eurydicebound (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
eurydicebound) wrote2007-04-27 03:51 pm
eurydicebound) wrote2007-04-27 03:51 pm
Entry tags:
Homework #3 -- Generosity
“Twenty, fourty, sixty, sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four, sixty-five, seventy.” William laid the bills on the counter.
“I’ll cover the rest,” his mother said, digging through her purse. “There. Seventy-five and change.”
The cashier smiled at the dark-haired boy. “All right, it’s all yours. Take this over to that counter over there, and they’ll bring it out for you.”
William grabbed the piece of paper and carried it carefully over to the counter. His older brother, Al, said “Can I carry it?”
“No,” William said. “It’s mine.” Al frowned for a moment, then nodded, running off to look at the bin of plastic elephants next to the cash register. Their mother walked with William over to the customer service desk. She had to help get the clerk’s attention, as William was only a bit taller than the counter was.
“Could you get one of these for us, please?” his mother said.
“For me,” William added. “It’s mine.”
The clerk nodded. She didn’t smile, as she was very busy. “I’ll call that back for you, if you’ll just wait over there.” She waved toward an empty cashier stand. It took forever.
“Can I have a candy bar?” He looked at the boxes of candy next to the cash register.
“No,” his mother said.
“But I’m hungry.” William grabbed his stomach.
“We’ll eat when we get home.” She got that tone in her voice that said, “the next time this comes up you’ll be in trouble,” so he let it go. He would get one himself, but he’d spent all his birthday and allowance money on the scooter. The Fuzion Asphalt Ultimate Carving Scooter. He said it over again in his head—Fuzion Asphalt Ultimate Carving Scooter. It was like a skateboard only better, because it had a handle, so it was easier to stay on it and balance. It was yellow and black and—best of all—his. Al didn’t have one. Just him.
Al came over and stood next to him. “When you get it, can I ride it?”
“It’s mine,” Will said.
“I know,” said Al. “I just want to ride it.”
A guy with a red Toys R’ Us vest on came up with a big box in his arms. “Here, this should be it.” Inside were two smaller boxes, both with scooters in them.
Will threw up his arms and jumped. “Yes!!!” he shouted. The clerk behind the desk smiled then, and Will grinned back at her. The guy carried the box out to the car for his mom. Will led the way, showing the man where to put the box in the trunk. His mom smiled.
“Mom, can we go home now?” Will asked as he got into the car. “I want to put my scooter together.”
“Yes, but we’ll have dinner first.”
“Awww...” Will said. “Please?”
“I thought you were hungry,” his mother said.
“Not anymore,” he replied.
“Can I help?” Al asked.
“No, it’s mine,” Will said.
His mother, though, gave him a look. “Yes, Al, you can help. It doesn’t make the scooter any less yours, William.”
William nodded, frowing. He glared at his brother but didn’t say anything. Al didn’t notice.
They got home and pulled the box out of the trunk, bringing it into the living room. Will tore the tape off while his mother made sandwiches. She laid out the plates with the sandwiches and cottage cheese, and even apple slices. Will could hardly taste any of it. She got onto him three times for not staying in his seat, and he barely noticed. Finally she shook her head. “All right, let’s go put it together.” Both boys were in the living room before she even got out of the chair.
“Will, you hold the nuts and the wheels. Al, you hold the wrenches.” She put the pieces together. It took a little work, because the wheels didn’t want to go on straight, but eventually she got it. Will handed her the nuts to go on the metal rod that held the wheels on, while Al handed her the tools. Once she took the last ones from him, Will ran into his room and grabbed his helmet, stuffing it on his head. He wanted to be ready. Another eternity later, she handed it back to him. “Don’t leave it in the driveway, or it won’t be yours anymore. Someone will come along and take it.”
“I won’t,” Will said, gripping the handle tightly. He walked it outside and onto the driveway, then rode down the slope toward the back fence. He had to leap off to avoid crashing, but it was fun. Al stood off to the side, watching. He looked sad. William walked the scooter back up the hill a little ways. He looked down at the yellow and black racing stripes surrounding the words “Fuzion Asphalt.” He put his foot on one of the tires and rolled it back and forth just a little, feeling the scooter move. He reached up and unbuckled the chin strap of his helmet, then took it off. “Hey, Al,” he said.
