Murphy's Law: Tae Open Tag

[Taegan Buckles]

Did you ever have one of those days? One of those days where you knew you should have just stayed in bed, pulled the overs over your head, and put her head under the pillow? And just remained there until the day past. That was the day Taegan was having. She had been awakened that morning by the soft sound of rain against her window. At first it was relaxing, lulling her back into a sleep that was rather peaceful. She felt no need to get up. There was nothing she had to do that couldn't wait. Well, she should have stuck with that thought.

Instead, she had gotten up and gotten dressed. A casual pair of jeans, a t-shirt, hoody, and her good old converse. She decided that she would get up early and run some errands around town. Then she could run back home, and curl up and just be lazy. However, the gods or some other deity with a twisted sense of humor had other plans for her.

She had gotten only a few of her errands run when Murphy's Law went into effect. She was on a road that wasn't highly traveled, but not really deserted either when she got a flat. She couldn't' get the offending tire off and she looked at her phone, and it was taking it's last few breaths, before it went to that big cell phone haven in the sky. Then the rain was coming down. She was getting soaked. Great.

"Okay, I don't know what I did, to angry anyone up there, but whatever it was...I apoligze.." she sighed, pulling the hood of her hoodie over her head and started walking. She was only a bout a mile or two from civilization and telephones. So, she locked up her Tracker, pocketed her keys and phone, and such other personal items and began walking.

[Annie Holmes]

The two Holmes men, their daughter Annie, and Iman and David Bowie were sitting comfortably in the Holmes Mobile (a red Ford Expedition seatings for 8) on their way back from delivering more cupcakes to various shelters and soup kitchens leaving smiles and vast "Thank you!"s in their wake. If nothing else good had come from the fight on Thrusday, then the over abundance of cupcakes and the smiles they had brought was a good start to making up for Philip Lim's short sightedness.

Iman and James were talking animatedly about a coop between her cosmetics line and a few of his fashion designs while Frederick drove and David was practicing ASL with Annie who kept giggling over his exaggerated gestures. He was David Bowie, so everything he did was pretty big. It was still funny.

Frederick frowned as he peered through the rain and reached back a hand to tap his daughter on the knee then point forward through the windshield.

Annie leaned forward, as far as the seatbelt would allow her, and signed quickly, translated haltingly by David who could see her clearly while her father drove.

"I think she's saying that the girl goes to school with her? Silver student. Quiet. Gotta give her a ride. Slow down! Your fingers are scary fast." David laughed as Annie made a face and Frederick pulled over.

The tiny redhead unbuckled and opened a door waving an arm out into the rain at the Silver Senior (hardly anyone passed her notice) and David poked a head out above her. Speaking for his hosts' daughter he smiled a familiar smile and called out, "Free ride for the wet and lonely!"

[Taegan Buckles]

Tae walked with her hands stuffed deeply into his pockets and her shoulders slumped slightly. She was beginning to rethink her decision to walk into town. It really hadn't sounded that bad, it wasn't that long of a walk. On a day it wasn't that bad, or that long of walk. But on a day that fit into the realm of 'It was a dark and stormy night' it wasn't that bright of an idea. But having stayed behind to sit in the car, although dry, hadn't seemed like that much better.

Tae heard an approaching vehicle. She stepped further to the shoulder of the road, being sure to give them plenty of room to get by her. But they never did pas. So, she slowed down and stopped walking looking back to see who it or or if maybe they had turned off. But the Expedition was slowing down and someone was leaning out the window it appeared, and they were waving.

Tae cocked her head and stared. Then she heard someone shouting. Free ride? She hesitated a moment while she pondered if this was such a good idea or not. Take a ride in a warm dry car, offered to her, or continue walking in the rain? She made her decision when she found herself walking slowly toward the vehicle. She had never really done anything like this. Hitchhike. She wasn't sure what the proper etiquette was. She approached slowly, "Uhh....did you say something...about a ride?" she asked softly. "That...would be great..and very much appreciated."

[Annie Holmes]

Annie's red head bobbed in agreement. If she hadn't been able read lips she might not have been able to understand the older girl. As it was, she could, and did. Though Bowie himself grinned that impish grin and pulled back into his seat.

Frederick called from the front seat, "Come on in, we're just heading home. My daughter, Annie," the girl waved again with a grin as impish as Bowie's, "My husband, James, Iman and David Bowie," As each name was called out it was followed by either a smile, a wave, or a verbal greeting. The man behind the wheel continued as he pulled away from the curb once the girl was settled. "Annie tells us that you're a displaced Silver student? Are you heading home or out for a bit of shopping?"

The younger girl turned in her seat to see if the other could sign, or understand sign. Her fingers moved slower than if she were talking to her parents or the friends she had who signed as well as she did.

Why were you walking in the rain?

David shook his head and translated only to get poked in the side by the tiny girl. "She wants to know why you were walking in the rain. And if you sing. Poke me again, half-pint and I'll toss you head first into the bog of eternal stench." Which got a huge grin from Annie. David winked back at Tae.

