The Streetcar to Andromeda. Celeste Hammond Streiff
was a bright and sunny September-time day. High billowing clouds drifted above the high school and the students talked and laughed as they wandered towards the almost cathedral like-looking building.
Jesse and Parker sat on the steps pondering a Chess game. On the stoop beside them was a stack of the latest copies of the Martian News Letter that they had authored and near that was a hand written sign that read: “Register Here for the Chess Club.”
Spike Morgan, a red haired freckled face boy with an impish Irish grin, watched their game with interest. Nearby, Shorty Runyon, a rather scruffy looking gum chewing boy, shoved his hands deep into his pockets and leaned back in a laugh as he talked with Slug Sherman. Slug smiled slowly and unconsciously shuffled his army boot toe behind the heel of his other boot to shine it. Slug was a gentle tall thin boy with a droopy hound-dog look and wore his usual WWI Fliers jacket and cap with aviator goggles slung down around his neck. He was an admirer of the famous WWI flyer, “The Red Baron.”
Suddenly Jesse moved his Queen towards Parker’s King and yelled, “CHECK!” Chuckling fiendishly, he rubbed his hands together, emulating a vicious villain.
Parker nervously twisted a strand of his curly hair into a knot and studied the board looking for an out. It was an unconscious habit he had whenever he became pensive. You could always tell if Parker was pondering anything for very long as his head would be covered all over with small twists.
Suddenly the bell rang. Slug, Spike and Shorty slowly climbed the school steps. Parker admitted defeat, sighing loudly.
Just as they were putting away the chess set, a lyrical voice spoke up saying; “Okay boys, so, where do I sign up for the Chess Club?”
Looking up, awe washed over both of their faces, because standing before them was a lovely brunette girl with a long pageboy cut and the deepest emerald green eyes they had ever seen.
Emma smiled at them, looking from one to the other, and dimples appeared in her cheeks. Right then and there Jesse’s heart melted. Catching his breath Parker stood up and grinning wide, handed Emma the clipboard. “Sign here Miss…?”
“Emma LaCross,” she said, as she signed her name with perfect lettering. Handing back the clipboard, she gazed innocently into his eyes.
Parker’s knees went a little weak, and he read her name aloud. “Emma La Cross.”
Still speechless, Jesse stared at her in wonder.
Emma looked again from one to the other with a quizzical expression. “Is there something wrong guys?”
Jesse jumped up and stammered, “Uh NO! — I mean, we don’t have any girls in the Chess Club — I mean, we don’t mind at all — I mean —,” realizing he had put his proverbial foot in his mouth, Jesse stopped short and just smiled brightly at Emma, feeling a little like the Village Idiot.
Parker quickly came to his rescue. “He means we’re happy to have you with us, the more the merrier. Hi, I’m Steve Parker.”
Parker took Emma’s hand, kissed it lightly then stepping back made a gallant sweeping bow, “At your service Miss La Cross.”
Emma grinned wide at Parker’s chivalry.
Regaining his courage, Jesse stood up. “Hi Emma, I’m Jesse Randall.”
She smiled, “Hi Jesse, glad to meet ya.”
Her eyes then caught the top copy of The Martian News Letter. On the cover was an artistic drawing of a hideous B.E.M. (Bug-eyed Monster) reaching out after a scantily clad woman, fleeing across space and time. Intrigued, Emma picked up the magazine. “What’s this?”
Parker exclaimed. “Oh! That’s just a side thing we do.”
Excited, Jesse clarified. “That’s our Martian News Letter. See, Parker and I and some of the other guys correspond with other Martians and Aliens around the world, and they write back, embellishing on some of our stories and sometimes contributing some of their own, or sometimes though they just send illustrations or poems and such, and we publish them in our news letter and — Ah well, take a copy. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”
Emma looked at Jesse curiously and slowly started to grin. “Other Martians and Aliens around the world?” she questioned.
Relaxed now, Jesse laughed. “Yeah, I know it’s hard to tell ‘cause we Martians look just like everyone else, but we’re Martians alright.” Jesse rocked back on his heels proudly.
Parker put his thumbs in his vest playfully imitating a big shot and interjected “So Emma, if you want to travel the worlds, meet new and exciting friends and creatures, we’re the guys to be with.”
Emma stared at them demurely then put the copy of The News Letter atop her books.
Suddenly Jim Roth, the school bully butted in and snatched the News Letter from Emma stating, “Yeah these guys are creatures alright, more like Creeps, I’d say.”
Emma snatched the news Letter back and retorted, “I’d say you’re the Creep, Roth!”
Roth turned red with anger and shoved Emma backwards. Quickly Jesse and Parker jumped between Roth and Emma.
Parker yelled. “Okay Roth, that’s enough.” Jesse piped up, “Yeah, that’s enough Roth.”
Roth looked from one to the other and smiled smugly. “I get it, two against one Huh? I never did like you guys, Yer on my list from now on.” Looking at Emma he continued, “An, if you hang out with them then yer on my list too.”
Smiling coolly at Roth, Emma replied. “Then I guess I’m on your list too.”
Roth snorted angrily and turning back he knocked over the card table sending the chess pieces flying as he ran off snickering, “Aheh, Aheh, Aheh…”
Emma helped the boys recover their chess pieces and set the table right. “Well I gotta go now, but I’ll definitely see you guys later.”
The boys smiled at her “Okay Emma, Yeah.”
She turned and walked to the school steps. Jesse and Parker stared after her. Somewhere in the distance they could almost hear the sound of Glenn Miller’s saxophone playing “Tuxedo Junction” as she swayed up the stairs. She turned back and smiled at them over her shoulder then continued up the stairs.
Both Jesse and Parker were completely bowled over.
“WOW! Parker exclaimed. “What a Babe!”
“Yeah,” Jesse agreed, “What a Babe!”
♥
Well, that was Emma, and she sure was a babe all right, so much so that both the guys fell in love with her that year. They all became like The Three Musketeers and Emma fought side by side along with them in their many adventures in outer space. She even helped them put out The Martian News Letter. I helped too. Jesse let me turn the mimeograph machine and I submitted a couple of drawings and a poem. Then one day while we were all working on the Martian News Letter, Jesse and Parker finally told me about the deplorable day they got exiled from Mars and of their perilous journey to Earth or Tellus as they called it.
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