Famous

I have often thought what it would be like to be famous. I really do not know if I would like it. I mean the money would be great but it seems to me that you have to give up a lot. When I go places nobody usually knows me so I can get around without much excitement. If I was famous everybody would be coming up to you for your autograph or for a picture. Then if you are in a hurry and don't do what they want they say that you are rude. Your free time is not really your own unless you just stay at home. I do believe that some people do like the attention but for the most part a lot of them I guess would like to be left alone. The problem is when you become famous that is part of the deal. Everybody wants to know everything about you so even your long past gets involved. Then you have to deal with your new found wealth. When a person did not grow up with that kind of money and now you have money to burn it can be a little overwhelming. I have seen in the news and papers just what instant wealth can do. When you can get anything you want and no longer really have to work for it, the things you want kind of lose their importance. I guess that is why you see some celebrities that have money but still steal. They need some kind of meaning when they get something. It does not bring them joy to go out and buy it. For me I would love not to have to worry about money but it does make the things that I can get very special. I may not be famous but I am very special and important to a few people. I do have some very good friends that I consider family, and to me when you have that you are rich beyond belief.

The shoeshine kid

Jimmy came from a very poor family. He worked a little shoeshine stall in the early times of America. He worked there to help his family with  money. It was not much, and his father being the proud man he was, would never take it. So when his father would leave the house he would give it to his mother and she would tell his father some story of how she got the money. Jimmy felt very bad for his father because he worked his fingers to the bone for very little pay. Jimmy just felt proud to give what he could. Jimmy did not go to school, but in those days a lot of children did not go to school to help out around the house. The days he did go to school he usually got teased for having old clothes with holes and tattered shoes. He got in many fights. When he would come home he would tell his father about what happened to him that day. He would tell him to just keep standing up for himself and that it will not be like this forever. He would say that God put this family on earth to do wonderful things, somehow that always made him feel better. One day on his way to school he just decided that this day he would shine shoes. He was set up at his booth and this man sat upon the chair. He did like most, making small talk and asking him about his family. Jimmy knew he was poor, but the way he talked it sounded very much like he was proud of who he was. The gentleman asked Jimmy if he would do him a favor. Jimmy looked at him confused but said he would help if he could. The man said that he was from out of town and he was leaving tomorrow but he really needed to pick up an envelope but did not have the time to get it. He said that he would need to have it at the train station at 9:00a.m. because he was leaving for business. The man said that he would pay him for the job but Jimmy said that the train station was very close to his house and it would be no problem. The man told him where to pick up the envelope. Jimmy finished with his shoes and told he man that he would see him a little before nine. When Jimmy was done for the day with shoes he when to pick up the envelope. On his way home he started to wonder what was in the envelope because it was not sealed. He got home and told his father about the gentleman and his request. Jimmy pulled out the envelope to show his father and dropped it. As it fell, it opened and a bunch of money fell out. Jimmy had never seen that much money before in his life and was pretty sure his father had not seen that much before either. Jimmy said that they were rich but his father said that it was not their money and he would do the job that he said that he would do. They both put the money in the envelope and his father told him to give it to the man in the morning and not to take a single dollar. As Jimmy walked to the station he thought about all the things that money could buy. He got to the station and went to where the man was standing. Jimmy slowly handed him the envelope. The gentleman looked at the envelope and seen that it was open. He asked Jimmy if it was all here. Jimmy said that he dropped it and all that money spilled out. He also told him that his father helped him put it back and said to do the right thing. The gentleman said why didn't he just keep the money because if he would not have come the gentleman would not have seen him again. Jimmy said that his father told him that it would not be right to keep money that was not theirs and that a man has to work for what he has. The gentleman was taken by surprise with the honesty the child possessed. The gentleman asked if Jimmy could get his father so he could thank him distilling such values in him. Jimmy returned with his father. His father asked the gentleman if everything was ok and if all the money was still there. The gentleman laughed and told him that he had passed the test. Jimmy's father looked surprised and said what test. The gentleman said that he needed someone to work for him that he could trust and they were the first people that passed the test. The gentleman said that he was very wealthy and he wanted to offer him a job. The gentleman said that if he took the job that they would no longer have to worry about anything. Jimmy's father got a big smile and politely accepted.

