Tales of the Shire: Waiting

I thought Rosie (you know Rosie - Sam's wife) needed someone to take her part. She waits for Sam so faithfully, so....

.

.

I had been waiting for over fifteen years. Pathetic, I know. Why should I wait for a simple, lowly gardener? My father demanded the answer to that question hundreds of times during those years, and I could never give him a satisfactory answer. He didn't understand about Sam, how special he was.

We'd never gone courting- of course we hadn't. My father would never have allowed that, Sam knew. But my father had died two years ago, and still Sam never spoke a word to me, or to my mother, about requesting permission to take me courting. I never received spring violets. I was never given one of the customary, hand-carved wooden love-spoons. He never escorted me anywhere or danced with me. But once... that once...

I'd tripped over my own two feet and right before I'd fallen in the mud and ruined my best dress- it was at Mr. Bilbo Baggins' own party, don't you know- I felt the gentlest hands in the world catch me and set me right back on my own two feet. He looked me right in the eyes- the first time he'd ever done so a-purpose- and asked me earnestly if I was all right.

"Indeed I am, Master Samwise," I'd said. And I was. He'd spoken to me. He'd taken my hands in his when he'd realized I didn't need any help keeping on my feet. Of course I was all right then.

But not now.

Now he's leaving me. I was out milking our cows with my sister when I saw him in the dawn light, him and his Master, Frodo Baggins. They had packs on their backs and walking sticks in their hands.

I didn't know where they were going, and it wasn't any of my business anyways. But I knew, somehow, in my heart I knew, that there was a mighty chance my Samwise wasn't coming back to me. He was off on an adventure, but not the grand, high, old kind that some young Took lads have every handful of years. This was a quest, the kind they tell stories of. And Samwise was caught up in it somehow, stuck good, and he was in great danger.

I didn't know what to do. I still don't. I guess I'll do what I've always done when it comes to Master Samwise Gamgee, gardener extraordinaire. I'll wait for him.

I'll wait.