My Addiction is You

15.

Emily and George walked through the forest "Wow. This place is so..." They look towards the water and see a crowd of people talking and laughing, people playing Jaunty music "crowded."

"It does seem... populated." He said and then looked from the group to Emily "This is not how he described it in the book." She said a bit irritated "Yeah. It's way more fun than I expected." He said happily. "I didn't come here to have fun. I came here to have a conversation with Thoreau. And I'm starting to think that he doesn't even live here." She complained, The two didn't notice a lady walking up behind them carrying a basket full of laundry "Are you looking for Henry?" She asked, startling the two "Excuse me?" Emily asked confused on the who the man was that she mentioned.

"David Henry, actually. He switched it. Well, of course he lives here. His cabin's right over there. As a matter of fact, I'm his mother." She explained and smiled lightly at the two. "His mother?" Emily asked and a smile made it way to her face "Yes, indeed. We are very proud of our Henry around here. You must be fans of his. And I imagine you want to get that book signed." She asked pointing to the book in her hands, people come around here a lot asking to see him and get their books signed.

No, no. I don't want to intrude on him just for that. I..." The lady cut Emily off "Oh, no. Henry is always game to sign a book. Now, come with me and I'll take you over there to meet him." She said softly. "Really? Right now?" Emily asked shocked "Of course. I have to pick up his laundry anyway. "She said as she starts to walk in the cabins direction "His... laundry?" Emily mutters confused

His mother knocked on the door rapidly
"Oh, this feels wrong. We're disturbing his sacred solitude. We shouldn't have come." Emily said as she looks at the cabin then to George "Emily, relax. We're here to save the tree. Remember?" George said resting a hand on her upper arm, calming her nerves.

"Yes, right, the tree. Oh, he'll understand, I know he will." Emily said to herself, his mother knocks on the door again, the man inside starts to chant as he is meditating maybe "Om. I go to the water. I go to the well. The pure, sacred water of the Ganges is intermingled with the water of Walden. Om." His mother knocks on the door again, Emily immediately said "Don't. You really don't have to." "Oh, it's fine. He's just doing his yoga." His mother continues to knock.

The door swings opened "Who knocks? Oh, Mother, it's you." The man wearing overalls looks down at his mother "Henry, it's laundry day." She told him

"Is it? Oh. I lose track of time out here in my extreme solitude."

"Well, I've come to get your dirty clothes. And these two would like to meet you." His mother explained, the man looks up to George, Who was waving and Emily, who smiled "Ah, more cheap society." He said "I hope we're not disturbing you..." Henry interrupted her and held up a hand as he walked inside "Hang on a minute. There you go." He carried out a bag and placed it inside the basket "Is this everything?" She asked and tapped the bag.

"A man only needs one set of clothes, you know. Despite the endless dictates of fashion." He said and placed and hand on his hip and looked out to the water. "And what about your checkered trousers?" She asked "they're in the bag" he said without looking at her. "All right, then. I'll bring them back tomorrow." She said and started to turn around to leave "Oh, well, then wait. Take my shirt." He said and pulled down the straps of his overalls, and took off his dirty white shirt. "You're going to entertain your guests half-naked?" She asked "These are not my guests because I didn't even invite them." He said towards his mother "Oh, don't be rude, Henry." She scolded him and pointed a finger at him.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Thoreau. You must want us to leave." She said

"Well, actually... I was hoping I could interview you." George spoke up, "Interview me? For what paper?" He asked confused. "Um... I'm the editor of the Amherst College Literary Journal." George said, Emily clears her throat, and looked at the ground "Many of the students at our school are great admirers of yours. Would it be possible to ask you a few questions?" He asked the man "Don't, George, he wants us to leave..." Emily spoke wanted to leave already "Yeah. I can make time for that. Why don't you both come in?" Emily and George walked inside "Oh. I hope you're not hungry... because all I have is beans." He said before he closes the door behind them. The two sat on two chairs in front of Thoreau or Henry, Jars of beans lined the wall on one side on the other were drawings of plants.

