Week 15: Periphery

[rayaso]

 

Idol Mini-Season 2018-19 Week 15
Topic: Periphery 

Most people live inside a circle, looking in.  The creative among us - the writers, the painters, the musicians – stand at the edge, looking out.  They just see things differently. 

THE GLOVES 

Henry hated walking to school in the morning, even now that he could do it by himself.  He knew what was coming and he didn’t like it.  Recess was OK, but Mrs. Schmidt was boring.  

Coming home was more fun, especially when it rained.  “That’s when I can wear my poncho,” thought Henry.  The poncho was red, like Superman’s cape, but no one teased him for wearing it in the rain. 

Walking home was always an adventure.  The gnomes in Mrs. Vasquez’s garden would finally be awake.  

“We’re up all night doing gnome stuff,” Flimp once told him, “so we sleep in.  What’s it to ya?” 

And then there were the sunflowers Mr. Jacobs had planted.  They were taller than Henry, and they liked to let him know it.  

“I didn’t know shrimp could walk,” the tallest had said.  

Even though Henry was short for his age, he hadn’t minded - - they were bright yellow and pretty. 

Everywhere Henry looked there was fun and adventure, so it always took a long time to get home.  

“Why do you keep dawdling?” his father usually asked.  “You take forever.”  

Henry wished it would take forever, especially when he talked to Cat and heard all about the neighborhood.  Once, when he told Dad the news, he told Henry to stop gossiping.  

“It’s not gossip,” Cat said, “you gonna listen to your dad or me?”  

Henry stopped telling his Dad, but he still listened to Cat, because she told him lots of jokes.  The one thing she never told him was her real name.  

“Cats never reveal their names,” she said, “we’re not dogs!” 

The name on her collar was “Princess,” but she hated that, so Henry just called her Cat.  

Today would be extra-fun – it was Friday, so tomorrow he’d watch Saturday cartoons.  He also got out of class early on Fridays to see Mr. Jonas.  

At the beginning, Mr. Jonas had made him take lots of tests, but they’d been easy so Henry didn’t mind, and now they just talked, which was OK because Mr. Jonas was funny.  At least it wasn’t fractions with Mrs. Schmidt.  Once, he’d asked her why negative 2 and 2 were both the square root of 4, and she’d sent him to the principal’s office. 

One time he’d heard Mr. Jonas tell Dad, “There’s no reason for him to see me; there’s nothing wrong with him.  He’s just imaginative.”  

“But he talks to garden gnomes!” Dad said.  “That’s not normal – fix him!”   

“There’s nothing to fix,” Mr. Jonas said, but he kept seeing Henry anyway. 

After more meetings, he heard Dad say, “He’s getting like his mother.”  

Henry’s Mom had died in a crash two years, four months, and 3 days ago.  Finally, Mr. Jonas told his Dad “I’ll see what I can do.” 

But today after seeing Mr. Jonas, Friday turned into a Red Letter Day.  Mr. Washington next door had told Henry that Red Letter Days were important to remember, and Mr. Washington knew, because he was old and had the same name as the president. 

Today, the gnomes had a present for him on the way home.  

“Look under the rose bushes,” Piddy said.  

Henry got down on his hands and knees and found a pair of new skin-colored gloves. 

“Mr. Jonas asked us to make these,” said Piddy. 

“Does Mr. Jonas live near here?” Henry asked. 

“Just try on the gloves,” she said. 

When Henry put them on, all the color went out of the world.  Everything turned black and white, and the gnomes became silent statues.  He took them off right away – he felt like crying, but Dad had told him never to cry. 

“What happened?” Henry said, wiping a tear from his eye.  Everything was back. 

“Those gloves are special,” Piddy said.  “When you wear them, you see the world the way everyone else does.” 

Henry ran back to school as fast as he could, hoping that Mr. Jonas hadn’t left yet.  He was still in his office.  Henry threw the gloves on his desk and just stood there. 

Mr. Jonas didn’t say anything at first, then he slowly took off his own gloves.  Henry saw his eyes light up. 

“I had the gnomes make these for you,” Mr. Jonas said.  “They’re just like mine.” 

“But they take the color and fun away,” Henry replied.  “Why?” 

“That’s life for most people,” answered Mr. Jonas.  “We’re all born like you, but then it fades and we forget.  For a few like you, it never goes away.  The gloves will help you fit in.  You can wear them at school and around your dad.  But you don’t have to – it’s up to you.” 

When Henry got home, he put the gloves in a box and hid them under his bed.  

“So what if they only see black and white,” he thought.  “That makes me like a superhero.  Superman has x-ray vision.  This is better!” 

