"Bill! You better get out of bed boy, because you don't want me coming up there."
Not the friendliest of ways to be greeted in the morning, Bill would say. He was not looking forward too this day not at all. He stood up slowly and stretched. Bill had many things running through his head; of how he would like to spend his summer. Bill planned on playing with friends, riding his bike, and maybe making a few new friends. He thought that maybe he could go to the beach and get away from things for the day. Jim on the other hand, had different ideas for the day.
"No Jim, I'm up. Why do I have to be up so early school is over for the summer?"
"Don't you worry about that. Just get dressed and come down and eat, and you better be in a hurry."
"Is mom home or is she..."
"I told you not to worry about things and hurry up didn't I?"
"Yes, I will be there in a minute."
This told Bill that all his plans for the day, and maybe for the summer, were shot. He got dressed and made his way down the stairs; he still wasn't sure why he was up this early. When Bill made it down stairs, Jim was sitting at the kitchen table. He was a tall but slender man, strong in the face, a little broad in the shoulders, and very set in his ways. Jim looked up from the paper and his coffee, and gave Bill a strong look of unhappiness. Bill just glanced away, and walked over to the fridge to get the milk. Magie made her way into the kitchen looking very tired. Magie, now out of school all together, had her eye on going to college. She was a sight to behold, even first thing in the morning; her big blue eyes and shiny brown hair. She was definitely a woman, and she knew how to carry herself at all times. Even though she looked tired from staying up most the night with friends, she still had this glow about her.
Magie looked at Bill and smiled, then turned to Jim and gave him the stare of death. She was trying to get some kind of reaction out of him, but he never looked up from the paper. Bill got the milk and the cereal, and brought them to the table. Jim looked up at this time, and glanced at the clock. He then looked at Bill, and told him that he had five minutes to eat.
"What do you mean he has five minutes to eat? He just got up."
"Magie, stay out of this if you know what's good for you."
"Well don't go setting time limits on him. This is not the military."
"Look little lady I said stay out of it, and I mean it."
Magie was at a dead end and at the end of her rope with Jim. She glanced over at Bill, and just gave a smile. Bill knew that she tried to help, but he also knew that Jim was the way he was; bull headed and no one could change that. Bill ate his breakfast and brushed his teeth. Bill looked at Jim, waiting to hear what was in store for him. Jim looked back at him and got this half cocked smirk on his face. By this time Magie had left to sign up for college, so it was just Bill and Jim in the house.
"Well Bill I have to tell you, from this point on you will be working for me during the summer."
"What do you mean working for you?"
"Don't back talk me boy. You're working through the summer and that's that."
With a frown and a slight tear in his eye, Bill nodded in agreement and they left for work. Jim had started a landscape company the summer before; the only problem was he couldn't find help. So, Bill was his next solution to having help. He knew that as long as Bill was there, he could put him to work. The first day was a long one. Bill was very tired when they returned home. He was so tired that he was moving really slow and falling over his feet. Bill knew he didn't want to do this again, but he knew that he would have to do it all again in the morning. As he walked into the house, Bill looked at his mother and smiled slightly. His mother Marie was a very loving lady with a heart of gold and not very tall. She is a little bit of a bigger woman, but always there with a smile or a hug when you needed one. Bill was very hungry, but did not know if he wanted to eat or go right to bed.
