Elpida

by C. Kennedy

  “Why don’t I lift him onto it?” Michael suggested.

  Christy looked up at Michael before turning back to Thimi and translating, and Thimi nodded his agreement. “Okay, like this, I will get in the horse, and you put him in the front of me.”

  “On. You get on the horse.”

  “This is what I said. I get in the horse.”

  Michael chuckled and let it go. “You got it, babe.”

  Christy hoisted himself into the rear portion of the seat as if he were an old pro, and Michael smiled. “You’re good at that.”

  Christy’s cheeks hued a light rose. “It is because I go in the SUV car. Okay, now Thimi.”

  Michael couldn’t help it. He laughed. “Who knew an SUV could double as a practice pony? Okay, Thimi. Are you ready?”

  Thimi nodded.

  “Here we go.” Michael lifted Thimi at the waist, and he slid a leg over the horse and gripped the horse’s neck. “You got him, Christy?”

  “This is good. Thank you, moro mou.”

  Michael turned to Zero. “Ready?”

  Zero nodded and pointed to the black stander in front of Thimi’s horse. It had all four feet on the ground and its head angled toward the sky.

  “Got yourself a stargazer,” Lisa said. “Those are my favorite.”

  Michael gestured to it. “Let’s get you on it.”

  Zero quickly gripped the mane, put a foot in the stirrup, and hoisted himself up as Christy had.

  “That was great. You good, man?”

  Zero nodded.

  “Get your safety straps on,” Smitty instructed.

  Michael found the straps hanging at the sides of Zero’s horse. “Do you want help?” Zero shook his head, and Michael handed them to him before moving back to Thimi’s horse. “Do you want help, babe?”

  “We are to have the strap on both?”

  “Yes.” Michael quickly laced the straps around them both and buckled them. “Not too tight?”

  Thimi still gripped the horse’s neck, holding on for dear life, and Christy put his arms around Thimi’s waist. “This is good.”

  Michael took the jumper next to Christy’s prancer, and Sophia took the jumper next to Zero’s stargazer. Jake quickly climbed on behind Sophia, and Lisa and George took their horses.

  “You all ready?” Smitty asked.

  “Let’s do it!” Michael answered.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  A BELL rang and music began to play, and Thimi started in his seat and trembled with excitement as the carousel began to turn. When Michael’s horse began to rise and fall, Thimi’s mouth hung agape.

  Michael grinned. “You can try one of these next, okay?”

  Thimi nodded and studied each horse around him as it moved.

  After an hour of continuous carousel riding, Michael began to feel ill. “You ready to get off, babe?”

  Christy nodded and spoke in Greek, and Thimi fervently shook his head no. “Do you wish to see the balloon?” Christy asked through a laugh.

  This idea caught Thimi’s interest. “Entáxei.”

  “What’s en-taxi mean?” Michael asked.

  “It is the Greek okay,” Christy explained.

  As the carousel came to a stop, Michael dismounted. “Do you need help, Zero?”

  Zero shook his head. “I got it.”

  Michael unbuckled the safety strap around Thimi and Christy. “Do you want help getting down?”

  Thimi nodded.

  Michael quickly lifted Thimi from the horse, and Thimi teetered as soon as Michael set him on his feet. Michael steadied him with a hand on his shoulder, and Thimi ducked from beneath the touch at the speed of light and fell on his rear.

  “Adelfáki mou!” Christy quickly dismounted and squatted in front of him. “You are okay?”

  Thimi fought not to cry as he nodded to Christy, and Michael’s heart went out to him. He squatted next to Christy. “I’m sorry, Thimi. I forgot the no-touch rule.”

  Christy quickly translated, and Thimi lowered his eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Thimi,” Michael repeated.

  “See? He understands this. He is not angry.”

  “Is he okay?” Lisa asked as Christy helped Thimi to his feet.

  “Yes. He has the small spinning in the head from the carousel.”

  Lisa grinned her toothy grin. “Maybe next time ride for only half an hour.”

  “I believe this is the good idea. Come. We go to the man with the balloon.”

  “Pappy’s right over there,” George pointed.

  “See the balloon, Thimi!”