"So, my main question is... Don't you ever get lonely?" Goerge asked holding a note book in his hands "Ha. Never." He laughed out "Really?" George questioned "I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found a companion that was as companionable as solitude." He explained "I feel the same exact way. That's why your book has inspired me so..." Emily started to say but was cut off again "I'd rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. Write that down." He looked towards George and pointed to him, George grabs a pencil from behind him and looks at it weirdly before looking at the man in front.

"I know just what you mean. You see, I have a place I like to go to be alone. Just like you. The woods behind our house. But now they're going to build the railroad through it. They're going to cut down my favorite tree." Emily explains "Is this part of the interview?" He asked George ignoring Emily once again "I came here to ask for your help." She said "Oh, I hope you don't think I'm gonna donate to some charity" He asked. "Oh, no. No. I was thinking you might... write a letter." She suggested "A letter? He replied "About what?" He asked confused

"You see, people will listen to you. Your voice is important. And I think if you could write about our woods as well as you wrote about Walden, I just think people would hear it. And then my tree could be saved." She explained "What do I care about your tree?" He stated "What do you mean? I thought you... you said you loved the woods." She said confused about why he would say that "I love my woods. I'm not much interested in yours." He spoke rudely "Whoa. Harsh." George said A knock on the door interrupted them, Henry opened the door to a women smiling at him "Sister, what are you doing here?" He asked "Hello, Henry, I've brought you some cookies." She said holding a basket.

"Ah, you must be bone-tired after trekking all the way here." He said giving her a look taht said play along, but she didn't get the idea "It's really not that far. We live just a mile away. Our dad owns a pencil factory." She addressed the two sitting in his cabin. George looked down at the pencil he was writing with and saw J. Thoreau and son scribed into it "Yes, you are brave... to make such a long journey into the wilderness." He said trying to make her go away.

"Well, anyway, there you go. Peanut butter, your favorite. I see you have company. I'm his sister. I live just down the..." She smiles at them and chuckled being friendly "Your home is far away. And you must return there now. Good luck on your arduous slog back to civilization." He cuts her off and shuts the door in her face, quite rudely "Where were we?" He asked as he took a bite of the cookie "We were talking about solitude," George reminded him, Emily looked from George to the man in front "Ah, yes. You see, solitude suits me. I am no more lonely than the loon that laughs so loud. Or than Walden Pond itself. What company has that lonely lake, I pray?" He explained as he laid down on his bed.

The chattering outside got a little bit lounder "It seems the lake has plenty of company" She stated bluntly, George chuckled "Excuse me?" Henry asked like she had said something rude "The pond is full of people. They're everywhere. You didn't say that in your book." Emily stated "The people may be there, but I have no use for them." He said

"Right. Except for when your mom does your laundry." George started to write on the note book "Don't put that in the article." He ordered "Why not? It's the truth, isn't it? Great writers should tell the truth." George continued to write, with a smirk on his face "Are you lecturing me on writing now? What do you know about it?" He asked "She happens to be a poet." George spoke up "Really? Anything I would've read?" He asked "No. None of it has been published."

He smiled sarcastically "Oh, I see." Emily shook her head "I don't think you do. You publish your books, which are full of misinformation, and yet people read them. They admire you, they interview you. Where as everything I write I have to keep to myself. Try writing something and not showing it to anyone, then you'll know what real loneliness feels like." She said getting angry "I think this interview is over." He stated "I wish we hadn't come." She said to herself "I wish you hadn't either." "You're a dick!" Emily said loudly. "Never meet your heroes." He replied bitterly, Emily stood up and placed the book on the chair, He looked shocked like no one had ever done that before. He looked at Emily then at George. Goerge walked past and closed the door, he placed his hat on and Henry took a bite of the cookie.