Slow and Steady

[Brian Setliff]

Brian considered, then shrugged, "I'll be open with you, I don't know enough to make a decision based on your condition. You will be in radio contact with me the entire time, and at any given time, you'll be at most fifteen minutes away from getting help. However, I appreciate you letting me know, in any case." If he had to, he could throw Casper or Fly into a gallop, the trails he'd chosen were flat, and he couldn't foresee any issues there.

He paused, then shrugged, "I guess I'm going to suggest that you consider what you would consider helpful for you, apart from an understanding that you'll possibly take more breaks, and radio contact, and I'll spend some time researching and attempting to understand what I can suggest to help you as well. If that's acceptable to you, of course." He realized that he did have a question, but didn't know how to approach it, so stifled the impulse to ask, and rather added it to his list of things to look up in the evening. Leaning against the desk behind him, he pressed his palms against the edge, a position more comfortable for him than it looked, "Was there anything else that you wanted to talk about?"

[Deleted]

Amber considered what he told her and worried that this was becoming a much bigger deal then it actually was.  She didn't want to risk getting special treatment for this, because that was often more humiliating and embarrassing then having to attempt to do something that she couldn't, and she wished that she hadn't mentioned it or promised her brother that she would.  Maybe it would have been better if he had had one of their parents call the school, because at least then she wouldn't have to do this.  "I'll probably just have to take more breaks" she explained.  "It's really not a big deal."   

She noticed that Mr. Setliff looked like he was about to say something, and then paused and asked if there was anything else that she wanted to talk about, as if he was about to say something but didn't and instead said something else.  She was rather suspicious about that, but she didn't say anything about it.  "No that's it" she told him.  She almost walked out of the room then and there, because she really wanted to get this over with, but instead she waited to see if there was anything else that he wanted to say.  

[Brian Setliff]

Brian inclined his head, bending to her superior knowledge of her own condition, although he knew that he would still research his various questions. After all, kids had a tendency to downplay things when they didn't want to ask for things, as he knew all too well, having done so himself, especially when it had come time for him to go on the road with his father. No cold or stomachache could have stopped him then, even if he'd been whining to his mom before. It had been the cure-all for him.

Hearing that there were no other concerns, he nodded, "Then I'll see you and your mount at the indicated clearing tomorrow morning." He'd be there far earlier than the students, as he was hoping to set up a table and needed to work out where he'd have the horses he was taking with him, but that wasn't the kids' concern.

Turning his attention to the papers, he picked them up, butting them together once more, then turned to exit, holding the door for Amber if she hadn't left already, otherwise simply letting it fall shut before he used the key he'd been lent to lock the door, making his way out towards the Brown Orchid Barn, to saddle his mount and head out to the trails, because he still had the ribbons to put up.