ReminiscingReminiscing
Author's note: I started this story because I noticed that the story never
said anything about Cody's past. Now mind you, I don't know much about Cody,
considering I'm an Ike fan and all :) but I thought that it would be fun to
try and write a story about Cody. I'd like to have a story written about every
one of them
sooner or later. This is what I think Cody's pre-Express life would be like,
from the Point of View of someonw who usually dosen't focus on him. For all
of you that read this letter, or my story, or both, I thank you for doing so
and I hope that you enjoy the story! Feedback is appriciated and greatly welcomed.I
appriciate any tidbits from the Cody fans especially about my story. I'm, eager
to hear commiments from all who read the story! Thank you and Ride Safe!!!!!!
CHAPTER I
The warm Kansas sky was dawning over the prarie. The rising sun promised a cool auttum day full of hope and new chances.
William F Cody looked out of the window at the beautiful sunrise.Unusually, he was up earlier than the rest of the riders, who were at the moment sound asleep in their bunks. All of them were there, and Teaspoon had a long list of chores that needed tending to, but they didn't have to get started for another few hours.
Cody walked over to fhis bunk. He reached underneath it to his trunk of belongings. Pulling out the chest, he sat on his bunk and proceeded to open it. In it were few of his favorite books, rounds for his gun, an extra pair of gloves, and a wrinkled peice of paper. he took out the peice of paper, closed the trunk, and slid it underneath he bed. Cody unfolded the paper, It was a picture of a little boy wearing a cowboy hat that was too big, on a little grey pony.
Cody let out a sigh. This picture reminded him of his past, a bitter-sweet time, his childhood.......
Utah, 1942
"Mommy, look at the picture I drew!" A small, excited boy exclaimed
loudly. His mother, a lovely golden-haired lady in a lavender dress, sat contented
on the porch swing of the Cody family estate as she watched her five year old
son run onto the porch from the front yard.
"Oh William, what a wonderful picture! We shall have to leave this in the parlor for Daddy to see," she said to her son as he handed her the drawing. Merideth Cody recognized the little boy as her son, William Fritzgarled, and Smokey, his pony.
"Come, we''ll sit this in the parlor, then I'll read you a story," Merideth said, taking her son's hand has they walked happily into the house.
Arthur Cody closed the door behind him. He had had a very stressful day at his real estate office in town, but he was determined to shake it off for the sake of his wife and child.
He hung his coat and hat on the rack beside the door. William peeked around the side of the staircase at his father. Quietly sneeking up on him, when he got close enough, he yelled-
"DADDY!!!! You're Home!!"
Arthur turned around and scooped his son into his arms.
"There's my little guy! What did you do today?"
"I drew this great picture daddy!" William said, scrambiling down from his father's arms and running into the parlor to retrive his drawing.
"This is a fine drawing William," Arthur said, looking at the artwork before him. He took an empty picture frame from the table beside the door, placed the drawing inside, and hung it on a nail on the wall.
"Dinner's ready," Merideth called from the kitchen.
"Let's go eat," William said as he and his father went into the kitchen.
".... and they rode off into the sunset," Merideth said as she closed the book she was reading to William, titled 'The Youngest Rider'
"Now, It's time for bed," she told her son, tucking the blanket underneath his chin. "Tomarrow is your first day of school."
"Mommy, will I like school?" William asked.
"I think you will, but not if you don't get some sleep."
"Okay, goodnight mommy, I love you," William told his mother with a yawn.
"I love you, good night darling, sweet dreams," Marideth replied, kissing William on the head and blowing out the candle.
Merideth left her son's room and walked quietly down stairs to the parlor where her husband was sitting, reading a book. She sat on the couch and started to comb her long, shiney blonde hair.
"How was work?" She asked her husband.
"Ugh. Ted Baxter decided last week to sell his entire estate to the McNelson couple, and two days ago they signed an agreement on it. Then today Baxter decides not to sell. There was a big fight over it today," Arthur finished.
"Sounds like a mess."
"It is. I hope William likes his first day of school," Arthur told his wife.
"I'm sure he will, he was asking all sorts of questions about it earlier. I think he'll like it," Merideth told Arthur
"Well, I'm going to bed, are you comming?" Merideth asked.
"Not yet, I think I'll stay up and read some more," Arthur replied.
"Alright, good night honey, I love you," Merideth told Arthur with a kiss.
"Love you too," Arthur replied.
Merideth went quietly upstairs to bed. She didn't say anything to her husband, but on that very day it had been over 5 years since he'd had a drink.
Arthur used to have a very bad drinking problem. William had been to little to know remember that his father as almost never home, and that he almost lost all their money, the house, and that he'd asulted a man and almost killed him. William knew none of this, and she was dertrmined for it to stay that way. Her husband was a good man, and together they'd overcome the time. They had started over, and now everything was wonderful again.
To be continued...