“Yeah?”
“Your turn.”
“I’ll cover the rest,” his mother said, digging through her purse. “There. Seventy-five and change.”
The cashier smiled at the dark-haired boy. “All right, it’s all yours. Take this over to that counter over there, and they’ll bring it out for you.”
William grabbed the piece of paper and carried it carefully over to the counter. His older brother, Al, said “Can I carry it?”
“No,” William said. “It’s mine.” Al frowned for a moment, then nodded, running off to look at the bin of plastic elephants next to the cash register. Their mother walked with William over to the customer service desk. She had to help get the clerk’s attention, as William was only a bit taller than the counter was.
“Could you get one of these for us, please?” his mother said.
“For me,” William added. “It’s mine.”
The clerk nodded. She didn’t smile, as she was very busy. “I’ll call that back for you, if you’ll just wait over there.” She waved toward an empty cashier stand. It took forever.
“Can I have a candy bar?” He looked at the boxes of candy next to the cash register.
“No,” his mother said.
“But I’m hungry.” William grabbed his stomach.
“We’ll eat when we get home.” She got that tone in her voice that said, “the next time this comes up you’ll be in trouble,” so he let it go. He would get one himself, but he’d spent all his birthday and allowance money on the scooter. The Fuzion Asphalt Ultimate Carving Scooter. He said it over again in his head—Fuzion Asphalt Ultimate Carving Scooter. It was like a skateboard only better, because it had a handle, so it was easier to stay on it and balance. It was yellow and black and—best of all—his. Al didn’t have one. Just him.
Al came over and stood next to him. “When you get it, can I ride it?”
“It’s mine,” Will said.
“I know,” said Al. “I just want to ride it.”
A guy with a red Toys R’ Us vest on came up with a big box in his arms. “Here, this should be it.” Inside were two smaller boxes, both with scooters in them.
Will threw up his arms and jumped. “Yes!!!” he shouted. The clerk behind the desk smiled then, and Will grinned back at her. The guy carried the box out to the car for his mom. Will led the way, showing the man where to put the box in the trunk. His mom smiled.
“Mom, can we go home now?” Will asked as he got into the car. “I want to put my scooter together.”
“Yes, but we’ll have dinner first.”
“Awww...” Will said. “Please?”
“I thought you were hungry,” his mother said.
“Not anymore,” he replied.
“Can I help?” Al asked.
“No, it’s mine,” Will said.
His mother, though, gave him a look. “Yes, Al, you can help. It doesn’t make the scooter any less yours, William.”
William nodded, frowing. He glared at his brother but didn’t say anything. Al didn’t notice.
They got home and pulled the box out of the trunk, bringing it into the living room. Will tore the tape off while his mother made sandwiches. She laid out the plates with the sandwiches and cottage cheese, and even apple slices. Will could hardly taste any of it. She got onto him three times for not staying in his seat, and he barely noticed. Finally she shook her head. “All right, let’s go put it together.” Both boys were in the living room before she even got out of the chair.
“Will, you hold the nuts and the wheels. Al, you hold the wrenches.” She put the pieces together. It took a little work, because the wheels didn’t want to go on straight, but eventually she got it. Will handed her the nuts to go on the metal rod that held the wheels on, while Al handed her the tools. Once she took the last ones from him, Will ran into his room and grabbed his helmet, stuffing it on his head. He wanted to be ready. Another eternity later, she handed it back to him. “Don’t leave it in the driveway, or it won’t be yours anymore. Someone will come along and take it.”
“I won’t,” Will said, gripping the handle tightly. He walked it outside and onto the driveway, then rode down the slope toward the back fence. He had to leap off to avoid crashing, but it was fun. Al stood off to the side, watching. He looked sad. William walked the scooter back up the hill a little ways. He looked down at the yellow and black racing stripes surrounding the words “Fuzion Asphalt.” He put his foot on one of the tires and rolled it back and forth just a little, feeling the scooter move. He reached up and unbuckled the chin strap of his helmet, then took it off. “Hey, Al,” he said.
“Yeah?”
“Your turn.”
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