My Samwise Gamgee :)

I have been working a great deal on Fly Away Home. Remember that novel? I suddenly got my inspiration back for it, so I've decided that I'll work on both FAH and Scuppernong simultaneously. When I get tired of writing for grown-ups I'll switch over the Scuppernong, and vice-versa. For now I wanted to introduce you to one of the characters in FAH that is more of a side-character, but whom I have fallen in love with. Meet Jerry Atwood, the lobby-man at Callie Harper's apartment building. Okay. So I admit, his character is much like Samwise Gamgee's, but honestly I had no thought of choosing Sean Astin to represent him until I had already written his first scene. :) Now it fits perfectly:

Awww...I love Jerry. :) He has rahther a large infatuation with Callie and would do anything in the world for her. He's genuine, loyal, sweet, and entirely unappreciated. Poor fellow. She sees him rather as an annoyance, but I have a suspicion Jerry is one of those heart-people who one can't forget. Ever.
Here are a few of his shining moments so far:

       I slipped past the reception desk, hoping that Jerry would not be on duty—he always managed to address me in a way that it would be absolutely blatantly cruel of me to ignore. Plus, he had the sweetest little British accent which made it seem even crueler to ignore him. Blast manners—I wonder what Emily Post would think of me if I told her I plotted my schedule—my comings and goings—around who was on duty.

-Fly Away Home

 

        “Miss Harper! How was work?” His round, jovial face beamed at me. Dear Jerry. I had to share my good news with someone and because Nickleby—even if he was a darling cat—did not exactly count as someone, my manner toward Jerry softened.

-Fly Away Home

     “Good morning, Miss Harper!”
      I wiggled my fingers in an obscure reply to Jerry’s white-gloved salute.
     “Going forth to charm the world, are we?” he asked.  “Be yourself, Miss Harper. They’ll love you for it.”
       Something in his words stopped me in my retreat through the lobby. Jerry’s round, boyish face lit up as I came over to the desk. “I don’t know, Jer,” I said.  I drummed my fingers on the desktop and bit my lip. “The world wants glamour and glitz. I want glamour and glitz. “
     “Glamour and glitz?”
      “Yes, yes. You know, dinner parties and glittering gowns, and awards and the opera. Gold cigarette cases and mink stoles, dozens of men sending flowers—all that. New York City will know Callie Harper as a dangerous, elegant woman.” My heart beat faster at this verbalizing of all my hopes and dreams.
      Jerry looked doubtful, but he was too polite to say anything contradicting my words. Instead he smiled again and put his gloved hand on top of mine, squeezing my fingers. “You now, Miss Harper; you’ll be whatever it is you make yourself into. Just take care you make yourself into something you’ll want to live with the rest of your life. And don’t forget me—us. The apartment and me…and the pigeons.” His face turned three shades of red and he began polishing his bell with embarrassed vigor.
      Pigeons. Honestly? I turned my back to him, vexed with myself for feeling unsettled, and lifted my chin high. “How could I fail to recall the shabby life I’ve lead till now?” I tossed the words over my left shoulder. “The trouble will be forgetting it.”

-Fly Away Home