Chapter Four-Aidan's Quest

Chapter 4
Aidan

      Aidan was ready by 6 a.m., even before he heard his mother’s shower running.  The backpack was by his bedroom door, filled with his weapon book, a flashlight in case he needed one, a notebook and some pencils, and some snacks.  He already had some questions written down in his notebook.  Now, he just had to wait until 7:30 for Mr. Wade to get there.  Mr. Wade was fun for an old guy.  He knew a lot and if he didn’t know something, Aidan was sure he knew somebody to ask.  Mr. Wade knew everybody.  At least, he knew everybody in their neighborhood.  Aidan wished he could make friends like Mr. Wade.  Maybe he could learn even more than facts about World War II weapons.  Maybe he could learn to act normal so other people would like him and pick him at P.E before the last kid was left.  He was so tired of being the last kid all the time. 

    Aidan fixed himself some cereal and pulled his big book out of his backpack.  He had a few minutes and he wanted to make sure he wrote down everything he was curious about.  Mr. Wade might need to take him again another day ‘cause he had a lot of questions.  Aidan thought it was funny how kids didn’t want him to ask questions but grown-ups seemed to like it.  That’s why Mr. Wade is his best friend.  Luke thinks he is but he’s really not.  His mom would probably tell him he could think that but he didn’t need to say it because it might hurt Luke’s feelings.  So he decided to keep that thought in his head for now and hoped it didn’t just slip out sometime when he wasn’t thinking. 

    Aidan jumped when there was a knock at the door.  He knew who it was, though, and ran to open the door and greet Mr. Wade. 

    “I’ll tell mom you’re here.  Be right back.  Don’t leave, okay?  Aidan ran up to the bathroom and yelled for his mom.  “Mr. Wade is here, can we go now?”

    “Just a minute, honey.  I’ll be right out.  Offer Mr. Wade some coffee, made it this morning.”

    Aidan ran back downstairs and repeated what his mother said.  Mr. Wade fixed Aidan a cup also, with a little more milk than he puts in Margo’s coffee.  It made Aidan feel big to drink coffee with the grown-ups. 

    “You know how to play Scrabble, don’t you, Son?  I thought I’d teach you how if you didn’t know.  I like to play games and we have to find something interesting to occupy our time this summer.” 

    “I thought we were going to meet some World War II soldiers.  That’s what I want to do.  We are going this morning, right?  That’s what you said yesterday.  I already have my backpack ready and here’s my book with my questions on the notebook.  I’m ready to go.  When are we going?”

    “Cool your jets, young man.  I don’t back out on my promises if I can help it.  We have to wait until the nurses make their rounds and the residents are able to shake the cobwebs off and get social.  Takes us old folks a little time to stretch our sore muscles and drink some coffee.  You kids have to be patient with us, Aidan.  Handle some of us with care.  You want folks to be patient with you, right?” 

    “Why do they have cobwebs on them,  Mr.  Wade.  They just sit there all day till the spiders get on them.  Ewww, yuck.”  Aidan didn’t always understand the things grown-ups said.  They just don’t make sense sometimes. 

    “Not real cobwebs, kiddo, just a figure of speech.  It means that when we are old, our joints get stiff and our brains take a few extra minutes to get sharp and alert.  Like when you leave a toy outside for a while and the wheels don’t turn as easy because of rust or dirt and cobwebs are sticking to it sometimes.  Every notice that, Aidan?”

    “One time, I left my scooter outside on the porch, and it had a spider web on it that went all the way to the roof of the porch.  It was neat to look at but I don’t like spiders.  They give me the creeps.” 

  “So, you want to play Scrabble or what.  We can’t leave until 9 to go to the nursing home.  That’s a whole hour and a half.  Think you can beat me in that time?”

    “Yep, I mean, yes sir.  I can beat you.  I beat my mom all the time.  She can spell good but I can spell even better.  Just wait.  You better get a dictionary, ‘cause Mom says sometimes I make words up and she doesn’t believe they’re really words.”  Aidan got closer to Mr. Wade and whispered in his ear.  “But they really are words.  She found  them in that dictionary and she couldn’t believe I was only nine and I knew those words.  Sometimes I just guess but I still get it right.”

    “You pick me out some tiles and don’t you look, I’m watching you.  I’m going to fix your mom some coffee to go.  She’s running late and I hear her coming down the stairs.” 

