2015 Anniversary Challenge
On The Hunt
by JoAnn Baca
The prospect was tantalizing: getting to sit in a movie theater, having gotten in with real tickets.
That afternoon, Brooke had introduced a new game to the youngsters Below – something she had heard about from a Helper: a scavenger hunt. The challenge was to find the ten items on a list she had handed to each team, and quickly. The first team to deliver the items back to Brooke would get the prize: two movie tickets, a gift from an elderly Helper who had won them in a radio contest. It was a movie all the children Below longed to see, with little hope of getting the chance to: Ernest Saves Christmas.
Teams had rapidly formed. Geoffrey and Eric had banded together because each had hoarded some small change and thought that, between them, they might buy whatever item they couldn’t quickly find Below at a five-and-dime Above. But then Brooke had told them the rules, and their plan had collapsed: the teams could search Above or Below, but they could not buy or trade for items they needed, they could only find them or ask to borrow or be given them.
The youngsters had gazed at each other in despair as the teams had rapidly deployed, each intent upon their mission. Eric and Geoffrey recognized the great advantage the older children had over them – they had met more Helpers, they knew more places to look Below, and they could travel further Above without getting stared at and perhaps confronted by random adults.
Sighing, feeling defeated before they had even begun, they gamely began their scavenging.
Surprisingly, they’d struck lucky almost immediately, which had boosted their spirits. Mary had been clearing out the sewing supply cabinet, and had been about to throw out a four-inch piece of pink ribbon that was frayed and unsuitable for use. They had asked politely for it and, bemused, Mary had handed it over, smiling uncertainly at their whoops of glee.
Emboldened by their early success, the boys raced to the next area they were likely to find treasure hunt gold: the pantry. They were right - the banana had not proven difficult to get. By happenstance, there had been a large number of bananas that were too ripe to sell delivered to William just that morning; Geoffrey knew it because he had pushed the load from the delivery point to the pantry by himself. Thus, William looked kindly upon the request from the boy, even as he waved off others who came by begging for the fruit.
Eric and Geoffrey had little trouble finding other items on the list: a bootlace (one discarded by Cullen that had broken on his work boots); a yellow ball (Geoffrey remembered an old set of jacks that was tucked way back in the toy cupboard – it included a cracked and scuffed yellow rubber ball); a hand mirror (cadged from a box of items discarded behind a hair salon Above); a soda can (plucked from atop a garbage receptacle in the park); a copy of the New York Times (found missing its sports page, but otherwise intact); a Macy’s bag (Eric had chased one down as it blew by on the sidewalk – missing a handle, but still…a Macy’s bag); and a purple balloon (Sebastien had winked as he handed the boys one from a bunch he was carrying).
Flush with their booty, Eric whooped as he checked off what he thought was the last item on the list. Geoffrey glanced down to ensure they had covered everything…and realized one item was still unaddressed: a fig leaf. He glanced up at Eric.
“Uh oh.”
Eric’s brow crinkled. “What? We got everything! Let’s go show Brooke!”
“Nope.” Geoffrey shook his head sadly. “Fig leaf.”
Eyes widening, Eric remarked, “Where the heck are we gonna get a fig leaf? I don’t even know what they look like! We could wander in the park for hours looking for a marker for a fig tree, and might never find one. And it’s gonna get dark soon.”
“Botanical Garden, maybe?” Geoffrey pondered then shrugged. “Even if we have enough money to take the subway to the Bronx, we don’t have enough for the entrance fee.”
Their earlier joy evaporated like morning dew in the full sun of their dilemma. Heads hanging low, they scuffed and shuffled back down into the Tunnels.
A lilting laugh turned their attention to the corridor just beyond where they were standing. They knew that laugh well. The woman who owned it was a special friend to them both.
The boys turned to look at each other and, in tandem, they said, “Catherine!”
“She’ll know!” crowed Eric.
“More importantly, she’ll help,” added Geoffrey.
They pelted down the tunnel in the direction of Catherine’s laugh, turning a corner and nearly running into her from behind as Vincent was escorting her to his chamber.
“Sorry!” Geoffrey skidded to a stop, shoes slipping a bit on the packed dirt of the tunnel floor. But Eric bumped into him, which pushed Geoffrey forward awkwardly, causing the youngster to stumble and nearly fall. Vincent’s reflexes were swift enough to turn and grab one of Geoffrey’s arms, keeping him upright, but Geoffrey had put his arms out, anticipating the fall, and had inadvertently connected with Catherine’s backside. Realizing where he had his hands, he had drawn them back quickly, but the damage had already been done. She had two smeared handprints from his unwashed digits pressed into the delicate cream-colored skirt she was wearing.
“That’s quite an entrance,” Catherine remarked, lips twitching to hide a smile.