He put on his red poncho and started to run around the house.  

“Knock it off!” said his father.  

“But I can see color!” said Henry with a big smile.  

He didn’t mention talking to Cat or the gnomes.  Mr. Jonas said never mention the colors and especially the talking because people would think he was crazy, but he just couldn’t help himself.  After all, this was Dad. 

“And I can see you going to bed early,” said his father.  

Henry put the poncho away and waited in his bedroom for dinner. 

At first, the gloves stayed under the bed.  Henry loved his world and hated black and white.  When he tried to tell the other kids about color, they started to tease him, calling him “weirdo,” “freak,” and “colorboy.”  He started sitting by himself at lunch, and no one picked him for kickball even though he could kick it the farthest. 

He still saw Mr. Jonas and they still talked.  He would say, “you’ve always got the gloves.” 

Whenever he tried to tell his Dad about color, he’d tell Henry to quit it.  

“Your mother used to say nonsense like that.”  Dad didn’t like to talk about Mom.  He said it hurt too much. 

School made Henry unhappy now, especially the teasing.  No one would be his friend, not even Weird Billy.  It got so bad, he sometimes wore his gloves to school and he stopped bothering his teacher with questions.  

He hoped Middle School would be better, but it was worse, and he started to wear the gloves every day.  He would still take them off to talk to the gnomes and Cat when no one was around. 

Things got better with Dad when he started wearing the gloves at home, and by High School he wore them all the time, even while sleeping.  His dreams were in black and white, but he didn’t mind.  He stopped talking to the gnomes and Cat altogether, and gradually forgot about them. 

Henry went to college, where he majored in business and computer science.  He dreamed of starting his own company. 

The classes were exciting, but Henry, being a little shy, was lonely.  He was eating lunch by himself near the Founder’s Fountain in the middle of campus when he noticed a girl.  This was not unusual, but he was captivated by her beautiful eyes.  They both ate lunch there every day; after a week, he worked up the courage to say “hi,” and received a vague response.  

After another week, he felt brave enough to venture “what’s your major,” but her t-shirt that day changed everything.  It read “I Love Color – Ask Me Why.” 

Henry moved closer and pulled off his gloves.  She had brilliant blond hair, bright blue eyes that matched her t-shirt, and white jeans.  He smiled at her, the kind of smile he had not had since he was little.  Julia smiled back.  Unlike Henry, she did not have pale hands, but was tan all the way to her fingertips.  

“You don’t wear gloves,” Henry said. 

And so it started, progressing the way things do when the right boy meets the right girl.  After due time, filled with many smiles, deep conversations, and endless laughter, Henry took Julia home to meet his father. 

“She reminds me of your mother,” said Dad, this time without any pain.  He too smiled. 

After dinner, Henry took Julia to walk around the neighborhood.  He went toward the elementary school to see some old friends, a walk he had not made since he started wearing gloves all the time.  Now, his hands were nearly as tan as his arms. 

“Henry’s back!” said Flimp. 

“I told you he’d return,” said Piddy. 

“No, you didn’t, stone-for-brain,” replied Flimp.  “He’s brought someone new for us!” 

They went to see Mr. Jacobs’ garden.  He was still growing sunflowers. 

“The shrimp’s grown,” said the tallest. 

Finally, Henry found Cat, older now and sleeping in the evening sun.  “I see you have news,” she said, and started purring. 

“You’ve been dawdling,” said Dad when they returned. 

Henry and Julia could only stay a few days.  Henry had to meet her family, and the ring in his pocket was getting heavy.  It was a combination of rubies, diamonds, and emeralds in the shape of a rose. 

After the wedding, Henry and Julia bought a big house with an enormous yard.  They painted every room a different color.  They were able to move Flimp and Piddy to their yard and quickly attracted other garden gnomes after posting a “garden gnome sanctuary” sign.  Their neighbors thought this quite odd, but Henry and Julia didn’t care. 

They planted seeds from Mr. Jacobs’ sunflowers and added many other colorful, sociable plants, even roses, who tended to be conceited when flowering. 

Cat preferred her old neighborhood, so they adopted Kitten, who was very silly. 

Henry wore his gloves at work, and became successful in computer software, known for his creative products.  He eventually started his own business.  Julia never wore her gloves.  She became a teacher and painted in her spare time.  Her “Studies in Gray” launched a career as an artist.  

Both remain colorful and happy in a black and white world. 

*     *     *     *     *    
Thank you to halfshellvenus for beta-reading this.

Comments

[bellatrix_lestrange]

:D

This is another delightful read, as usual!

Both remain colorful and happy in a black and white world. Beautiful and the perfect sentence to end on!

