"Tiptoe Through the Tulips"

[tma]

This was actually written quite a while ago as a prequel of sorts to "Stranger in a Strange Land" (aka "the professor story"). It is the infamous Tulip Festival story that Erik had mentioned to Theresa. No Theresa in this one- but lots of lovely Erik. Hope that re-posting is alright.

Erik rolled over in bed, and looked at the clock with a sense of frustration. He couldn't really see the numbers all that well without his glasses but he felt like it was far too early to be up. He sniffed congestedly and ran a hand through his hair. Then he padded down the hall to the bathroom and fumbled in the medicine cabinet. "Oh the joys of spring" he muttered conjestedly as he pawed through the cabinet for his allergy medication. He sighed and swallowed the pills, then he went and put on his glasses and made some coffee.

A tickling started in the back of his sinuses and slowly built, "hehhhh…. Ehhhh…." As he was in his own home, and he didn't feel like heading back to the bedroom for a handkerchief, Erik simply gave into the growing sensations and sneezed into the crook of his arm. "RaTchoo, AhTchoo … huh… Heitshoo…. Eishoo. Ugh!" He said sniffling and blinking back allergic tears, "mornings" Another congested sniff.

As he was waiting for his coffee, he thought of the ceremony that was planned for that afternoon. He had come to the small Midwestern town three years ago to teach history at the college. Erik had taught a partial course load while he finished his dissertation. The ceremony today was to celebrate the fact that he had finally attained his doctorate. Erik did appreciate the fact that the town was trying to show their appreciation. To have something, anything during Tulip Time that wasn't Delft, or wooden shoes or tulip related was astounding.

Erik guessed that a great deal of the reason had to do with Susan Vander Greeves. She was "daddy's little girl", and daddy was the owner of the major employer in town- Vander Greeves Lighting and Glass. Erik and Susan had met on campus- she was in the masters program for Education. They had gone out socially for about six months. She was a nice enough girl, but he sensed that she was very ambitious- sometimes he felt like a "trophy boyfriend". Which seemed absurd to him, since Erik didn't really see himself as being a "catch".

Erik felt the antihistamine starting to work on his congestion- but his nose was itching madly. He walked toward the bedroom- but before he got there, they were out."Heischoo, Eishoo, huhRetchoo, Eishoo" each one bent him forward, with his hands cupped to his face.

It really isn't fair he thought, why couldn't it have been done in the winter- or if they had to do it during the Festival- why not a couple of years ago? His first year he didn't have too much of a problem- a little more congested in the mornings, and he seemed to sneeze a bit more, but nothing seemed wrong at the time. He had just thought that he had caught a cold that he couldn't quite shake. Then, the next spring, it hit more viciously. Erik started getting sinus headaches and itchy eyes, in addition to the congestion and sneezing- which had gotten worse. He saw an allergist in the nearest city- a bit of a drive, but worth not having the entire town knowing about it. The allergist discovered that he had developed a case of hay fever, in addition to a general pollen allergy (mostly flowers). So Erik was given a prescription for an antihistamine that he took faithfully each morning from April through June.

Erik wasn't really certain how many people knew that he had allergies, because of the fact that his first spring they hadn't been very bad, and he never mentioned them to anyone. Last year they started up over spring break and he holed up in his office or at home most of the time. One of the senior faculty knew for certain, as he had (in his own unique fashion) recommended an allergist. Dr. William Kennedy was actually the head of the history department. He was a distinguished gentleman in his late 50's early 60's. Slight, with a neatly trimmed gray beard, mustache, and thinning hair. One day toward the middle of spring break- he had stopped by Eric's office, and handed him a stack of papers. Some were staff related, and others were for help with his dissertation. Each grouping was carefully clipped together. On the top of the second pile, under a clip, was a business card- for an allergist in the nearest bigger city (about 45 min. away). At first, the card confused Erik. He wondered how it had gotten there. Then he blushed and realized how horrid he had been sounding the past several days, and wondered if Dr. Kennedy was going to say anything to him. But nothing was said either before or after Erik saw the allergist.

Erik decided to shower and get changed. The shower felt good and between the antihistamine and the steam, he felt "cleared up". That was good. Unfortunately, the process had left his sensitive nostrils tickling furiously. As soon as he got out of the shower and the cooler air hit his body, creating goosebumps, his nose felt an onslaught of hundreds of fine little feathers that seemed to have invaded his sinus cavities. He had managed to wrap the towel around his waist and had tried to reach for his glasses when he was stopped short. "hehe HuRatchoo, Eichoo, heh… huh HuTchoo" each sneeze bending him at the waist. His breathing was still hitching, and he scrubbed at his nose with the heel of his hand. It had backed away, but it was still there.

