Springsummer 6. Mindy Updates Carlisle

Springsummer

6. Mindy Updates Carlisle

Mindy Watkins lay prone on her queen sized bed basking in the glow of Carlisle's slow but efficient love. She fluffed the pillow that was adorned in a liner that celebrated the original cast of “Crime and Justice.” “This was a wonderful evening, Carlisle.”

“It sure is ending nicely,” Carlisle purred. He was wearing only his plush purple St. Martin robe. A man of many interests, Carlisle busied himself in the carriage house kitchenette refining a herbal tea recipe. Carlisle had started with the Kurt Saxon base of skullcap, chamomile, valerian and hops and had personalized it over the years. He added minute doses of cayenne, ginger and sugar to the blended sludge. Sometimes he ate the freshly-blended concoction with a spoon but tonight he was steeping the oven-dried mixture to make an aromatic tea.

“Your brew doesn't have that medicinal herby smell. It actually smells pleasant tonight,” Mindy Watkins commented on the formula.

“I might have found the ingredient that could upgrade all herbal tea,” Carlisle responded.

Mindy crossed her arms and waited. After a playful silence, she spoke. “Oh excuse me. Did I miss my cue to say 'whatsoever might that secret ingredient be, Sir Carlisle?'”

“You did indeed miss your cue. You need to study your lines a little closer, my love.”

Mindy repeated the question with even more dramatic flourish. “Tea,” Carlisle answered. Old fashion commercial grade pekoe tea.”

“Doesn't tea contain caffeine?”

“Yes, and minute doses of caffeine promotes a more restful sleep.” This was followed by a sort of scientific lecture as to the mechanics by which caffeine can induce relaxation.

This is the man Mindy Watkins had fallen in love with. Smart but never smug. An active mind that always challenged itself and playfully challenged everyone around him. Still, Mindy Watkins no longer enjoyed sleeping with her husband.

A couple years back, Carlisle had started expelling flatus in the deeper clutches of slumber. His snoring had gotten worse and his skin no longer felt sweet. It didn't smell bad, it just didn't smell like it used to. Sleep was a solitary pursuit and Mindy Watkins had grown to appreciate that fact. She enjoyed her one night a week with her husband but one night was plenty.

Mindy cleared her throat which Carlisle recognized as a change for the serious. “I want to bring you up to date on things before we drift off to sleep. We got the right inmate on the table, this Duncan fella. Unfortunately, he hasn't responded just yet. Dr. Wu suspects brain damage that might interfere with his receiving and processing microwaved signals.”

“Well that's too bad. But the good news is that the checks cleared for all six members of the Nelson family who are seeking political offices.”

“How many of them do you think will win?”

“None.”

“Not even the brother...”

“Not even the brother who holds an incumbent office.”

“I want to be a political consultant in my next life.”

“It's the perfect profession, My batting average is smaller than my hat size and every year my business grows.” Carlisle handed Mindy a “Crime and Justice” mug that featured the original cast of the first spin-off and he placed his “Crime and Justice: Animal Patrol” Season Three on his nightstand and crawled in next to his wife. The kissed gently and then reviewed their perfect evening together.

It was so rare when the entire family could do things together. Carlisle and Mindy could juggle their schedules but the kids had fewer options. On this evening Sarah would perform with her bassoon quartet and everyone else would dress up and enjoy the show.

Sarah had turned 15 two days earlier and there wasn't much of a celebration. Mary and Elizabeth both had golf matches and Jason had a competitive debate as his high school team had moved on to the Regionals. There was a late nigh “Happy Birthday” with a few gifts and some ice cream and cake but it was all so obligatory. A weary epilog to a busy day.

The bassoon concert was not called a recital because a recital was something people were expected to attend whereas a concert was something people wanted to attend. The audience might include more than faculty and relatives. Sarah attended the newly founded William Faulkner Academy. Her music teacher, Louis Armstrong Mason, had done a masterful job of rendering a bassoon quartet accessible to a general audience. He reworked some Vivaldi, some pop, some Coltrane and some Clifton Chenier to fit his group. Of course, he gave each performer multiple solos to satisfy even the most fickle relative.

