Friday, September 16, 1910
Sarah drove the Conrad family car to the Feed 'n Grain. She parked on the west side. Brian Anderson came out to greet her. "Are you wanting gas?"
"Fill 'er up." She replied with a smile.
Brian began pumping the gasoline into the bell to prepare it for a transfer to her gas tank.
Sarah stayed in the car applying some lipstick.
"Pop the hood and I'll check your oil." 
Sarah nodded and pulled a lever. Brian stepped in front of the car looking for the dipstick.
"You look real pretty this evening."
Sarah wore a warm smile. "Thanks. Don't the streets look clean these days?"
"They sure do. Henry Tyler is making a lot of money for doing something people should've been doing on their own for years."
Sarah primped her hair. "People riding horses were supposed to clean up their messes when they came downtown but hardly anyone ever did it. The city never got around to posting an ordinance so Julius couldn't write any tickets. It should have been an issue of basic courtesy and common sense. Nurse Westbrook told us that all kinds of diseases were tracked around town from when folks step in horse deposits.
One of the things I noticed when I went to Helena was the clean streets. The motorists and trolley cars certainly appreciate it. But, it’s a big city so they have a full time crew of men to clean them. We just have Mr. Sherwood who uses a mule driven wagon to empty out the garbage cans on Wednesday morning and take them to the dump. He also hauls trash in Quincy and Outlook on other days. It's a good business I suppose."
Brian put down the hood. "You're fine."
He removed the gas hose. He looked at the pump and calculated on his hands. "40 cents."
Sarah handed him a quarter, a nickel and a dime. "I'll see you at school on Monday."
Sarah started up the car and drove off. As she drove to the Grossman's ranch she practiced her greeting and various conversation starters. When she arrived Patricia Grossman was on the front porch. She waved as Sarah parked the car.
Mrs. Grossman walked up to her. "Tommy will be out in a second. This is all rather unconventional you realize." 
Sarah shrugged. "It's a new world. He's the one who asked me for a date, I'm just arranging the transportation."
Mrs. Grossman nodded. "And a car can be there in fifteen minutes instead of an hour. Also," she looked back to the house. "This way, Pete Jackson won't find out."
"How'd you know?"
"You told something juicy to Dixie Kennedy and then said 'keep it a secret'? A full page ad in the River City Star would have been more discrete."
Sarah cringed. "Yeah, that's a little complicated. Does your son know or even care?"
"Beats me. Men don't talk about such things to other men; I only know how he feels about you."
Sarah beamed. "And how does he feel about me?"
Mrs. Grossman shook her head.
"You're right ma'am; I'm going to have to find out for myself."
Sarah could see Tommy making his way through the parlor. "And, um, you don't approve of my current… entanglement?"
Mrs. Grossman shrugged. "It's a new world. Besides, you're not doing anything wrong."
Tommy stepped on the porch and walked to the car.
"Just be careful."
Sarah nodded.
"Good evening, Sarah."
"Hi Tommy." 
He opened the door and climbed in.
Mrs. Grossman waved: "Have fun you two" as the car sputtered down the drive way.
Sarah asked, "Had supper yet?"
Tommy shook his head, no. "There's a couple of places near the Music Hall. I wanted to get their early because I was unsure about the parking. Incidentally, why are you turning? Wouldn't it be faster to go by the park?"
"I want to avoid being seen by too many of my school chums, if you catch my meaning."
"Understood. It's our business not theirs."
"This is going to be so much…." She saw something dash out into the street. She slammed on the breaks. The car skidded to a halt.
Sarah had her fingers tightly wrapped around the steering wheel. She was shaking and short of breath.
Tommy reluctantly looked behind him. He could see George Watson walking briskly down from the steps of his front porch.
He went to the middle of the road and briefly examined a lifeless clump of black fur. He hung his head and shook it.
Sarah mumbled, "Please tell me I didn't just kill Prissy the cat." 
Tommy sighed. "Yikes."
Mr. Watson walked up to the driver's side of the car. "I saw the whole thing. She was chasing a mouse and ran out into the street. There was nothing you could have done. You were motoring at a reasonable speed. It was an accident, nothing more."
Tommy tipped his hat. "Evening Mr. Watson."
