Gameton - Chapter 1

introducing Sarah Jane Brown

      Sarah Jane tucked her purse under the passenger seat and looked back toward the front door of the house. Two redheads appeared in the doorway, one of which was bounding up and down with pure excitement. Sarah Jane quickly opened the back door of the car and called, “Ride time, Buckleigh! Come on, boy, in the back seat.” The Irish setter quickly proved his nickname, Rapid Red, as he zipped from the dark blue door of the house to the pale grey door of the car and landed in the back seat, sitting pretty, and staring out the front windshield.

      “Thanks, Sweetheart,” her mother said as she arrived at the driveway. “Rapido might not be so happy when he sees where we’re going.” She tossed the dog leash to Sarah Jane and swung around the front of the car to get into the driver’s seat.

      Sarah Jane admired her mother’s auburn hair in the sunlight. It always looked like the flames of a campfire when the sun shone on her. Sarah Jane’s own dark brown locks had red tints in the sun as well but the rest of the time hardly anyone ever noticed that she could be called a redhead as well. Likewise, Mom had bright blue eyes where Sarah Jane’s were pale. Mom called them lavender but everyone else said Sarah Jane had grey eyes. At ten years of age, Sarah Jane had gotten used to the idea that nothing about her would ever stand out. She was good at soccer and ball hockey but seldom scored goals. She was a good singer but never got chosen for a solo in the school choir. Her grades at school were good but there were a couple of other kids who regularly got better test scores. Sarah Jane didn’t really mind because her best friend, Jaime, stood out enough for both of them and Jaime wouldn’t do anything without Sarah Jane. Plus having a pretty mom and a gorgeous dog like Buckleigh helped Sarah Jane get noticed.

      “I hope Buckleigh doesn’t miss us too much.” Sarah Jane buckled her seat belt. “We’ve never been gone so long before. What if he refuses to eat like Jaime’s dog did when they went to Mexico last winter? What if he cries the whole time?”

      Mrs. Brown turned to give her daughter a quick sympathetic glance. “He’ll be fine. Dr. Nabil has lots of good helpers who love dogs. Buckleigh will probably be spoiled rotten by the time we get home. He’ll be expecting three walks a day and a treat after every meal and hearty ear scratches every five minutes and bel…”

      “Okay, Mom, I get it. I just wish we could take him with us.”

      “Me too, Hon, but we don’t know where we’ll be staying and lots of places don’t like pets.”

      “So who gets first choice in the morning?”

      “Hunh?”

      “Who gets to choose our first direction?” Sarah Jane and her mother had already decided that their two-week vacation would be an impromptu adventure with each of them taking turns choosing their route. They had no set plans. Fun and interesting were the only requirements for their holiday.

      “Well, I’ve already decided that we’ll head out of town on the highway so you’ll get to pick our first exit. Sound good?”

      An hour later, as she was packing the three-man tent into the car, Sarah Jane realized that Buckleigh hadn’t even whimpered as they walked out the front door of the vet’s office. Mom was right; he would be fine. She headed up to her bedroom to finish packing her suitcase. She stood at the entrance to her room and listened to her mom humming a tune in the next room. Mom had not had a vacation in a few years. Last year on the day before Mom got her two weeks off, Sarah Jane had broken her leg while proving to Bobby Jackson that she could climb the old oak tree. The year before that, Gramma O’Brien had had a heart attack a week before Mom’s holiday time. And three years ago … Sarah Jane didn’t like to remember three years ago. She stepped into the bright yellow room with its deep blue trim on the big window that overlooked the front lawn. Well, what you could see of the front lawn through the branches of the oak tree. Her suitcase sat open awaiting last minute additions and forgotten items. She pulled the list she had made weeks ago off her desk and triple checked what she had already packed. There was nothing more to do until bedtime.

      Sarah Jane stuck her head out into the hallway and called to the next room, “Almost done, Mom? We could play a quick game of something before bed?”

      “Sure,” Mrs. Brown’s bright blue eyes sparkled as she too poked her head out into the hallway. “How about another cribbage lesson?”

