A Visit From Mayor Samwise

Chapter Five: Ale and Traditions

They had been at the inn in town for quite some time and still Pippin had said not word. Normally, Sam was not one disturbed by lack of conversation, but with one so chatty as Pippin was known to be, any silence on his part became somewhat worrisome.

Without asking, he ordered another ale for the Took and one for himself, then turned to have a word with him.

"It’ll do you good, Mister Pippin, to speak at least some of what’s troublin’ your mind."

Pippin eyed Sam warily, then reached into his coat and drew his pipe.

"Now there’s a good notion." Sam nodded. He took out his own pipe, accepted some of Pippin’s top-notch leaf and offered a light in return.

They smoked in comparative silence for a while and sipped their ales quietly and when Pippin was ready to speak, he did.

"I fear I’m at a loss at what is to be done, Sam."

"In what regard, sir?"

"In my regard, Sam."

Sam nodded, as if what Pippin had said explained everything, although it really explained nothing. He had a rather confusing manner at times when he talked, particularly when he’d had a bit too much ale.

Pippin turned, glanced about the room, then brought his pipe once more to his lips. He took a drag, exhaled slowly, then looked to his friend.

"Do you think I am the tallest hobbit in this room?"

"Sure you are, Mister Pippin. You’re the tallest hobbit in all the Shire. All Middle-Earth most likely, too."

"Yet, you think there’s still a lot of hobbits in this room, a lot of hobbits here, who still talk about me, still speak of me, as ‘Little Pippin Took’?"

"Well, surely sir, there might be some, as old habits are hard to break, they are, but I would say that most often they would just call you ‘Young Pippin Took’, if they are calling you anything."

"But there is no ‘Old Pippin Took.’"

"No, sir, not so far as I have ever known."

"And I have been of-age now for quite a many years."

"Yes sir, that you have."

"And surely I’ve traveled farther and seen more in my 42 years than anyone else here, save for you, Sam, can even hope to."

"Aye."

"So, why, then, Sam, am I still ‘Young Pippin Took’?"

Sam took a moment to think about this as he sipped his ale. He could, of course, tell Pippin that what he heard them calling him most often was ‘Crazy Pippin Took’, as in ‘Did you hear what that Crazy Pippin Took’s been up to now?’ But he doubted that would help Pippin in his dilemma, so he kept it to himself and decided on a more diplomatic answer.

"Well, now, Mister Pippin, I dare say that some of us would not mind being called young anything again."

Pippin looked at him curiously. "Nobody calls you ‘Old Sam Gamgee’."

"Nobody calls me ‘Young Sam Gamgee’ neither."

"Well, at least you are seen as a proper adult, Sam, and accorded the right respect."

Sam sat back in his chair. "Now, Mister Pippin, there’s many in the Shire that more than respect you. There’s many of them would crawl down and kiss the road you walk on, they would."

Pippin did not seem moved by this. He’d been born into a somewhat celebrity state that had never registered much to him and even the fame when he became a hero had worn off some time ago. He cared not for that sort of recognition most nights.

He sighed and laid his head down on the table. He felt weak and ill.

Sam looked sympathetically at his friend. It didn’t seem right to see such a cheerful soul in such a mood as this. Yet, he really couldn’t think of what to do to rectify the situation for him.

Pippin mumbled something into his sleeve.

Sam asked him to repeat it.

"I said, I just want to be with my son right now."

"Well, then we ought to be going back home."

Pippin shook his head and closed his eyes. "I don’t know where my home is, Sam."

"Surely…" Sam stopped himself as he began finally to understand. "You mean Great Smials, then? Is that what this is about?"

The younger hobbit sighed and rearranged his arms. "I suppose I belong at Great Smials the same way Merry belongs at Brandy Hall or you belong to Bag End. But I liked living at Crickhollow because I thought it made Merry happy and if he’s happy I’m happy, even if my family wanted me at the Smials or not at all."

"Is that what they said?"

"In not so many words, but yes. They no longer want me just visiting and stopping by. They want me back where I belong, so to speak. But, I thought that somehow…I suppose it’s rather silly now, but I had pictures in my head of building a new Smial, Merry and I. Right here in Crickhollow. It seemed a lovely idea to bring the families of the Master and the Thain together…and such a Smial it could be…and even greater Great Smials."

Sam choked back his ale and couldn’t help but sputter out: "The last thing the Shire needs is another Great Smials!"

Pippin nodded sadly. "Surely it could never be as grand as the real Great Smials with all its Took history and years, I see that now."

Sam took another rather heavy sip of ale, hoping that the large stein would conceal his expression. Pippin did not seem to notice and continued.

"I suppose I held out because…well, Merry never said a word about returning to Brandy Hall. I thought…I thought he wanted to be here with me. We’re a great pair, Merry and I. I fear to apart from him. I don’t know what he would make of himself if I was not there to keep watch."

There was a smile twitching to come out on Sam’s face again. Pippin sounded so aged and motherly, though Sam supposed there might be something to the idea of Merry needing Pippin just as much as Pip needed Mer.

"Well, Mister Pippin," he said after some thought, "You’re better not to go off pooh-poohing tradition in this Shire and it’s tradition that the Thain has always lived, so long as he’s been a Took, at Great Smials and the Master has always been a Brandybuck at Brandy Hall. You’re better not to argue with that or people might go getting kinda funny at you."

Pippin traced his finger about the rim of his empty glass as Sam continued with his lecture.

"But I don’t see as there being any problem of you and Mister Merry seeing enough of each other, as it’s also been tradition in this Shire that Mister Merry Brandybuck and young Mister Pippin Took were the best of friends even when they lived as far apart as Tuckburough and Buckland."

Pippin sat up straight then and a smile awakened on his face.

"Oh, Sam," he said, "I do believe you have a point."

Sam nodded and finished up the last of his ale. "You do best not to forget that neither."

"No," Pippin laughed and startled his friend with a great hug, "I never shall!"

~~~~

As they walked back up the road from the inn, Sam couldn’t help but marvel at the change that had occurred in his friend. Where, not an hour before, he had looked ready for a casket, now, chatting merrily and marching up the hill, he looked positively robust.

"You look much improved than you did back in town, Mister Pippin. I feel much relieved."

Pippin nodded enthusiastically. "We Tooks are hardier than we look. Not two weeks ago my mother was to her sick bed and the healers were saying she will not make it through the season and this week she’s out and about again making plans for textile fair and sending me a letter a day saying she’ll not see me poke my nose into her house until I shape up and start acting the part of a proper heir."

"So your mother is well, then? And not ill as I have heard?"

"Why no, Sam. If she were I dare say I would not be here jabbering with you. I’d be there straight-away, welcome or not."

They reached the house then and Pippin hesitated.

"You go around to the back door, Sam. I can hear Merry and Estella in the kitchen there and you may greet them. I’ll go on through the front and onward to my chamber and my Faramir."

Sam looked up at him curiously. "I thought things were all square with you and Mister Merry now."

"They are for my part, Sam, but I’ve no notion as to what Merry’s temper is to me right now. I’d prefer to let him have the night and then speak with him in the morning."

"Alright," Sam agreed and then watched as Pippin let himself in quietly through the main door.

With a sigh, Sam stretched his arms behind his back, then headed around to the kitchen door.

~~~~