Cicada and John Calley

This thread follows the relationship between Cicada and John Calley from an encounter on the road to a marriage shaped by time and choice.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Brief Encounter

A Brief Encounter A stranger offers candy John Calley meets Kidd and Cicada while traveling with armed relatives. He tries to offer Cicada a piece of taffy, but she knocks it from his hand and retreats. Suspicion before recognition Calley’s friendly gesture cannot overcome Cicada’s caution toward strangers. The encounter remains brief, but it establishes the memory he will later carry when they meet again.

The Man Who Apologizes

The Man Who Apologizes Responsibility acknowledged After the mercantile riot, Calley helps Kidd collect the scattered coins and regrets that his relatives took money from him on the road. His behavior contrasts with the armed group’s earlier intimidation. Respect begins Kidd answers Calley’s question about a stable legal principle with Hammurabi’s maxim. Calley’s desire for honest work and Kidd’s guarded respect give their relationship a different foundation from the earlier encounter.

A Visit in San Antonio

A Visit in San Antonio Recognition from afar Calley visits Kidd in San Antonio and first meets Cicada as a young woman. He remembers the child who had once struck away his taffy, though she does not remember him. A new beginning Their connection does not depend on her recovering that encounter. Calley returns with newspapers and flowers, allowing a relationship to develop in the present rather than through a claim on her past.

Music at the Piano

Music at the Piano A shared activity Calley plays familiar songs on the piano and teaches Cicada their melodies. She comes to sit beside him, drawn into a form of companionship that does not require her to explain her history. Affection grows gradually Music offers a space for curiosity and mutual attention. The scene marks a shift from Calley’s admiration at a distance to a relationship formed through repeated visits and shared time.

A Marriage of Her Choosing

A Marriage of Her Choosing Fear before the ceremony Cicada waits with Kidd before her wedding, worried about the unfamiliar rules of marriage. She asks Kidd for guidance and accepts his teasing as reassurance. A future beyond Kidd She marries Calley and later joins him on a cattle drive. Her choice leads to a life of movement that she can love, while her bond with Kidd remains enduring but no longer central to her daily care.

March 1870, on the road near Durand

March 1870, after the Durand reading riot

Several years after the return journey

During Calley’s visits to the Betancort house

Several years later, in January