[ oom ] Jolly Holiday
"Let's see. You think. You wink. You do a double blink. You close your eyes, and.. jump!"
Mary rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh, stepping carefully over the chalk drawings.
"Bert, what utter nonsense! Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple?" she asked, giving Bert a mildly reproachful look. All he did in return was to rub the back of his head in a mildly sheepish manner.
"Give me your hand, please, Michael. Don't slouch! One, two.."
And all four of them (Bert, Mary, Michael, and Jane) jumped into the chalk drawing.
As the chalk dust cleared, they found themselves surrounded by a beautiful countryside, dressed as though for a Sunday outing. They took a moment to brush the chalk dust from their clothes, looking around in wonderment.
Having done so, Bert rested his weight on his cane, hat tipped just so, a slight smile raising the corners of his lips. "Mary Poppins, y'l ook bee-youtiful." She smiled, careful not to meet his eyes, and crossed over to his side of the sidewalk. "Do you really think so?" she asked, keeping her glance on the walk.
"Cross me 'art y' do! Like t' day I met y'."
"You look fine too, Bert."
He grinned, somewhat glad she was standing with her back to him, quickly adjusting his lapels and hat.
Michael turned to them, as he had been gazing down the path. "I thought you said there was a fair!"
"So I did," Bert responded, leaning forward slightly. He raised a hand to point down the path. "Down the road and behind th' 'ill, remember?"
Jane immediately took off down the path. "Come on, I hear the merry-go-round!" Michael immediately started running after her.
"Tell 'em Bert sent ya!" "Don't fall and smudge the drawing!"
As they disappeared from view, Mary turned, opening her parasol. Bert stepped up next to her, offering her his arm, which she took.
"Ain't it a glorious day?
Right as a mornin' in May!
I feel like I could fly!"
Letting go of her arm for a brief moment, he felt his feet lift into the air, hands flapping in the wind. Mary grabbed his arm before he went too far up. "Now, Bert! None of your larking about."
Back on the ground, Bert began to sing again.
"'Ave you ever seen
The grass so green!
Or a bluer sky?
Oh, it's a jolly 'oliday with Mary!
Mary makes yer 'art so light!"
"You haven't changed a bit, have you?" asked Mary happily.
"When the day is gray an' ordinary,"
he sang, snagging her parasol for a brief moment and hunching under it as the sky turned an unwelcoming shade.
"Mary makes the sun shine bright!"
And sure enough, as he handed back her parasol, the sun appeared, sky returning to a dazzling blue.
"Oh, honestly," Mary protested.
"Oh, 'appiness is bloomin' all around 'er
The daffodils are smilin' at the dove!
When Mary 'old's yer 'and,
Y' feel so grand!
Yer 'art starts beatin'
Like a big brass band!"
Mary laughed as he fell to his knees, shaking her head. "You are lightheaded!"
"It's a jolly 'oliday with Mary!
No wonder that it's Mary that we love!"
As they reached a farm, she floated over the fence, then helping him over. Tapping his cane on the straw, he held it up like a conductor's baton - the animals had lined up in a row. The ram began:
"Oh, it's a jolly 'oliday with Mary."
Then the lambs:
"Mary makes your heart so light!"
Then the horse:
"When the day is gray and ordineighaary."
Then the cow:
"Mooooary makes the sun shine bright!"
The ducks:
"Oh, 'appiness is blooming all around her!"
The pig:
"The daffodils are shmilin' at the dove! Oink oink!"
Everyone:
"When Mary holds your hand,
You feel so grand!
Your heart starts beating
Like a big brass band!"
Bert took Mary's hand, helping her up.
"It's a jolly holiday with Mary!
No wonder that it's Mary that we love!"
Mary and Bert started off down the path, Mary briefly taking flight, Bert keeping hold of her hand. Once she landed, he placed a hand on her waist, Mary placing one on his shoulder, and they began to dance, progressing down the path at a swift pace. Their cane and parasol followed, twisted around each other's necks and kept in the air by the parasol.
Once they unlinked hands, he swept up a bunch of flowers, taking off his hat and offering it to her. As she smelled them, they changed into butterflies of identical colour, taking flight into the air.
Upon reaching the river, the cane and parasol had caught up with them. Two turtles poked their heads above the water, smiling at Mary, and offered their backs, nodding and winking. Carefully, Bert and Mary took steps onto the turtles, and were quickly transported across the river (Bert had a little more trouble keeping his balance than Mary).
As they made their way up onto a bridge, Mary began to sing.
"Oh, it's a jolly holiday with you, Bert,
Gentlemen like you are few!
Though you're just a diamond in the rough, Bert
Underneath, your blood is blue!
You'd never think of pressing your advantage,
Forbearance is the hallmark of your creed!
A lady needn't fear when you are near
Your sweet gentility is crystal clear!
Oh, it's a jolly holiday with you, Bert
A jolly, jolly holiday with you!"
All these years of knowing her, he had never heard her talk about him like this. He felt his heart leap, unable to stop a smile from crossing his features.
Mary Poppins had always been something of a enigma, but, afraid to say it as he was, he loved her nonetheless.
She was, after all, practically perfect.