“Dad. I need to talk to you. What are you doing? Where are you?” I continued without catching my breath. “Sis. I told you I was going to Mexico. I have been out of the country for three days now.” Dad said in his balanced tone. “Oh.” I declared. Feeling like I just climbed out from under a rock. “Ok then. It wasn’t that important. We can talk later.” I stated. Whispering, “Bye, bye now,” before I hung up.
I enjoy going outside and writing down by the creek when the weather is perfect. But for the most part, I am a creature of habit – sitting at my desk with the sun pouring in the window. The fragrance of a well-lit candle and vacuum lines across the carpet make a pleasant work environment. Many times I have Andy Griffith playing in the background simply for familiarity.
This year Eva started playing extracurricular activities. Soccer was her choice for fall. Her reserved personality and quiet demeanor were forgotten when she found her way to the soccer field. Many times, during a game, I would question, “Who is this child?!” Before the season started, Chuck and I purchased all the equipment she would need. This also included knee-high pink kitten socks, which she wore proudly.
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As the season started, we explained to Eva that it was her responsibility to keep up with her bag and ball. She left the field and headed for our vehicle with her bag and ball in hand. When we got to the truck, she opened the door and tossed the ball inside — being warned previously not to do this because it could roll out either side door while everyone else was loading up. Forgetting our warning, she tossed it inside and jumped in. Our best guess is that without noticing, the ball bounced on the inside and rolled out the other door. When we got home, the soccer ball was nowhere to be found. Thus began the tears.
There is an Andy Griffith episode where a rich kid gets a ticket for speeding through town. While waiting for his father to pay his fine, he spends a day or so with Andy and his family. At Andy’s home one afternoon, the family was sitting on the front porch. Aunt Bea comes out and says they will make homemade ice cream. Opie is excited but needs to tell his father about a window he broke with a baseball. The rich kid overhears Opie telling his Pa about the window. Andy tells Opie he will have to pay for it with his allowance. Opie understands the consequences and runs off to help with the ice cream. The rich kid, however, does not.
The rich kid says, “Why don’t you bail the little fellow out? It’s just a window.” Andy replies, “Ya, I guess I could bail him out like you say. But the only trouble with that is that every time Opie gets in trouble, he would expect me to come to the rescue. This time it is a broken window, but it will be something bigger next time. Nope, I have to teach him how to stand on his own two feet now.”
After the tears dried, we talked to Eva, letting her know that we would get her a new ball before the next practice, but she would pay for it with her allowance. Disappointment clouded her understanding. She had been working diligently for months to save up for a barbie house that she had her eyes on. Now, she would have to take some of her hard-earned money and purchase a new ball.
Chuck and I could relate to her disappointment. Saving up for exciting pleasures only to have the savings go to an unexpected inconvenience can be such a disheartening setback. Nonetheless, it must be done. Take care of what is productive then what is comfortable.
A bailout would have been the easiest thing to do, but if she did not start learning to care for things at six, at sixteen, it would be more significant neglected responsibilities.
Dad had the prettiest painted filly born to him many years ago. He knew it was a high-dollar paint. It broke its leg, and dad had to put it down. Many things that he was looking forward to doing were delayed. No one came to offer my father a buy-out for his disappointment.
Eva did purchase a new soccer ball. However, I don’t think she fully grasped why she had to buy it yet. But I noticed sweet satisfaction creep across her face when she finally handed the cashier her money for the Barbie house (and a sense of ownership that was not shared with Charlotte). Where there’s a will, there’s always a way.
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