1985
We have the biggest house in town, at the corner of 6th and 6th. The house is big and the yard is too. Some people think we're rich because we live here. I don't think we are 'cause Mom and Dad are always saying we can't afford things, like a color TV for the kitchen or candy when we're at the City Park for softball. The only person I know who might be rich is Andy Collins. He might be rich 'cause he always buys all the candy his kids want at softball. He might be rich. I don't know.
The yard is big, which is good for games and other stuff, but it sucks too, 'cause we got to work on it a lot. Some days it takes pretty much all day, like today. We've been working all day on the lawn. We're still not quite done and it's supper time. We're just having sandwiches 'cause it's hot and Mom's been working outside too.
The news is on. We don't always watch the news but tonight we are. The news is talking about how lots of people are upset 'cause their pay was cut or something. This one guy used to have a fishing boat and he had to sell it, he couldn't afford it anymore. He says he doesn't get as many work hours as he used to and he's mad. I wonder, Why would anyone be upset that they don't have to work as much?
"I don't understand these people," Dad says. He sounds a little mad. "What are they complaining about? What do they expect from a factory job? Everyone knew. They told us. They said 'You need to have marketable skills.'"
I don't know what "marketable skills" are. But it doesn't matter 'cause we're almost done eating and we got to finish the yard work. We're almost done. We just have to put the bags of cut grass in the station wagon and take it out to Ray's. Ray lives in the country and we take our cut grass out there and put it around the trees.
Only me, Dad and Marty go to Ray's. Mom, Teresa and Tracy stay home. When we get back Dad has great news. Since we worked hard all day, we're going to go to Dairy Dandy! Even better, we're gonna ride our bikes!
Teresa still has training wheels and Tracy rides in a seat behind Dad. I've been riding about a year without training wheels and Marty, well, he's 11 so of course he doesn't have training wheels! We ride to Dairy Dandy. I don't know how far it is but it seems kind of far. I'll count the blocks on our way back home. We're really careful crossing Highway 60 'cause it's one of the busiest streets in Sheldon. Highway 60 and Highway 18 and Washington Avenue are the three busiest streets in Sheldon. Highway 60 and Highway 18 actually cross each other. That's one busy intersection!
The Dairy Dandy is right across Highway 60 and they have the best ice cream in the world, I imagine. I can't believe any place could have better ice cream, anyway. Us kids all get cones and Mom does too. Dad gets a Butterfinger Cyclone 'cause he's big and he loves Butterfinger Cyclones.
After we eat we carefully cross Highway 60 and ride home. I count the blocks as we ride. It's a 10 block ride. I think that's a pretty long ride but Marty says it's just medium. He rides a lot longer to get to his friend Jay Huff's house, he says.
When we get home us kids take baths, except for Marty. He showers 'cause he's 11. Then we watch a little TV. We always watch Cheers and M*A*S*H* at night. Then it's time for bed.
Before I lay down I look out my window at the yard. The window is open 'cause it's hot and we don't have air conditioning. That's another reason I'm pretty sure we're not rich, by the way. My friend John Bradley has air conditioning through his whole house. I look out at the lawn 'cause Dad says after you finish a big job, it gives you a good feeling to look back and see what you've done.
I have to admit, the lawn looks pretty good. But I still don't know why we had to spend the whole day working. I'd rather play and have a messy lawn than work and have a nice lawn. I tell this to Marty. He says, "Yeah, Dad's kind of obsessed with having a nice lawn."
We lay down on top of our sleeping bags. We're sleeping on the floor 'cause it's hot and Mom says there's a good south breeze, and it's more fun anyway. Even then I really don't like bedtime 'cause Marty always falls asleep real fast but I don't. It seems like I always have trouble falling asleep and Mom and Dad, they don't let me get up. Just close your eyes and rest, they say. It gets a little frustrating sometimes.
Tonight, though, I fall asleep real fast. The next day Marty tells me, "You laid down and you were out in two seconds flat." Two seconds flat is about as fast as anyone can fall asleep, I guess.
To be continued...
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