a face. "That's going to be the hard … er, difficult thing," he said sheepishly. "Changes in word meanings and understanding references to movies I haven't seen and books I never heard of."

Leslie patted his arm. "I'll do my best, but 70 years of popular culture is a lot to get through."

"I'll just grin and bear it," Steve promised.

"I know you will, but maybe we'd better look up a list of vulgar slang terms just in case. That would be the worst mistake to make in public. Now let me tell you about Harry Potter, so you don't sound like a total muggle."

"A what?"

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter done. I had a bunch of bits and pieces and couldn't decide what order they should go in. On the plus side. I have three other chapters mostly done now.

Get out and vote this year, people. Don't let the hate talk scare you away.

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