      “Or I could help you improve your backgammon game?” Sarah Jane countered.

      Mrs. Brown laughed. “Well, since I have first choice in the morning, I guess you can have game choice tonight. Go set up on the dining room table and I’ll be right down.”

      Sarah Jane pulled the box for the backgammon game off the games shelf, and caught the deck of cards that had been hidden on top. She tossed the pack of cards back up onto the shelf and then an idea occurred to her. Setting the box on the table, Sarah Jane took one of the chairs back to the shelf and retrieved the pack of cards and found the cribbage board. She and Mom could play if they had a quiet evening over the next couple of weeks. The board and the cards wouldn’t take up that much room in one of their suitcases. These were placed on one side of the table so Sarah Jane could set up the backgammon game.

      “Would you like something to drink?” Mom asked as she stepped into the dining area of the kitchen. “Cup of fruit tea, maybe?”

      “Thanks,” Sarah Jane replied. “Want to roll your die to see who goes first before you put the kettle on?”

      Sarah Jane’s five beat Mom’s four so Mom went to the stove to fill and heat the kettle while Sarah Jane rolled both dice. Double fours! She couldn’t have had a better start. She moved two of her checkers from Mom’s outer board to the center of her own outer board. That would make Mom’s passage through that area just a little harder. Then she moved the two on Mom’s inner board closer to the bar. Mom’s roll of the dice left one of her checkers all alone on a point. Sarah Jane counted what number she would need to hit Mom’s checker off the board and onto the bar. “Come on, three,” she sang out as she shook the dice cup. Mom laughed until the dice stopped rolling and Sarah Jane had a five and a three.

      “Oh dear,” said Mom. “I can see this game is going to be in your favor tonight.”

      Two games later, both Mom and Sarah Jane had each won one. “Want to keep going for a best of three?” asked Sarah Jane.

      Mom looked over her shoulder at the small flower-shaped clock on the wall. “Um, if we want to get an early start in the morning, I think it’s time to wash your face and brush your teeth. We can play the tie-breaker when we get back from our vacation.” Mom began to pack up the backgammon game but spotted Sarah Jane collecting the cards and cribbage board. “What’re you doing with those?” she asked.

      “Oh, I was thinking I’d pack them to take with us in case we have some time to play a game or two.”

      “Well, Lady Jane, once again thee hast proven thyself the smarter woman.”

      Sarah Jane giggled. She loved when Mom called her Lady Jane. The Jane in her name came from Lady Jane Grey who had been a very smart woman and the queen of England for a very short time. She also loved it when Mom talked in Old English. Sarah Jane did her best imitation of a regal nod and replied, “I thank thee, Madam, for thine kind compliment.” Mom laughed and made a shooing gesture with her hands.

      Sarah Jane did all the necessary preparations for bedtime. She considered packing her toothbrush now and forgetting her teeth in the morning but then thought better of the idea. She brushed her hair and tied it into two braids. That would hold her soft waves overnight and most of the next day so she packed the hairbrush. Sarah Jane stood at the end of her bed in her pajamas covered with silly animals and stared at the open suitcase. She had tucked the cribbage board and deck of cards along the one side with all her rolled up socks. Other than the toothbrush, she had nothing left to pack.

      “Are you doing a standing meditation?” Mom asked from behind her.

      “Nope. Just one last inventory of my suitcase,” Sarah Jane replied. “Inventory meaning a count or appraisal of items on hand or in stock.” She defined the word out of habit, then added, “I only need to put in my toothbrush in the morning.”

      “Oh wait,” Mom said as she turned around and starting walking away. “I forgot. I bought new toothbrushes for us.” Sarah Jane heard Mom on the stairs. A couple of minutes later, Mom returned and handed Sarah Jane a long, thin plastic container that rattled. Sarah Jane popped the top and found her new toothbrush inside. “It’ll keep the brush from picking up lint from your clothes,” Mom explained.

