On the morning of Roderick's sixteenth birthday -- which falls on Canada Day, as all of his previous birthdays did, and which all of his future birthdays will do unless the Canadian Parliament decides to change the day on which all of Canada celebrates whatever it is they celebrate on Canada Day -- Megan Cupcake opened her secret detailed journal and recorded some very interesting things about her previous evening with Roderick.
Don't tell anyone, it's a secret.
Roderick woke, and celebrated his birthday with a large plate of scrapple and applesauce. This is the same breakfast he eats every day of the year, but it's his birthday today, so it's special.
By his own request, Roderick will not have a birthday today. Instead, he plans to hang out at home, read, and chat with friends who drop by. Dinner tonight will be at Grandma and Grandpa Smith's on Larch Street.
Dickie Wickett is the first to drop in. He brings no gifts. Dickie is the smartest kid in the class, a true genius who will likely go to some University and figure out how to do cold fusion in a test tube. Emotional intelligence, on the other hand, is not his strong suit. Roderick doesn't mind. Dickie is part of the gang, and nice to have around during final exams.
Soon after Dickie leaves, the doorbell rings. It's Natasha, she of the long dark hair, azure eyes and elusive air of wildness. Natasha looks particularly fetching today in her loose fitting plaid shirt, baggy pants -- free of paint spots today -- and bare feet. She has a large flat parcel wrapped in brown paper under her arm.
"Oh, hi!", said Roderick, opening the door wide.
"Happy Birthday!" Leaning the parcel against the door, Natasha coils her arms around Roderick and gives him a lingering birthday hug. "You're sixteen now" she whispers, "so...." Natasha does not complete the sentence, but Roderick gets the general drift.
They sit on the sofa, and Roderick opens the parcel. It's a painting, in Pre-Raphaelite style of Molly standing nude in the shallow waters of the Mill Pond. (Roderick recognizes the boathouse, but Natasha took some artistic liberties and added Alps in the background). A little card attached to the bottom right of the frame reads: Aphrodite of the Mill Pond.
Roderick admires the painting effusively. "What a lovely painting! And so finely rendered! Your use of color is remarkable! And I like the composition, with the Alps in the background, which elevates the image to something more universal..."
In truth, Roderick doesn't care much for the Pre-Raphaelite style, which he considers overly ornate and contrived. He much prefers Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth and the Impressionists, although where nudes are concerned he is not terribly fussy over style.
On closer observation, Roderick notices that Aphrodite is slightly more buxom than the real Molly, and certain parts of her anatomy are more, well, visible than he remembers from last time he saw Molly in the nude. But he's not sure. Roderick makes a mental note to pay closer attention next time.
Molly stops by later with a gift-wrapped package. She gives Roderick a birthday hug.
"I'll be sixteen in two weeks" she whispers coyly.
"I know", says Roderick, also coyly.
Molly and Roderick are masters of coyness.
Grandma Smith's rose garden is stunning, as it always is this time of year. Roderick walks slowly around the garden with Grandma, appreciating each variety (which she calls out by name). Roderick already knows the names of the rose varieties by heart, but Grandma's short-term memory isn't what it used to be, and she feels obligated to share her knowledge of the Rosaceae family at each visit. Roderick is kind, and each time he visits he feigns ignorance.
Anyway, the roses are pretty.
There are more gifts after dinner. Roderick's favorite is from his father, who gives him a leather-bound copy of Security Analysis, by Graham and Dodd (the Sixth Edition, with a foreward by Warren Buffett).
Roderick clutches the book with obvious pleasure. "Golly, Dad! I want to be just like you when I'm older, and help people manage their money by investing in securities that offer safety of principal and the promise of an above-average risk-adjusted return!"
Mr. Smith beams with pride.
Meanwhile, Megan Cupcake stops by Roderick's house with a gift, but since nobody is home, she leaves the package on the porch, with a note attached. Turning to leave, she pauses, retrieves the note and adds a few lines at the bottom.
At home, Megan retrieves her secret detailed journal and writes a few thoughts about Roderick.
