Posted by hummingbird on 5/1/2014, 8:03 am VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Chapter Three
The following morning when Bo awoke, the sun was already fairly high in the sky. He threw the blankets aside and dressed quickly. Rules at Miss Maudie’s Boarding House were that if you wanted a hot breakfast you would be in the dining room before 10:00. He was just going to make it.
When he got to the table, his army buddy, Mick, was already eating.
“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he said to Bo, then added “no pun intended” as he took a look at Bo’s black eye. “It’s looking a little better today, Bud. Hey, what happened to you last night anyway? I thought you were going to play some poker with the rest of us. I got lucky and won $87.00.”
“I got lucky too. I met a girl.” Bo grinned.
Suddenly the $87.00 seemed less appealing. Mick leaned over to Bo and whispered, “How lucky?”
“Man...is that all you think about?” Bo asked him between bites of egg.
“Not that lucky, huh?” Mick commented, “and you’re no saint. I know how you are, so don’t be putting on any gentlemanly airs with me.”
“This was different. She’s a nice girl...beautiful, witty, smart...and...she can dance,” Bo said raising his eyebrows. He took a swig of milk. “I’m telling you, Mick, she’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever met. I’m hoping I can get to know her better.”
“Well...she has definitely put a smile on your face, that’s for sure. So...what’s her name?” Mick asked stuffing another bite of pancake into his mouth.
“I don’t know,” Bo said. “She wasn’t allowed to tell me...Aragon’s policy.”
Mick held out his hands with a puzzled look on his face. “That’s usually the first thing people talk about...they share their names.”
“I know...it’s crazy. Anyway, through the course of the evening, I found out she works part time at the library also, so…”
“Let me guess...you’re suddenly in need of some reading material...you’re kidding me,” Mick said shaking his head.
“Hey, I read...occasionally…” Bo began.
Mick interrupted him, “You’ve gone over the edge. You meet a beautiful girl and the only urge she gave you is the urge to read?” Mick shook his head, “I’m almost embarrassed for you, my friend.”
“Laugh all you want, but after I clean up and shave...I’m going to the library,” Bo said.
* * * * * * *
In spite of his best efforts, it was after 1:00 when Bo finally entered the library. The circulation desk was directly in front of him, but the girl wasn’t there. Perhaps she was putting books away. He would just casually take a look around. He wandered around slowly, stopping now and then to peruse a shelf, not really seeing what was there, but wanting to look like a real library patron.
Nora was pushing a cart around re-shelving books when she spotted him toward the end of one of the long rows. She hid around the corner for a moment to calm her nerves and smooth her hair. Then she casually started pushing the cart until she came to the end of his shelf.
“Hello, Soldier,” she said to him quietly.
“Well hello,” he said casually. “You’re working today, are you?”
“Yes I am,” she replied. “So...are you finding everything you need?” she queried.
“Yes, I am...some interesting books…”
“What are you reading here?” she asked leaning her head to take a look at the book in Bo’s hand. “Architecture of the Southwest” she read from the book’s cover. “Sounds fascinating. You planning on building a house in the southwest?” she asked with a seriously puzzled look. Before he could answer she continued, “You know, this is the fourth book in a series of five. You really should begin with book one.” She pulled it from the shelf. “Here it is…this is the first book in the series, Architecture of the Northeast. I think I would start with book one and work my way through the series.” She smiled knowingly.
Bo looked at her. “You know...sarcasm doesn’t become you.”
She laughed; and as she did so, the head librarian appeared beside her, a stern expression on her face.
“Miss Hanen,” she began in a tight-lipped manner. “Are you assisting this gentleman or just conversing with him?”
“Oh, no ma’am. Mr….” She looked at Bo.
“Buchanan,” Bo aided her.
“Yes,” Nora continued, “Mr. Buchanan here was looking for some architecture books. I believe he has dreams of building a home in the southwest in the future?” She nodded toward Bo. “So, I was showing him this lovely series of books that we have on architecture. I recommended he read them in order though starting with the first in the series. What do you think, Ma’am?”
“I think,” she said in a low scratchy whisper, “that you need to turn your voice down. This is a library! Help the gentleman if you must, but please lower it a few decibels!”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Nora replied meekly; but when the old woman turned around, Nora scrunched her face up at her. Bo was amused.
“I need to get busy,” Nora said turning around and beginning to put books on the shelf directly behind him. They were back-to-back but close enough that she could still hear him talking to her.
“Why? You afraid of losing your job?”
“No, I am not afraid of losing my job...and I’m not afraid of... Prudy Pringle.”
“Prudy Pringle?” He chuckled. “I’m surprised at you...calling that poor woman a name…”
“I’m not calling her a name,” she whispered, “that is her name. Prudence Pringle. Prudy for short.”
Bo laughed aloud, then to hide the fact that it was him, he started turning pages in the architecture book and perusing it seriously.
A moment later, he spoke again,“Well, if you want to keep your job, I suggest you be a little more careful.”
“Are you telling me how to do my job, Buchanan?”
“Don’t get ruffled...I’m only trying to help.” He turned to stand beside her. “For instance, as I glanced around a minute ago, I saw you put this book on the shelf. See here, it has a 600 number on the binding while all of these other books in this section have a 200 number. That’s because all of these books here are about the fall of the Roman Empire...I was looking at them a few minutes ago...but this book here…” He pulled it off the shelf. “...is about...Asian Cuisine. See that?”
Nora looked at him. “You’re pretty full of yourself, aren’t you?” she asked giving him a look.
“What can I say, Miss Hanen? I’m from Texas,” he shrugged, beaming. Again she couldn’t help smiling at him.
The smile quickly faded when Miss Pringle reappeared. “Miss Hanen, are you bothering this patron?”
Nora’s mouth popped open to defend herself, but Bo spoke first.
“Oh no, Ma’am. Miss Hanen has been very helpful. She just helped me locate this book on Asian Cuisine.”
Nora smiled slightly. When Prudy Pringle left for the second time, she said, “Please. You have to go. I need to get my work done…”
“Okay. I understand. I’m leaving,” he said.
She gave a sigh of relief. “Thanks.” She resumed shelving as he began to walk away. Then he turned and came back. She looked at him in disbelief.
“You know,” he began, “I’ve caused you a lot of trouble today. Let me make it up to you...how about I treat you to a soda when you get off work? My way of apologizing for being a bother.”
“That isn’t necessary,” she told him.
“I know, but I want to...may I buy you a soda after work? Or ice cream maybe?...”
Nora hesitated, then looked at him. “Is that why you stopped in here?” she questioned.
He nodded his head admitting without words that she was onto him.
She smiled. “Then why didn’t you just say so instead of going through all of this?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I’m just shy I guess.” He grinned.
Laughter started to roll out, but she gained control quickly. “I’d love to have a soda with you,” she said looking into his eyes. “I’ll meet you on the front steps at 3:00.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to it. Until then,” he smiled. “Oh, and here. I don’t really need this book on Architecture of the Southwest. You better re-shelve it.”
She shook her head smiling as their eyes met again.
