“Are you certain that you want to do this?” Pearl asked Addie over supper that night. “I know there was a lot of pain for you up there.”
“There was,” Addie admitted, “and I must say that was my first thought. But I got to thinking that it might also be possible to lessen the hold of those days by sharing some of my experiences with others. I can focus on the positive andsome of the fun I did have. And maybe talking about the difficulties folks had to endure will help me to remember I wasn’t alone in my suffering.”
“I suppose we can spare you for those three hours on Saturday,” Otis said, cutting into the pork chop his wife had prepared.
“Well then, I guess I’ll give it a try.” Addie smiled. It actually felt like the right thing to do.
Pearl looked momentarily worried but then smiled. “I would imagine the children will be fascinated to learn about it from the perspective of someone who was a child when they experienced the Yukon.”
“I wasn’t a child for long.” Addie’s smile faded. “You grew up fast in Dawson City. Too fast.”
“Thank you for coming this evening,” Isaac said to the auditorium full of parents and schoolchildren. “As you know, the area school districts have set up an arrangement with the AYP Exposition to have lectures for the children on Saturday mornings. We have also arranged special transportation and tickets. For the simple price of one dollar, your student can attend each Saturday lecture all summer. They will have transportation to and from the school and admission into the fair. If you choose to attend with them, you will have to purchase your own tickets, as this is a special pass for the children only.”
A woman raised her hand. “Yes, you have a question?” Isaac asked.
“What about lunch? Will they need to provide their own?”
“The lectures are in the morning from nine to noon. After that, the student is free to stick around or head home. Lunch will be the responsibility of the parents, so if you want them to stay at the fair, you’ll have to give them money to buy food or send them with a packed lunch.”
He paused and looked out over the crowd. “I want to highly recommend this opportunity. We can teach from a textbook all day long, but seeing things in person is a marvel that doesn’t come around often. I’ll continue to take questions now if you have any.”
A woman in front raised a hand. “I heard that there are naked natives dancing and eating dogs.”
Isaac tried not to smile. There had been quite an uproar over the Igorot tribespeople from the Philippines.
“You are speaking of the Igorot. These are native peoples from the mountains in the Philippines. They have a village at the expo where they dress in their native way, which, in our way of thinking, is quite scandalous. However, this is their natural manner of dress and is allowed at the expo to teach others about these people and their daily living.
“It is also true they occasionally eat dog, but so do many cultures. Cats too.” He smiled. “And while that is hardly appetizing to most Americans, I would venture a guess that there have been Americans who have done likewise in times of desperation. However, I want to encourage you to not be offended by the difference of cultures represented at the expo. The important point of all of these exhibits is not to titillate but to educate.”
There were other questions regarding the transportation and ages allowed for the children to participate. By seven o’clock, everyone seemed satisfied, and the signup sheetswere filled out and monies paid. Isaac was pleased, as were his fellow teachers, at the response. Whether the parents actually saw the value of the education being offered or were simply glad to rid themselves of their children for the whole of Saturday morning, who could say?
“Are you ready for this?” one of the other teachers asked him.
“I am. I think it will be a great deal of fun.”
“I’m just glad you suggested we each focus on one exhibit and take multiple groups of children, rather than try to familiarize ourselves with all of the lectures that will be given.”
“I still plan to somehow experience each of the lectures, but given my background with the Yukon, it seemed natural for me to take the children to those lectures so I could also handle their additional questions. Since they only leave about fifteen minutes at the end of each talk for questions, I’m sure the children will still have plenty to ask afterward.”
“I’m relieved to only have to study up on Washington state history,” the man said, laughing. He slapped Isaac on the back. “Guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Transportation leaves at eight thirty sharp,” Isaac reminded him.
The man nodded and pulled on his hat. “I’ll be there.”
Isaac walked home the few blocks, thinking about all he had to do. He was still waiting to hear back from the University of Washington as to whether he would be hired to teach history. He’d thought his interview went very well. The questions they asked him about his personal experience had impressed them. Isaac’s father had been quite good at investing their Yukon money, and it had allowed Isaac to travelduring his college years. He had gone to study the history of England, Ireland, and Scotland one summer, and France and Spain another. He even spent time with a group of young men traveling to various American Civil War battlefields.
To Isaac, it had been important to grab on to as much learning in his college years as possible. Besides, it kept him from thinking too much about Addie. Well, at least it did in theory. Addie was never far from his thoughts.
At home, Isaac made his way to the kitchen. He was starving and had missed dinner that evening in order to attend to his duties at the school. A plate of food awaited him in the warming box on the stove. He smiled at his sister’s thoughtfulness. She had been so very attentive to him since he’d come to live with them.
“Uncle Isaac! You’re home,” Mina said, coming from the back stairs. “I told Lena I heard you come in.”
“It’s me, and I’m very hungry, so I’m not going to play with you until after I eat.” He grabbed some silverware and his plate and headed for the kitchen table. “But you can come and sit with me if you want to.”
Mina danced across the kitchen soon to be followed by Lena. “Uncle Isaac, would you take us to the exposition? Mama said she can’t because she’s busy getting ready for her trip to California.”
“Your mother won’t be leaving for a few weeks, and she’ll only be gone another couple. She’s going to be with a friend who’s getting married, but she should be back in plenty of time. The expo runs until October.” He could see the disappointment in the girls’ eyes so he continued. “However, if your mother and father say yes, then I will happily take you to the expo.”
