A Walk

Sam opened the round, green door that led out of Bag End and into the crisp morning air. It was fairly early, the sun was peeking above the horizon and the air was still chill. Sam took in a deep breath and smelled the fresh scent of day, and it woke him up straightaway. He was planning to do some serious gardening, the roses needed pruning and the grass in need of a good trim. Plus, he wanted to move some rose bushes he grew a couple of years ago to the windowsill. Today seemed as good a day, for it was going to be a perfect temperature and he was feeling up to it.

Sam busied himself in gathering some supplies and piling them into a rusty, old wheelbarrow that was always sitting by the doorstep. He thought about his schedule as he placed some shears next to a large bag of grass seed. After awhile he would have to stop his work and make Frodo breakfast as he woke up, then he had to go down to the market and pick up some potatoes. As he thought about the day, he realized that the sun was almost fully up and he had better get to work.

Pushing the wheelbarrow around the corner, Sam pulled out some shears and started on the grass. Several birds were chirping gladly and the haze of the morning was fading fast. Sam smiled as his shears clacked merrily along the border. How glad he was to be home and safe!

It had been several years since they had returned from the quest to destroy the ring, and Sam was happy to be back. The traveling, in a way, had been quite the fun. He remembered laying awake at night watching the stars above him, open to the heavens and all of its beauty. But, there had been too much toil and weariness for Sam to handle. Plus the emotional anguish he had experienced along the way, it wasn't really the best first impression for a normal hobbit on his first adventure.

'First and only' Sam told himself as he continued to trim the grass border. He was glad to be home, yet another part of him longed for the open road and to travel again! To walk along a path in the forest, a pack on his back and a walking stick in his hand, singing merrily along the roads. Frodo would be at his side and perhaps Merry and Pippin would journey with them. Sam longed to see Rivendell again, and perhaps even Lothlorjen. He would love to visit the elves who treated them with so much love and kindness. He hadn't thanked them enough yet, he still reflected on the lembas and how it had literally saved him while he was in Mordor.

Sam shuddered. Mordor. He still hadn't gotten over the horridness of it all. Shelob's lair, the orcs rushing here and there, the terror that was always upon him and Frodo as they struggled to continue on. Sam remembered Frodo's weariness and determination. He was always so weak and frail, struggling to stay on his own two feet and continue on to rid himself of the ring and end evil. His empty eyes as they gazed ahead at Mordor and looked past all happiness and joy and into something more deep and dark than anything. All Sam could do was keep urging him on and try his best to encourage him. 'I hope never to see that sad look upon his face again.' Sam told himself as he finished trimming the border.

Dumping the shears back into the wheelbarrow, Sam headed back toward Bag End. Frodo would be waking up any minute now and Sam wanted to make sure he had a nice, healthy, and large breakfast. 'He's just too thin, it's not right for a hobbit!' Even before the quest, Frodo was always a "scrawny little twig" as Lobelia always said. "Never made for hard work, therefore a useless little runt that costs us time and money!" True, Frodo didn't seem like he was made to work. Sam had a hard time picturing Frodo walking down the street with a sack of potatoes slung across his back. Frodo did try to be helpful, though. Sam recalled once when they were only kids, how he insisted to help Sam with the gardening. Within a few minutes, Frodo was gasping for breath as he pushed the wheelbarrow along.

Sam opened the door and stepped back into Bag End. The rooms were lit up with the sunlight streaming in through the window. Sam quickly headed to the kitchen and grabbed several pots, pans, and a cutting board along with a knife. After awhile, he had a plate of bacon and sausages sitting alongside a large bowl of scrambled eggs with some oatmeal bubbling in its pot. Soon, Frodo walked in, buttoning up his vest as he called, "Morning, Sam!" in a cheery voice.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam exclaimed, "Did you have a good sleep?"

Frodo yawned and said, "For awhile, then that dratted owl woke me up again! I swear it hoots right by my window on purpose!" Frodo sat down at the table, "Next time it decides to lullaby me I'll storm out there myself and strangle the thing!"

Sam didn't know if he was kidding or not, so he said, "That wouldn't be very nice." In what he hoped would be a jokingly voice.

"Dear, Sam, you surely made a feast!" Frodo said as he watched Sam dump some more eggs into the bowl. "You'll be helping me finish this all, I'm sure!"

Sam seated himself across from Frodo. "If you want me to, I'll gladly join you!"

"Please, I can't eat all of this alone!" Frodo dished himself up a bit of everything, saying, "What are your plans today, Sam?"

Sam poked at some sausage and replied, "Well, Mr. Frodo, I was planning to finish up some of the gardening, being it a lovely day and all. Then perhaps go down to the marketplace and get some supplies and then." Sam suddenly fell silent and stared at his plate, sticking the sausage in his mouth.

Frodo waited, then finally said, "Then what, Sam?"

Sam still stared at his plate, fiddling with the bacon and eggs while his face slowly turned a bright pink. "Well."

"Go on, Sam." Frodo urged him, growing concerned.

Sam looked up meekly then said slowly, "Well. I was going to.well.going to drop by Rose Cotton's for a visit.a short one."

Frodo's worried face broke into a large smile. "Oh, Sam! There's the plan of the day!" He began to laugh, not at Sam but with joy. "Sam what a perfect pair you two would make!"

Sam was still blushing a radiant red, but he managed a smile along with his embarrassment. "Maybe, Mr. Frodo."