With slightly shaky hands he put on his glasses and quickly donned a shortsleeved dress shirt, and navy suit pants. The tickle was driving him nuts. He went out the back door, and slowly, with blinking and teary eyes, lifted his face upward. The piercing light of the sun brought the prickling sensation full force and he lifted his head back, eyes wide open, taking a final shaky inhale "heeeeh" Then his eyes squinted shut and with a snap of his head, he sneezed a wet and forceful "Huhretchoo". He breathed a little sigh of relief. That was better. Then Erik went back into the house.

The sun was shining brightly as Erik headed "downtown". It still seemed like a misnomer to call one street of 8 to 10 blocks "downtown", but he supposed that "when in Rome…." was the saying to follow.

Erik reached the park a only a tad early. He nodded courteously to some vaguely familiar faces. He figured that he had best find Susan before the event.

Then he spotted her- one of the little Dutch dancers. Lithe and blonde, with blue eyes, a pert little nose and soft pink lips that pouted ever so prettily.

Those lips were now curved upwards in a bright smile. She offered Erik her cheek in a clear gesture for a kiss that would not muss the lipstick. Erik gently brushed each cheek tenderly with his lips, then went to hug her, but was stopped. "Eric, it's just about time. You need to get going." And she maneuvered him up to the back of the stage.

The mayor- a stocky little man with thinning hair and rosy cheeks smiled and shook hands with Erik and gave Susan a smacking kiss on the cheek. Then Mr. Vander Greeves took his place on the platform of the small outdoor theater stage. He introduced with pride the fact that the town's small college had managed to snare a "summa" from Harvard that had studied at Oxford. And that through a collaborative effort they now had a new doctor of history that would do them all proud. "Introducing our youngest and newest doctor to our community- DR. Erik Hansmeir."

Susan gave Erik and discreet push towards the mayor. Erik looked out onto the sea of clapping small town folk, some from the town and others alumni of the small college. He felt his throat tighten. For all the frustration he sometimes felt about this town, they were certainly genuinely glad that he was here- and that felt nice. He cleared his throat and managed a soft "Thank you.."

From out of the corner of his eye he saw Susan move. "Before your speech, which we all insist that you make" called the mayor, winking broadly, "We have a small token of our thanks. Susan….."

Erik looked puzzled, but before he could manage a sound, a cacophony of color was pushed into his arms. Tulips. Imported from the "Motherland", no doubt. The basket was enormous and full of a breathtaking assortment of hues. And it truly was starting to take his breath away. For although Erik had dutifully taken his allergy medication, the presence of that many flowers less than 6 inches from his nose was a bit overwhelming.

Erik tried to think as that beautiful, yet terrible sweet smell went to work on his eyes, nose and throat. He tried to lower the basket, but Susan seemed to be trying to keep it in place for the photographs that were being taken. Then he could hear the chant of "Speech, speech"

Erik cleared his throat and tried to start. "Ladies and g-gentlemen of thi… eh.." he managed to quell the rush of histamines attacking his nostrils by biting his tongue. Then he continued, "this fair town, I am huh… huh.." Erik gulped, his eyes were starting to water and the itch in his nose was unbearable. "If I can back up to set down the basket and get away from the tulips" he thought. He wanted to scrub at his nose, but he couldn't risk dropping the basket. He was torn between trying his best to push the sneezes away and to just get them out and alleviate the prickling, burning madness.

He nervously cleared his throat and plowed ahead, inching backward toward a table at the back of the stage. "I'm honored. The show of suh… port huh..as been overwhelmin… eh ….eh" He couldn't hold them back, nor could he drop the basket. Erik arched himself to the side and while backing up, started an enormous sneezing fit. "Eiscchoo, Eischoo, HuTchoo, Ischoo, eiTchoo, Eishoo" he kept sneezing, struggling to catch a breath from his swelling throat. Then the sneezes started to get harsher and wetter. "huhRaTchoo, ReTchoo, Eichoo, Huh..huTchoo"

When he had backed up almost to the table- unaware of what he was doing, Erik tripped over the microphone wire. One more harsh "EIShoo" and he went tumbling, hitting his head on the table as he went.

It knocked him out cold. The town doctor came on stage and told someone to call an ambulance. The doctor loosened Erik's tie and unbuttoned his shirt a little to clear the airways. A couple seconds later Erik's body finally had succumbed to the overdose of histamines and he had stopped breathing. The doctor administered a shot of antihistamine and worked on restoring Erik’s breathing. While he was doing that Susan rushed over- broken tulip basket in tow to see what was happening.

