Chapter 6
Exhaustion
"Frodo, lad-I'm going to the market. Would you like to come with me?" Bilbo asked as he walked into his nephew's bedroom. The tweenager was sound asleep with his book on his stomach, and Bilbo had to smile. "All right. I'll just leave you a note. Shouldn't be long." Bilbo took a spare piece of parchment off of Frodo's desk and scribbled a quick note to let the lad know where he was going, and then headed off to town.
It was such a beautiful early summer day in the Shire, and all Bilbo longed to do was to take Frodo and go adventuring anywhere but. Given the healer's diagnosis, Bilbo had a feeling that many of the things he liked to do with the lad during the summer would be limited. He passed by Farmer Maggot's field and over the bridge that faced the Green Dragon Inn, and then finally reached the path that led to the marketplace. Hobbiton was a busy area, but there really were not many hobbits Frodo's age. It was more of an elderly residence and there were a few random tweenagers.
"Good afternoon Bilbo." Ruby Proudfoot greeted him as he entered the main street.
"Good afternoon, Ruby. How are you doing?"
"Wonderful. How is Frodo?"
Ruby was one of Frodo's closer female friends. He'd never taken a serious romantic interest in lasses, which did not surprise Bilbo at all.
"The lad could be better. I just found out he has terrible allergies this time of the year and he's tuckered out."
Ruby frowned. "Perhaps I'll stop by and see him later today. Would he like that?" she asked.
"I'm sure he would. Well-I need to stop in the apothecary and pick up a few things and I have to run to the general store as well. I'll see you later then." Bilbo tipped his hat in respect and Ruby waved as she continued picking out a few bushels of flowers her mother had sent her to retrieve.
Bilbo entered the apothecary and was hit with the strong smell of herbs and spices. There were bottles of every shape and size lining the shelves behind the counter and the shelves of other medical devices seemed never-ending. "Good afternoon, Master Baggins. Let me guess-your nephew is ill again?"
Bilbo raised an eyebrow at the herbalist. "Actually he is and he isn't," Bilbo replied.
"He is and he isn't? That's a queer statement."
The Hobbiton herbalist was Mobo Goodworthy, and he was rather old- about three years older than Bilbo.
"Well-the poor thing's been sneezing constantly for the past three days and hasn't had a fever or any other symptons linked to a cold. So I sent for Dr. Burrows who diagnosed it as hay fever, and Frodo is terribly allergic to pollen."
Mr. Goodworthy frowned. "I see. That is a shame. So I am guessing you are picking up some extra pocket handkerchiefs with his initials on them again?"
Bilbo laughed. "Yes. I need to keep Bag-End plenty stocked on that type of thing. Also, do you have any herbs that might ease his conjestion? I hate to see the dear boy suffer like that. If he can be helped, then I'll see to whatever needs to be done."
Mr. Goodworthy bit his lip and went into his back stockroom to pull out a few boxes of herb packets.
"Herbal steam baths you mean?" He asked.
"I believe so."
"Let me see what I have." The herbalist sifted through his packets and pulled out rosemary, lavender and eucalyptus. "Dr. Burrows was correct when he told you there is no cure for hay fever." He told Bilbo, who was glancing at some of the handkerchiefs for sale. "But there are some things that can ease the symptons to a degree. These are the three scents I picked out that have been the most popular for sinus conjestion. I would recommend eucalyptus, as it is one of the stronger smells. However, if you know which one Frodo preferrs, I would recommend that one."
Bilbo smelled each of the packets of herbs to test them for himself. "Frodo would enjoy the Lavender, as I use lavender soap at home for his baths."
Mr. Goodworthy chuckled. "Good choice. So have you decided on a design of handkerchief you'd like for him?"
"This lovely one with the blue trim. It woud match his eyes. Not that it matters too much."
"Yes. And you wanted his initials right there the last time?" Mr. Goodworthy pointed to the lower righthand corner and Bilbo nodded.
"Yes, thank you. And I am also going to stock up on my tea selection. I think that should be it."
"Very well."
Bilbo waited patiently while the handkerchiefs were made, and wondered whether he should skip going to the General store and just head for home.
Back at Bag-End, Frodo opened his itchy eyes and gazed around his bedroom. He had no idea Frodo had gone to the market, but he wouldn't have cared either way. Just being in bed felt so wonderful, but he did feel rather lazy, and wanted to go outside ever so badly.
