Post by Leander Hastin on Jan 1, 2013 1:01:09 GMT -6
Leander gritted his teeth to contain his frustration as he slammed down the hood of his Pacifica. The car had failed to start, and after a few minutes of tinkering around with a Cars for Dummies book in his hand, he had managed to find the problem. His battery had swollen, and since the car only made a clicking sound when he went to start it, he suspected that the battery had short-circuited. Sighing, Leander revised his list for the day, leaning against the side of the car to think as Akamu looked at him from the shotgun seat, obviously asking what the holdup was. He needed to head into town, to get a new battery. Since he had been planning on going into town anyway, to grab a bite for lunch, he wasn't objective to the idea, but without a car, a wrench had been thrown into his plans. Going on the bus was definitely not an option, no way, no how. Not all of the money in the world would be able to get him on one of those monsters.
As he stood there, stumped for a moment, his eyes fell upon the barns in the distance, and a slow smile spread across his face. He knew how he would be able to get into town, although it was a surefire way of being talked about. Grabbing the car key from where it still hung in the ignition, Lee whistled to Akamu, then locked the car and crossed the campus, heading towards the hay barns first. He let himself into the dusky space, somewhere where most people had no need to be, and crossed the space to where his mostly wooden wagonette stood. He had had the cart shipped to Kentucky after leaving California, although why, he didn't know. Perhaps it was just the memories that it held, long drives through the countryside, or that Alex has bought him the carriage when they had found out that Lenore was wonderful as a driving horse. He dragged the wooden cart out of the hay barn and left it standing at the side, grabbing the collar as he went. Most of Lenore's traces were in the tack locker the school provided, but he hadn't been able to fit everything, so the collar had been banished to stay in the bed of the wagonette. He pointed at the wagon, and Akamu jumped up happily, tongue lolling, prepared to wait in the back.
Resting the leather collar on his shoulder, Leander trudged to where his mixed-breed mare was stabled, the Red Willow barn. He dropped the contraption near her stall and brought Lenore out, clipping the large mare into the crossties before he started grooming her.
Nearly hour later, he had managed to finish grooming the mare and harnessing her up, apart from actually connecting her to the cart. He led the mare out to the hay barn and set her in the shafts before finishing the finicky work. After tightening the last of the traces, Lee walked around the cart, making sure that the 'Slow Moving Vehicle' sign was securely in place and that Akamu was still settled in the back, then grabbed his whip, gloves, and apron from the compartment he stored them in. He slipped the warm gloves onto his hands, then stepped up onto the seat of the wagonette and sat down before fastening on the apron. He took a deep breath, trying to control the flood of memories that the wagon brought him, and after a moment, he felt stable enough to drive. Standing up the whip in a socket just for that purpose, he clucked to the mare and slapped the reins gently on her back, "Walk on."
Nearly an hour and a half later, Lee had managed to procure a battery for his car, which now lay in the trunk, wrapped securely just in case of more snow. Deciding that a quick lunch was still within his grasp, Leander steered Lenore into the Tastee's and glanced around. He saw a parking spot with a pole and a sign that read 'Fuel-Efficient Vehicles only' and shrugged, "I supposed that's us." He carefully maneuvered into the space, which his wagon didn't quite fit into, but luckily it was at the end of the lot, so it didn't matter. He stepped out of the wagon, ignoring the other patrons' odd stares, and grabbed Lenore's lead rope. Using a quick-release knot, he tied the mare to the pole, just as a precaution, then took the bit out of her mouth. He put the piece of metal in the back, next to the border collie mix, and rubbed Akamu's ears, "Guard this for me, alright?" The dog yapped happily, and Lee nodded, smiling.
Leaving his two animals in the parking lot, Leander walked into the fast-food restaurant, finding himself a booth at the window and settling down in it, facing that he could see Lenore. As the waitress approached him, Leander smiled at her, waving away her offer of a menu. He knew what he wanted, always the same at these establishments, "A burger, with fries, and a large Coke, please." As the waitress nodded and hurried off, Leander stood again, leaving his gloves on the table to claim it, and headed to the bathroom to wash his hands, which were still rather sweaty.
