Five Trailers, Lot C

It stopped vibrating. He looked at the wand, then looked at the mystified girl.

"What can I say?" he shrugged. "You just have the magic touch. How long have you known you had the magic touch?"

"I didn't, I don't," Daisy said, baffled.

"Well, here, now, I need you to..." Sammy said, again handing the wand to Daisy.

Again, the wand Vibrated in her hand. Samuel had Daisy strike the handkerchief with the wand. Then he moved the handkerchief to show everyone the vase and bouquet of flowers the handkerchief had been hiding.

"And how about a hand for my beautiful assistant, who by the way did not break any of my wands?" Samuel called out.

"Give her the wand I had," Sydnee demanded.

"This one?" Samuel asked and handed the wand to Daisy.

It did not break apart. He smiled and took the wand from her and handed her the next wand. Again, the wand stayed intact.

"Take a bow, Daisy Richards," Samuel said.

"Thank you, thank you," Daisy said, actually bowing.

"Oh, sit down, Midget," Angela grumbled.

Samuel performed a few more tricks. He deduced it was time to wrap it up; he had homework, and Susan had dinner to start on.

"Now, I'm going need an assistant for..." Samuel said as he juggled three handkerchiefs, which is a lot harder than it sounds.

"I'll..." Angela volunteered herself.

"No, Daisy's got the magic touch; you'll just break it," Samuel said. "Daisy?"

Daisy again stood next to Samuel, large eyes fixed on him.

"Hat. Empty?" Samuel said, removing the hat from his head and showing the hat to everyone.

"Yes," Daisy agreed, looking into the fedora.

"Okay," Samuel said, placing the hat upside down onto the table.

He juggled the handkerchiefs again, then put them into the hat. He handed the wand to Daisy and told her to wave the wand over the hat while saying the magic word.

"What's the magic word?" Daisy asked as the wand again jerked and danced in her hands.

"Uh, please?" Samuel said.

"Please, what's the magic word?" Daisy asked.

"The magic word is please," Samuel smiled.

"Oh! Okay, um, please," Daisy said and waved the wand over the hat.

"Okay, now, Daisy, reach into the hat and pull out the first handkerchief," Samuel ordered as he took the wand from her hand.

Daisy reached for the hat.

"Just watch out for the snake," Samuel said.

Daisy squealed and jerked her hand back. The three girls laughed at her reaction.

"Daisy! There's no snake in there," Susan said.

Daisy peered into the hat, then cautiously reached her hand into the hat. She began to pull the first handkerchief out. The second handkerchief came with it, then the third one was also knotted to the second handkerchief. There was a fourth and fifth handkerchief knotted to the others. Then an impossibly large bra followed.

"Yours?" Samuel asked Daisy.

"As if!" Angela chortled.

"No," Daisy giggled.

"Well keep going," Samuel ordered.

Two more handkerchiefs followed the bra. Then a pair of boxers popped out of the hat, knotted to the handkerchiefs.

"Yours?" Samuel asked.

"No," Daisy giggled.

"Oh. Then must be mine, which means the show is over, folks," Samuel said and took the knotted handkerchiefs, large bra and boxer shorts from Daisy's hand. "And how about a hand for my beautiful assistant Daisy!"

"Aw!" four girls cried out. "Do another? One more?"

"Hmm, let's see," Samuel said and found a pair of handcuffs.

He placed them on the unsuspecting Daisy. A flash of horror came across her face.

"Get them off, get them off," she screamed.

"Hold still!" Samuel cried out as Daisy burst into wails.

Susan hugged the crying girl. Samuel stood by helplessly. Angela and Sydnee sat for a long moment, then both decided it was time to leave.

Samuel watched as Susan herded Daisy to her room. Then he sighed and gathered up his box of illusions.

A half hour later, Samuel was in his room, idly doing his homework. Samuel looked up when there was a soft knock at his door.

"I uh, Sammy? I talk to you?" Daisy whispered.

Samuel didn't correct her. He hated the name Sammy, though.

"I uh, yeah, I mean, what happened?" Samuel asked as Daisy entered his bedroom.

I, my cousin Melinda? She was dating this ass hole cop? Jack Vogel?" Daisy said, sitting on the foot of Samuel's bed.

Samuel fought against the smirk. Her feet didn't touch the ground. But he was sure, Daisy Richards did not need him to remind her of her lack of height.

"Anyway, we're over at my Aunt Linda's house; we're celebrating, Jack and Melinda just got engaged. My daddy even let me have some of his beer," Daisy said. "But beer just makes me have to really tinkle."

She looked at her small hands for a long moment. Samuel saw Susan in the doorway, looking concerned.

"Anyway, I go to pee, and Jack's coming out the bathroom and next thing I know, he's got his handcuffs on me and he's grabbing my boobs," Daisy choked out.