Vincent’s stern gaze cowed both boys. They cut glances at each other and, by silent mutual agreement, decided they had blown their chance to ask for help. They would be lucky to get away with only a scolding at this point.
The two tousle-haired boys hung their heads in apology. “Sorry, Catherine,” they mumbled in unison. Geoffrey risked looking up at Catherine to add, “Really sorry.”
Catherine shook her head at Vincent, indicating she was fine and didn’t want the boys admonished. She noticed the crushed Macy’s bag Eric was carrying, filled with an odd assortment of items. “What’s going on?” she asked.
Eric stammered, “W-we were c-coming to see you.”
Geoffrey added bravely, “We had something to ask you, but…” He shrugged. “Guess we’ll be going now.”
“No, please! I’m intrigued! What had you rushing to find me?” Catherine glanced at Vincent, who himself was hiding a smile now.
“Fig leaf,” Eric muttered.
“What?” Catherine wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly. “Did you say… ‘fig leaf’?”
Geoffrey nodded. “For the scavenger hunt.”
Vincent shrugged at Catherine’s inquiring glance.
“Tell me,” she urged the boys.
The words set off a torrent of explanation, ending when Geoffrey said, “And we have everything else…and we’re pretty sure we’d be first to get back…but…no fig leaf!”
Catherine blinked. “And you thought…I could help?”
“You know things!” blurted Eric. “Things about Above. We thought you might know where we could find one…quick! So we could win the movie tickets, you know?”
Vincent pressed one hand to his face, clearly hiding a grin he couldn’t suppress. He need not have bothered, however, for both youngsters’ eyes were only on Catherine, pleading and hopeful.
“Well…if you need one quickly, there’s no time to go Above to find one. But if you are just looking for a fig leaf…” She turned to Vincent. “May we take a detour to Father’s library?”
Vincent nodded, but did not trust himself to speak. Instead he merely waved his arm expansively, indicating she should precede him down the corridor toward the library.
***
As the little group entered his domain, Father glanced up from the book he was inspecting. “Ah, what a nice surprise,” he said, his voice conveying not just surprise but confusion over the make-up of the small group before him.
“We’ll just be a moment, Father. We won’t disturb you,” promised Catherine, moving with purpose to one particular shelf.
As she passed him by, Father noted the grubby handprints on the back of her skirt, and his eyebrows rose. He was just about to remark upon it when Vincent laid a restraining hand on his shoulder. When he had caught Father’s eye, Vincent shook his head to indicate that Jacob should stay silent, and Father answered with a nod.
Catherine selected a large art book from the bookshelf. The spine said it was an overview of European art. She opened the massive tome and flipped through a few pages before she stopped, a smile lighting her face. “Here you go,” she announced, handing the open book to Geoffrey.
Confused, he looked down. He didn’t see any trees, only a statue of a man. “Huh?” he said, looking back at Catherine.
“You can tell Brooke that Adam is wearing a fig leaf in this photograph. She didn’t specify that it be an actual fig leaf, did she?”
Both boys shrugged then shook their heads.
“Well, as your lawyer, I hereby advise you that, absent clear direction to the contrary, you have found an acceptable version of a fig leaf to complete the scavenger hunt.”
Faces alight with sudden smiles, Eric and Geoffrey whooped. Eric threw his arms around Catherine’s waist and gave her a hug. “I knew it! You’re the best, Catherine!” he shouted.
Geoffrey, clutching the open book, nodded fiercely.
“Then go!” Catherine urged them, pointing in the direction of the corridor entry.
They lost no more time in discussion, bounding up the short set of stairs and setting off at a run.
“I hope you win!” she remarked to their retreating backs.
After they had left, Father shook his head, chuckling. “It seems Eric has added to the handprints on your lovely skirt, Catherine. My apologies. Perhaps Mary could…”
“Oh, no, Father, the dry cleaners can handle it, I promise. And truly, it was worth it. Although, please don’t tell my boss I took on clients outside of work – it’s not allowed!”
***
Victory was sweet.
The younger boys swooped in and presented Brooke with their bag of scavenged items along with the book, which was open to the page Catherine had indicated. At first Brooke was unsure of accepting the photograph of a statue with its private parts modestly draped by a fig leaf, but when Geoffrey so earnestly explained Catherine’s “ruling” as their lawyer, she couldn’t help but nod, accepting the explanation.
No sooner had Brooke handed the movie passes to Eric than Samantha and Melissa had burst into the chamber, faces flushed, panting with the effort of running. Seeing their faces as they realized that their rivals were holding the prize was almost more than the boys could handle, but they remembered their manners and restrained themselves – just barely – from sticking their tongues out at the girls.
By combining their meager funds, Eric and Geoffrey had just enough money to buy a small box of popcorn at the movies. They savored every crunchy bite.