by Langdon, L.
She found what she wanted prominently displayed on Mindy’s catch-all shelf. The letter was postmarked a week ago. For just a second, she stared at it, grinning, as she took in her mother’s handwriting. Then, the apprehension started seeping in. Would they disapprove? Would they scold her for such a dramatic deviation from their plan?
She tore it open carefully—for some reason she wanted to be able to save the envelope—and started to read.
Dear Gerri,
Well! You surely know how to astonish us. You could probably hear our jaws hitting the floor all the way up in Alaska. Alaska!! We’ve hardly been able to stop talking about it. You can stop worrying about exciting Marilyn’s interest. She and Joetta have been telling all of their friends about their big sister—the world traveler. And the size of the check you sent had Marilyn’s eyes popping out of her head.
Your father and I are a little worried about you, though. It can be a big, ugly world out there. Just remember that. I know, I know. You’ve met some very nice people. But not everybody is like that. We talked (after the kids went to bed) about you. Don’t tell him I said so, but at first he wanted to insist that you come back immediately. But we know (even if we forget sometimes) that you are grown. And apparently, you’re not spending our money anymore—rich girl!
We’ll save the money you sent and give it back to you when you come home. Don’t worry about paying us back for the trip; that was our graduation present to you.
Speaking of presents, please send us some pictures. You’ve told us how beautiful it is up there, and I hope you’ve been using that new camera of yours.
Have you seen a glacier yet? I hope you do. They seem unreal to all of us. Maybe a picture of you standing in front of one will convince us that they really exist. (ha, ha)
We got a letter from Rich. He’s stationed at some big base and he hasn’t had to go out into the jungle yet. So that’s good. It’s hard to get used to my kids being scattered all over the world. Who would have believed this even six months ago?
Mr. Harrison came by the other day. As we had feared, he is no longer a principal, but he does work at the integrated high school. He’s looking out for you, but he warns you that you won’t be able to teach high school math—at least not at first. These are difficult times for him (and for all of us), but we hope that things will get better in time.
Love,
Ma, Dad, and your sisters
P.S. Pictures, pictures, send pictures! Not just of the lovely scenery, but of these people you talk about.
P.P.S. Do you remember our talk on your graduation day? I told you to watch for opportunities for adventure and to embrace them. Well, I can’t help but laugh: you certainly listened to your old Ma, didn’t you?
Gerri leaned back, blinking tears as she smiled. This letter reminded her of how much she missed her family. Even beyond the distances involved, she had never been away from home for this long in her life.
And they weren’t angry—at least not seriously so. She read the letter through again and reluctantly folded it up. Pictures—yes she could do that. Mindy would certainly pose for pictures. Sven? Gerri would try to get more pictures of him. Maybe when he showed her the glacier. This would give her a good excuse.
Finally, she stood up and stretched. She had plenty to do today, and she wanted to do it all before Mindy got home, so she could tell her about her experiences.
___
As they lifted Sven’s fathometer out of its mounting, Sven could tell that Wally was itching to speak. Sven rested it on the gunwale and looked at Wally questioningly. They knew each other well enough that it was unnecessary to say anything.
“What’s up with you and the girl? You seem pretty cozy.”
Sven glared at him. He damn well knows her name. “You mean Gerri?”
Wally actively cultivated his curmudgeonly persona. And he was not averse to yanking Sven’s chain. But he wanted to make a serious point, and antagonizing Sven wasn’t going to help him do it. He nodded shamefacedly. “Yeah, Gerri. Look, I’ve got nothing against her. She seems like an OK person, and from what you say, she’s learned the basics of seamanship pretty quickly, umm…” He turned involuntarily toward the piling that Gerri had just braced against, but turned back immediately. Sven knew that she’d made a mistake—misjudging the momentum of the oncoming boat—and Wally didn’t want to get sidetracked. “It’s just that she’s got you pretty fond of her. I don’t want to see you hornswoggled again.”
Sven didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl. “That’s wrong in so many ways. First, if you’re talking about Laura…”
“Bingo.”