"Oh God, Daisy, I'm so sorry!" Samuel gasped.

"And I start screaming and everyone's in the hall and they're all screaming and yelling and Jack tells everyone it was just a joke, just a joke," Daisy wailed.

Samuel sat next to her on the foot of the bed and put his arms around her torso. She clung to him, sniffling for a moment.

After a moment, Samuel dug into his trouser pocket and handed Daisy his handkerchief.

"This a magic handkerchief?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah, makes boogers disappear," Samuel said.

"That's not funny, Sammy," Daisy giggled.

She dabbed at her face. She blew her nose and folded the handkerchief tightly.

"Anyway, when you put them handcuffs on me..." Daisy said.

"Here, let me show you..." Samuel said, getting to his feet.

He found the handcuffs. Daisy shrunk back when he approached.

"No, no, you put them on me," Samuel said.

She stood up and put the manacles onto Samuel's wrists.

"All right, buddy!" she barked, small face set hard. "Now I've got you."

"Yeah? What you going do?" Samuel asked.

In answer, Daisy stepped up onto her tip toes and kissed Samuel directly on his lips.

"Wow, um, police brutality," Samuel said.

He then showed her how, with a twist of his wrists, he could pop out of the cuffs.

"Oh!" Daisy said.

She put the cuffs onto Samuel's wrists again. Again, he twisted out of them.

"Now, if you don't know how..." Samuel said and showed her him jerking, causing them to clank noisily. "The trick is, I cuff you. You try to get out of them. Then I have you cuff me, I turn and just twist right out of them. See?"

"I'm sorry I ruined your trick," Daisy said quietly.

"Daisy, you didn't ruin anything," Samuel smiled. "Up until that? You were making my act a great one."

"Put them on again?" Daisy asked.

Samuel again cuffed his wrists. Daisy stepped up and kissed him. The kiss was a closed mouth kiss, but there was passion in the kiss.

Susan looked up from the meatloaf she was preparing. She smiled as she saw Daisy and Samuel holding hands.

"Bye Susan, thanks," Daisy called out.

"Uh huh," Susan said and smiled again when Daisy and Samuel kissed at the door of the trailer.

"Wait until I tell Uncle Danny," Susan threatened.

"Tell him what?" Samuel asked.

"Bye, Sammy," Daisy said and left the trailer.

"That your name is now Sammy," Susan taunted.

"Go ahead, Suzy," Samuel threatened.

"I got a knife," Susan snarled.

"Uh huh," Samuel said and rearranged the kitchen chairs around their dining table again.

"By the way, great show," Susan complimented. "Even though I know how you do most of them? I was really getting into it."

"Thanks," Samuel smiled.

Uncle Danny also smiled when he came home and was given the daily briefing. He shook his head as Samuel told him about Frank Johnson trying to grab his cards.

"Samuel's got a new name," Susan mentioned as she checked on the cauliflower.

"Hmm?" Danny asked.

"The Amazing Sammy," Susan giggled.

"Got a nice ring to it," Uncle Danny agreed.

Male and female students were forbidden from displaying any physical acts of affection. There would be no kissing, no hugging, no fondling. The student handbook even forbade male and female students holding hands.

But before lunchtime, every student in Cabrini High School knew that Daisy Richards and Samuel Gerrard were now an item, that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Samuel returned the smirks of other students as he followed Daisy Richards, carrying her books for her.

That had been her first demand when he met her at her locker. As her boyfriend, it was his duty to carry her books for her.

"And what's your job?" he smiled.

He smiled wider when she blushed through her own smile. Then she happily, proudly led the procession of one to their homeroom.

"By the way, my momma? Wants you come over Friday night," Daisy ordered as they put their lunches down.

"Um, oh, okay," Samuel said.

"Ooh, Sammy!" both Susan and Sydnee squealed.

"You kissing him?" Daisy shrilled, standing, hands on hips.

"What?" Sydnee chortled. "Shut up!"

"Huh? You kissing him?" Daisy demanded. "No? Then don't be calling my man 'Sammy,' hear?"

"Sit down, Ms. Richards," Sister Andrea ordered, trying to hide her amused smile.

"Sit down, Daisy," Susan smirked.

"Put a hurt on you," Daisy muttered, glaring at Sydnee.

"Sweetheart, stop," Samuel said. "Don't worry, you're the only one that'll be calling me 'Sammy' okay?"

"Better be," Daisy ordered.

"Love taco day," Susan enthused as she ate the turkey meat tacos.

"Mm-hmm," Sydnee agreed.

"Oh! What's your all time fave oh rite?" Daisy asked Samuel.

"Um, I guess it's probably the lasagna here," Samuel thought about it.

"No, no, I mean, for my Momma and me to fix," Daisy explained.