  Christy’s excitement matched the unbridled wonder that filled Thimi’s face, and Michael smiled to himself. He’d marveled at Pappy the first time he’d seen him, and it warmed his heart that he could help give the same experience to Thimi and Zero. He turned back to Jake and Sophia. “You guys good?”

  Sophia smiled. “Very good. Though I might agree with a little less time on the painted horses.”

  Jake laughed outright. “I’ll be bowlegged for a week.”

  Michael snorted as he followed Christy and Thimi off the carousel.

  “Thank you, Mr. Smitty. How many tickets to buy for the carousel?”

  “The rides are on me today, Christy.”

  “Oh no. We ride many times. We must pay.”

  Smitty smiled. “Don’t worry about it. You’re welcome back any time. Go say hi to Pappy. He’s been waiting for you for the better part of half an hour.”

  “This is very kind of you.”

  “It’s the least I can do.”

  Michael detected melancholy in Smitty as he looked at Thimi and Zero, and it tore at his heart a little. He couldn’t imagine growing up without the joys of childhood, no matter how small, and he thought Smitty was right to be sad. “Thanks, Uncle Smitty,” he said sincerely.

  Smitty watched as Christy led Thimi and Zero over to Pappy before speaking. “You owe me an apology, Michael. You disobeyed me again.”

  Michael chuckled nervously. “I owe you about a hundred of them. I’m sorry. I’ll never climb the Ferris wheel again without your permission.”

  “You won’t do it again period. Next time I take it out of your hide.”

  Michael fought not to smile. “I am sorry,” he said again sincerely.

  “Damn thing is still shut down.”

  Guilt flooded Michael and he became serious. “Why?”

  “Has to be reinspected after an incident.”

  “Holy crap. I’m really sorry.”

  “Glad Christy’s okay. Let’s not go for any repeats.”

  “Amen to that,” Jake said quickly.

  Michael chewed his lower lip. “When are they going to reinspect it?”

  “In their own sweet time.”

  Michael felt horrible. “Oh, man, Uncle Smitty. I’m really sorry.”

  “Hopefully they’ll get to it this week. Go on and enjoy the rest of your day, and make sure we don’t have any wheelchairs in the drink again.”

  The first time they brought Christy and Jerry to the waterfront, they’d both been in wheelchairs. They’d carelessly raced down the boardwalk and ended up going over the edge into the lake. It was a frightening few minutes before they’d found Christy in the dark depths of the water and even more terrifying when it took a few minutes to revive him. “Not a chance,” Michael assured.

  Jake cuffed Michael’s shoulder. “Let’s go, bro. Looks like they’re getting into balloon trouble.”

  Michael turned to find Christy decorated in every ilk of balloon animal conceivable. “Oh my God. Thanks, Uncle Smitty.” He took off toward Christy. “Babe, what are you doing?”

  “Christy? What are you doing?” Sophia echoed as she followed him.

  Christy smiled. “I hold the balloon for Thimi to choose the animal from Mr. Pappy.”

  Pappy had been a permanent fixture on the waterfront for as long as Michael could remember. The ancient African American man wore a threadbare tuxedo with tails and an equal
ly antique top hat over his white hair. His kind manner and smile drew you in, and he warmed any child’s heart in an instant. Balloons in every color of the rainbow decorated his arms and ringed his neck as he hung yet another balloon animal on Christy’s arm.

  Jake cracked up. “Hey, Pappy. How’s it going?”

  “Jes’ fine, jes’ fine. Good to see you boys again, and you, little lady.” He tipped his top hat and offered a brief bow to Christy.

  “I do not have the nice dress today.”

  “Still jes’ as pretty as ever.”

  Christy’s cheeks flushed a light pink. “Thank you, Mr. Pappy.”

  The old man chuckled while Thimi and Zero looked on in utter amazement as he quickly fashioned a rainbow, bent with a deep bow, and presented it to Thimi.

  “Take this. It is for you,” Christy encouraged.

  Thimi reached for it with trembling fingers and missed. It floated away on the breeze, and Zero was quick to catch it and return it to him.

  Pappy went to work with purple balloons and, within moments, had created a top hat. Retrieving the rainbow from Thimi, he affixed it to the front of the hat and presented it to Thimi.