After the breakfast, Frodo had urged Sam to quickly finish his work and head for Rosie's house quickly. Sam, who really wished to do so, found himself wanting to delay the visit. He was nervous (who wouldn't be? Plus this is Sam we're talking about!) and was almost dreading it all. He wanted to go, but he didn't know if he could summon up the courage. He slowly moved the rosebushes and then spread the grass seed carefully along the ground. He was about to do some extra planting, but Fordo saw what he was doing and moved Sam along, calling, "You won't get her by putting her off, Sam!"

So Sam reluctantly put down his hand shovel and pushed the wheelbarrow back to the front step, where Frodo was waiting.

"I better see you back with those potatoes within the next forty-five minutes, or I'll get Rosie to come after you! Have a lovely trip, Sam! No, I'll put the gardening tools away, you get going!"

So Sam slowly walked toward the gate and opened it, then headed down the road to the market tentatively. He was almost trembling with fear and nervousness.

"You don't really have to do this, Samwise." He told himself under his breath. "You want to and you don't, so which is it going to be? Rosie, she's a gem. a little flower in the spring field." A small smile formed on his lips and he ambled down the dirt path down the hill. The sun was almost to noon, and the breeze was dying down, but it would be a lovely day nevertheless.

He could hear sounds of the marketplace reach his ears as he saw the tips of the street shops loom into view. Many hobbits bustled about the square, along with the squawking of chickens and geese. Many fruits, vegetables, breads, and meats were being sold as well. Along with many selections of wooden toys for the children who weaved their way through the crowd with their games.

Sam walked up to the vegetable stands, where many carrots, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes were being sold. Sam, upon seeing the potatoes, it occurred to him that he already had a large supply of potatoes sitting in the kitchen beside the oven!

Silently scolding himself, Sam turned around whence he came and started back. It was no use to waste the money on too many potatoes. Sam hated that, his forgetfulness and how he often did things for no reason. Like walking home when he could have taken a nice relaxing ride in a wagon, or turning up at a party that didn't start until forty-five minutes. Just the little things, pointless things, annoyed him like that.

"I wish I wasn't so thick!" he said to himself, walking out of the crowded square.

"Thick? Samwise, I don't think you are thick!"

Sam turned his head and found, to his great surprise and astonishment, Rosie Cotton standing at a tree in the shade. Her coppery- brown hair was wreathing her beautiful face while the slight breeze blew a strand into her eyes.
Sam turned pink and spluttered, "R-Rose! I didn't see you there!"

She smiled a modest smile and said, "Not a problem at all, Samwise! My mother went to the market, and I am to wait for her." She glanced around her surroundings, then leaned closer to Sam. "but I don't think she'd mind if I were to leave now."

'What on earth is that supposed to mean?' Sam thought as she smiled at him some more. Truth to tell, he didn't have a way with girls. Some people, like Pippin, knew exactly what a girl meant. It was like he had a little interpretation in his mind. "It's a beautiful day!" actually meant "Why don't we take a walk?" and "It's boring here." Was meant to be, "Let's get out of here, just you and me!" Sam recalled how Pippin could always make a girl laugh, smile, giggle, or completely fall for him with a witty remark and a wink of an eye. Pippin was careless, funny, and always light- hearted, Sam supposed that was why girls always loved him.

Sam, deciding that he needed to say something, said, "Well.would your mother get angry if you were to leave?"
Rose's smile grew wider, "I don't think so."

'Well, this is the test!' Sam thought, Rosie was still smiling at him. Finally, he replied, "Well, why don't you and me go?" Sam knew it sounded lame, pathetic, and bland, but what else was he to say? It was the first thing that popped into his head.

Rose smiled even more and stepped out of the shade of the tree and into the sunlight next to Sam. Her rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes stood out in the brightness of the day and her lips looked smooth.

'Let's try not to think about that, Samwise!' He told himself. Much to his surprise, Rose slipped her hand into his and they began to walk.

Sam blushed wildly and his stomach felt fluttery and turned inside- out. Sam, of course, often daydreamed about holding Rose's hand, even giving her a light kiss, but when he actually confronted it he didn't think lightly of it. Her fingers were laced with his and she was smiling even more at his side. Sam summoned up some courage and looked at Rose. Her eyes were sparkling still and her lips formed a beautiful smile on her face. Her skin was smooth and fair, her touch light as a feather and as soft. Sam felt that fluttery feeling again and he had to bow his head in a blush. 'This is all too confusing for my simple self to handle!'

"Samwise?" he heard her voice ask. It was like a bell, clear and beautiful. Ringing over the day and breaking all sorrow and misery.

Sam lifted his head again, this time with a little more confidence. This time a small smile was on his face as he showed himself.

"Are you alright? You seem nervous." She asked him. They were still walking at a fairly quick pace.

"Not a problem on my mind, Rose." He lied, though he had a hopefully cheery and confident tone.

She gave him another smile and squeezed his hand gently. Sam looked down at the hands, one that was callused, strong, and tanned and another which was slender, pale, and delicate. 'No bigger difference, I suppose. I wonder.' Sam thought, but there Rosie spoke.

"It's a wonderful day, the sun is bright and nature seems at its fullest." Rose stated, looking at the grass and bushes around them. It was true, it was like a picture out of a fairy tale.

"I would agree with you." Sam replied, deciding that if he was going to get somewhere he had better start talking.

Rose looked at the ground and said, "I suppose your garden must be twice as beautiful as this field."
Sam blushed some more, wondering what to reply. "Well." Sam then remembered one of Pippin's sayings. "It's not nearly as beautiful as yourself."

Sam, wondering if that's what he really should said that, blushed some more. Rose lifted her head and looked at them, a little surprise on her face. Then, she smiled again and said, "Thank you, Sam."

Sam gave a small laugh, in his reassurance that he didn't make a mistake, and smiled back at her. "It's only the truth."