It was just a small thing really. Not even worth mentioning. Still it made him feel good and seemed to release something inside of himself that he had never been able to indulge in before. Of course where he came from there really wasn’t the opportunity. He doubted if you could even find the tools to work it up.

Scott showed him how it was done. In fact, his older brother seemed very knowledgeable about the process. It sure did come in handy to have an older brother who knew so much about all kinds of stuff. Especially those things he had never heard of before. Who would have thought that people actually did this.

Their father got real mad though cause it was taking them too long. That little vein in his forehead started throbbing and he pointed his finger at his youngest son saying it shouldn’t be taking this long to finish one little chore. Then he said if they didn’t get the job done and soon they was gonna’ get ‘what for!’ Johnny didn’t know what ‘what for’ was but he was pretty sure he didn’t wanta’ know either. The old man sure could take the fun out of a chore sometimes.  Of course the boy really didn’t think one more time was gonna’ hurt. And just to make it interesting he decided to try making a run at it from the other side of that big tree that Scott had drug him too when they had that fracas with Pardee.

Just one more time and then I promise I won’t do it again. At least not until the next time, Johnny thought as he took off running towards his target.

“Damit Johnny! I just got those leaves raked up again. You heard Murdoch tell us we had to finish up and now you’ve scattered the whole bunch all over the place again. Now grab that rake and help me get them in a pile again so we can burn them.”

Johnny walked over to his abandoned rake, shoulders slumped in defeat. Sometimes that big know it all brother of his could be just as bad as his old man when it came to tying and taking your fun where you could find it. Especially the small things that made him feel content.

Fall 2012

Binnie