the true story, part ii

the continuation of part i of the true story of jack and the beanstalk...

jack dreaded going home. how was he ever going to explain this to his mother? he had foolishly risked practical realities for the intangible follies of a young man. jack wanted to be somebody, to go places, to have some magic in his life! and he had foolishly believed that it was so easily possible. dejected, he walked home, broken inside.

when he got home, his mother didn't yell at him like he expected. jack's mother understood that he had dreams, for she had dreams too. she dreamed, like every other mother, that her child would grow up to be healthy and happy and successful, cared for with a steady income, a steady partner, and knowing the joy of seeing one's child smile. her heart broke for him though, for she also knew that the kind of dreams he had were only available to the rich.

"i'm not saying that you can't dream jack, or that you shouldn't. a man without dreams is like a fish without water. but there are many paths to happiness and you must learn how to live your dreams out through life's little moments. now, why don't you at least plant the beans? let's see if we can't coax a few seedlings out of them?"

every morning as jack watered the beans in the chilly morning darkness, he tried not to be angry. he tried not to be angry at himself for making such a childish mistake, he tried not to be angry at his mother who was always so kind and gentle and accepting of life's fates, and he tried not to be angry that the other boys in his class got to take the girls to the market where they would buy taffy and flowers together. jack's heart grew bitter at the thought that lia would one day marry someone like tom, who could buy her jewels and pretty dresses and all the pastries she could want.

when fall time came around, everyone prepared for the annual kingdom's fair. every year, the king would open his castle grounds for a three-day extravaganza. villagers would come from near and far, to see the best of the kingdom's goods, be entertained by the best troubadours, and spend time with family and friends. the long weekend's festivities would culminate in a gala on the third evening, which was the main attraction of the annual fair. jack had never been.

traveling to the fair cost extra money, which jack and his mother did not have. it also meant that no one would care for the garden while they were gone. usually, jack and his mother would rest while almost everyone else from the village would leave. the only villagers left would be the other very poor ones, who would also use the fair as a chance to finally take a break.

jack's classmates gossiped excitedly about the fair in the weeks leading up to it. jack tried to ignore the chatter and concentrate on his studies, but it was no good. his heart burned inside to see the kingdom's knights in shining armor, to taste the candied apples that everyone loved, and to smell the air of a market different than his own.

the night before the start of the fair, jack got ready for bed earlier than usual. for the next three days, he would have no place to be, and rather than feeling relief, jack felt even more depressed. suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "who could that be? are you expecting someone jack?" jack shook his head no, he never expected anyone.

it was the baker. "sorry to bother you so late marion, but i was wondering if i could borrow jack for a few days? i have a stall at the annual fair, but my sons are both sick with the flu. my wife will have to stay home to take care of them, and now i've got no one to help me." jack's heart started thundering in his chest.

"i'm sorry to hear that simon. i'm sure jack would be of a great help, but i've got no money to spare for food or lodging." jack's heart instantly grew black. here was his chance to finally attend the fair he had heard so much about, but his dreams were killed before they even had a chance to breathe!

"ay, i realize that. but if he doesn't mind, he can sleep in the back of the bread cart, and while i can't feed him anything else, i can certainly give him enough bread for the next few days. what do you think, son?"

"i don't mind! i don't mind at all!!" jack was so excited, even the baker and his mother couldn't help but to smile. "well jack, why don't you get dressed and get your blanket then?"

as the horses trotted out of the village with the bread cart hitched to the back, simon turned to jack and said, "you'll be working all day selling the bread with me, and at night, you'll have to stay up to help me bake and prepare for the next day. no one ever realizes how hard a simple baker works to make money, and now you will find out. but you will have the third evening free. that's when the gala is, and even us workers will have a chance to finally enjoy ourselves. all work and no play makes jack a dull boy, right?"

jack felt his heart bursting at the seams at the thought of attending the gala. who needed those stupid magic beans? all one needed in life was a chance, and jack certainly wasn't going to make any more stupid mistakes like he had before. this time, jack was going to take the sure route to any newfound adventures. his mother had been right - there was a way to live one's dreams through life's little moments. had it not been for one simple stomach flu, jack would have missed this chance at a lifelong dream, but now that he had it, he wasn't giving it up for anything.

to be continued...

(nyc)