    “Aidan, you sure were up early this morning.  Are you going to beat Mr. Wade at his game?  Watch him, Mr. Wade , he’s good… really good. ”  Margo took the coffee Mr. Wade passed to her in the travel mug with Aidan’s picture on the front.  He was making a goofy face and was about six, not a tooth in his mouth; or so it looked.  He had lost all four front teeth just a few days before the picture was taken.  Aidan knew it was his mom’s favorite mug.  He told Mr. Wade that was the one he should put the coffee in because it would make his mom smile.  He was right.

    “You boys don’t get in too much trouble today.  I have my cell phone on so give me a call if you need me.  Lunch is in the fridge or there’s some money on the counter if you take him out.  Mr. Wade, thanks so much for this.  I know he won’t be any trouble.  Just don’t let him talk their ears off, okay?”

    “Don’t worry, Margo, half of them can’t hear anyway.  They’ll just be happy for some company.  We’ll be fine.  You go make some money and we’ll just knock around down spending it.  Sound good to you?” 

    “Sure, if it’s yours you two are spending.  Have fun, guys.  See you at five.  Oh, if you are at the nursing home at noon, come find me and we can get lunch together in the dining hall.  The food’s not great but it’s cheap.”

    The boys, that is, Mr. Wade and Aidan-shooed her out the door and returned to their Scrabble game.  Aidan got serious about board games and he played to win.  He knew he would make Mr. Wade wish they had gone to the nursing home early.  He smiled as he continued to find words, making Mr. Wade get worried.  This was fun, he thought, much better than daycare. 

    It was nine and they still hadn’t finished the game.  Aidan wrote who was to start next on a piece of paper and threw his backpack over one shoulder. He had been ready all morning and was practically dragging Mr. Wade out the door.  “Are we walking or driving, Mr. Wade.  Are your cobwebs gone now?”

    “Sure are, let’s walk today.  It’s nice outside, the birds are chirping and I’m glad to be alive.  How ‘bout you?  Are you glad to be alive today, Aidan?” 

    “Yes Sir.”  Aidan was surprised he remembered the sir.  Who are we visiting first?  Was he in World War II?

    “Nope, we’re visiting Mildred first.  That’s Mrs. Riseman to you, son.  I can’t wait for you to meet her.  She is truly an amazing woman.”

    “Is she your girlfriend, Mr. Wade.  Aidan couldn’t wait to go home and tell her mother Mr. Wade had a girlfriend.  Now, now maybe she will get a boyfriend.  She hadn’t gone on a date in a long time.  He couldn’t even remember when it was.  “Mr. Wade, has my momma ever dated anybody since my daddy?  I don’t remember anybody.” 

    “You’re going to have to ask her that one, kiddo.  And no, Mrs. Riseman is not my girlfriend.  She’s just a good friend and happens to make it her business to know everything about all the residents.  You could say she is a bit mysterious too, but the residents love her and she provides a great service to this community.”

    “What does she do for everybody?” 

“Well, son, she has a gift of sorts.  She can… how can I say this…she has contact with the dead.  Your mother would have my head if she find out I was telling you this.  Never mind that, son, the point is that Mildred’s the one to ask if you want to know who was in what war and who married whom and who’s new in the nursing home.  She just knows.  No other way to put it.  And best of all, she has this mysterious accent.  After you meet her, I want to see if you can figure out where she is from.  You ask her some questions.  But Aidan, ask her about herself, not about World War II weapons, at least when you first meet her.  Okay?

    “Okay, Mr. Wade.  You sure do sound like my counselor.  Have you been talking to her too? 

    “Well, yes and no.  Your mom told me some things the counselor said then I looked some other things up.  I’ve been reading books about kids who are really smart but have problems with friends and the books said to work on social skills.  Consider this your homework today.  Bet you didn’t know you were getting homework?
   
    “Does mom know what you’re up to, Mr. Wade?”  Aidan had hands on his hips like he was about to tell on Mr. Wade if he didn’t say she already knew.
 
    “Don’t even try to tell on me, boy.  Your momma knows everything.  Why else do you think she’s letting you hang out with me all summer?”

    “She doesn’t know about the lady that talks to dead people.”

    “Alright, boy, you got me there.  C’mon and let me introduce you to her.  Shake her hand and say ‘ma’am’ if you answer yes or no.  Don’t forget, okay.  These old people love a polite little gentleman.  You do this and they will tell you whatever you want to know.  Remember, find out about her first, okay?”

    “Okay.”  Aidan drew the words out longer than necessary and cocked his head sideways, adding a little roll of the eyes.  If he’d known he couldn’t talk to anyone about the book today, he would have left the heavy backpack behind. 