"Are you crazy? Get those damned tulips away from him! That's what started this mess." ordered Dr. Kennedy. The senior history professor had been in the back of the crowd and hadn't seen the town offering, but once the fit had begun, got part way through the crowd, saw what was happening, then located the local doctor. They had both reached the steps of the stage when Erik had tripped and knocked himself out.

Susan blinked, not comprehending, and stunned that someone had used "language" in front of her. As Kennedy removed the offending object from anywhere near the stage, he told her, "Erik's allergic to them". As if that wasn't Entirely obvious, he thought.

"Oh" she responded and sat until the doctor had gotten Erik to start breathing again. The doctor and Kennedy left to check on the ambulance situation leaving Erik in Susan's care. An incoherent groan announced his revival. He struggled to sit up and looked over at Susan dazedly "How?" he managed to get out.

"You tripped and hit your head" she stated. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Erik was confused. He shook his head as if to clear it, then stopped as searing pain flashed through his skull. "T-tell you wh… uh.." his nostrils flared and his jaw became slack again. "huh… Eischoo, eichoo, huh… Ischoo… chmpt." He sneezed into the crook of his arm partially stifling the last. He blinked away tears of pain, as the sneezes had jarred his head.

"Excuse me" he said, abashedly.

"You didn't tell me about This." She gesticulated. "You're allergic to tulips??" her nose wrinkled in distaste at the word "allergic"

"Well… not specifically. It's non-discriminatory to all flowers and sort of has gone along with the hay fever." He murmured, trying to avoid her eyes. His cheeks were flushed, he was exhausted and just wanted to escape.

"That doesn't make it better. You were hiding things from me. Things that you obviously told that old goat Kennedy. Why didn't you take something?"

He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair, then scrubbed at his nose with a knuckle. "I… um… I did."

"You did?" She sighed dramatically.

Erik thought of trying to explain. To try to make everything all right and fix it as he had always done with things with her in the past. But he was too worn out. He opened his mouth to explain, but his breathing hitched, and his nostrils flared in irritation. He threw back his head and sneezed four times into his cupped hands. "eiSchoo, Ischoo,… huh.. huhReTchoo… eh Chmpt. I'm sorry" he sniffed.

Susan said, "Well you should have told me. It was bad enough that you looked like a buffoon, but you made me into a fool." She turned on her wooden shoes and walked off.

As Erik tried to get up to go after her, a hand on his back restrained him. "Easy, young man. The only place that you are going is in there." Kennedy pointed to the stretcher that the ambulance driver brought over. "But I'm… I'm fine." Erik said feebly.

"Nevertheless; humor an old man, and lie down." Kennedy said dryly.

Erik eased himself back down, head spinning. There was a hammering in his ears, then blackness enveloped him.

At the hospital, Kennedy came in with a book. They were keeping Erik overnight for observation. "As I didn't think flowers appropriate and balloons seemed a bit childish." He offered by way of explanation. He looked around, "I hoped I'm not interrupting." Erik shook his head, "No one else is coming."

There was a mutual understanding that things were over with Susan. Erik looked withdrawn and on the verge of tears- it had been a very long day.

Kennedy cleared his throat, "You had some of us very concerned." He patted Erik's shoulder.

"Why? Is it that difficult to fill 201 European history?" Erik quipped with a cough.

Kennedy smirked in response. "More to find someone properly in awe of the head of the department."

"If I find someone, I'll leh….eht let you…" Erik's voice started to hitch and as he went to scrub at this nose, he was handed a pressed linen handkerchief. Erik sneezed four quick stifled sneezes "chmft.. huh… chmft… mft… Chft"

With a solemn nod, Kennedy said, "Bless. Sometimes they take awhile to sort themselves out."

Erik flushed and turned away, "I'm sorry"

"I'm a firm believer that apologies should be saved for occasions where they are warranted. Now, other than sleep, is there anything that you need?"

Erik shook his head. "Thanks for everything."

Kennedy nodded and walked out.

As Erik drifted off to sleep, he wished that he could have asked for someone to be with him. Someone who really understood him. Kennedy just wasn't the same. Although he was thankful for such a good friend. With that, he drifted gently into a peaceful rest.

FIN

[obsessed]

tma!

Ooh, I love this. You really have a way with words and Erik! :DDD

[SomethingClever]

adorable... I have always really loved these characters, is there any more with them?

[atchoum]

Just reread this old favourite... and I'm wondering whether Prof Kennedy hasn't some hidden interest in allergies too....

[tma]

Just reread this old favourite... and I'm wondering whether Prof Kennedy hasn't some hidden interest in allergies too....

Thanks so much. *chuckles* I hadn't really thought of that when Writing it- but I am one who fully believes that if *you* see that potential in the character and that it makes you grin- that works.

Again- thank you So much for commenting.