Chapter 18: Unexpected solutions and more.

Chapter 18: Unexpected solutions and more.

The Lady, the Elder, Wise Feather and most of the women did gather around the fire.
Not all women were there.
The ones, that were to old, to get a new friend in our world, had chosen to be the people, that stayed at the home-base.
They did keep the cooking fires going, were the ones that organized the tents and temporary sleeping places, and were, while they were the oldest, mostly also the most experienced in organizing this kind of things.

The people from Homeland, that could be of any help, were asked to come over too, so it looked like a small city of tents did arise.

Than the Lady did unveil to Cindy and me a enormous secret: there was for her, and for other red-curly-haired people in her family, a way, in which they could find a human, that had the possibility to see, and become a friend of one of the Homelanders.

Cindy said: “Grandma told me so, but also to keep my mouth shut about this to everybody.”

“Those people are very necessary for the plans, that were made”, the Lady told.
But, while I was a very new friend, and from the other world, and besides that, had not proven I could keep my mouth shut, I was not shown how.

May be Cindy would tell me later, when we were long time friends, but not now.
I only heard, it had to do with the secret box, and the key and chain, we took out of the secret rooms, where no man ever had been, behind the great chair.

What I had to do, was helping to find out, in what part of our world those persons lived.
It looked like a boring job, to write down a name and a place, search for it on a big book of maps from our world, and than write down what age that person was, and was it a girl, boy, man or woman.

When we finished this list, for me something strange did happen: all the people, who were gathered in the base, let their hand go over the list, one by one.
And with each of them it did stuck above a name, mostly of somebody who was of the same age.

I did ask Cindy: “here we go again.. how come,” and we both simultaneously started laughing, “everybody chooses by that? Does that always go like that? And…?”

Cindy fiercely shook her head: “Stop, stop, now you want to know every secret, things not even the most Homelanders know about.
Have some patience, and whenever it is time you need to know, you do learn the how, and why!”

It made me feel a bit disappointed, but I had to admit; was I not a privileged kid already?
I should not ask for the whole world in my hands.
I just had been pulled with both feet down to earth, as Mom used to say, when my thoughts went their own way.

“But, are you,” and I did make that extra clear, “certain, that each one has the right person?” I did ask again, while my eyes looked at her in disbelieve.

“Well, you do forget again where you are now!
You are in Homeland, where other rules are, and where the simple secrets of life are kept safe for eternity!
In your world it works different.
Keep your trust in the Lady, and in the fact that over here things are possible, that are not at home in your world, and all will be ok,” Cindy said again.

After much deliberation of the Counsel, the name we gave to the group formed by the Lady, the Elders, some very trustworthy Homelanders, man like Wise Feather, and to my surprise also Cindy, there came a scheme, in which a number of people each day in Homeland went to try to contact there chosen friends.

While Cindy had some special tasks, given by the Lady, she sometimes shared them with me. She did know much more of what was expected of her, while I was a newbie in this country.

One of that tasks was marking down, which friendship was promising.
Special marked were the ones with writers of books, of film, or television shows.
Special there, Cindy and me had to help the people ‘coming home from new friends’.

They really did not have enough understanding of our world, to explain about what we thought was going on, so every evening by the fire, we gathered those people, and had what Wise Feather called: a mini Pow Wow.
A telling of stories, to learn of what was usually going on in my world.

Sometimes, when the most were young people, it were Cindy and me, who could tell all about it.
Other times, when there were more adult things necessary, Wise Feather, Old Bob, or some other good Homelanders, with friends in our world, stepped in to help.

I even met Cindy’s grandmother, on our world called Mother Goose, but about television and film she did not know much, while her friend was dead for some years now.But it was nice to meet her.

One night, when the stories we did hear about what was going on with the gangs, did make me very upset, she came to me and said:“Lea, you look disturbed. Are you sure, this is not a too big task for you?”

I did answer honestly: “I really do not know.
I try to keep all in my head, but some things I really do not understand yet.
But I try, and it makes it hard to sleep.
Sometimes all seems to turn, and turn without stopping, before I do fall asleep.”

She did laugh: “At least you are honest and tell.
I do know your first adventure here had not to be a very eventful one, but alas, this is how things went.
Tonight, I will tell you a story, just for you and Cindy and nobody else.”

With that thought in my mind, the realization of a long held dream, I could go on with the task, Cindy and me started, without realizing how difficult or special it would be.

When I did look back to our enthusiasm by the start of all, what seems just a few days ago, and the hard work and responsibility it did bring, it looked like I was growing up very fast.
And all this in one night in my own world.

Only: in the land of paper it seemed like a month already, that much had happened this time.
So Cindy’s Grandmother told us a great girls story, full of princes on white horses, feasts and beautiful dresses, like Cinderella had worn on her ball where she did meet her prince.

I only tell you this: ‘that was just for me and Cindy. May be ever, when I myself will try to be a writer, I will tell you what mother Goose told me that night!’

That night we did sleep very well, and had wonderful dreams about… well, you can guess!
And in that dreams not a boring moment too, just fun and colors and, well, that comes later.

© Nan van Daalen, All rights reserved.