What Janie Saw(124)

                The checklist took longer than usual because a few tasks weren’t complete. On the smaller animals, like the birds or Luke’s favorite iguana, Janie willingly picked up the slack and cleaned the cages or supplied the food. For the big cats, though, she simply made a mark in her notebook and would tell Meredith later.

                Heading for the bear’s enclosure, she decided to first call and check on Katie. That’s when she remembered her phone was still charging in the office.

                By the time she picked it up, she had just one minute to get to the three-o’clock show. Hurrying to the bears’ enclosure, Janie watched the families as they gathered. During the school semester, small children in strollers dominated the pathways. There were also a few older couples out enjoying the day. They all had stories.

                She wanted to draw them, to focus on the lines on their faces, the gleam in their eyes, the way they looked at the world.

                Animals were awesome, but people were, too.

                Jasper had just left the kitchen and had food for George and Crisco.

                “Good, you’re my helper,” he said, drawing near.

                “Long time since I’ve done this.”

                “All you have to do is talk to the crowd, describe what’s going on, and give them both George and Crisco’s stories. You’re as familiar with the details as I am.”

                Jasper used to be able to do both work with the bears and talk with the crowd. As he aged, though, his voice wasn’t as strong.

                He still seemed strong to Janie. He was a remnant of her childhood, the days before Aunt Betsy. Jasper had pushed her in a wagon, she remembered that. He’d been the one to put her on the back of a camel for the first time. He’d sat beside her and colored right along with her. Neither of her parents, or Katie for that matter, had liked to draw or color.

                Janie wondered if Rafe liked to draw.

                She’d have to ask.

                Fewer than a dozen people showed up for the show. One was a family of six, four of them too young to appreciate what they were seeing and hearing. Then there were two couples. Plus, she recognized CeeCee Harrington from the Adobe Hills Community College. She was taking pictures of Crisco while Janie spoke.

                She smiled weakly at Janie.

                After the show, Janie went over and sat beside her on the bench.

                “I couldn’t go to work today,” CeeCee said. “It’s never easy losing a student. But Derek’s funeral... What a show.”

                “I didn’t realize you were close to Derek.”

                “He took two of my English classes. I remember when he walked into my class, I thought, ‘This kid with his attitude will never make it.’”

                “But he did.”

                “He earned a C the first time. He moved up to a B on his second go-around.”

                “I regret that I didn’t know him better.”

                “Me, too.” CeeCee stood and walked toward the bear enclosure. “I remember Crisco’s story. The place where they found him is out near where I live. I knew the couple who lived on that farm. Not well and not socially, but when you live outside the city limits you become familiar with the people who live around you.”