  “Take this one too,” Christy encouraged.

  “Need jes’ one more thing.” He quickly fashioned a feather in bright lavender and stuck it through the brim of the hat. “And there ye be!”

  Christy explained that it was a hat and set it on Thimi’s head and pushed it down gently until it stayed on his head.

  Zero smiled at Thimi. “Awesome!”

  Thimi looked up at him with a genuine smile.

  “What ye want there, fella? An animal? An airplane? A hat?” Pappy asked.

  Zero shrugged a shoulder.

  “I know jes’ what ye need.” Pappy went to work with black and white balloons and presented Zero with a killer whale in short order.

  Zero laughed as he took it from Pappy. “Cool. Thanks.”

  Christy looked down at Thimi. “Okay, like this, it is time to choose the animal from the one I hold.”

  Thimi shook his head.

  “Come. Choose for you.”

  Thimi finally said something in Greek.

  “Oh. This is true. There is not one.” Christy looked up at Pappy. “You can make the dragon?”

  Pappy roared in laughter. “Why, sure. Gimme jes’ a minute.”

  Pappy withdrew a long string from his pocket and began divesting Christy of balloon animals, threading them one by one onto the string. Once complete, Pappy tied the ends of the string together and hung the necklace of animals around his own neck. “All right now. Le’s see what I can do.”

  The dragon took considerably longer to create than a normal animal, and they marveled as Pappy worked his magic and created a beautiful multicolored dragon. He presented it to Thimi with a brief bow.

  Thimi’s jaw hung agape, his eyes wide, as he accepted it from Pappy.

  “Ye need jes’ one more thing.” Pappy fished a party favor from his pocket and carefully inserted it into the dragon’s maw. Fringed in long sparkling gold tassels, the noisemaker gave a perfect impression of fire. “And there ye be! Ye very own fire-breathin’ dragon!”

  Michael cracked up and began to applaud Pappy. “That’s so freakin’ cool!”

  The crowd that had formed around them joined in the applause, and Thimi noticed it for the first time. Raw panic filled his eyes, and Michael didn’t miss it. He leaned down next to him and spoke softly. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

  Thimi vomited on his balloon dragon and lowered his tear-filled eyes as he lifted the dragon from his lap and wetness filled the crotch of his pants.

  “Christy, I’m moving Thimi!” Michael said as he quickly took the handles of the chair, turned it away from the densest portion of the crowd, and steered it behind Pappy. Zero moved to stand close to Michael, and Michael didn’t miss that the crowd had also unsettled him.

  “One minute!” Christy handed Pappy a wad of cash and quickly came around him.

  “Thank ye, but this be too much!” Pappy insisted.

  “It isn’t too much for the happiness you gave them,” Jake said to Pappy quietly.

  “Why, I thank ye mightily.”

  Christy ignored him, squatted next to Thimi’s chair, and took his hand in his. He squeezed it tightly, offering comforting Greek words. “Thank you, Mr. Pappy,” Christy said as he struggled to stand, still holding Thimi’s hand.

  Michael grasped Christy’s arm gently and helped him to his feet. “Lisa? Where’s the closest restroom?” he asked quickly.

  Understanding filled Lisa’s face. “Follow me.”

  Michael steered the chair off the boardwalk, and he felt Zero grab the hem of his T-shirt as George, Jake, and Sophia followed close on their heels. “How’s your foot and ribs?” he whispered to Christy.

  “I am beginning to feel the little bit of pain.”

  “Is there Tylenol in the bag Rob gave me?”

  “Yes. I will take this when we are in the bathroom.”

  “These are the private family bathrooms that go with the summer cabanas,” Lisa said as they rounded the side of the building that held the arcade. She pulled keys from her pocket and unlocked one of the doors. “They have showers in there too, Christy. Just rinse the dragon off under the water. It’ll be as good as new.”

  “Okay, I will do this.”

  Thimi carefully rose from the chair, and Christy led him by the hand to the bathroom as Michael held the door open for them. “Call if you need help.”

  “Poor guy,” Jake said.

  Michael turned and looked down at Zero, who still held the hem of his T-shirt tightly in his hand. “You okay?”