    “Alfred, darling, who did you bring to see me?  Does his mother know you got this boy here?  What are you up to, old man? 

    “Mildred, this is Aidan.  His momma’s the social worker here.  Aidan, this is Mrs. Riseman.”  Aidan reached out to shake her hand.  He didn’t have to reach up, though, as she was not much taller than he was. 

    “Oh, what manners this boy has.  You been working with him, I see.”  She looked at Aidan and added, “You stick with that man, he’ll teach you to be a little politician, he will.  Shaking hands and kissing babies, that’s what he does.  Mr. Wade, your charms won’t work with me.  You can’t get my vote.  I never became a citizen here, you know.  Some red tape I never bothered to correct.  So see, you can stop, what do you call it, ‘kissing up’ because it won’t work, old man.” 

      Aidan tried to bite his tongue but lost the battle.  “Mrs. Riseman, where are you from?  I saw a movie about Germany in World War II but you don’t sound German.  You sound Russian maybe.  Is that it?  Are you Russian? 

    “The kid’s smart, Alfred, bet he’ll keep you on your toes today.  You like history, do you, boy?.  You just visit any time.  I tell you what I know.  Okay?  Don’t listen to this old guy tell you watch your tongue.  I see you trying to be polite but your toes are wiggling and you’re dying to let it all out.  Am I right?”

    Aidan’s mouth was wide open in astonishment.  He looked at Mr. Wade, then to Mrs. Riseman and then back to Mr. Wade.  “How’d she know that?  Did you tell her about me?” 

    Mrs. Riseman put her slender arm on her hip and pointed the finger on her other hand right toward Mr. Wade’s face.  “You didn’t tell him, did you?  Mr. Wade, you scare this boy to death.  He thinks I read his mind.  You…you are so foolish, old man.  What were you thinking?  You should be ashamed of yourself, warping this boys mind like that.”  She looked back at Aidan, “I’m not a witch, I promise.  Don’t listen to this man.  He’s just pulling your foot.” 

    Aidan looked at his foot and back at Mr. Wade with a confused look on his face just as Mr. Wade handed him a dollar and asked him to get a snack at the vending machine a few doors down.  “But I have a snack in here.”  He pointed to his backpack. 

    “Well, get me some crackers, then and bring back the change.”

    Aidan didn’t understand why he was being so strange all the sudden.  He was a little hungry, though.  He took his time deciding what he wanted and walked slowly toward the room where Mr. Wade and Mrs. Riseman were talking.  They seemed to be fussing quietly but he didn’t think he was supposed to be listening.  He sat right outside the door, against the wall so they wouldn’t see him.  That is when he heard Mrs. Riseman arguing with Mr. Wade.

    “Don’t tell him anything, Alfred.  Not yet, I’m not ready.  I’m waiting to hear from Lynn.  You just take him to meet Mr. Kelly.  He’s a nice man, was in the war, you know.  That boy, he will be happy with that.  He ask a lot of questions, you know.  So keep your mouth shut for once, old man.  I will come out and say a nice goodbye but don’t …” 

    Aidan was getting up and must have moved into the doorway a little.  “You back so soon, young man?  You buy your old friend a snack to make his blood sugar go up?  Mr. Wade, let that boy have the treat.  It’s no good for you, or that little gut I see there.”  Mrs. Riseman poked Mr. Wade’s belly with her finger.   

    “It’s just crackers, that’s all.”  Aidan looked at Mrs. Riseman, then he turned toward Mr. Wade.  “Can we go see Mr. Kelly now?”  He saw their eyes widen and realized he gave himself away.  He was going to get in trouble now, he thought, because he was sneaking and heard their conversation.  Mr. Wade’s gruff words confirmed what he feared.

    “It’s time to go, young man.  Shake the lady’s hand.”  Mr. Wade held onto Aidan’s other hand and squeezed too hard.  “We’ll talk about this later, Mildred.” 

    “Good bye.  So nice to meet you, finally.  You come visit me again, Aidan.  We’ll have to gossip about your old friend, Mr. Wade, sometime.  You’d be amazed what I could tell you that you didn’t know about him.

    “That’s enough, Mildred.  C’mon Aidan, lets go.  We have people to see.”

    Aidan followed Mr. Wade down the hall.  He looked back to see Mrs. Riseman looking back at him-really looking at him.  She wasn’t smiling, either.  It made the hairs stand on Aidan’s neck.  He shrugged and walked faster to keep up with Mr. Wade.

words  6-16-08