He heard the clippers of Hamfast Gamgee outside of his window, and decided to take a little risk and open it to say hello to Sam. He took his desk chair and stood on it, unlatching the window and pulling it open so he could peer down. Sure enough, Hamfast was trimming the rose bushes and Sam was planting something in the herb garden.
"Da', this is how they go, right?" Sam asked, looking over his shoulder. When he did so, he noticed Frodo watching him from the window and grinned.
"Hello, Mr. Frodo! Won't you come outside? 'Tis a beautiful day."
Mr. Gamgee looked towards the window and waved a hand at the heir to Bag-End.
"I can't." He replied sadly.
"Why not? Are you ill?" asked Sam, abandoning his work and going to stand closer to the window. "Da'-can you move the bench over here? I'm too little and I feel stupid bein' all the way down here."
Hamfast laughed and did as his son asked, smiling as the little lad climbed up so he was eye-level with Frodo.
"I'm not ill exactly. I'm allergic to flowers-they make me sneeze." Frodo explained.
"Oh dear-that's not good."
"Begging your pardon, sir-if they make you sneeze, then why are you peering out the window?" Hamfast asked. "And into the garden nonetheless?"
"It's lonely here. I think Bilbo went to the market."
"I see."
Frodo wiped his suddenly runny nose with the corner of his sleeve. "So what are you working on today, Sam?"
"I'm planting some onions. They smell awful bad."
Frodo laughed, but felt the familiar prickling in his nose and covered it with his hand. He sneezed so loudly that poor Sam nearly jumped two feet into the air. "They're starting up again." He sniffled, sneezing again. "I'm sorry, Sam, but I'll have to see you later. I can't handle this." He shut the window and stepped down from the chair, going to lay face down on his bed till the sneezing fit ended.
About ten minutes later, Bilbo returned with a small shopping bag in one hand. "Hullo my boy. Oh Frodo." He gasped when his nephew lifted his head, revealing red, runny eyes and his nose wasn't any different.
"I wanted to say hello to Sam, but I made a stupid mistake and opened the window. Now I can't stop sneezing." Frodo sobbed. Bilbo set down the shopping bag and sat down next to Frodo on the bed, allowing the tweenager to rest his head against his shoulder, and rubbed Frodo's back with his hand till he relaxed again.
"I've bought you a few things at the apothecary, my boy. New handkerchiefs and some strong herbs to ease that stuffy nose."
Sniffling noisily, Frodo nodded. "I feel awful, Bilbo." He whimpered.
"I know you do, honeypot. Just lay down now and try to relax, while I put things in order."
Frodo got under the covers and rested his head on his fluffy pillow, watching his Uncle bring the shopping bag to the kitchen. He reached for one of his many handkerchiefs from the small box on his nightstand and blew his nose. Even this simple process became exhausting after a while, and he was half-tempted to chop his nose off if it would help.
When Bilbo returned to the room, he had a mug of rosemary tea and toast with fresh butter and strawberry jam on a tray. "Here is your snack for tea time." He explained. "The toast is cut into those perfect triangles you like."
Frodo laughed with delight as Bilbo set the tray down on his lap. "Now lad-I know you feel rotten, but Dr. Burrows said to continue with your normal routine. So how about a little nighttime hike through the Shire tonight, eh?"
Frodo's eyes lit up and he nodded, as it would be rude to speak with a mouthful of toast. When he swallowed, he asked: "Where will we go?"
"We could go to the lake. It is beautiful when the moonlight shines down on it."
Frodo smiled. "Could we possibly camp?" he asked. "I love to sleep outside."
"Now Frodo-I'm not sure if that would be wise with your allergies."
"Oh bother allergies. I'll be fine." Frodo insisted. "Maybe I just need something to keep my mind off of sneezing. When will we leave?"
Bilbo laughed. "Right after supper. It gets dark around 9:00 now so how about 9:30?"
"Sounds wonderful, Uncle Bilbo. I always love hiking with you."
Bilbo gave him a hug. "I'm glad, lad. It is nice to have someone to talk to when I walk." He planted a kiss on Frodo's head. "I'll get our camping supplies ready. You just sit and eat your snack till I'm finished, all right?"
Frodo nodded again and watched as his Uncle headed out of the room.