“That was a disaster; I don’t deny it. But I don’t think Laura was faking her affection—at least not entirely.”
“We’ve had this discussion before. We disagree, but I’m not trying to rub salt in your wounds. You said ‘first.’ Is there a second point?”
“Yes. I meant what I said years ago. I’ve carved out a reasonable life for myself, and I’m not looking to add a woman to that life. Gerri’s not looking for romance either. She’s a kid—just out of college—and she’s having the adventure of her life. And I admire her. Can you imagine how much courage it must have taken to just take off like that? She had never travelled before in her life.”
“Maybe you don’t have to be looking for romance. She acts like she likes you. And you…” Wally trailed off with a shrug. Sven’s personality had changed when Laura died. When he was young, he had been cheerful and had displayed a quirky, somewhat offbeat way of viewing the world that manifested itself frequently in rather outrageous puns. After her death, he had closed up, abandoning such humor entirely. Sven’s affection for Gerri was palpably obvious from both his pun and their horseplay when they docked, but pointing that out would only make him angry.
“Well nobody is looking, you can set your mind at ease. And she’s not interested in me that way.” Sven ruthlessly suppressed the flash of pleasure that the prospect of her interest provoked. “She’s a college graduate, bright as a penny, pretty as the dickens, and very sweet natured. She’ll find some college guy back in South Carolina. She wouldn’t settle for an old, broken down fisherman.”
That last statement had done nothing to reassure Wally, but pointing it out would be worthless. He nodded. “Let’s get your fathometer.”
Sven was grateful that the inquisition was over, but he couldn’t resist. “There is a third point.”
Wally eyed him warily. “Oh?”
He grinned. “Yes. We’ve got to get you up to Taku Books and buy you some new Westerns. You have to be the only guy in the last fifty years who has used the word ‘hornswoggled.’”
After he had delivered the malfunctioning fathometer to the repair shop and dropped Wally off, Sven turned his thoughts back to their conversation. The very fact that Wally had been at least nominally polite signaled to Sven that he was seriously concerned.
Sven sighed. He really didn’t want to think about this. Was he encouraging an inappropriate relationship with Gerri? No, he told himself. He was fond of her—probably too fond of her. But that was his problem and any grief would be only his. He thought about how much willpower it had cost him during the last slow dance in Pelican not to pull her close, cup her behind in his hands, and just stand there swaying. And when they’d gotten back to the boat, he’d wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and carry her to his cabin. He was human, after all.
But he had not—and would not—take advantage of her, even if that were possible. He was her boss and her mentor, as well as being considerably older than she. He couldn’t help but wonder how his life might have been different if Gerri had grown up with him, before his life went off the rails. He shook his head irritably. Those thoughts were pointless. He would, he vowed, protect her and help her to have the best adventure ever. He wanted her to remember him fondly.
Then, another ugly thought intruded. Mindy. That was a ticking time bomb. Eventually, Gerri was going to say
something to Mindy—some casual remark which would lead Mindy to put two and two together. He’d be lucky if Gerri would even speak to him after Mindy got through with her.
___
Gerri smiled happily as she left the bank. She now had her first checking account. And what an exotic one! She tried to imagine people’s reactions as she ever so casually wrote one in the grocery store back home—the little one owned by the black couple. The bigger stores—the white owned—might refuse to accept a check from her on a bank in Juneau, Alaska. So be it—they would just lose her business. Of course, her checks wouldn’t be printed for a couple of weeks yet, but that was OK. She had kept some cash for miscellaneous expenses, like the book store, which she was now approaching.
The small woman sitting behind a table in the back of Taku Books dragged on a cigarette and gave Gerri a curious look as she entered the store. Evidently, Gerri passed muster, and the woman spoke. “Good morning. May I help you with anything?”
“Thank you, but I’ll just browse for a bit.”
