Out Of Space And Time

Agnes Gives A History Lesson

Finally the day arrived for him to visit the family. Agnes sat in the Gathering Room on the couch doing her sewing.

Later that morning, a shuttle landed in the backyard. The family ran outside to meet him. Agnes stayed inside to continue working on her sewing, and to try to get the butterflies in her stomach to settle.

Five minutes later they all walked in. As they did so, Agnes put down her sewing and stood up. The family walked towards the Gathering Room.

”Agnes dear, there's someone here to see you.“, Mrs. Tepesch said, smiling.

”My dear Mr. Tepesch, 'tis truly an exceeding pleasure to meet you at long last in person. Indeed, 'tis an honor!“, Agnes said, smiling demurely and curtsying deeply.

”Agnes, I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to finally meet you in person as well!“, he replied, smiling broadly as she stood up from her curtsy.

He bowed formally then, in a manner more common to his century, gave Agnes a huge hug and a tender kiss on the cheek.

Despite being quite surprised by this extremely casual physical contact, Agnes hugged him back, blushing deep red as she did so.

He was quite tall, and she had to stand on her tiptoes, but Agnes thoroughly enjoyed being in his arms. Alkhor enjoyed holding her in his arms as well. Neither of them seemed to want the hug to end.

When the hug finally ended, Agnes said,

”I hope you do not think me as being too forward, Mr. Tepesch, but I found a nice pumpkin-scented candle and lit it. I thought 'twould be a pleasant way to welcome you to Autumn in New England.“

”It smells delightful.“, he replied.

”Thank you, Mr. Tepesch. Later this afternoon I shall be making banana, apple, cranberry orange walnut, and pumpkin breads.

“I try to help Tara, um...Mrs. Steele, out often as my way of contributing to the household.“, she said.

“Well I can't wait! I'm looking forward to your cooking!”, he said, smiling. He was slightly amused, yet touched, by her formal concern regarding her behavior.

“I assure you, Mr. Tepesch, I am not without morals. I am not a common trollop. I merely thought 'twould be nice to welcome you to New England with something we have spoken about regarding Autumn.”, she said, blushing.

“I never thought that way about you at all, Agnes. I think the candle's a lovely gesture. I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It makes the whole house smell delightful.

”Except, of course, for MJ's dirty sock pile! Thank you so much for the warm welcome!”, he replied, smiling broadly.

He hoped the joke about the teen's sock pile would relax her. It seemed to have, as she smiled ever-so-slightly.

Apparently, Alkhor said to himself, a gentleman in her time might get the wrong idea about a lady's morals simply by her giving him a special welcome, like Agnes had with the candle.

“You should taste her cherry cobbler and her homemade butter! Agnes churns it herself!“, Tara told him.

”I can't wait! I've never seen butter being churned!“, he replied, smiling broadly.

”Indeed, Mr. Tepesch, you are in luck, for tonight I shall be churning more butter!“, Agnes said.

”I'm SO looking forward to seeing how that's done!“, he exclaimed.

The family went out for dinner and had zappi. The restaurant had beefs, and Alkhor ordered one for each of them to take home for a late-night snack.

He hoped to talk to her about her century, and find out more about her as well, while she churned butter.

The next day, the family decided to go to a pumpkin patch. Agnes had never been to one, but she had picked pumpkins during her time. Her family's vegetable garden had pumpkins.

This pumpkin patch had horse-drawn hayrides. She thoroughly enjoyed it, having grown up using that mode of transportation.

Alkhor brought his small screen with him, and took pictures and video streams of her. The entire family took pictures during the family outing.

Together the couple found a very large pumpkin, along with smaller pumpkins and gourds.

Tara and Marty's children enjoyed picking pumpkins with their parents and grandmother as well. After the family paid for all the pumpkins and gourds, they went to an apple orchard.

Once again, Agnes was thrilled to be among familiar sights. She had gone apple picking before during her time, and tapped sugar maple trees for syrup as well.

Next they went into the store, had a nice lunch, then went shopping. He found out that Agnes had a VERY serious sweet tooth! She loved donuts, cider, and fudge. She adored anything with pumpkin, cherries, or apples.

There were several items she found, including something that you put around the outside of a pie tin so the edges of the pie crust didn't burn.