"Frodo, lad-I'm going to the market. Would you like to come with me?" Bilbo asked as he walked into his nephew's bedroom. The tweenager was sound asleep with his book on his stomach, and Bilbo had to smile. "All right. I'll just leave you a note. Shouldn't be long." Bilbo took a spare piece of parchment off of Frodo's desk and scribbled a quick note to let the lad know where he was going, and then headed off to town.
It was such a beautiful early summer day in the Shire, and all Bilbo longed to do was to take Frodo and go adventuring anywhere but. Given the healer's diagnosis, Bilbo had a feeling that many of the things he liked to do with the lad during the summer would be limited. He passed by Farmer Maggot's field and over the bridge that faced the Green Dragon Inn, and then finally reached the path that led to the marketplace. Hobbiton was a busy area, but there really were not many hobbits Frodo's age. It was more of an elderly residence and there were a few random tweenagers.
"Good afternoon Bilbo." Ruby Proudfoot greeted him as he entered the main street.
"Good afternoon, Ruby. How are you doing?"
"Wonderful. How is Frodo?"
Ruby was one of Frodo's closer female friends. He'd never taken a serious romantic interest in lasses, which did not surprise Bilbo at all.
"The lad could be better. I just found out he has terrible allergies this time of the year and he's tuckered out."
Ruby frowned. "Perhaps I'll stop by and see him later today. Would he like that?" she asked.
"I'm sure he would. Well-I need to stop in the apothecary and pick up a few things and I have to run to the general store as well. I'll see you later then." Bilbo tipped his hat in respect and Ruby waved as she continued picking out a few bushels of flowers her mother had sent her to retrieve.
Bilbo entered the apothecary and was hit with the strong smell of herbs and spices. There were bottles of every shape and size lining the shelves behind the counter and the shelves of other medical devices seemed never-ending. "Good afternoon, Master Baggins. Let me guess-your nephew is ill again?"
Bilbo raised an eyebrow at the herbalist. "Actually he is and he isn't," Bilbo replied.
"He is and he isn't? That's a queer statement."
The Hobbiton herbalist was Mobo Goodworthy, and he was rather old- about three years older than Bilbo.
"Well-the poor thing's been sneezing constantly for the past three days and hasn't had a fever or any other symptons linked to a cold. So I sent for Dr. Burrows who diagnosed it as hay fever, and Frodo is terribly allergic to pollen."
Mr. Goodworthy frowned. "I see. That is a shame. So I am guessing you are picking up some extra pocket handkerchiefs with his initials on them again?"
Bilbo laughed. "Yes. I need to keep Bag-End plenty stocked on that type of thing. Also, do you have any herbs that might ease his conjestion? I hate to see the dear boy suffer like that. If he can be helped, then I'll see to whatever needs to be done."
Mr. Goodworthy bit his lip and went into his back stockroom to pull out a few boxes of herb packets.
"Herbal steam baths you mean?" He asked.
"I believe so."
"Let me see what I have." The herbalist sifted through his packets and pulled out rosemary, lavender and eucalyptus. "Dr. Burrows was correct when he told you there is no cure for hay fever." He told Bilbo, who was glancing at some of the handkerchiefs for sale. "But there are some things that can ease the symptons to a degree. These are the three scents I picked out that have been the most popular for sinus conjestion. I would recommend eucalyptus, as it is one of the stronger smells. However, if you know which one Frodo preferrs, I would recommend that one."
Bilbo smelled each of the packets of herbs to test them for himself. "Frodo would enjoy the Lavender, as I use lavender soap at home for his baths."
Mr. Goodworthy chuckled. "Good choice. So have you decided on a design of handkerchief you'd like for him?"
"This lovely one with the blue trim. It woud match his eyes. Not that it matters too much."
"Yes. And you wanted his initials right there the last time?" Mr. Goodworthy pointed to the lower righthand corner and Bilbo nodded.
"Yes, thank you. And I am also going to stock up on my tea selection. I think that should be it."
"Very well."
Bilbo waited patiently while the handkerchiefs were made, and wondered whether he should skip going to the General store and just head for home.
Back at Bag-End, Frodo opened his itchy eyes and gazed around his bedroom. He had no idea Frodo had gone to the market, but he wouldn't have cared either way. Just being in bed felt so wonderful, but he did feel rather lazy, and wanted to go outside ever so badly.
