“I don’t have any ideas, mom!” Ben Richardson, Martha’s grandson was poring over the brochures he brought home from the Junior Career Day. “This is dumb. Everyone’s always asking me what I’m going to do when I get out of high school and I don’t start high school til next year, anyway. Then it’s four years. Why do I need to figure this out now?” He pushed then all aside, scraped his chair back from the table. “Is supper ready yet? I’m hungry. Where’s Abby?”
His mom, Joanie Richardson, at the stove, just smiled. “I didn’t set it up, honey. They have that every year at the school and I suppose it’s just to give all of you some things to think about. No one is telling you to make any decisions now. Just put the brochures away in your desk and if you want to contact any of them you’ll have their phone numbers.”
“I guess I could look them up if they’ve got websites. Like police or the ambulance people.” Joanie grimaced. She was hoping he’d do something safer, but wouldn’t start giving him her own doubts. “Or maybe I’ll be a gardener or a butler. Then I wouldn’t have to leave home ~ I could stay here with you!!”
Laughing out loud, she said “Ben, you would have to leave home and you’d also have to apply for a job here. Just because your grandmother is the housekeeper and does all the hiring doesn’t mean you’d be a shoo in for the job. And Digby would have to approve your application as well.”
With a moan he said “I’ll set the table. Where is Abby? It’s her night to set the table. Now she’ll have to wash all the dishes. Why would I have to leave home?”
“Didn’t you know that Samuel has his degree in Agriculture and Digby went away for schooling as well. I don’t know where he went, but right now he’s away at a conference for his profession.”
“Well, I don’t really like school and it’s getting harder. More homework. I never like getting all dirty like Samuel and if I had to go to school that would be really weird.”
Hearing the front door, Ben called out to his sister. “Is that you Abby? You have to wash dishes tonight because I set the table. You weren’t here to do your job.”
“Ben, the older you get the bossier you get. You used to be a really good brother, but you must have bonked your head on something. I don’t care if I do the dishes tonight. You don’t do a good job of it anyway.” She hung her coat up and put her books on the front hall table. “Mom how can you stand him!”
Joanie just smiled at her unruly children. “You two stop bickering. Supper's ready. Abby, wash your hands before you come to the table. How was your piano lesson? Are you still liking piano? If you and Ben can ever get along you’ll be able to play together. Piano and guitar are beautiful together.”
“I don’t know, mom. If he doesn’t stop being mean to me I don’t know if I want to even talk to him.” She sat down and helped herself to the salad.
“Is that all you’re going to eat, Abby dear?” Her mother was worried about her daughter. She never seemed to want to eat anything but salads. “Oh all right, mom.” She took a teaspoon of potatoes, a small piece meatloaf. But pushed them aside. Ben, on the other hand, made up for his sister. He loaded his plate with potatoes and meatloaf, and one leaf of lettuce, poured gravy over it all and dug in. “Yes, mom I do like piano. Mr. Reynolds lets me stay after school so Mrs. Olsen can give me my lessons on his gorgeous piano. Do you think we can get a piano here?”
“I don’t know honey. But until we do, you may be able to practice on Miss Emelina’s piano. But only if your grandma is there and Miss Emelina says it’s ok.”
The rest of their meal was silent. Joanie was always amazed when the bickering slowed down when their stomachs were full. Dessert, a staple in the Richardson’s household, was one of Cook’s apple pies. Abby’s diet of raw foods didn’t extend to her Auntie Cook’s pies. “Just a sliver, please mom. I’ll do more exercise tomorrow.” Joanie couldn’t help herself. “Abby you’re only 9 years old! Please be careful with what you’re doing.”
“I will, mom. I am. I just don’t want to get fat. The girls at school, at least some to them, are always worried about getting ugly.”
Ben had heard enough. He scraped up the last of his pie, put his dishes in the sink and disappeared to his room. “Homework.”
“Abby, listen to everyone. Not just the popular girls. That’s it, isn’t it? The popular girls aren’t really all that popular to everyone. What I do want you to do is find out what your own body needs to be healthy.” Joanie remembered when Abby had been working with Miss Dez in the summer in the orchard and with the bees. “Remember this summer? The apple trees need certain nutrition, the bees need a different kind of nutrition. We’re no different. You like to study. Study the human body, especially for children. Then make your own decision about what your body needs.”
Abby didn’t look convinced of anything other than the worried look on her mother’s face. “Ok, mom, but until I find out differently, I’ll keep being careful what I eat.” She hugged her mother. “I’m all right, mom.” She cleared the table, washed and put away the supper things. The conversation was over. For that night.
“The good news is that your child has a natural desire to do well.
Our job as parent is to bring out this quality and cherish it
until the day your kids leave home, and then some.”
~ Marlene Targ Brill, author
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