  Zero looked pale but nodded an okay. “Just kind of a lot of people.”

  “Sorry, man. We should have paid attention. Pappy always draws a crowd.”

  “He makes cool stuff,” Zero said in a shaky voice.

  “That he does,” Lisa agreed. “One time he made a huge ark and put all the animals two by two on it. It lasted a whole week before it deflated.” She dug the keys from her pocket again and unlocked another door. “Here’s another bathroom if anyone wants to use it.”

  “Go for it,” Michael said to Zero.

  Zero quickly pushed through the door.

  “Man, I hate seein’ kids that scared,” Lisa said under her breath.

  “It just ain’t right,” George said in her falsetto.

  “Heartbreaking. You okay?” Jake asked as he kissed Sophia’s cheek.

  Sophia nodded. “We didn’t notice the crowd because we’re used to it. We must pay attention.”

  “Yeah, but it’s just as well it happened with all of us around. They need to get used to it sometime,” Michael said softly.

  “For reals, Mike,” Lisa agreed.

  Zero exited the bathroom wiping wet hands on his pants.

  “No towels in there?” Lisa asked.

  Zero shook his head.

  She unclipped the radio from her shirt pocket. “Cabana bathrooms need to be restocked.”

  “Would you mind if I use the restroom, Lisa?” Sophia asked.

  “It’s all yours.”

  Christy struggled to push the door open until Michael reached up and held it for him. “All good?”

  Christy gave him an uncharacteristic thumbs-up before helping Thimi back into the chair.

  “What do you say we go get some ice cream and cotton candy?” Lisa asked.

  Sophia exited the bathroom. “Thank you, Lisa. I’d love a bit of candy.”

  Lisa locked the doors and pocketed the keys. “Let’s head down this side of the building. No people and it ends right at the cotton candy station.”

  “WHAT COLOR do you wish, Thimi?” Christy asked as Thimi looked up at the many cones of spun sugar.

  Michael turned to Zero. “What color do you want, man?”

  “Red.”

  “Sophia?”

  She smiled. “I shall have pink.”

  Chris
ty pointed. “Thimi will have the purple, and I will have the green.”

  “Got it,” Jake said as he stepped up to the counter.

  Michael stood next to him. “Sprite, and we need a cup of vanilla ice cream for Thimi. He’s never had ice cream.”

  “Two more Sprites for me and George,” Lisa chimed in.

  Michael dug his wallet from his pocket. “I got this, Jake.”

  “Don’t even,” Jake said as he paid and turned with his hand full of cotton candy cones. “Here we go.”

  Thimi took his, almost dropped it, and Zero was quick to catch it before it fell.

  “Th-thank you.”

  “No prob.”

  “All right,” Michael said as he impaled the ice cream with a plastic spoon and placed the cup securely in the cup holder on the wheelchair. “Don’t worry if it melts. It still tastes good.”

  Christy quickly translated. Thimi said something in Greek, and Christy smiled. “I do not know. Michael?”

  Michael swallowed a gulp of Sprite. “Yeah, babe?”

  “How do you eat the candy?”

  “Take a piece off like this.” He pulled a small piece away from the cone and held it to Christy’s lips.

  Christy ate it, and his eyes went wide. “It is sweet.”

  “It’s nothing but spun sugar and food coloring. Your lips will be green by the time you’re done.”

  “I do not wish this.”

  Jake laughed. “Sure you do, little buddy. That’s half the fun.”

  “The green lips are the fun?”

  Lisa laughed. “Hell yes. Green tongue too.”

  Christy didn’t look convinced.

  THEY WALKED along the waterfront until they came to a small booth where a glassblower spun a teal bottle.

  “Oh,” Christy said softly. “I have not seen this before. It is beautiful.”

  Lisa smiled. “That’s right. I forgot you guys didn’t see this last time we were here. He’s only here on the weekends during the summer. Hey, Drifter, how’s it going?”

  “Good, Baby. You workin’ today?”

  “Sort of. Smitty let me hang out ’til these guys leave.”

  Drifter carefully set the now-complete bottle cockeyed on its base, and it cooled to form a beautiful work of art.

  “That’s slick,” Jake said.