He heard the clippers of Hamfast Gamgee outside of his window, and decided to take a little risk and open it to say hello to Sam. He took his desk chair and stood on it, unlatching the window and pulling it open so he could peer down. Sure enough, Hamfast was trimming the rose bushes and Sam was planting something in the herb garden.
"Da', this is how they go, right?" Sam asked, looking over his shoulder. When he did so, he noticed Frodo watching him from the window and grinned.
"Hello, Mr. Frodo! Won't you come outside? 'Tis a beautiful day."
Mr. Gamgee looked towards the window and waved a hand at the heir to Bag-End.
"I can't." He replied sadly.
"Why not? Are you ill?" asked Sam, abandoning his work and going to stand closer to the window. "Da'-can you move the bench over here? I'm too little and I feel stupid bein' all the way down here."
Hamfast laughed and did as his son asked, smiling as the little lad climbed up so he was eye-level with Frodo.
"I'm not ill exactly. I'm allergic to flowers-they make me sneeze." Frodo explained.
"Oh dear-that's not good."
"Begging your pardon, sir-if they make you sneeze, then why are you peering out the window?" Hamfast asked. "And into the garden nonetheless?"
"It's lonely here. I think Bilbo went to the market."
"I see."
Frodo wiped his suddenly runny nose with the corner of his sleeve. "So what are you working on today, Sam?"
"I'm planting some onions. They smell awful bad."
Frodo laughed, but felt the familiar prickling in his nose and covered it with his hand. He sneezed so loudly that poor Sam nearly jumped two feet into the air. "They're starting up again." He sniffled, sneezing again. "I'm sorry, Sam, but I'll have to see you later. I can't handle this." He shut the window and stepped down from the chair, going to lay face down on his bed till the sneezing fit ended.
About ten minutes later, Bilbo returned with a small shopping bag in one hand. "Hullo my boy. Oh Frodo." He gasped when his nephew lifted his head, revealing red, runny eyes and his nose wasn't any different.
"I wanted to say hello to Sam, but I made a stupid mistake and opened the window. Now I can't stop sneezing." Frodo sobbed. Bilbo set down the shopping bag and sat down next to Frodo on the bed, allowing the tweenager to rest his head against his shoulder, and rubbed Frodo's back with his hand till he relaxed again.
"I've bought you a few things at the apothecary, my boy. New handkerchiefs and some strong herbs to ease that stuffy nose."
Sniffling noisily, Frodo nodded. "I feel awful, Bilbo." He whimpered.
"I know you do, honeypot. Just lay down now and try to relax, while I put things in order."
Frodo got under the covers and rested his head on his fluffy pillow, watching his Uncle bring the shopping bag to the kitchen. He reached for one of his many handkerchiefs from the small box on his nightstand and blew his nose. Even this simple process became exhausting after a while, and he was half-tempted to chop his nose off if it would help.
When Bilbo returned to the room, he had a mug of rosemary tea and toast with fresh butter and strawberry jam on a tray. "Here is your snack for tea time." He explained. "The toast is cut into those perfect triangles you like."
Frodo laughed with delight as Bilbo set the tray down on his lap. "Now lad-I know you feel rotten, but Dr. Burrows said to continue with your normal routine. So how about a little nighttime hike through the Shire tonight, eh?"
Frodo's eyes lit up and he nodded, as it would be rude to speak with a mouthful of toast. When he swallowed, he asked: "Where will we go?"
"We could go to the lake. It is beautiful when the moonlight shines down on it."
Frodo smiled. "Could we possibly camp?" he asked. "I love to sleep outside."
"Now Frodo-I'm not sure if that would be wise with your allergies."
"Oh bother allergies. I'll be fine." Frodo insisted. "Maybe I just need something to keep my mind off of sneezing. When will we leave?"
Bilbo laughed. "Right after supper. It gets dark around 9:00 now so how about 9:30?"
"Sounds wonderful, Uncle Bilbo. I always love hiking with you."
Bilbo gave him a hug. "I'm glad, lad. It is nice to have someone to talk to when I walk." He planted a kiss on Frodo's head. "I'll get our camping supplies ready. You just sit and eat your snack till I'm finished, all right?"
Frodo nodded again and watched as his Uncle headed out of the room.