The Farmer's Daughter

Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

                The next day I didn’t wake up ‘til twelve o’clock in the afternoon! And let’s just say my mamma wasn’t too happy ‘bout that. For about fifteen minutes she lectured me about how there’s work to be done, not just outside on the farm but inside, where the men are too afraid to work. I don’t remember the rest of what she said because I’ve learned over the years how to block out her lectures, so it looks like I’m listening when I’m really not. I must say I’m getting pretty good at it, the only time I get caught is when she asks me a question, and I answer it incorrectly.

                Once I was finished with my late breakfast, or as my dad liked to call it, lunch, I got ready to go down to the church with my mom. My mom and dad are big in working with the church, and being involved in activities they do there. Each year on the fourth of July, they volunteer to run a booth, for the celebration.

                Our town is small enough that we all celebrate it together. That’s one of the many things I love about living in small towns. The party is organized by the city council and the church members. The city council provides the money, with a little help from the church, while the church runs what goes on. With it being the first of July, everyone’s working to get the last minutes details together.

                My parents decided this year, to run the food stand, where my dad will serve is famous pulled pork, and hamburgers and hot dogs. My mom will help run the little clothing/jewelry stands that the other women and men have all over town. It’s a nice way to advertise the little shops that are around town, especially when out of towners come to visit.

                Sadly for me, my parents decided to have me be in charge of the balloon dart throwing stand. It’s not like I’m there the whole time, I’m sharing with Beth, and Heather, but it’s still not fun. I won’t be able to enjoy the party the whole time, I’ll be working; and sadly the money isn’t going towards me. Half of it is going to the city council, and the other half is going to cancer donation in honor of one of basketball players who died of a rare cancer a few years back. Sure it’s for a good cause, but still, I’d like a little something out of it.

                Arriving at the church in my mom’s beat up jeep, I saw that there were people rushing all over the place.

                “Lorrie!” my mom called, with a wide fake smile on her face. Lorrie is one of the most dramatic people I know. Something tiny that I’d normally be like okay that’s okay no big deal, she thinks it’s the end of the world.

                “Amy!” Lorrie cried back, waving her over. “Thank god you’re here. Everything on this list got mixed up. We double booked people at the same stands, and no one wants to do the dunking one because they don’t want to get wet. Which, I think is dumb, because I mean look at this weather, it’s a hundred degrees outside, you’d think they’d want to be cooled off. It’s nothing but a big mess!”

                “Okay, calm down, it’s not the end of the world, we’ll figure this out,” my mom said soothingly, gently taking the clipboard from Lorrie.

                I watched as the two women walk into the gathering room where they began to discuss how to fix it. I look around, while shoving my hands in my shorts pockets, watching everyone hurry around, shouting, and deciding where everything will go. Seeing as I have no use on being here at the moment, I walk ‘round back where the pre-school play set is held. Unlatching the gate fence, I walk over to the swing, and sit on hit, gently pushing my feet against the ground.

                I stared down at the bark, like I was expecting it move just by looking at it. I’ve never been one for volunteering to do things, even in school I hardly raised my hand, the teacher would have to randomly call on me.