To Be Human

Chapter 16 - Human Nature

/Can I just say that I didn't like these next two episodes? Probably an unpopular opinion, but I didn't like John Smith and Joan was a bit obnoxious and I get that for 1913 they were good people but these next two chapters were really hard to write. Anyway, here we go.../

Human Nature -

Martha knocked against John Smith's door on a crisp winter morning to bring him breakfast. Upon his "Come in", she opened the door with her elbow and walked in. Noticing he was in his nightgown, she turned around.

"Pardon me, Mister Smith. You're not dressed yet. I can come back later."

He turned to put on a dressing gown and said, "No, it's all right, it's all right. Put it down. I was er. Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."

Martha put down the tray on a table behind the sofa and asked, "What about, sir?"

She walked to the windows and opened the curtains, noticing her friend, Jane Doe, the groundskeeper, down in the courtyard raking leaves.

"I dream I'm this adventurer. This daredevil, a madman. The Doctor, I'm called. And last night I dreamt that you were there, as my companion. And the groundskeeper, Miss Doe, she- I think she was going to kiss me", he laughed lightly.

"A teacher and the groundskeeper kissing", Martha faked a chuckle, "That's impossible, none the less with a housemaid present."

"I'm a man from another world, though. And the groundskeeper is a woman from another world."

"Well it can't be true because there's no such thing", she didn't look at him the entire time.

"This thing. The watch is-", he picked up the fob watch from the mantelpiece, "Ah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing; it all took place in the future. In the Year of Our Lord two thousand and seven."

"I can prove that wrong for you, sir. Here's the morning paper", she picked it from his tray and handed it to him, "It's Monday, November tenth, nineteen thirteen, and you're completely human, sir. As human as they come."

"Mmm, that's me. Completely human", he smiled.

Later in the day Martha was scrubbing away on the floor in the foyer with the other maid, Jenny, when Smith passed by them.

"Morning, sir", she greeted with a smile.

"Yes, hi", he replied, not really sparing her a glance and moving upstairs quickly.

"Head in the clouds, that one. Don't know why you're so sweet on him", Jenny commented.

"He's just kind to me, that's all. Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being", she gestured to her everything before Jenny interrupted.

"A Londoner?"

"Exactly. Good old London town", she laughed.

Jane passed them with a basket full of vegetables, "Morning there, Martha, Jenny. Look, the last couple things I could save from the winter this season. Let's hope they'll feed the boys something nice with this", she smiled and leaned down to show them the contents of the basket, "And I've brought some flowers as well. These will just be nice to look at in our rooms."

Two boys walked past and one of them spoke up, "Er, now then, you three. You're not paid to have fun, are you? Put a little backbone into it."

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir", Jenny turned away from what Jane had showed them and went back to scrubbing, Martha followed suit.

"You there, what's your name again?", the other one asked.

"Martha, sir, Martha Jones."

"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?", they walked away laughing and Jane's jaw dropped.