"Evening Tommy. You two had a date tonight?"
Sarah squeaked, "Yes." 
Mr. Watson shrugged. "Then go on. Enjoy your evening as much as is humanly possible."
Sarah's eyes were filled with tears.
Mr. Watson sighed. "Sweetheart, please? You did nothing wrong. She was a cat doing what she came naturally. I know you well enough to trust your judgment. You weren't at fault here.
Jake's already at the park. It's just me, Ross, Peggy and Mildred here for supper. They'll understand. No one is going to blame you.
Sarah you're dressed up and you have a fine looking gentleman here."
Tommy mentioned casually, "We're going to see a play."
Mr. Watson asked, "Which one?"
"Dracula."
Mr. Watson raised an eyebrow. "What's it about?"
Tommy looked at a newspaper clipping. "A black hearted fiend drains the blood of his victims and they become the undead."
Sarah whimpered.
Mr. Watson nodded. "Sounds exciting."
Sarah's lip was quivering.
Mr. Watson shook his head. "Once again, please, children go enjoy the play. Are you eating dinner there too?"
Tommy nodded.
Mr. Watson reached in his wallet and gave Tommy a dollar. "Dessert is on me. Please, have an enjoyable evening."
He walked back to the house.
Sarah was still immobile.
"Sarah? Sarah? I don't earn much helping around the ranch. These tickets are a very big deal for me."
She did not respond.
He leaned in closer. "I'm breaking protocol by not waiting until the end of our date but I think you really need this now!."
He turned her cheek towards him. They kissed.
She sighed. "You're right."
She smiled at him while attempting not to react to the sight of Peggy Watson standing on the front porch with her mouth agape in shock.
Sarah shifted her eyes. "Yup, let's go see Dracula."
Sarah and Tommy enjoyed the dinner and play as much as they could under the circumstances. Sarah used her fright to take hold of his hand and lean on his shoulder. Tommy liked that a lot.
When the evening was over, Sarah received a traditional good night kiss.
She drove back to the bakery beaming.
When she went upstairs, Jean Clementine asked her, with a raised eye brow, how her evening went.
Sarah did a little twirl.
As soon as she stepped into her room the phone rang.
"Hello?
I should've guessed it would be Emily." Sarah flopped down on the bed.
Upon hearing Emily's voice, Bell the cat jumped up on the bed and went towards the phone.
Sarah began scratching the feline's ears until the experience became somewhat uncomfortable for her.
"Yes, the play was quite enjoyable. Very, very suspenseful, just as Lynn described it.
No! No! No! I don't want to talk to…" Sarah cringed. "Hi Lynn."
She rolled her eyes. She nodded. "Yes, it was a perfect evening.
I can understand your tinge of jealousy but…."
Sarah put the receiver to her chest as Lynn jabbered on and on.
"Ok, fine. If that's the way you choose to see it then I will not argue with you.
I went out with your boyfriend because I wasn't satisfied with dating only Emily's boyfriend.
And, I murdered your cat because I am a blooming idiot!
Your father thanked me for the homicide by paying us one dollar and to complete the sheer mockery of your life Tommy kissed me approximately two minutes into our date!
We then went to a play wherein your other boyfriend played the trombone and I did not meet with him or ask him if he thought of you."
Sarah was awash in contradictory emotions as she listened to Lynn's verbal barrage.
"Sure, why not? I am the most horrible human being on Earth!
I will accept your assessment Lynn Watson so long as I don't have to…."
The phone line went dead.
Sarah growled. "Aaaargh!"
Bell tilted her head and then jumped down from the bed.
Sarah screamed into her pillow.
Jean knocked on the door. "Why are you screaming into your pillow?"
She cleared her throat and counted off the reasons on her fingers. "Because I don't love the boy I'm dating. I saw a romantic play which is destined to give me nightmares. I care about cats so much that I tonight I killed one and I hate my best friends. In other words, I am miserably happy!"
Jean shook her head. "At times like this I don't want to be sixteen again."
Sarah sighed. "You can only imagine how insane this situation has become."
"Farmers Market in Plentywood tomorrow morning."
Sarah nodded. "Cheryl and I will be ready for it. Goodnight, Mrs. Clementine."
"Goodnight Sarah."
