Apple Picking With Bart

Apple Picking With Bart

The teacher had assigned pairs of students to go apple picking. They weren’t allowed to select their own partners. Heather Gallant knew that she would get stuck with Bart O’Hara. She just knew it and sure enough that’s what happened.

“I can’t believe that I got stuck with that loser.”

She was complaining to her best friend Michelle Darnell who just smirked. She had landed the most popular boy in class, Derek Vance.

“Well, just ditch him.”

“Oh, right, ditch the guy that has a disability.  What do you think I am totally heartless?”

“No, but, if you really don’t want to deal with the guy.”

“I don’t. It isn’t that he has a disability, it’s just that he grates on my one last nerve.”

“Well, maybe it will be better than you think?”

“Go ahead and smirk, you little brat since you are with Derek Vance.”

“Sorry, but that is the way the apple falls sometimes.”

“I hate you.”

Michelle didn’t seem to really care.

It was apple picking day and Heather sat in the back of the bus. Bart sat in the front and waved at her when he got on. Of course, everyone razzed her. Michelle was all cuddles with Derek. They were sunk low in the seat and whispering and giggling like two lovers.

When it was time to get off the bus, Bart was first to go and he managed to stand on the side without falling down. Everyone got out and normally some would have given him a hard time but Mr. Harris was standing there.

When Heather walked out, Bart was waiting for her. 

“Hi partner,” he smiled through his braces.

“Hello.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon.

“Okay, find your partners and grab a basket then head out. You have been given a number and the apples you are supposed to be picking correspond to the number on the tree.  Have a fun day!”

Heather wasn’t the only one that had an undesirable partner. Mr. Harris smiled and smirked at everyone.

Everyone moved out with Heather slightly ahead of Bart who tried to keep up but had a hard time.  Some of the others thought it was wrong and mean, but she didn’t even think about it.

Derek and Michelle held hands and skipped along.

Heather arrived at the tree before Bart. She didn’t even wait for him and started to climb. The girl was up about ten feet when she looked down.

“I suppose you can’t climb the tree?”

“No, not really, but you can. I would have given you a boost?”

He laughed but the look on her face was not one of humour. She turned around and started to climb again.

She stopped because he was staring at her bum.

“Do you need to stare at my ass?”

“No, not really, I don’t need it for any reason, but you have a pretty nice curved bum and it is fun to look at.”

“Gawd, a loser and a pervert.”

She kept climbing and stopped.

There was nothing more than she wanted to do then drop an apple on his head. In fact, bombarding him with a whole basket of apples would have been fun.  But, she resisted.

He shielded the sun from his eyes as he looked up at her.

“The good apples are higher up.”

“That they are,” she said as the young snobbish girl had her back turned to him.

He turned around and pulled out his harmonica. Bart settled at the base of the tree. He started to play sweet, tasty sounds that melted in the afternoon sun. It took a few seconds before she stopped.

“What are you doing?”

He played for a few seconds and then stopped.

“It sounds like I am playing the harmonica.”

“I know that genius. But, why are you playing the harmonica?”

“It is very simple. I can’t climb to the top and none of the lower branches offer any decent apples to pick, so I might as well practice my harmonica. You can call it apple picking music.”

He returned to playing the harmonica.

“When I was a little girl, my grandfather used to play harmonica for me.”

He stopped again.

“That’s nice,” he continued.

“I used to sit on his knee and he would play all kinds of songs.”

He didn’t bother to stop playing.

There was a long silence.

“Do you know Camptown Races?”

He switched to the song and played a lively version that made her smile and she clapped along. Then she started to sing and she had a nice voice.

When the song ended they looked at each other. The basket was full and she slowly made her way down the tree. She sat next to him.

He glared at her.

“Is there something wrong?”

“You are sitting very close to me.”

“Maybe, I want to.”

“Sure, but you don’t really like me.”

“Well, in the past, you have really grated on my nerves.”

“I do have a talent for that don’t I?”

“Well, I am not sure that I would call it a talent but you certainly have a knack for it.”

“I’ll stick with talent. It sounds better.”

She smiled.

“You have a pretty smile.” He looked down.

“Thank you, that’s a nice thing to say.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I like your harmonica playing.”

“Thanks, that’s a nice thing to say.”

“See, we can be civilized to each other.”

She laughed.

There was a long silence.

“I’m sorry for being so mean to you.”

“That is a good thing to know.”

“It isn’t always easy for me sometimes.”

“Nobody has an easy time of it. Everyone has their challenges.”

“I guess you are right.”

“You know, if you have a problem that you want to talk about, I am a good listener and a terrible gossip.”

She smiled.

“Okay, so truce. From now on we are friends.”

“I can live with that. Do we need a contract?”

“No, we don’t need a contract. Do you want an apple?”

“We aren’t supposed to eat what we picked.”

“Sure, but sometimes you have to live outside of the box.”

She picked out a nice apple and shined it up for him.

“Here you go, have an apple on me.”

They clinked apples and then took a crunchy bite and smiled.

“It is a really nice day.”

“It’s always a great day when you can share stuff with a friend.”

“Well, said, Bart.”

On the way back home, she sat with him.

“You realize, all of your friends are going to razz you mercilessly.”

“Yeah, so what, I really don’t care.”

From that day on they were friends. They walked together to classes and even if she was with her friends, if Heather saw him she would walk away and go say hello.