Gerri picked out several cheap pocket books—she didn’t intend to let her money burn a hole in her pocket too soon—and then she settled in to look at the hardbacks. She chose a couple—a history of Alaska that she told herself she would read someday and a used book—an old one—called ‘Travels in Alaska.’ That one sounded particularly interesting. The author was an explorer who had done considerable walking in the wilderness of Southeast Alaska many years ago. Maybe she would get some ideas for walks.
As Gerri browsed, she heard the front door start to open and then stop. When she looked up, there was a frail looking woman who was evidently having trouble pushing the door. Gerri quickly moved to the door and held it open for her.
“Thank you,” the woman said as she stepped into the store. Gerri could hear the rasp of her breath as she passed her.
The woman behind the table—Rosie Craig, Sven had told her—greeted the new arrival as an old friend. “Hello, Mrs. Kallek. I’m glad you could make it. Your book came in.” She rang up Gerri’s purchases as Mrs. Kallek sank into a chair with a sigh.
After Gerri paid her, Ms. Craig pulled a book from under the counter and handed it to Mrs. Kallek. “There you are. Fresh from the lower 48: a brand new copy of ‘Men of Mathematics’ for you and your students.”
Gerri’s ears perked up at that. She had actually read that book in school. Was Mrs. Kallek a teacher? She didn’t want to butt into their conversation, but she dawdled rather than leaving the store immediately.
“I’ve been looking forward to it,” said Mrs. Kallek. “Now all I need is a book on women in mathematics.”
“Women in mathematics?” Ms. Craig chuckled as she spoke. “Are there any?”
“Oh, heavens yes. But try telling that to my female high school students.”
Gerri couldn’t stand it anymore. Rude or not, she murmured as she opened the door to leave: “Emmy Noether; Julia Robinson—among many others.” Instantly, she blushed at her temerity, but Mrs. Kallek was delighted.
“Good for you, young lady. See,” she turned to Ms. Craig, “There are plenty of women in mathematics. They just aren’t well-known.”
Gerri smiled a farewell and left hastily. In the South, she would have been considered rude—or even uppity—for interrupting her elders’ conversation, but Mrs. Kallek seemed not to have minded at all. As she walked up the street, she was burning with curiosity about Mrs. Kallek. She would love to talk to her about teaching, but she hadn’t had the courage to ask.
Before she had gone a block, she changed her mind. Mrs. Kallek had seemed very nice. Why shouldn’t Gerri talk to her? She had to remember that she was an adult now. And this wasn’t the South. One teacher—well almost a teacher—talking to another: why not?
Mrs. Kallek had left the store, but she was walking slowly and Gerri caught up to her quickly.
“Excuse me,” Gerri said. Then she stopped. She realized that she didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t make her seem silly. ‘I just wanted to say hello to a real teacher.’ or maybe ‘What’s it like being a teacher here?’
She needn’t have worried. Mrs. Kallek beamed at her. “There you are. You ran away so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to talk to you.” She shifted her book and extended her hand. “I’m Helen Kallek and, as you probably gathered, I teach math at Juneau-Douglas High School.”
“I’m Gerri Barton. I’m not a teacher yet, but I just graduated from college and I hope to teach high school math when I get back home.”
“And home is?”
“South Carolina.”
“Oh, my. You’re a long ways away. How did you end up here?”
They walked slowly as they talked, and Gerri found herself explaining about her adventure, her hopes, and even about her journal of teaching ideas. Mrs. Kallek confessed that she had taught for 47 years. Finally, Mrs. Kallek stopped in front of an office building. “I have a doctor’s appointment in here, so I’ll have to go, but I’d love to talk to you some more. And I’d love to see that journal of yours.”
“I’d be happy to show it to you. Maybe you can tell me if some of my ideas don’t make sense.”
Mrs. Kallek smiled mischievously. “Or maybe I can steal some of your ideas for myself. Can you come to Taku Books tomorrow morning? About 11?”
Gerri was nodding almost before the question was out. They said their goodbyes and Gerri was on her way. She had thought that she was in a good mood before the bookstore, but she was even more excited now. She had so much to look forward to. She would talk to Mindy tonight and maybe help her with her petition. Sven would take her to see a glacier the day after tomorrow. And now, she would get a chance to trade notes with an experienced teacher—one who seemed to value Gerri’s opinions. She felt like she was walking on air.