After cleaning and drying them, he walked back to his seat, just a minute before the waitress returned with his food. Leander nodded his thanks at her and then started preparing his burger, heaping on the mustard and going lightly with the ketchup, no mayo. He closed the bun again and took a bit, frowning and putting the burger back down, realizing that he had put on the condiments as Alex had always done. He stared meditatively out of the window fr a moment, wondering why the wagon had evoked such strong memories. Yes, she had bought it, but wouldn't the memories have diminished in a year of her being gone?
As he stood there, stumped for a moment, his eyes fell upon the barns in the distance, and a slow smile spread across his face. He knew how he would be able to get into town, although it was a surefire way of being talked about. Grabbing the car key from where it still hung in the ignition, Lee whistled to Akamu, then locked the car and crossed the campus, heading towards the hay barns first. He let himself into the dusky space, somewhere where most people had no need to be, and crossed the space to where his mostly wooden wagonette stood. He had had the cart shipped to Kentucky after leaving California, although why, he didn't know. Perhaps it was just the memories that it held, long drives through the countryside, or that Alex has bought him the carriage when they had found out that Lenore was wonderful as a driving horse. He dragged the wooden cart out of the hay barn and left it standing at the side, grabbing the collar as he went. Most of Lenore's traces were in the tack locker the school provided, but he hadn't been able to fit everything, so the collar had been banished to stay in the bed of the wagonette. He pointed at the wagon, and Akamu jumped up happily, tongue lolling, prepared to wait in the back.
Resting the leather collar on his shoulder, Leander trudged to where his mixed-breed mare was stabled, the Red Willow barn. He dropped the contraption near her stall and brought Lenore out, clipping the large mare into the crossties before he started grooming her.
Nearly hour later, he had managed to finish grooming the mare and harnessing her up, apart from actually connecting her to the cart. He led the mare out to the hay barn and set her in the shafts before finishing the finicky work. After tightening the last of the traces, Lee walked around the cart, making sure that the 'Slow Moving Vehicle' sign was securely in place and that Akamu was still settled in the back, then grabbed his whip, gloves, and apron from the compartment he stored them in. He slipped the warm gloves onto his hands, then stepped up onto the seat of the wagonette and sat down before fastening on the apron. He took a deep breath, trying to control the flood of memories that the wagon brought him, and after a moment, he felt stable enough to drive. Standing up the whip in a socket just for that purpose, he clucked to the mare and slapped the reins gently on her back, "Walk on."
Nearly an hour and a half later, Lee had managed to procure a battery for his car, which now lay in the trunk, wrapped securely just in case of more snow. Deciding that a quick lunch was still within his grasp, Leander steered Lenore into the Tastee's and glanced around. He saw a parking spot with a pole and a sign that read 'Fuel-Efficient Vehicles only' and shrugged, "I supposed that's us." He carefully maneuvered into the space, which his wagon didn't quite fit into, but luckily it was at the end of the lot, so it didn't matter. He stepped out of the wagon, ignoring the other patrons' odd stares, and grabbed Lenore's lead rope. Using a quick-release knot, he tied the mare to the pole, just as a precaution, then took the bit out of her mouth. He put the piece of metal in the back, next to the border collie mix, and rubbed Akamu's ears, "Guard this for me, alright?" The dog yapped happily, and Lee nodded, smiling.
Leaving his two animals in the parking lot, Leander walked into the fast-food restaurant, finding himself a booth at the window and settling down in it, facing that he could see Lenore. As the waitress approached him, Leander smiled at her, waving away her offer of a menu. He knew what he wanted, always the same at these establishments, "A burger, with fries, and a large Coke, please." As the waitress nodded and hurried off, Leander stood again, leaving his gloves on the table to claim it, and headed to the bathroom to wash his hands, which were still rather sweaty.
After cleaning and drying them, he walked back to his seat, just a minute before the waitress returned with his food. Leander nodded his thanks at her and then started preparing his burger, heaping on the mustard and going lightly with the ketchup, no mayo. He closed the bun again and took a bit, frowning and putting the burger back down, realizing that he had put on the condiments as Alex had always done. He stared meditatively out of the window fr a moment, wondering why the wagon had evoked such strong memories. Yes, she had bought it, but wouldn't the memories have diminished in a year of her being gone?
