Read Online Summer of Joy by Ann H. Gabhart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann H. Gabhart
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strayed over to the door.
“Right?” he shot back at her. “What do you know about destiny?”
“I guess everybody has one,” Jocie ventured.
“Again you have an answer.” Mr. Hammond pointed his pen toward her. “But have you thought about your destiny? Whether you are destined for greatness or destined to grow up, live out your life in this small hamlet, and never do anything of note. I believe a person can plan out his own destiny. Shape his life. Not that a detour doesn’t occur at times. Such as this year in Hollyhill. But perhaps even here destiny awaits. Perhaps I will find the love of my life or write my first literary masterpiece. Do you think that’s possible?”
“I guess so.” Jocie grabbed at his last remark as a way to get back to a semblance of a normal interview. “So you aren’t married?”
“You knew that already.” He looked smug now as if he’d caught her in some mistake and it pleased him. “Every girl in the school knew I wasn’t married before the end of the first day I was here. Single and available. Be sure to put that in your article. Who knows? The love of my life might be one of your subscribers. And it could be that I want to get married.”
“Why?” Jocie was sorry she asked as soon as the word was out of her mouth. She should have just mumbled “right” again and said thank you before making her escape out the door. That’s what it was feeling more and more like. As if she needed to make an escape.
“Vietnam.” He looked angry for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and started twirling his pen again as he said, “Our noble president is allowing our country to be sucked into that conflict on the other side of the world. In the name of freedom, he says. But there is little freedom for draft-age men. Uncle Sam says go, then go you must. But Uncle Sam is less demanding of married men with children.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“Maybe. Sort of.” Jocie glanced up at the clock over the chalkboard. Her fifteen minutes were up and then some. She had enough to write her piece. Leigh would be out front waiting for her. Leigh was taking off work early so they could make Christmas cookies to take to church.
“In a hurry?” Mr. Hammond asked, his amused look back in place.
“You told me I only had fifteen minutes. I was trying to keep to your schedule.”
“But you haven’t asked me your questions.”
“You answered some of them already.” Jocie looked down her list.
“But surely you had some personal questions. Perhaps my favorite writer. Or about my mode of dress.”
“So who is your favorite writer?”
“Hemingway, both on the page and off the page. He knew how to live. And die.”
Jocie looked up at the teacher with a puzzled frown. “I thought you told us he killed himself.”
“That he did. In control of his destiny till the end.” He made a gun with his finger and thumb and pretended to fire it toward his own head. “Admirable.”
“Oh.” Jocie stared down at her notes before she licked her lips and made herself ask one last question. “And how come you don’t wear a tie?”
So he had given her his ridiculous “tie is a noose” reason. That had seemed a good time to close her notebook and thank him profusely for talking to her as she backed out of the room. She hadn’t been happy when he stood up and followed her into the hall. Neither of them said a word as they walked toward the front door. Jocie had to force herself not to run. Once outside on the steps, she was relieved to see Leigh parked on the street waiting for her. Leigh got out of the car and waved.
“Is that your mother?” Mr. Hammond asked.
“No. My dad’s girlfriend.” Jocie edged away from him down the steps.
“Girlfriend. Interesting. Where’s your mother?”
“California, last we heard,” Jocie said.
“Indeed.” Mr. Hammond was staring at Leigh. “Your father’s friend is very attractive. Perhaps you could introduce me.”
“I’d love to, but
“Right?” he shot back at her. “What do you know about destiny?”
“I guess everybody has one,” Jocie ventured.
“Again you have an answer.” Mr. Hammond pointed his pen toward her. “But have you thought about your destiny? Whether you are destined for greatness or destined to grow up, live out your life in this small hamlet, and never do anything of note. I believe a person can plan out his own destiny. Shape his life. Not that a detour doesn’t occur at times. Such as this year in Hollyhill. But perhaps even here destiny awaits. Perhaps I will find the love of my life or write my first literary masterpiece. Do you think that’s possible?”
“I guess so.” Jocie grabbed at his last remark as a way to get back to a semblance of a normal interview. “So you aren’t married?”
“You knew that already.” He looked smug now as if he’d caught her in some mistake and it pleased him. “Every girl in the school knew I wasn’t married before the end of the first day I was here. Single and available. Be sure to put that in your article. Who knows? The love of my life might be one of your subscribers. And it could be that I want to get married.”
“Why?” Jocie was sorry she asked as soon as the word was out of her mouth. She should have just mumbled “right” again and said thank you before making her escape out the door. That’s what it was feeling more and more like. As if she needed to make an escape.
“Vietnam.” He looked angry for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and started twirling his pen again as he said, “Our noble president is allowing our country to be sucked into that conflict on the other side of the world. In the name of freedom, he says. But there is little freedom for draft-age men. Uncle Sam says go, then go you must. But Uncle Sam is less demanding of married men with children.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“Maybe. Sort of.” Jocie glanced up at the clock over the chalkboard. Her fifteen minutes were up and then some. She had enough to write her piece. Leigh would be out front waiting for her. Leigh was taking off work early so they could make Christmas cookies to take to church.
“In a hurry?” Mr. Hammond asked, his amused look back in place.
“You told me I only had fifteen minutes. I was trying to keep to your schedule.”
“But you haven’t asked me your questions.”
“You answered some of them already.” Jocie looked down her list.
“But surely you had some personal questions. Perhaps my favorite writer. Or about my mode of dress.”
“So who is your favorite writer?”
“Hemingway, both on the page and off the page. He knew how to live. And die.”
Jocie looked up at the teacher with a puzzled frown. “I thought you told us he killed himself.”
“That he did. In control of his destiny till the end.” He made a gun with his finger and thumb and pretended to fire it toward his own head. “Admirable.”
“Oh.” Jocie stared down at her notes before she licked her lips and made herself ask one last question. “And how come you don’t wear a tie?”
So he had given her his ridiculous “tie is a noose” reason. That had seemed a good time to close her notebook and thank him profusely for talking to her as she backed out of the room. She hadn’t been happy when he stood up and followed her into the hall. Neither of them said a word as they walked toward the front door. Jocie had to force herself not to run. Once outside on the steps, she was relieved to see Leigh parked on the street waiting for her. Leigh got out of the car and waved.
“Is that your mother?” Mr. Hammond asked.
“No. My dad’s girlfriend.” Jocie edged away from him down the steps.
“Girlfriend. Interesting. Where’s your mother?”
“California, last we heard,” Jocie said.
“Indeed.” Mr. Hammond was staring at Leigh. “Your father’s friend is very attractive. Perhaps you could introduce me.”
“I’d love to, but
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