[Taegan Buckles]

"Thank you..again. I hope I'm not putting you out." Tae said quietly as she climbed into the Expediting and get herself settled in. "I was just running a few errands. But I think gong back home would be a wise idea." she smiled. She could charge her phone back up, get some dry clothes on and call her Dad and explain to him what had happened.

As everyone was introduced she smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am a displaced Silver student. Seems I keep finding myself more and more displaced." she tried to joke. "My name is Taegan by the way." she said with a small smile.

She turned to the girl signing. She was a littler clueless. She new very basic signs. LIke..doing the alphabet. And maybe a few words here and there. She felt really bad for not knowing more. So, she was thankful when some spoke up and translated.

"I"m sorry, I'm not real familiar with signing. I know the alphabet and may be a handful of other words." she admitted sheepishly. "But to answer your question, I was running errands, when I got a flat and everything went wrong from there." she sighed. "I couldn't get the wheel off, my cell is dead as a door nail. and the rest is history."

[Annie Holmes]

Iman and James returned to their conversation while Frederick nodded, "It's no trouble, just let me know when to turn and where and we'll get you back to your house."

Annie pursed her lips thoughtfully at Taegan's confession about not knowing much sign language. It wasn't over-all surprising that she didn't know much, but her willingness to admit it was refreshing. Much better than someone pretending to know waht she was saying. And she did have David and the others to translate for her.

Once more fingers flicked out a message and Bowie's dulcet tones translated. "We're sorry you got stranded out in the rain." He had used we when Annie had signed I so he could include himself in the statement. It was rather fun being the voice for a teeny teenager.

"It's okay if you don't sign much, or even at all. Lots of people don't, Annie would you slow down? I'm still a novice myself." that was met with an apologetic, but impish grin. The girl slowed her hands, but kept going, keeping her eyes on Tae. "We're sorry you feel displaced, but do hope that you're getting on well at Gould? The school's so big that it wouldn't be a problem to fit everyone together. But what do you think will happen to all the teachers?"

In the back of Annie's mind she was grateful Tae didn't seem to know her. Or what had happened Thursday. It still hurt, more than she could express through cupcakes, though Dare's gift had been put to use immediately. It was nice not to have to defend her friend, former friend, to someone.

[Taegan Buckles]

"Yes, okay, I'll do my best to give you good directions. My Dad says I don't make a very good navigator." she laughed lightly. "Unless it's just me. I don't have much trouble getting anywhere, but trying to tell someone else how to get there. Yeah, it doesn't turn out very well." she shrugged a little. "You are good for now. Just keep going on this road for a bit more...then there's a...left turn." she hesitated a moment. Thinking to make sure she was correct about the turn.

"I did not mean for my comment to sound as if it was a bad thing to find myself displaced. It's not really. I found myself in some situations that I don't think I would have other wise. Most of them have turned out for the best, and allowed me to meet new people. So, I guess in a way it has been a blessing in disguise"

"I spent some time recently with some relatives out of state and a friend of the family's kid was in a preschool class where they taught the kids signs for like: more, please, water. It was really cute watching him show off his signs. I guess what I learned from this two year old is all I know."

[Annie Holmes]

"That's a really good start!" Annie signed as David continued to translate. Dipping into his acting a little he exaggerated the excitement he read on the girls face. It brought a laugh from his wife in the front seat.

"I'm sure you'll do fine, hun," James said with a smile.

Annie continued, only to be poked by David again as a reminder to slow down.

"I swear," he grinned, "her fingers move faster than most folk's brains. She's excited that you learned something from a kid who's that young. That they're teaching some signs in school as a matter of course. At least," he paused, "I think that's what she said."

Sticking her tongue out at the man, Annie continued her signing.

"Did you have fun on your trip? Where did you go?" David tapped Annie and said again, "Slow. Down. Not for me, for Taegan here, she needs time not only to answer, but to breath. And she's soaking wet."

Annie's face flushed in embarrassment. Often she forgot that not everyone enjoyed meeting new people and being chatter boxes. Also, Tae must have been very uncomfortable in her wet clothes. Did they have a towel in the back from beach trips? Signing that, David translated and encouraged their wet passenger to have a look.

[Taegan Buckles]

Tae glanced out the window to see where they were, so she could give some advanced notice before her turn come up. She did not want to be one of those people who waited until the person was right on top of the turn and then shouted 'turn HERE'. "Okay, the next left is the turn you'll want to take, and then it's just straight on that road for maybe..a mile." she shrugged guessing at the distance.

"I was in the mid-wast of all places.' She said in answer to Annie's question. She tried to look at her when she answered and not the person translating her signing. She owed the girl that much respect, since she was the one talking to her even if not verbally. But she did catch her occasionally wanting to look at him when she answered than Annie. She felt bad when she caught herself doing that. "That kid was much better than me. I guess it is true when they say you learn things easier and quicker as a kid then as an adult."

"I'm fine, I don't want to put you all out anymore than I all ready have. I'm not really that wet. I'll be just fine."