******Thanks again to all who reviewed!!! Tonight, as I make out my
Christmas list, I am totally shocked and amazed at my daughter's powers of
persuasion and reasoning to me about just why she NEEDS another Barbie doll
(we only have 8 around the house and 109 pair of shoes we step on---I don't
know about the Barbie's in other households, but ours are addicted to
shoes, one for every outfit, hard plastic suckers too--ouch). I am more so
at the fact of why she needs a life-sized one.something about not giving
her any brothers or sisters to play with. This is guilt right? She's
four, how did she become so good with the gift of guilt? Ah well, I
suppose she does need one more Barbie.******
Jack found himself with a lot of time on his hands. Since Sarah's departure, his friends stepped up to fill the void. Race and Bet Ya' took him to the racetrack one day, Mush and Kid Blink took him swimming another. Evan Spot Conlon, the fearless leader of Brooklyn took a day showing Jack the proper ways of slingshot etiquette. Knowing his friends meant well, he followed along trying to smile.
Saturday afternoon around the lodging house was quiet everyone either out still trying to sell or running around the park. Swimming in April is quite chilly, Jack felt a little ran down with slight cold and decided to take advantage of the quiet. Stopping by the bookshelves on his way up, he pulled off a book and took it up to his bunk. He climbed up, settled in lying on his back, elbows bent slightly book over his head.
Dust fell off the jacket as he opened the book, with all the other things to do around the house, who had time to read. A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court, he chose it because New York was close to Connecticut and by Civil War standards he was a Yankee; figuring it easily might have been about himself, The New York Yankee In King Arthur's Court.
After reading about an hour, he found himself slowly drifting off to sleep. Considering Sarah only left three days ago, his nights not filled much with sleep and the whirlwind of activities the boys had led him on, Jack was tired. As the book fell onto his chest, his dreams plunged heavily into the time travel set by Mark Twain's novel.
Sitting under a large tree gazing out at the vast prairie before him, Jack thought he was alone, until he saw the man on the horse. Dressed in full military armor, the man looked down upon him. Jack thought he had surely gone mad, he closed his eyes and rubbed them thinking the knight a mirage. Opening his eyes once more, he found the man and the horse still there. Wordlessly the man helped him to his feet and unto the back of his horse.
Riding to a large fortress, Jack looked around as the horse rode over a drawbridge. Upon the wall, surrounding the castle stood several men dressed similarly to the one he rode behind, powerfully guarding the parapet for the next attack.
They rode into the main bailey, stopped and dismounted. Once off the horse a very well dressed man approached, Jack snickering slightly at his tights, then looking down at his own finding them no longer funny.
"What have we here, Lancelot?"
"I found him beneath the large oak in the meadow, sire. He is unarmed and appears no threat."
Turning to Jack, the man made inquire to him, "What are you doing here, do you not know these are dangerous times? Well, on with it then, what are you called?"
"I, um, I am Jack, sir, I'm not sure how I got here, where I am, or who you are."
"Why you are in Camelot."
"Camelot?"
"King Arthur's court, surely you have knowledge of it."
Uncle Leonard once told him bedtime stories of King Arthur. The book he was reading before he found himself here was about Camelot, but other than those stories, Jack had no knowledge of the man before him or his kingdom.
Feeling his explanation might sound a bit as the ramblings of a crazy man, he kept his answer short. "No."
Sighing, the well-dressed man set off to explain where he was. "I am King Arthur and you are in Camelot, my kingdom, this is Sir Lancelot, my noblest knight and most trusted friend. You have come into my kingdom while we are under great duress. Come, let us retire to the Great Hall to dine, I will tell you of our troubles."
Jack, more than a little slightly stunned, followed Arthur and Lancelot into the castle taking note of everything as they passed into the Great Hall. Once inside, he looked around taking a quick 360 as he walked. Clearly, the room had been named fittingly, for it was large, hangings on every wall, floor covered in ornamental runners, and heavy wooden tables laden with more food than Jack had ever seen surrounded the room. They offered him the seat of honor, which he took between the two men.
King Arthur told Jack of fights with giants, attacks of dragons and defending against other kingdoms. He spoke of his Round Table, the knights who assembled the table and of why it was round.
While listening, Jack glanced about the room observing occupants of other tables. Everyone appeared happy to be here, not a care in the world, knowing their king and Knights of the Round Table would take care of them. Then he saw her, sitting next to and looking very cozy with a knight in the corner. He knew it was her, for it could be none other, there in the corner was his Sarah. Sarah and another love, instantly Jack understood. Comprehension finally replaced the confusion he felt the past few days. Knowing was much better than wondering and moving on was much better than dwelling. He smiled now aware there would be no going back and his future was as bright as a falling star.
