Chapter 11

Labor Day weekend. Seems impossible but Summer is over and School starts on Tuesday. I had worked my ass off for the last Eleven weeks and what did I have to show for it. Well in July and August, I had paper clipped a Postal Money Order for $50.00 to each month’s Medical bill when it arrived. That was my goal right, the reason I started doing this in the first place.

Mission Accomplished. I didn’t say anything I just added it and left the mail in the wicker box by the phone.

Beverly got her letter every Wednesday and I just poured my emotions out onto the paper and like a good cry it seemed cathartic. I always felt a little less tension and worry after I put each letter into the mailbox. I knew she was talking to my Mom but she must not be telling her anything too stressful because her worry from the end of June had faded along with my sunburn.

All of this paled when compared to the truly important and monumental things that happened to me. I still hadn’t decided which one was the best thing and the second best thing. I grew. I know, shocking and unbelievable. The second was related to and probably caused the first. The puberty train FINALLY pulled into the station. In my mind, there were fireworks and a marching band, and speeches and the Mayor gave me the key to the city. Yea, it felt like a big deal.

During the day that inch and a half I had grown over the summer was the number one thing but sometimes at night when you do that thing boys do when they realize what their penis is capable of besides directing their pee, mostly, into the toilet. Well at those times puberty moved into the lead.

You can have bad problems and good problems. The good problem was the 3 envelopes under my dresser The first two had $500 each and the third was up to $400. The bad was that I realized I was killing the mower. It was old when I started and I was working it harder than an orphan in an 18th Century British workhouse. So This Saturday afternoon trip for school clothes was going to include a stop in the Sears Lawn and Garden section to look at mowers. Mom traded shifts and I powered thru my repeat customers scheduled for Saturday and skipped the door-knocking.

I had mentioned to Kevin I wanted to look at new mowers so we ended up taking two vehicles. We needed the truck if we found a mower but all 4 of us couldn’t fit on the bench seat of the truck. Pants bought long and 1 size too big in case this whole growing thing became a habit. T-shirts, Tennis shoes, socks and underwear, and a cheap belt to deal with the jeans being a bit big on me to start with.

After the clothes shopping Mom took my brother and headed home. Letting Kevin and me know she was picking up a KFC Family bucket on the way home. We made a stop at the Mall Barbershop to fix my hair. It had grown out since June but it was all the same length and starting to look a bit odd.

Sears was a mind trip. I knew they wouldn’t exist in the future but here and now I just loved those stores. We found ourselves standing in the Lawn and Garden area Looking at the clearance section for lawn equipment. They had the Craftsman mower I wanted and they had the display model on Clearance for $89.99.

I had put $250.00 in my pocket before we left home. Not knowing for sure what I would see available but I wanted options. We left Sears with the mower and an edger. Grabbing a wallet and a basic Timex watch I was ready to face the world. I felt really good going home. Kevin and I talked about School starting and Kevin asked if I was excited about the new school year, of course, I said yes even if it was a lie.