Chapter 17
Gerri decided to share her good mood: she would cook a dinner for Mindy and to celebrate her own return. After stopping at the grocery for supplies, she hurried back to the apartment. She could just about have the meal on the table when Mindy got home from work.
Mindy came in as Gerri was finishing up. “You’re back, sailor! Something smells really good in here.”
“Meatloaf and string beans. They’ll be ready in about ten minutes, if you’re interested. How have you been?”
“Busy. You certainly are a bundle of energy for someone just back in town.”
“I’m just in a really good mood, so I decided that you wouldn’t mind if I cooked.”
“Mind? Are you kidding? So what put you in such a good mood?”
“Well, the latest thing… Do you know a Mrs. Kallek?”
“The math teacher? Sure. She’s nice. I liked her.”
“Me, too.”
“How did you run into her?”
“I met her in Taku Books and we talked.” Gerri decided to leave out the part about her initial loss of nerve. “She was very nice and very interesting. She wants to see the journal that I’ve been keeping, so I’m going to see her again tomorrow.”
“That’s nice.”
Gerri could tell that Mindy didn’t feel her level of enthusiasm. “It’s very gratifying to have someone who’s as experienced as she is take me seriously and take an interest in me.”
“I can understand that.” Now Mindy remembered the insecurities that Gerri had confessed to earlier. “I think that she would appreciate someone who’s as dedicated as you.”
“I hope so. That would mean a lot to me.” Gerri turned off the final burner on the stove. “Tell me about her.”
“I’ve heard that she’s been sick lately, but she used to be really something.” As they ate, Mindy shared several anecdotes, including one very embarrassing one involving her unsuccessful attempt to sneak a late assignment onto Mrs. Kallek’s desk after hours. “You better not tell anyone about that or I’ll never forgive you.”
Gerri grinned. “I promise. What did she do to you when she caught you coming out of her room?”
“She di
dn’t do anything, but she didn’t have to. I’ve never been more humiliated in my life. We talked about it and about responsibility. I’d never done anything like that before and I never did again. Laura could get away with all kinds of stuff by sweet-talking someone and looking innocent, but I couldn’t. I was afraid to try.”
“I’m like you. It’s too easy to imagine how disappointed my parents would be.”
“Delicious,” Mindy said as they finished and gather up the dishes. “My turn next time.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Mindy washed the dishes as Gerri dried them. She remembered Gerri’s opening remarks. “You said ‘the latest thing.’ What other adventures have you had?”
“I opened my first checking account today. And I got paid, so I actually had some money to put in it. I can hardly wait to show off my Alaskan checks when I get back home.”
“Cool. That should surprise them.”
“And I have time to help you with your political work—for a couple of days, at least.”
That got Mindy’s attention. “That’s great. I’ve got another paper for you to edit, if it’s all right. That boyfriend of yours was a jerk, but I thank him for helping you hone your writing skills.”
“There must be more painless ways of getting those skills, but you’re right. I’m glad I have them, one way or the other.”
Mindy sat down and watched as Gerri put the last of the dishes away. “Oh, one more thing,” Gerri added. “Last, but not least, I’m going to get to see a glacier. Sven is going to take me out to Mendenhall Glacier the day after tomorrow. So I’ll have that part of my adventure.”
As she closed the cabinet, Gerri sensed that something was different. It was almost as if the air had changed—gotten thicker and more laden with tension. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Mindy staring at her with horror. Her face was pale.
“Sven? You mean Sven Halvorsen? Is he the fisherman you work for?”
“Yes, do you know him?” Too late, Gerri remembered Mindy’s words weeks ago: ‘I only know one fisherman, and I hate his guts.’ Now she didn’t know what to say in the face of Mindy’s rancor. It didn’t matter. Mindy wasn’t waiting for Gerri to talk anyway.
