THE GRAND TOUR OF OKLAHOMA

Chapter Twenty Five

After eating, they headed outside and walked towards the ballpark. Jenny felt like she was on Cloud 9 while she walked beside her new friends and traveling companions. She had always wanted to travel the world at some point, but time and space? It was still a bit overwhelming to her and she figured she'd have to have time to process it. One thing she knew though, her life would never be the same.

When they reached the ballpark, the Doctor walked over to the box office to see if he could get three seats together. While he did that, Rose and Jenny stood nearby. Rose patted Jenny's back.

"Congrats," she said. "You're gonna make a great companion."

"I can't wait, this is so cool," Jenny said.

"And good job on picking King Tut, I haven't been to Ancient Egypt yet so…"

She gasped when someone threw his arms over her and she saw Suri lean his head up.

"Hey, Rose," he slurred.

"You just don't get that we don't wanna be your friends, do you?" Rose said.

"No, wait, I have something to tell you," Suri said. "I found a place to stay, for all of us."

"Not interested," Jenny said.

"No wait, it's not a shelter, it's a guy's house, his name's Anthony, he drives one of the buses."

The Doctor finished getting the tickets, turned and sighed angrily when he saw Suri with his lover and friend.

"Bugger," he muttered as he stomped over to them. "You just can't keep away from us, can you?" he said to Suri.

"Wait, I'm saying that I found a shelter for all of us," Suri said, holding up his hands. "This guy, Anthony, is running a shelter at his house but it's an actual house, not a mission. We can sleep in and cook whatever we want and do whatever we want. He's a nice guy and when he asked me, I thought I'd come and find you."

"So how did you know we were in Bricktown? Are you following us?" Jenny said.

"No, I went to McDonalds and was walking back and saw you so I thought I'd tell you about this. I can call and have him come get us."

"Except we're going to see the ballgame at the moment," the Doctor said, showing him the tickets.

"Can I come with you?" Suri asked.

"No…"

"I can pay for a ticket if you just show me where you're sitting. I have money," Suri said.

"How'd you get money then?" Rose asked.

"I sold my food stamps, not that it's any of your business," Suri said.

"You did what?" Rose said, frowning.

"Selling your food stamps, if you're not working, you usually get 200 dollars in food stamps. Some people go to people who will give them money if the person will let them use their food stamp card to buy groceries. You get half price so if you sell all 200; the person pays 100 in cash for using the card. It's illegal."

"It sounds stupid too," Rose said. "Why don't you stop drinking and get an actual job and you won't have to sell your food stamps?"

"I can't find one," Suri said.

"Quit the bloody drinking and perhaps you will," Rose said.

"That's not the reason," Suri said, mocking her British accent and female voice, "I can't find a blinkin' bloody job, do you jolly well understand that, mate?"

"Enough!" the Doctor growled at him. "We're not interested. We're going to the ballgame right now and we have no need of going to Anthony's house."

"Tomorrow then?" Suri said. "He's a nice guy and he wants to help the homeless out. There's about ten other people in the house right now but he's willing to make room for more. Come on, you don't have to sleep out on the street anymore."

Rose was about to say something when the Doctor took her and Jenny's hands and pulled them away.

"Wait, we want a private chat," the Doctor said to Suri when he started to come with them.

Suri stopped and waited while the Doctor took his companions out of earshot.

"You're considering his offer?" Rose asked.

"I'm just a bit curious, to be honest. What sort of man would open his house up to more than ten homeless people? Besides, we came here to meet new people and have adventures, right?"

"But we're going somewhere Suri is going?" Jenny said, making a face.

"Yeah, but we can handle that git, I think we should do this just for a laugh," the Doctor said.

"You know what would be a bigger laugh? Shoving Suri into the TARDIS, taking him back to Ancient Egypt and wrapping him up like a mummy," Jenny said.

"Hmm, tempting," the Doctor said while Rose giggled. "I have an idea though. I think we should befriend our little Indian friend and take him up on his offer."

"Why?" Rose said.

"Because I'm tired of him stalking us. He doesn't take the hint when we tell him to piss off, so I think a little reverse psychology will be in order. Besides, I forgot to tell our newest member about my remote control to the TARDIS so we can leave at any time. I want to see if this man will treat the homeless any differently than what a homeless shelter would. Jenny, you said you've been in several."

"Yes and they all sucked. But you think this man might be different?"

"I'm a curious little badger and I think a little investigation is in order. Any man would go and donate to the homeless, money or supplies or things like that, but this man apparently has a big enough heart that he just opens his home up. Might be a man worth meeting. What'd ya say? Let's tell him we can do it tomorrow after we go to this International Festival. Pretend we're all without options and perhaps this is the only way."

"And then when we're done, we call the TARDIS to us?" Rose said.

"Yes and then go to Ancient Egypt as planned? Sound good?"

"But you're going to pretend to be Suri's friend?" Jenny said. "That's a pretty tall order."

"Yes but perhaps we can influence him and get him to change his ways. But if not, we can at least keep him from aggressively following us everywhere we go. So what do you think?"

"What do you think, Jenny? Operation Reform the Drunk then?"

Jenny giggled.

"I don't know if we could do that," Jenny said.

"Yeah, but I love a challenge. So how about it," the Doctor said.

"So, this will be a combination of try to change Suri and scope out the so-called homeless shelter?" Jenny said.

"Yes. Wanna do it for a laugh? Let's really see how the other half lives, eh?"

"I have nothing better to do," Rose said.

"Me neither and I can help you with your research into this guy's house and his methods."

"Brilliant. Follow me then," the Doctor said.

Jenny and Rose shared a gleeful look as the Doctor walked back to Suri.

Back                         Home                              Doctor Who Main Page                          Next