Chapter 10

I woke late on Tuesday. I didn’t have much to do. Dad wanted to get the ceilings finished, and would be back at 4, only working one shift today. All I needed to do was to get the drop cloths set up, and mask up a couple light fixtures.

I got it done by noon, so I pulled out the packet from the school and reviewed my class schedule. Orientation was from 1 to 3 pm tomorrow, and Aunt Joan had already agreed to take me, but I wanted to know what they expected me to already know.

It was basic stuff, I’m not on an AP track, or shooting for a 5.0 gpa for valedictorian. I’d do good in my classes, usually all A’s, with the occasional B. I have no desire to go ivy league, or battle it out on the field for a scholarship. Mom’s life insurance guarantees I’ll have the cash for a solid college education.

I found it funny that study hall was an elective, and despite the size of the school, there was no music or drama departments. I guess when comparing which extracurriculars to cut due to budget cutbacks, self funding things like football win out over others. For my required ‘art’ class, I’d chosen photography. It, and my English home room were the two classes I was looking forward to the most.

English was basically a reading class, writing was a separate class, broken up as four choices: creative writing, fiction writing, poetry and advertising, and journalism. I had signed up for journalism.

For English, I’m a fast reader, with a good comprehension and memory ability, so I know I’ll do well. I was looking forward to the class. It was called ‘historical perspectives in the English language’, but seriously it was all biographies and autobiographies.

Math this year was Geometry, next year I’d have the option of Algebra 2 or Accounting. I also had Physics and my Social Studies class this year was Economics. It should have been World History, but my old school did the order differently, and had freshmen take World History, so they refused to give me that class two years in a row.

I was satisfied with my options, at least I didn’t have to take Keyboarding or Business Machines to learn to touch type or use 10 key.

The campus was on the opposite side of town, and the Chennault Memorial High School took up several city blocks on the far south side of town. Depending on when I got my car, I might have to take the bus that picked up where our street met the main road. I studied the octagonal buildings on the school map and wondered what they were for.

I eventually wasted enough time reviewing everything to have a good idea what to expect. Dad finally got home, and after a quick bite to eat, meatloaf sandwiches saved from the freezer, we got to work painting. We were so close to being finished, that we just kept at it until done just after 9 pm.

“Wow, I’m beat,” my Dad announced, as we put the last drop cloth and freshly cleaned brush away.

“I’ll take care of removing the masking tape in the morning, I know you’ve got another early shift tomorrow,” I told him.

“Ok, and dinner out tomorrow, to celebrate the new school year. I’m going to want to hear all about how old Claire is doing. Remember it’s pronounced Shen-awlt, don’t go calling it Chen-Nalt.”

“Go Crimson Tigers!” I said.

He looked at me funny, but nodded. “Just wait till next year when you have to take a year of Mandarin.”

“Mandarin?”

“There’s a reason they are called the Crimson Tigers. If you go out for football you’ll learn some sooner, as plays are always called in Mandarin.”

“This is one weird town.”

“Our State has the highest population of Chinese Americans and Chinese immigrants for good reasons. You’ll learn, and I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m about to drop asleep right here.”

“Goodnight Dad,” I told him.

I put a few more things away, then headed upstairs to clean myself up. After a shower and change of clothes, I was feeling hungry, so I made another sandwich with the last of the leftover meatloaf.

I checked the clock, 10:32. What to waste time on, um, use my time productively on, till midnight?

I decided to do some car shopping. Either they were planning a birthday surprise, or the treasure vault of old man Peterson was going to give me the cash to get a car right away. The instruction manual hadn’t said, but I could make a pretty good guess that I’d be getting a car on my birthday.

I found a nice Prius V at a dealership in Summerville. It had leather, navigation, and a sun roof. It was a nice shade of dark blue, only 2 years old, and still under warranty at $17,900. There were a few others that caught my eye, but that was the one I wanted to test drive.

I looked at my bank balance. I had 4500 in savings, and 565 in my checking. With dad’s 4k contribution after painting, that gave me 8500. I’d need the amount in my checking to cover insurance, but gas would be so much cheaper driving a Prius. I briefly considered a new electric, but I wanted something bigger.

The result? I needed to figure out how to make 10k between now and next Saturday. I looked at the clock. The grin on my face was so big I could feel muscles stretching.