[Child of the 7th Age]

"Ah, Frodo, you must have seen my note. You had a good walk, I hope."

Frodo nodded, then smiled over at his uncle. Bilbo handed his nephew the peeler for the taters, and said he'd had enough peeling and would like to step outside and get a bit of air. He went out the door, sat down on a bench, and lit his pipe, staying there a good long time.

Inside he could hear Bilbo's and Frodo's voices going back and forth on this and that piece of news about doings in the Shire. He even heard Frodo sing a snatch of a song or two, and Sam join in on the choruses. It was the happiest that Bilbo had heard him the whole trip. Ah, if only I could box Sam and his family up and have Frodo take them back to the West. Especially since it doesn't look as if I'll be going back. I worry about the lad. He spends too much time thinking about "what if" instead of living in the here and now. With these thoughts, Bilbo fell asleep on the bench, until Frodo woke him for the return trek, and bundled him into the cart.

"Tomorow evening we'll meet again for the party," Frodo called out to Sam and waved as he headed back to the Inn.

[ March 19, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]