JOHN AND MIRIAM
Chapter Five
Early the following afternoon, John, Miriam,
and Mary were sitting on the third-class deck enjoying the warm sun and the
cool breeze. Mary had met another little girl and they sat trying to
communicate, Mary trying to make the other child understand English and the
other child trying to make Mary understand Arabic.
John and Miriam watched this exchange with
amusement, noting that the two children were still managing to have fun despite
their differences. Miriam spoke up.
"If more people could think like those
two do, and understand that there really is no difference between groups of
people, we'd all be a lot better off."
John nodded and was about to respond when
several dogs bounded onto the deck, yanking at their leashes. The dogs' owners
tried desperately to control their unruly animals, excited after hours of being
locked up.
A young Irishman standing near the railing
voiced his opinion.
"Typical. First class dogs come down
here to take a shite."
A young blond-haired man responded. John
recognized him from when the ship had left Southampton. "Let's us know
where we rank in the scheme of things."
The rest of the exchange was lost to John as
a servant came out on deck leading a small puppy--one of Mary's favorite
things. The little girl noticed immediately.
"Puppy!" she screeched, jumping to
her feet and running toward the little animal. Her friend followed.
In an instant, both little girls were
standing next to the puppy, petting it and trying to pick it up. The puppy was
delighted. At last, here were people who wanted to play! The servant was not so
delighted. As the little dog jumped around the two girls, yipping happily, he
gave its leash a sharp tug. Yelping, the puppy fell on its face.
"Get away from him, you little
mongrels," he told the girls, shoving the Arab girl aside. Mary was
shocked and surprised. All she had been doing was playing with the puppy! She
started crying.
By this time John, Miriam, and the other
little girl's mother had hurried to the rescue. The Arab woman picked up her
child, sending a look toward the servant that spoke volumes. Seeing this, John
mumbled, "If looks could kill, that man would shark food now."
Miriam was sending a similar look toward the
arrogant lackey. When John picked up his crying daughter, Miriam stomped toward
the servant.
"Excuse me," she spoke to him,
putting her sweetest voice on. "Why did you call those little girls
mongrels?" She said this very innocently, as if she couldn't imagine why
he would say such a thing.
He just looked at her and moved farther away.
The puppy, who had been trying to lift his leg, whimpered as he was dragged
along.
Miriam followed the man. "I asked you a
question," she said, anger creeping into her voice. When he still didn't
answer, she asked him sarcastically, "What's the matter? Can't you
speak?"
People were staring now, some in shock, some
in delight. It wasn't every day that someone from third class stood up to
someone from first class. Someone snickered.
Furious, the man turned to her. "Those
little wharf rats could have ruined a perfectly good show dog, teaching him
their bad manners."
"What bad manners? Playing with a puppy
is going to teach him bad things? I think the puppy was happy enough to play
with them."
"Listen, girlie, those children..."
he spoke the word children with a sneer, "...those children had no
business playing with this dog. If they want a dog, they should find some mutts
to play with. Animals like that would suit them just fine."
Miriam looked around at the people watching
the argument. "I wonder how many people would disagree with you?" she
asked sweetly.
"Most of them don't understand English
anyway. It doesn't matter what they think. Now, get out of my way," he
told her, yanking on the puppy's leash again. The puppy was beginning to get
desperate.
"Not until you apologize," Miriam
told him, blocking his path. Two bright spots of color burned high in her
cheeks as she strove to control her temper.
"I have nothing to apologize for,"
he told her, smirking. "Now move!"
"Why should I obey you? You're nothing
but a servant. I bet you didn't even pay your own way on this voyage."
Frustrated, the man moved to slap her, but
changed his mind when John grabbed his arm. Looking up, he debated challenging
the third class passenger, then quickly decided against it. John was easily six
inches taller than him. Looking around, he noticed several other third class
passengers staring at him hostilely, obviously understanding every word he had
said. He decided to leave.
Dragging the whimpering puppy along, he
reached the door. Turning back to glare at the assembled passengers, he failed
to notice the puppy lifting his leg over his shoe. Yelping, he pulled his foot
back as the animal relieved itself. The crowd burst out laughing. Face red, the
man stormed off, pulling the much happier puppy along with him. Miriam walked
slowly back to where she had been sitting, uncertain what John's reaction would
be. To her relief, he was laughing too hard to say a word. When he finally
stopped laughing, he looked at her and shook his head, almost beginning to
laugh again.
"There's never a dull moment with you,
Miriam," he commented. "Though I did worry for a minute when that
bastard tried to slap you."
"I didn't think he'd do me any real
harm--not with so many people around. Besides, I knew I could count on
you," she told him, leaning back and relaxing. "That look on his face
when he saw you was priceless! I bet he isn't used to being challenged by
anyone who could beat him in a fair fight."
Mary tugged at Miriam's skirt. Miriam picked
her up and set her in her lap. "Puppy, Mommy?" Mary asked her
hopefully, looking in the direction the servant had gone.
"No, Mary," Miriam told her,
shaking her head. "I can't get that puppy for you."
Mary's face fell in disappointment. Before
she cry again, though, John took her face in his hand and turned it to face
him.
"I'll tell you what, Mary," he
said, leaning forward as if to impart a great secret. Mary perked up and looked
at him closely. "When we get to America, there will be plenty of puppies
there. As soon as we can, we'll get you one of the cutest, cuddliest, most
playful puppies around. It'll have big eyes, and a wagging tail, and it'll
think you're just the best owner it could possibly get. Sound good?"
"Yes..." Mary mumbled. Catching
sight of her friend, she struggled to get down. The two little girls began to
play together as the second girl's mother sat down beside Miriam and smiled
shyly. She hadn't understood the words of the argument, but she knew exactly
how Miriam felt.