Sarah was the youngest and most talented of the foursome and Mr. Mason had stated that she had an excellent chance of winning a scholarship. This information was given to Carlisle shortly before the start of the concert and brought a big smile to his face. “Now if we can get someone to pay for her wedding,” he said with some sincerity.

Shortly after Jason turned 13, he started accompanying his father at various civic functions—County Council meetings, planning boards and the like. Sometimes father and son would play “Who said what?” on the drive home and Jason had become adept at remembering verbatim patter. Carlisle insisted that his children learn Gregg shorthand and Jason had become proficient at it. He would proudly read back transcripts of School Board meetings and include coughs and yawns.

One night at an annual county library board meeting as the assembled awaited the commencement of proceedings Carlisle turned to his son and whispered, “You can sit there like a dipshit adolescent or you can work the room.” Carlisle had already made introductions to the gentle patrons and Jason had seen his father break ice at every function he attended. On this night, Jason's time had arrived.

Despite the fatherly tutelage, Jason was not a mingle prodigy. At Spelling Bee, Science Fair or Talent Night, people seemed confused if not annoyed at the child with the extended hand. But flesh was pressed and skills were honed. He assisted his father in file keeping and printed up some business cards that read:

Jason Watkins

Political Consultant

The cards listed Jason's personal email address, his MyFace account, his personal phone number and his father's business website. Following his father's advice, Jason only handed out cards to people who requested contact information but he did flex that policy a bit with teenage girls.

Tonight was the night it all seemed to jell. Flanked my Mindy and Mary on one side and Missy and Elizabeth and Jason on the other side, Carlisle craned his neck and shot his son the look. Jason sprung to his feet and got to work. Why this night when a child no longer looked childish?

The newly-constructed performance hall was impressive by almost any standard. Varnished wood with serrated walls and jagged ceilings and plush burgundy curtains and comfy burgundy seats. A perfect backdrop fro the wizard's apprentice to work his crafted magic. In his blue suit and white shirt , diagonal-striped robin egg over lemon tie and his thick tufts of dark hair, Jason looked the part of a young man with an enviable future.

Jason found his way to the first row on the audience's right. There, he struck up a conversation with a stately brunette in a full length indigo gown who would later be revealed as a 22 year old grad student intern. Mindy pressed Carlisle's left hand and Missy squeezed his right. Then the lights were dimmed and Jason seated himself in the front row next to the intern.

Petite Mary and chubby Elizabeth were dispatched to slip in front of the stage and snap photos of their poised brother. Each time Sarah performed a solo the intern touched Jason on his shoulder and pointed to the stage. The sisters would be perfectly positioned to capture each episode of contact with their phone cams.

After the show the sisters joined the adults where they had been seated as Sarah loaded up her instrument and Jason did his wrap-up schmooze. He introduced himself to Mr. Mason and complimented him on bringing out the best in his younger sister. Sarah would confer with the other performers backstage and watch glimpses of the show that had already been posted online. She would catch up to her family in the locker-lined hallway where she would study Jason's craftsmanship. They would be the last civilians to leave, escorted out the door by the custodian, Hank Hankins, who chuckled at Jason's witticisms as he locked the door behind them.

In the van, Carlisle waited on Jason's announcement before turning the key. “Sarah, your hard work and perseverance have paid dividends. I will never have your talent but I am so very proud to be your brother. I thank you for inviting me to your performance.”

Carlisle and the twins purred with pride. They savored the lone moment of silence and finally the driver said, “Does anyone have anything else to say?” Elizabeth congratulated her older sister and the grown-ups scoffed at her awkward verbiage.

Then Mary said something cute and everyone but Elizabeth laughed. The ignition ignited and “Crime and Justice” was piped through the screens for the ride home. The perfect evening.

Mindy's eyes were growing heavy. Carlisle was already snoring. The tea had done its trick. She knew she was headed for a sleep so restful and so pleasing and so refreshing but she wanted to hold on to the evening. The perfect evening.