      “Thanks, Mom.” Sarah Jane dropped the container into the front pocket of her suitcase and closed the lid. Mom helped her with the zippers and straps. They left it by the bedroom door and climbed onto Sarah Jane’s bed together. Sarah Jane pulled a book out of the top drawer of her night table. “We were at the spot where he and his best friend were arguing about who had said what,” Sarah Jane reminded her mother.

      Mom opened the book to the page marked by the bookmark that Sarah Jane had finger-knitted in art class. Mom re-read the last paragraph from the day before and passed the book to Sarah Jane. Sarah Jane read for about a page and then passed it back again. They continued to read the book aloud in turns. When they had finished several pages, Mom closed the book on the young wizard’s adventures.

      “We’ll just leave him there for now,” Mom suggested. “We have our own adventures to start in the morning.”

      Sarah Jane put the book back into the drawer. Together they said their night blessing and Mom kissed Sarah Jane’s forehead once she had settled into the pillow. “Sleep well,” Mom said as she picked up the suitcase and turned off the light.

      “You too, Mom,” Sarah Jane murmured as sleep overtook her.

      The rising sun was just a rosy glow near the end of their street when Mom woke Sarah Jane. “Come on, Lazyhead. We must be about our discoveries of this wondrous new world.”

      Sarah Jane giggled at her mom and leapt out of bed. “I would have thee know that I will be at the ready in a mere five minutes. Canst thou say the same?”

      Mom playfully swatted the air next to Sarah Jane’s head, pretending to make a challenge to an old-fashioned duel. “Dost thou doubt mine abilities, sir?”

      “I dost, and I am no sir, sir.”

      “Then, my fine lass,” Mom had switched to a horrible Scottish accent. “I’ll wager that I will be at the front gate afore ye.”

      “On!” declared Sarah Jane, as she pulled her pajama top over her head. Mom scampered off to her own room, giggling like one of Sarah Jane’s school chums. Sarah Jane dressed as quickly as possible and dashed into the bathroom to wash her face and brush the morning breath out of her mouth. “Mom,” she called as she spit out the last of the mouthwash, “Are we eating here or out?”

      “I thought we’d be decadent and stop at the donut store before getting onto the highway,” came the reply. ”Decadent meaning rich and fancy or having too much decoration.”

      “Yum. You’re the best, Mom!”

      A while later, Sarah Jane was munching on the nuts that had fallen off her cinnamon bun and sipping warm cider. “That was decadent, Mom. I’m so full, I could probably skip lunch.”

      “Well then, let’s get on with the day,” said Mom. “The sun is finally fully awake and the highway awaits.”

      The entrance to the highway was just a couple blocks from the bakery. Soon they were playing the Alphabet Sign game. It was a simple game that her parents had taught her when she was little to help her learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet. Daddy had always been Sarah Jane's partner in the game. Sarah Jane squashed down that thought and concentrated on the passing billboards in search of a J.

      “Jumping Jack Fish’n’Chips!” exclaimed Mom. “I got my J! Nah nah nah.”

      “Joe’s Bar and Grill for a J and 14 karat gold for a K,’ Sarah Jane pointed to a small plaza they were passing. “Oh, and Ladieswear for L and Mechanic shop for M. You’re kinda falling behind, Mom.”

      By the time they had reached the last few letters of the alphabet, the road had switched to less city and more country scenery. Signs were harder to find. They had gone miles between the letters T and V. So Sarah Jane eagerly leaned forward to peer at the oncoming roadside sign. ‘Gameton. Home of Fun and Play. Next exit right.’

      “Exit!” Sarah Jane said quickly. “I have my X” Then she realized what the sign had said. “Mom? Can I pick the next exit so we can go to Gameton? We haven’t been there …” Sarah Jane searched for the right words. “In a long time,” she finished.

      Mom glanced over at Sarah Jane. Her eyes were moist. “Why not.” Mom agreed. “I would love to ride the carousel again.” As the exit approached Mom clicked on the right turn signal. “Gameton, get ready. The Browns are a-coming!”