Turning back to King Arthur, Jack was able to give his full attention for the first time to anything since that night up on the roof. It seemed Camelot would soon be under attack. Times were confusing, the need to expand territory keeping them in constant war. Jack understood the need to defend territory, as he frequently had to do so back in New York. Sir Lancelot, he learned, found him while out scouting for enemy's laying in wait.
Being used to the fight, Jack, offered his services, set up for the challenge of training. Sir Lancelot felt he looked suitable for the joust preparing him with instructions of riding and striking. Sitting atop his horse, lance in hand, Jack shook his head, climbing down. While he could ride a horse, he felt more comfortable fighting on the ground, of this he informed the knight.
"What fighting skills have you?"
"I'm pretty good at soaking anyone who gets in my way."
"Soaking?"
"Er.fist fighting."
"Can ye wield a sword or fire a catapult?"
"Catapult, what's a catapult?"
Sir Lancelot rolled his eyes skyward as if seeking a higher power for assistance. Letting out a heavy sigh, he pulled Jack by the arm and led him over to the battlegrounds.
Pointing at a large contraption made of wood as three men fired a boulder over the wall.
"Wow, look at the size of that slingshot! Wait until Spot hears about this."
"Yes, well, can you fire it?"
"You bet I can, I mean, yes sir."
"Good well then I will leave you in the able hands of Sir Kay."
Sir Kay was the short, stout man in charge of the catapult. Showing Jack where to stand, how to load and to jump out of the way after firing, he stepped back allowing Jack to take his position on the team.
A small ruckus upon the wall made everyone take attention. One of the men yelled from his position. "Man your stations. We have enemy fire."
Jack readied himself for battle, loading a large boulder onto the catapult and taking aim.
"Fire."
Jack woke to someone yelling while shaking his bunk. Looking down he saw Mush's panicked face imploring him out of bed. Without word, he jumped to the floor and followed, relieved to notice he was no longer wearing tights, explaining them to the guys, well, that would have been difficult. When they reached the ground floor just outside the living room, the smoke hit him, stinging his eyes, the back of his throat. It seemed Race had been disobeying house rules again, smoking in the lounge area setting the curtains on fire.
Kloppman was in the kitchen trying to find the fire extinguisher as the flames shot toward the ceiling. Noting this, Jack motioned to Mush.
"Stand on the back of the couch with me and pull the rod away from the wall. Let's get it outside before the fire spreads to the rest of the house."
Jack found himself with a lot of time on his hands. Since Sarah's departure, his friends stepped up to fill the void. Race and Bet Ya' took him to the racetrack one day, Mush and Kid Blink took him swimming another. Evan Spot Conlon, the fearless leader of Brooklyn took a day showing Jack the proper ways of slingshot etiquette. Knowing his friends meant well, he followed along trying to smile.
Saturday afternoon around the lodging house was quiet everyone either out still trying to sell or running around the park. Swimming in April is quite chilly, Jack felt a little ran down with slight cold and decided to take advantage of the quiet. Stopping by the bookshelves on his way up, he pulled off a book and took it up to his bunk. He climbed up, settled in lying on his back, elbows bent slightly book over his head.
Dust fell off the jacket as he opened the book, with all the other things to do around the house, who had time to read. A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court, he chose it because New York was close to Connecticut and by Civil War standards he was a Yankee; figuring it easily might have been about himself, The New York Yankee In King Arthur's Court.
After reading about an hour, he found himself slowly drifting off to sleep. Considering Sarah only left three days ago, his nights not filled much with sleep and the whirlwind of activities the boys had led him on, Jack was tired. As the book fell onto his chest, his dreams plunged heavily into the time travel set by Mark Twain's novel.
Sitting under a large tree gazing out at the vast prairie before him, Jack thought he was alone, until he saw the man on the horse. Dressed in full military armor, the man looked down upon him. Jack thought he had surely gone mad, he closed his eyes and rubbed them thinking the knight a mirage. Opening his eyes once more, he found the man and the horse still there. Wordlessly the man helped him to his feet and unto the back of his horse.
Riding to a large fortress, Jack looked around as the horse rode over a drawbridge. Upon the wall, surrounding the castle stood several men dressed similarly to the one he rode behind, powerfully guarding the parapet for the next attack.
They rode into the main bailey, stopped and dismounted. Once off the horse a very well dressed man approached, Jack snickering slightly at his tights, then looking down at his own finding them no longer funny.