"Samuel, sorry, The Amazing Sammy's having dinner at Daisy's house Friday," Susan announced before Uncle Danny even had the door of the trailer shut that evening.

"I heard," Danny agreed.

"Wait, what? How'd you hear?" Samuel demanded.

"Amazing thing, this new invention, called the telephone? One person can be, oh, say, in their house, and they can call another person at, say their job?" Danny said.

"Wow!" Samuel said. "No way! I think you making that up."

"No, no, it's true," Danny said as he walked to his bedroom. "Meeting with Rose Richards at Foxtrot's in twenty minutes, talk about my nephew dating her daughter."

Five minutes later, the man walked from his bedroom, khaki trousers, light blue shirt and navy blue blazer on.

"Knew this guy once? Kind of reminds me of you, except he didn't look like a dork," Samuel said.

"Knew this kid once? Kind of reminds me of you? Except this kid? Had a bed sleep in," Danny said.

"Shut up, Samuel; he looks nice," Susan defended.

Danny entered the elegant nightclub and looked around the dark interior. A hostess greeted him.

"Sir?" the woman asked.

"Uh, yes, yes, I'm supposed to be meeting a uh, a Rose Richards here?" Danny smiled, already spotting whom he assumed was Rose.

"Ah yes sir, Mr. Gerrard? Right this way," the woman smiled.

Rose turned as a very tall, very handsome man approached, following the hostess.

"Mr. Gerrard?" Rose smiled, getting to her feet.

Danny tried not to smirk; the woman had actually appeared taller when she was seated. He bent and shook her offered hand.

"All right, right up front? If Daisy's half as pretty as you? No wonder my nephew's crazy about your Daisy," Danny said as he sat at the small table.

"Liar," Rose giggled as she sipped her white wine.

"Sir? A drink?" a waitress asked.

"Would you happen to have St. Elizabeth's, lager?" Danny asked.

"But of course, sir," the waitress smiled and checked Rose's glass before turning.

"And if Samuel's as full of bull as you, I'm glad I've got Daisy on the pill," Rose said.

"Rose, may I call you Rose? I don't think anyone's as full of bull as I am," Danny smiled easily.

The two laughed. The waitress approached, placed mug and bottle onto the table, again checked Rose's glass, then walked away to another table.

The band started up a lively jitterbug.

"Rose, would you care to dance?" Danny asked.

"Daniel, I would love to," Rose said and again jumped down from her chair.

Danny and Rose made an odd looking couple, but stayed on the floor for four numbers before returning to their table.

"Daniel, that was, well, that was simply wonderful," Rose panted.

"Agreed," Danny smiled and sipped his warm beer. "Rose, I'm starved; I'm going to order a roast beef sandwich; would you care for anything?"

As they ate, they talked about their children; her Daisy and his Susan and Samuel. Rose disclosed that Aaron Richards had asked her out as part of a contest, a cruel contest among the top hierarchy of Cabrini High School. Aaron had been the school's first string quarterback, a truly handsome young man, with a rich father.

"He could, and rumors were, did have his pick of any of the girls at Cabrini, including two of the teachers," Rose said as she nibbled on her chicken salad sandwich. This is a great sandwich, but really? Dead End has got a burger? Called the Volcano?"

"No way!" Danny laughed. "Rose Richards, there is just no way you can eat a Volcano Burger from Dead End."

"Bet you, oh, I don't know, bet you another night of dancing I can eat an entire Volcano burger, and an order of onion rings," Rose smiled, holding up her small hand, pinky extended.

"Bet you a kiss if you can't," Danny said, hooking his pinky with hers.

"Deal," she agreed. "But as I was saying, Aaron Richards asked me out. No one had ever asked me out before; the midget, wild frizzy hair, coke bottle glasses, face nothing but zits."

"But Baby look at you now," Danny said.

"Anyway, it's just this contest they got going on; who can screw the ugliest kid," Rose said. "I didn't know anything about it; I was just thrilled Aaron Richards, THE Aaron Richards asked me out. We go to Sweet Pea's, then to the Jazz Beach Boat Launch and he's telling me he loves me, has been in love with me ever since seeing me the first day of school and next thing I know he's on top of me and it hurts and then he's driving me home."

"Um. Damn," Danny said, putting his sandwich down again.

"Anyway, about two months later, my period's late and I go up to Aaron and tell him I'm pregnant," Rose said, still nibbling on her sandwich.

"Did the right thing?" Danny guessed.

"Punched me in the face, right there, in the cafeteria, broke my glasses, gave me a black eye, and not a single teacher saw it," Rose spat bitterly.

"Damn," Danny said, pushing his half eaten sandwich away.

"Anyway, my daddy takes Aaron and his daddy, his Honor, Judge Jack Richards out fishing," Rose giggled. "Come back? They don't got them no fish, but we getting married."

Danny sat. Rose finished her sandwich, then munched on the pickle spear.