[rayaso]

Thank you! The prompt made me think of marginalized people, which led me to artistic people such as those here at Idol. Creative children tend not to be understood or treated well. When my son was young, there were several gifted (music, visual arts) children who had tiger parents. Those children's gifts were being squashed. They will, however, make unhappy doctors.

[meridian_rose]

Poor Henry deserves better than a dad who hates imagination and tells him not to cry :/
I love the colourful world and was sad when Henry wore his gloves all the time. I'm glad he found Julia and they made a gnome sanctuary :)

[rayaso]

Yes, Henry did deserve better, and he eventually got it in Julia. Even garden gnomes need safe spaces, free from the gibes of an uncaring world.

[bleodswean]

This is really beautiful, G, and what we call poignant because of the unique kind of storyteller you are! All your strengths come together in this piece and it's perfectly told. What I love about your skills is how VISUAL your stories are! I can absolutely SEE Henry, the red poncho, and the gnome and Cat!!! I have to admit that I was tickled pink with delight at the idea of garden gnomes talking to this young boy.

I hope you take your own gloves off at least once every day!

[rayaso]

Thank you! It was meant as a kind of fable about creativity and growing up as a creative child, when so many social forces (especially at that age) favor conformity. I take my gloves off once a week, for Idol! Unfortunately, I still can't get garden gnomes to talk to me. The neighbors think its weird and the police have told me to knock it off.

[babydramatic_1950]

What a charming piece!

[rayaso]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[halfshellvenus]

I loved the idea of after-hours "gnome stuff", which apparently includes making special gloves. And the garden gnome sanctuary sign! Hahaha!

I never thought I would see "colorboy" used as a slur, but it's perfect for this black-and-white world.

This story works as a straightforward telling of alternate universe, but I like that it is also an allegory for childhood, and how we so often stop seeing the wonder in the world as we get older, and start putting limits on our imagination and our expectations that we may not even need and which make life duller.

[rayaso]

Who knows what goes on in the secret life of garden gnomes at night? Is all that colorful cheerfulness merely a disguise? What is it with those pointy red hats? Nobody knows, and the gnomes aren't talking. I'm glad you enjoyed the story, but there's much more to do with garden gnomes.

[sonreir]

This is great! It reminds me of Jasper Fforde, in a good way. :)

[rayaso]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

[alycewilson]

What a wonderful ending! I'm so glad he found a way to be himself.

[rayaso]

Yes, and with someone who sees the world the way he does, plus garden gnomes and a cat. Who could ask for anything more? Thanks for your comment.

[itsjust_c]

I really loved reading this. Strangely, it felt 'coming home' - I can definitely see myself as Julia!

Quote from Halfshellvenus - I like that it is also an allegory for childhood, and how we so often stop seeing the wonder in the world as we get older, and start putting limits on our imagination and our expectations that we may not even need and which make life duller.

This is exactly what I wanted to say and you said it better, before I did. xx

Both remain colorful and happy in a black and white world. great ending!

[rayaso]

Thank you! I'm glad you saw something of yourself in Julia. She's someone who never gave in to the black and white in the world. This was intended, in part, to be an allegory, so I'm glad you saw it that way.

[dmousey]

You capture the world of little boys easily in this piece! And each time Henry's dawdling came up, I had visions of the cartoon- Hi and Lois -when they would send their son Billy on an errand. Another good read. 🐭😊🎀🐞✌

[rayaso]

It's been a long, long, looong time since I was a little boy and too many years since my son was one, so I'm glad that Henry worked for you as a little boy. The world of children is not easy to write! It has also been many years since I read Hi & Lois -- you brought back a lot of cartoon memories.

[spilledink562]

I don't think I can even say how much I loved this piece. I love the way you use the gloves to show "grown up thinking" to the freedom and vividness of a mind left to be free. This one really hits home for me in a lot of ways. Thank you for sharing this with us. It's a gorgeous piece.

[rayaso]

Thank you -- this is very kind. I'm glad it resonated with you. It is comments like this that help make Idol so much fun!

[megatronix]

I just loooove this so much!

[rayaso]

Thaaaank yooouuu!

[furzicle]

Fabulously wonderful. It reminds me of a certain son (who you know) with his eraser villages, Mr. Mustard packet who hung out with Captain Catsup, and who spent every recess when he was nine capturing honeybees with his bare hands.

[rayaso]

Your son has a wonderful imagination! I hope his hands survived the bees. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

[static_abyss]

I love this piece and especially the concept of seeing color vs not. I'm glad Henry met Julia.

[rayaso]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm a sucker for happy endings, so I wanted to give one to Henry, one that would let him be free to see the color in the world.