Travelers?”
“The what?”
“Those gypsies who marry off their girls before they’re out of elementary school. The Travelers.”
“You have a very unique education, Doris. For a biker chick.”
Jennifer laughed. “I like the news magazine shows—like 60 Minutes. Now, how about some eggs and fruit?”
“Fine, then. You’ve been here about a month, haven’t you, Doris?”
“Just about. Want some whole wheat toast?”
“No butter. You must like Boulder City a little or you would’ve moved on. At least to better employment.”
“Come on, Dr. Barstow—I couldn’t ask for more than this!”
Jennifer loved the way Louise’s face brightened whenever she titled her. The first time she did so, Louise told her straight out that it felt rather good to be given that title. After all, she’d come up through the ranks of academia at a time when women were still being admitted with some reluctance.
“Buzz is lucky to have you. You should make him tell you so twice a day.”
“He is as free with praise as with pay,” she said.
Louise continually surprised her. She was so amazingly observant, for one thing. The first time a couple of Boulder City cops came in and Jennifer found her herself ducking their stares, Louise had said, “If you’re going to be so obvious, they’re going to know you don’t want to be recognized. Look ’em in the eye—that’ll fool ’em for sure.”
Taken aback, she had replied, “Are you saying they’re not all that sharp?”
Louise had shrugged. “We have very little for them to do here in Boulder City, Doris.”
Louise had taken to recommending books to Jennifer and every day she went to the library, reading them quickly. In just one month she’d gone through all of Jo-Ann Mapson, Alice Hoffman and Alexander McCall Smith. Louise had speckled some nonfiction in there, as well— Women and the American Experience, for starters. That took Jennifer more than one day to get through.
Jennifer took a dog biscuit outside to Alice, gave her some pets, then returned to the diner to wash her hands. She then delivered the fruit and toast to Louise.
“Doris, I see you’re letting that hair grow in a little. I wondered what color it was. It’s darker than I imagined.”
“It’s darker than I remembered, ” Jennifer laughed. “I doubt I’ll let it get any longer than an inch, tops.”
“I just can’t imagine what you were thinking. Egad.”
“I thought it would be quite a statement. Bold. Different.”
Louise lifted her eyebrows questioningly. “Is that a fact?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Well, unfortunately it made you look more like a thug. But this is better, this little bit of hair.” She reached a gnarled hand out and patted Jennifer’s head. “I have to tell you that when you smile, you are transformed. And your smile doesn’t really fit with this look—with the piercings and army clothes. But, I’ve never been very good at fashion.” Then Louise abruptly changed the subject. “Is it too late to make it a vegetable omelet? Egg substitute?”
“Not at all. I told you you’d find your appetite once you got started. I’ll have it right up,” she said, taking the order slip to Adolfo. And then, per her routine, she went back to Louise’s table. “I finished The Seasons Of Women. Do you have another suggestion? I’ll be taking it back to the library this afternoon.”
“Hmm. Have you read Gift from the Sea? ”
“No, I don’t think so. I’ve always enjoyed reading, but I’ve never been able to do so much. There isn’t much else to do here.”
“We’re a dull lot,” she said.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it to sound that way. There’s no TV where I’m staying and I thought it would be tough, but I like it. It’s a nice change.”
“Change from what?” Louise ventured.
“Someday I’ll tell you all about it, but right now I have to do my chores.” She smiled and got away without telling anything. Again.
Jennifer brought Louise more
“The what?”
“Those gypsies who marry off their girls before they’re out of elementary school. The Travelers.”
“You have a very unique education, Doris. For a biker chick.”
Jennifer laughed. “I like the news magazine shows—like 60 Minutes. Now, how about some eggs and fruit?”
“Fine, then. You’ve been here about a month, haven’t you, Doris?”
“Just about. Want some whole wheat toast?”
“No butter. You must like Boulder City a little or you would’ve moved on. At least to better employment.”
“Come on, Dr. Barstow—I couldn’t ask for more than this!”
Jennifer loved the way Louise’s face brightened whenever she titled her. The first time she did so, Louise told her straight out that it felt rather good to be given that title. After all, she’d come up through the ranks of academia at a time when women were still being admitted with some reluctance.
“Buzz is lucky to have you. You should make him tell you so twice a day.”
“He is as free with praise as with pay,” she said.
Louise continually surprised her. She was so amazingly observant, for one thing. The first time a couple of Boulder City cops came in and Jennifer found her herself ducking their stares, Louise had said, “If you’re going to be so obvious, they’re going to know you don’t want to be recognized. Look ’em in the eye—that’ll fool ’em for sure.”
Taken aback, she had replied, “Are you saying they’re not all that sharp?”
Louise had shrugged. “We have very little for them to do here in Boulder City, Doris.”
Louise had taken to recommending books to Jennifer and every day she went to the library, reading them quickly. In just one month she’d gone through all of Jo-Ann Mapson, Alice Hoffman and Alexander McCall Smith. Louise had speckled some nonfiction in there, as well— Women and the American Experience, for starters. That took Jennifer more than one day to get through.
Jennifer took a dog biscuit outside to Alice, gave her some pets, then returned to the diner to wash her hands. She then delivered the fruit and toast to Louise.
“Doris, I see you’re letting that hair grow in a little. I wondered what color it was. It’s darker than I imagined.”
“It’s darker than I remembered, ” Jennifer laughed. “I doubt I’ll let it get any longer than an inch, tops.”
“I just can’t imagine what you were thinking. Egad.”
“I thought it would be quite a statement. Bold. Different.”
Louise lifted her eyebrows questioningly. “Is that a fact?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Well, unfortunately it made you look more like a thug. But this is better, this little bit of hair.” She reached a gnarled hand out and patted Jennifer’s head. “I have to tell you that when you smile, you are transformed. And your smile doesn’t really fit with this look—with the piercings and army clothes. But, I’ve never been very good at fashion.” Then Louise abruptly changed the subject. “Is it too late to make it a vegetable omelet? Egg substitute?”
“Not at all. I told you you’d find your appetite once you got started. I’ll have it right up,” she said, taking the order slip to Adolfo. And then, per her routine, she went back to Louise’s table. “I finished The Seasons Of Women. Do you have another suggestion? I’ll be taking it back to the library this afternoon.”
“Hmm. Have you read Gift from the Sea? ”
“No, I don’t think so. I’ve always enjoyed reading, but I’ve never been able to do so much. There isn’t much else to do here.”
“We’re a dull lot,” she said.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it to sound that way. There’s no TV where I’m staying and I thought it would be tough, but I like it. It’s a nice change.”
“Change from what?” Louise ventured.
“Someday I’ll tell you all about it, but right now I have to do my chores.” She smiled and got away without telling anything. Again.
Jennifer brought Louise more
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