"I finished up school, correspondence, Aaron finishes up his school. He's one gets me preggers, but he gets to go to school, gets to walk across the stage, get his diploma, I get mine in the mail," Rose said. "Then, after Daisy's born, he's working at the mattress factory and I tell him, soon as I get Daisy off my boob and onto solid food, I'm going to college." Rose said.

She smiled as Danny's eyes flickered to her breasts, then up to her face again. He blushed but smiled.

"He says 'Oh no you ain't; what you need college for? I'm paying the bills, huh?' and I say, 'My daddy need take you fishing again?' And that's all I hear about that," Rose admitted.

She pulled a small wallet from her purse. Then she pulled out a card. She moved to hand it to Danny, then pulled a pen out of her purse and wrote onto the back of the card. She then handed Danny her business card.

'Rose Richards, Graphics Designs'

Danny flipped the card over and smiled when he saw her cell phone number.

"I uh, I don't have any cards but..." he said, and punched her number into his phone. A second later, her phone buzzed in her purse.

"Hello?" she answered.

"So, when you want to go get this Volcano Burger?" Danny asked.

"As soon as we can," she smiled.

"Saturday night," he decided, then ended the call.

"Wait, wait, I didn't say yes or no. How you know Saturday's good for me?" she said into her phone.

"That's 'Too Young' by Nat King Cole, isn't it?" Danny asked as he slipped his phone into his pocket. "Come on, Rose, they're playing our song."

They danced a few more dances, then reluctantly agreed it was getting late. Danny walked Rose to her Mercedes-Benz and pointed to his battered old truck. They stood by her car, chatting for a few moments.

Rose Richards smiled up at Danny as he continued to stammer some nonsense.

"Anyway, so I uh, I told Samuel, see, he hates being called 'Sammy' but for whatever reason, calling me 'Danny' is okay, they call me Uncle Danny and..." he said.

"Danny Gerrard, are you trying to work up to a kiss?" she asked.

"I'm glad I'm being so obvious about it," he smiled, blushing hotly.

He bent and she gave him a soft, closed mouth kiss.

"Oh! What time Saturday?" she asked.

"Get off work at... Six thirty. We wait until seven? I'll be light-headed from starvation," Danny said.

"Pick me up; I'll text you the address," Rose smiled and pulled him down for a second kiss.

She pulled him down for a third kiss then got into her car. Danny waited until she drove away before walking to his truck.

Samuel felt like laughing when he met Rose Richards for the first time. She was a beautiful woman, looked a great deal like her daughter. But Uncle Danny had said Daisy must get her height from her father.

Samuel had assumed that Uncle Danny meant that Daisy must get her lack of stature from her father; that Rose Richards was an average sized woman. So, when Daisy pulled him into the kitchen to meet Rose, Samuel's eyes had to drop down, and down again.

"Four feet even," Rose said, holding out a tiny hand.

"Five ten," Samuel said. "So, what else should we talk about?"

"You and your uncle," Rose smiled, shaking her head. "Y'all are a lot alike, huh?"

Over dinner, Samuel held nothing back. He knew Rose had met his uncle, knew Uncle Danny rarely minced words, so saw no reason to 'sanitize' any of his answers.

"Just left you two?" Daisy asked, horrified.

"I, we were only three, so I really don't even remember it," Samuel admitted. "Uh, Miss Rose? How you get the baked macaroni like this?"

"Sour cream," Rose said. "That's the secret. Sour cream."

"I'm going have try that. Of course, first thing my Uncle Danny's going say? 'Why's sour cream got an expiration date on it?'" Samuel said.

"He, uh, your Uncle Danny? He uh, he go out much?" Rose asked, sure her face was blazing red.

"Hmm? No, not really," Samuel said, not telling Rose about Donna.

Donna had been a loud, brash woman his uncle used to date on an irregular basis. Then they found out why she was available on some nights but not on other nights. One day, a man was leaning against Uncle Danny's truck when Uncle Danny got off of work.

"Need you quit fucking my wife, okay?" the man said bluntly.

"Your what? Wife?" Danny asked.

"Guess she didn't tell you she's married, huh?" the man asked, seeing the genuine shock on Danny Gerrard's face.

"Wife's name Donna?" Danny guessed.

"Marie Donna Nunez Litzinger," the man confirmed. "So she goes by 'Donna' when she's fucking around?"

"Mister, I had no idea," Danny said. "I had? Wouldn't have been fucking her, and for damned sure wouldn't have been bringing her around my kids."

The two men sized each other up for a long moment. Then Ralph Litzinger held out a hand. They solemnly shook hands and the man walked across the street where his Peterbilt sat idling.

Samuel kept that information to himself. It was in the past and his Uncle Danny had only been out on a few dates since then. He did complement Mrs. Richards on the salmon cakes.