The Silver Ring

Verdun, Michigan

Let me introduce myself. My name in Matthew Gray.  I was a 17 years old high school senior living in Verdun, Michigan. It seemed to be a quiet, really  ordinary afternoon. I was sitting at the computer trying to come up with an idea for my history project. Our teacher, Mr. Godrum had given us an assignment that would make up fifty percent of our grade. 

Now, I am a high school senior. I need to pass  history in order to graduate. The better I do, the better my GPA, and  maybe I can get in to a decent school. The project was on World War II. We were to write a paper and present it to the local veterans assembly. We could choose anything to do with a battle during the war. It could be any battle, but we had to know our stuff. 

I have to admit, since it was not due until December, I put it off. Now, in the first week in November, I am beginning to panic. Easily distracted, I heard my mother on the phone. She was talking to a neighbor. The conversation went something like this. Mom "It is a shame, they were such a nice old couple".  "Yes, of course, we will be willing to help. Matt is a strong kid, and he does not have much to do. I will get him to help".

Oh no, Matt is a strong kid, and has nothing to do. This sounds like a problem. Don't get me wrong, my Mom is great but she tends to volunteer me for projects that take a lot of time. She feels I have nothing else to do, so she can fill up my time so I won't get into trouble. I heard her calling up the stairs to me. "Matt, will you come down here", I want to talk to you about something." When Mom said talk, it was a one way conversation, her to me.  "Yeah Mom, I'll be right down". I was hoping if I took enough time she would forget what she was going to say, but there was no such luck. I got to the bottom of the stairs, and Mom was right there. 

Matthew, (when she said Matthew, she was serious). I was just on the phone with Mrs. Harrison down the street. She was telling me about the Lemke family.  The Lemke's live across the street from us. They were a nice old couple, no kids, friendly, no issues with young people. Mr. Lemke died about a year ago. Shortly after, his wife, Veronica suffered a stroke and ended up in a nursing home. "You know Matthew, Mrs. Lemke is in a nursing home and how expensive it is to be in one. Mrs. Harrison told me that the Lemke's money ran out. She is on welfare, but the state wants to take the house . The house needs to be cleaned out. Mrs. Harrison said, if we could organize the  neighbors, it would be one less issue for Mrs. Lemke to deal with. It is horrible, just horrible, that the state is like a vulture, preying on this poor old woman, but what can you do. If we can be of a little help, that is good, right?" 

Sure it easy to say, but you are not the one who will be doing the bull work." How long will this be Mom, you know I have a lot of school work to do." She answered, "Now Matthew, you are just being lazy. It won't take that long. After all there will be others. The Salvation Army will take all of the furniture. It is the other things that have to be taken to the dumpster. is that really too hard!" I realized I was in a no win situation. To take on the deed would put me further back in my project. If I do badly in school I will be in trouble. If I give Mom a hard time about not helping, I will be in trouble. The best thing to do was to grin and bare  it. Alright, alright Mom, when do we begin. There was a contented smile that came across her face. "Now that is the son that I love". Saturday morning at 8:00am. Go over to the Lemke's and Mrs. Harrison will be there to organize. I had no idea that this project would change my life