Omissions

When Frodo found him in the study, Sam was perusing the Red Book with a puzzled expression. "Something wrong?" he asked as he sat in the other easy chair.

Sam answered slowly, "I seem to remember things a mite differently."

It was Frodo's turn to look puzzled. "Like what?"

"Well, now, take when we first woke after the Mountain... this says we woke, bathed, and carried on like normal. I recall at least two days 'tween the waking and the standing, if you follow me."

Frodo sighed. "Sam, those are unnecessary details."

"You mean to say you'll describe every rock in detail, but skip entire days along the way?" His tone was skeptical.

"Sam-"

"That Council weren't for three days once you woke; you weren't well enough until then, and you know it."

Frodo heaved a deeper sigh. "I was perfectly well. It's not my fault I got my foot caught in the sheets and fell off the bed."

Sam eyed him dubiously. "Most o' the things that happened weren't your fault, but you put 'em in. Begging your pardon," he added quickly.

"I left out what wasn't necessary to the story."

"So you changed it, rather than admit you passed out from sitting up after I woke. Or that we had to be fed soft stuff for days afterwards, even for that feast. Or that you had nightmares for weeks -and still do, sometimes."

"Sam, stop-"

He continued, undeterred. "Or that you threw up on Mr. Faramir because you ate too much of his food and couldn't stomach it. Or that-"

"Sam!" Frodo exclaimed, and the gardener at last listened. "You may think I should've put all that in, but I'm not rewriting it now that it's done. And besides," he added, "no one would want to read that, anyway."