Dishes
Sometimes, no matter how hard he tries, a boy just needs a little change. After all, variety is the spice of life.
Continued from It is What it is.
“Maw,” Jr complained as he stood in front of the kitchen sink washing dishes, “I’m tired of warshin’ these same ‘ol dirty dishes.”
“Well they’s the only dishes we got,” Mable replied. “Besides, if you don’t do ’em then I’ll not have time to do the rest of the cookin’ an’ cleanin’ ‘round here.”
“But I’m bored with these dishes,” Jr grumbled.
“Well if you want to, I reckon Mrs Dowiddle will let you do her’s,” Mable grinned knowing there was no way Jr would volunteer to wash more dishes. “She’s got all them little ones runnin’ ‘round, I’m sure she could use some help.”
“I don’t want to warsh Mrs Dowiddle’s dishes,” Jr explained, “I want to get new dishes what don’t bore me.”
“Well I reckon you’ll just have to come up with the money to buy them,” Mable replied, “Your paw and I are tapped out.”
“But don’t none of them look the same,” Jr complained, “an’ all of them is old. It makes us look poor.”
“We are poor,” Mable laughed, “Ain’t nothin’ can be done to change it ‘less you win the lottery.”
“You mean like when I won before?” Jr questioned, excited that he might win again.
“Honey,” Mable continued, “It’s gonna take a lot more ‘n winning a ten dollar scratch-off to buy new dishes.”
Jr finished up washing the dishes and walked over to the north pasture as far as he could get from the house, and started throwing rocks. Besides enjoying rock throwing and getting in shape for the next county rock throwing contest, throwing rocks was a sort of zen experience for Jr despite the fact that Jr thought zen was just a funny way of pronouncing ten. “You know,” Jr said to himself, “if I could win the throwin’ contest for a sixth year in a row I might be able to buy Maw some new dishes.” Seems Jr had forgotten that his real reason for wanting new dishes was so he wouldn’t have to wash the old dishes. But then Jr never was one to keep his focus. He would probably forget all about it before tomorrow morning.
This time Jr didn’t forget but instead he hatched a new plan. As the next contest was almost eleven months away he had to think of something else. Down the road a few miles a new family had bought the Johnson farm. They probably didn’t know about Jr’s 5 championships and if he could get them to bet against him he might be able to win enough to buy new dishes.
Now I know you’re thinking, why would a boy like Jr want new dishes? No, he’s not like that at all, he just likes pretty things. Is it wrong for a boy to like pretty things — especially pretty things he doesn’t have? I sure hope not as I like pretty things. You know, like pretty girls in pretty dresses — preferably short dresses. A little over a half an hour later that long legged boy had walked all the way to the old Johnson place and spotted what he thought would be his first victim. Let the games begin.
As Jr walked down the drive leading it’s way to the farm house he saw a boy that looked to be about 16 years old and big for his size. When the boy spotted Jr he grinned and said, “Howdy.”
“Howdy,” Jr replied, “nice place, I wish my paw could have afforded to buy it when Old Man Johnson died.”
“I’m glad he didn’t,” the boy replied. “If he had we wouldn’t have no place to live.”
“Reckon you’re right,” Jr said all friendly like in hopes the boy wouldn’t see through his plan. “Did it cost you a lot?”
“Naw,” the boy answered, “my paw inherited it.”
“So you’re a Johnson too?” Jr asked as he picked up a rock and threw it down the drive.
“Sure am,” the boy replied as he too, picked up a rock and tossed it down the drive. “An proud of it.”
For the next half hour the two boys talked about boy stuff, girls and life on the farm while tossing rocks until finally Jr said, “Have you got any money?”
“Why?” the boy questioned, not sure how he should answer.
“ ’Cause I want to bet?” Jr answered.
“On what?” the boy asked.
“On who can hit the trunk of that tree with a rock,” Jr said. “You wanna bet me five dollars?”
“I’ll bet you five dollars,” the boy said, “but you got to hit it if I miss.”
“Deal,” Jr smiled as the boy reached for a good throwing rock, “You go first.”
“No problem,” the boy said as he sent the rock flying towards the tree only to miss by only a few inches. “Your turn,” he said confidently, thinking Jr would miss too. “Show me what you got.”
Jr reached to the ground, picked up a good throwing rock, and without any hesitation, threw it straight towards the tree hitting it dead center. “Wanna try again?” Jr laughed. This time we go for ten.”
“You’re own,” the boy said throwing and missing again.
“Now you owes me fifteen dollars,” Jr said, “wanna go again?”
“Naw,” the boy said as he handed three five dollar bills to Jr. “That’s all I got.”
“Another time,” Jr proudly replied as he took the three bills and bit each one of them.
“What did you bite it for?” the boy asked, puzzled that Jr would do such a thing.
“Checking to see if it’s real,” Jr answered as he started walking back down the drive. “See you later, tader.”
“It’s Doug,” the boy replied as Jr walked away. “Doug.”
Continued in Dishes, Part 2…