"What have we here, Lancelot?"
"I found him beneath the large oak in the meadow, sire. He is unarmed and appears no threat."
Turning to Jack, the man made inquire to him, "What are you doing here, do you not know these are dangerous times? Well, on with it then, what are you called?"
"I, um, I am Jack, sir, I'm not sure how I got here, where I am, or who you are."
"Why you are in Camelot."
"Camelot?"
"King Arthur's court, surely you have knowledge of it."
Uncle Leonard once told him bedtime stories of King Arthur. The book he was reading before he found himself here was about Camelot, but other than those stories, Jack had no knowledge of the man before him or his kingdom.
Feeling his explanation might sound a bit as the ramblings of a crazy man, he kept his answer short. "No."
Sighing, the well-dressed man set off to explain where he was. "I am King Arthur and you are in Camelot, my kingdom, this is Sir Lancelot, my noblest knight and most trusted friend. You have come into my kingdom while we are under great duress. Come, let us retire to the Great Hall to dine, I will tell you of our troubles."
Jack, more than a little slightly stunned, followed Arthur and Lancelot into the castle taking note of everything as they passed into the Great Hall. Once inside, he looked around taking a quick 360 as he walked. Clearly, the room had been named fittingly, for it was large, hangings on every wall, floor covered in ornamental runners, and heavy wooden tables laden with more food than Jack had ever seen surrounded the room. They offered him the seat of honor, which he took between the two men.
King Arthur told Jack of fights with giants, attacks of dragons and defending against other kingdoms. He spoke of his Round Table, the knights who assembled the table and of why it was round.
While listening, Jack glanced about the room observing occupants of other tables. Everyone appeared happy to be here, not a care in the world, knowing their king and Knights of the Round Table would take care of them. Then he saw her, sitting next to and looking very cozy with a knight in the corner. He knew it was her, for it could be none other, there in the corner was his Sarah. Sarah and another love, instantly Jack understood. Comprehension finally replaced the confusion he felt the past few days. Knowing was much better than wondering and moving on was much better than dwelling. He smiled now aware there would be no going back and his future was as bright as a falling star.
Turning back to King Arthur, Jack was able to give his full attention for the first time to anything since that night up on the roof. It seemed Camelot would soon be under attack. Times were confusing, the need to expand territory keeping them in constant war. Jack understood the need to defend territory, as he frequently had to do so back in New York. Sir Lancelot, he learned, found him while out scouting for enemy's laying in wait.
Being used to the fight, Jack, offered his services, set up for the challenge of training. Sir Lancelot felt he looked suitable for the joust preparing him with instructions of riding and striking. Sitting atop his horse, lance in hand, Jack shook his head, climbing down. While he could ride a horse, he felt more comfortable fighting on the ground, of this he informed the knight.
"What fighting skills have you?"
"I'm pretty good at soaking anyone who gets in my way."
"Soaking?"
"Er.fist fighting."
"Can ye wield a sword or fire a catapult?"
"Catapult, what's a catapult?"
Sir Lancelot rolled his eyes skyward as if seeking a higher power for assistance. Letting out a heavy sigh, he pulled Jack by the arm and led him over to the battlegrounds.
Pointing at a large contraption made of wood as three men fired a boulder over the wall.
"Wow, look at the size of that slingshot! Wait until Spot hears about this."
"Yes, well, can you fire it?"
"You bet I can, I mean, yes sir."
"Good well then I will leave you in the able hands of Sir Kay."
Sir Kay was the short, stout man in charge of the catapult. Showing Jack where to stand, how to load and to jump out of the way after firing, he stepped back allowing Jack to take his position on the team.
A small ruckus upon the wall made everyone take attention. One of the men yelled from his position. "Man your stations. We have enemy fire."
Jack readied himself for battle, loading a large boulder onto the catapult and taking aim.
"Fire."
Jack woke to someone yelling while shaking his bunk. Looking down he saw Mush's panicked face imploring him out of bed. Without word, he jumped to the floor and followed, relieved to notice he was no longer wearing tights, explaining them to the guys, well, that would have been difficult. When they reached the ground floor just outside the living room, the smoke hit him, stinging his eyes, the back of his throat. It seemed Race had been disobeying house rules again, smoking in the lounge area setting the curtains on fire.
Kloppman was in the kitchen trying to find the fire extinguisher as the flames shot toward the ceiling. Noting this, Jack motioned to Mush.
"Stand on the back of the couch with me and pull the rod away from the wall. Let's get it outside before the fire spreads to the rest of the house."