There was another item she found that was put over a pie crust. It had a very nice cut-out design of apples.

Alkhor bought her cookbooks after Agnes found some that had recipes she remembered from her time. She showed him jars of jams and jellies.

”I love canning jellies and jams, along with other foods. I am very good at it. We did not have refrigerators and freezers as you do now, so we canned foods to preserve them. We stored them in our root cellars.”, she explained, picking up several to buy.

Spying venison jerky, Agnes grabbed Alkhor's arm and exclaimed,

“Oh Mr. Tepesch, look! They have beef jerky...and venison jerky! Oh you must try them...especially venison jerky!

"MMMM...! Oh I wonder if they have rabbit here! I should love to make you some rabbit stew! 'Tis my favorite, and my family's as well! If I can perchance procure some venison, I shall make some venison stew for everyone! Oh 'tis delicious!

”If I can procure some bear meat I shall make bear jerky...and bear stew!“

She brought several packages of beef jerky and venison jerky, not waiting until they'd left for the day before opening a package of venison and savoring a piece.

She gave a bite to Alkhor as well. He wasn't too impressed with the jerky, but was secretly glad she hadn't found any bear jerky!

The orchard had a petting zoo, which she enjoyed. She loved petting and feeding the goats, sheep, pigs, and ducks, making strange clicking noises while doing so.

In the five months the family had known Agnes, they'd never seen her like this. For the first time since she arrived, she was truly in her own element. She was enjoying doing things she did when she was in her time, picking pumpkins, gourds, and apples.

They were seeing a totally new side of side of her, and were enjoying getting to see Agnes as she was in 1755.

She was extremely excited to find out they had horseback riding available. Agnes told Alkhor she wanted to ride a horse.

Alkhor decided he was going to try horse-riding himself, despite having never done so before. Until that day, he'd never even seen a horse in person, much less ridden one!

She asked if they had any English saddles, since she was used to riding side saddle, the way a proper lady rode. They didn't, so she rode the Western way instead.

“Mr. Tepesch, please close your eyes as I lift my skirts to climb onto this horse. I do not want you, or any gentleman, to see my legs. 'Tis highly inappropriate for a lady to show her legs.

”A common strumpet, yes, but not a proper lady such as myself. Please cover your eyes.“, she said.

It was all he could do not to burst out laughing at what she'd said.

She then got up on the horse. Alkhor needed a little assistance, so she told him what to do.

”Rather than just telling me how to get on this animal, can't you just come here and give me a boost?“, he asked Agnes.

”Mr. Tepesch, I would have to touch your rear end. 'Twould be inappropriate for me to do that, just as 'twould be highly inappropriate for you to do the same to me! Put your left foot in the stirrup, hold on to the saddle, and throw your right leg over.

“There you go, Mr. Tepesch! You did a wonderful job! Now do be careful. He is going to move, so do not be afraid. The horse has to move if 'tis going to walk.”, Agnes replied, coaching him.

She was enjoying teaching this 26th century man, an alien from a distant world, how to ride a horse, something that was as commonplace to her as traveling through space to distant planets and space stations was to him.

Alkhor was more than abit nervous, but she told him he was doing well.

They went for a nice stroll around the large fenced area where horses were walked.

”Mr. Tepesch! This horse is just like mine back home!“, she exclaimed. After a few minutes, she got her horse to trot a little bit. She squealed with sheer, utter delight.

”You see, Mr. Tepesch? Now you have had a small taste of what life was like in my century! Indeed...for 'tis too true. I shall indeed make an 18th century gentleman out of you!

“Welcome to MY century, my dear Mr. Tepesch!“, she exclaimed, smiling broadly and laughing with sheer utter joy as she got her horse to trot faster.

Thirty minutes later, their time with the horses was over. After dismounting his horse with her verbal assistance, he helped her off her horse.

”Thank you ever so kindly, my dear Mr. Tepesch, for the enjoyable time riding.“, she said, curtsying deeply.

”It's been my honor, Agnes.“, Alkhor replied, kissing her tenderly on the cheek as she blushed deep red.

She thanked the man in charge of the horses, curtsying deeply as she did so.

The family had quite alot of fun that day. They also learned more about Agnes, this petite, extremely formal lady from the mid-18th century, 804 years prior, and her life in 1755. It was a history lesson they'd never forget.