Stubbytail 2 Chapter 13
They had made the turn successfully. The motor was working harder than it had going downstream. They were moving upstream without delay. The swans had gained even more numbers and were coming towards them in a triangular wedge formation to their left, led by the swan couple Johannes had seen when he first crossed the swinging bridge. The formation was mid river moving in a dance rhythm; first diagonally and downstream to the left, and one, two, three, four, and diagonally and downstream to the right, and one, two, three, four, and repeat. The whole kindergarten class was watching spellbound.
The swans passed, still in formation. Now the children moved to the back railing and one of the tall kindergartners watched the swans through the viewing binoculars. Angelina brought over a plastic stool, and each of them took a turn while the others waited patiently. One child was sleeping on a bench by the cargo boxes.
Everything was under control. The captain put the steering on autopilot and sat down next to Johannes. It had occurred to him that he might also need art supplies. He explained where he intended to go after the boat tour and asked Johannes if he would like to join him.
He was entirely out of folio paper. So he agreed.
The captain got back to steering. He never left the boat on autopilot for long.
When they reached the swimming area everyone was lined up along the shore watching an aquatic presentation by the local high school women’s aquatic swimming team which was being performed on and around the raft where the swimmers had been sunbathing. The aquatic dancers were diving off in groups of three; regrouping in the water, and doing their routine. Music was coming from a speaker on the lifeguard tower.
The captain paused for the finale. Angelina spoke to the children who scurried to that side to get a closer look. The atmosphere was festive. The swimmers’ matching lavender swimsuits were decorated with lime colored bows that matched their caps. Their swimming teacher, a woman wearing training, was standing on the shore giving directions with hand signs. The toddlers, in the shallows, and their mothers, were watching the show.
Their villages were totally gone, and in their place were towers, which were looking like miniature leaning towers of Pizza.
Johannes was observing Angelina with the children, and wondering how he could keep her in his world.
He would have to say something.
Angelina was having similar thoughts. She was usually level headed. She also didn’t have a lot of time on her hands. Being a kindergarten teacher was demanding, and she trained a few hours most days as well. In short, she had no time for nonsense.
But this didn’t feel like nonsense to her.
He looks like something out of Shakespeare, she thought.
Whenever she caught a glance of Johannes, he was drawing.
She had seen the captain sit down next to him, and leave soon after.
Maybe she could sit down by him for a moment, she thought. Perhaps he would let her see what he was drawing. This was as good a moment as any, she thought.
Angelina sat down in the seat by Johannes. She didn’t know what to say, and this is what came out:
“I noticed you’ve been drawing. I’d love to see.”
Neither of them knew what to say. Johannes was flattered that she was interested in his drawing; flattered that she wanted to see his sketches; flattered that she was here, sitting right by his side.
Their embarrassment didn’t last long as one of the children hit, and was about to bite, Annie. She was screaming and crying at the same time.
Angelina said, “So sorry”, went over, separated the children, and took Annie onto her lap.
Johannes was wishing he was Annie.
He took the notebook out of his bag and set it down on the seat Angelina had taken, hoping she would find her way back soon.
All the kindergartners were tired and restless. Angelina had four around her now, and Annie on her lap. She was playing rhyming hand games with them, and none of them looked like they would be willing to relinquish her any time soon. He thought of his sister Gerty, who was the same age as the kindergarteners.1 She loved looking at his sketchbooks. Maybe he could make things easier for Angelina and also give her what she had already asked for.
He got up and brought her the notebook.
- It is historically true that Johannes Vermeer had a sister Gerty, who was the same age as the kindergarteners. ↩︎
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