Tea and Sympathy, by J. Brooks (G)
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Black Raptor listing
Why this must be read:
'Tea and Sympathy' is another short gem. Nathan realizes he has something unexpected in common with Ezra.
Try a little Tea and Sympathy
"Mmm... Poor man's still laid up with mustard plasters so thick on his chest it's a wonder he can roll over," Nathan clucked. "Man his age...""Ought to have better sense," Mary completed the familiar refrain of their weekly get-together. Every Monday, the Clarion News published a list of the sick and injured of Four Corners and vicinity. Every Sunday afternoon, Nathan and Mary sat down for some tea and sympathy for the area's ailing -- less sympathy than tea, in some cases. Like the case of old Ambrose Johnston, who dove head-first into an icy mountain stream, only to find that the glint of silver he'd spotted on the stream bed came from the gleaming scales of a rainbow trout. The fish escaped, but Ambrose did manage to catch one granddaddy of a head cold.