My life as a tree trimmer

It all started about last April. I got laid off and needed to have some sort of income. So my wife's uncle cut trees on the weekend. I told him that I could help him and he said that he would give me a try. It was a little more than what I bargained for. When I said that I would help I thought I would be on the ground helping haul brush. Much to my surprise I got to go in the bucket in the air cutting limbs off of the trees. I have never really been scared of heights but being in that bucket 48 feet in the air kind of freaked me out. At that height the bucket does not stay still. Every time that I would move the bucket would sway at least 18 to 20 inches. It is pretty hard work. Some of the limbs are very heavy. I use a one handed saw so I have to catch the limbs with one hand and cut with the other. I am getting stronger but also it wears me out. There is not to much excitement with the job but the days go quick because I am working so hard. I wish there were better ways to make money but the job pays pretty well. That is about there is about tree trimming. It is hard work but worth it. One thing that I do like about the job is that my wife works with me. It does make the trips there and back kind of fun because it gives us time to talk since the drive is about one hour one way. She is the one that hauls the brush. I don't cut the brush very long so it is easy to load on the trailer. Now that I have bored you to death I guess I am through.

writing prompt #712

The mom stopped scolding the toddler for chewing on the wall when she noticed that the toddler had discovered a book typed into the wallpaper. This took her by surprise but she started to wonder who had put it there and what story did it tell? She carefully peeled back the paper and discovered it was a whole book. She didn't start reading it at first but called her mother. She wanted to know if she knew anything about it since she was the previous owner. Her mother said it was impossible because the mom's father built the house. She told her mother she would like her to come over and read it with her. She told the mom that she could be there in a couple of days. It was very hard to wait for her mother but she was able to do it. When her mother got there they went into the room and started to read it. It told of a story of three people that had live over two hundred years ago. They had not read for very long when the older woman dropped the paper. The younger woman asked what was the matter. The older woman said that the names were different but it was telling the story of those two and the mom's father. They started to read even further. At times it made them laugh, and other times it made them cry. For days they read the story. They thought that the mom's father had placed the story there until they got to the father's death. It was very graphic and even told of the exact time, date and where he was when he passed. They could not believe their eyes. They asked each other if they should read on and decided to see how far the story would go. They read about the younger woman's giving birth to her two sons. They kept reading but both got a chill when they read how the mother stopped scolding the child for chewing on the wall when she noticed that the toddler had discovered a book typed in the wall paper. There was a lot of book left to read but they stopped and decided not to read any further because they thought it was not right to know their future. They took down all the wallpaper in that room and carried it to the back yard. The mom got some gas from the garage and walked back over to the mother. They both decided that burning it was the only way that they would not read it. So the younger woman poured the gas onto the wallpaper and the older woman lit a match and threw it on the pile of paper. When all the paper burned to ash they looked at each other and smiled. The older woman grabbed the younger woman by the hand and said lets go inside and decide how we want our story to end.

To be an animal

What if a person could be any animal they could what would you be? I have thought about it and I am not sure. I think being a type of bird would be great. Flying would be such a rush. Soaring through the air an currents and on your own power would b a feeling that a person could not explain. Then I have thought about being some sort of cat. It really doesn't matter big or small they just seem to be the masters of there kingdoms. To be that stealthily and agile would be pretty cool. Their reflexes are so fast. They just seem to know everything about their surroundings. I have thought about being a bear. They are not the quickest animal out there but what they don't have in speed they have in strength. Just to know that you are the biggest and strongest out there would be an amazing feeling. When you walk around everybody else walks around you. There are so many animals that every person can think of that they want to be. The best animal that I can think of is man. We have the power to do amazing things. We have the technology to create and destroy. We have the reasoning to think abstract thoughts. We chose who are mates will be not just instinct. We chose to have kids or not. It is just that we have choices and decide what we want to be. I know it would be cool to be one of those animals for a short time but I would not trade places for anything. I love my life and really could not see me any other way.

Struggles

Life is all about struggles. It first starts as we are born. Just taking our first breath is a miracle in itself. Then all the struggles along the way. At some point in time you have to find a way to sooth yourself at night to go to sleep when your parents think it is time. Then you start getting teeth and that makes us cranky. Now it is time to walk. how many bumps and bruises we get with that. Then when you learn to walk you need to find a way to slow down. Then comes school. You are ripped from your parents to a bunch of total strangers and people tell you it will be ok. Then while in school some are teased and make school miserable. Then there is high school, bodies change, you get weird feelings and don't understand at the moment why. You start liking people of the opposite sex. You can't even start to understand them you just know you want to be with them. Then comes college. You find that you have a new found freedom. You just want to have fun, unfortunately that comes with a price. If a person makes it successfully thru college then finding a job. Along the way you fall in love and marry. After the honeymoon is over you find out that marriage takes work. Then comes kids and all of a sudden you realize that this little one truly depends on you. Like your job or not you will keep it so you have money coming in. The kids grow and you hope to God that you have taught them right. Well that is where my story ends because this is the point in life where I am at. Right now I am trying to figure out a way so my daughter will go to college. She is only 14 but finding funds for that takes time. Well, I guess I will get to my point. Struggles are everywhere I believe they are here to make a person stronger. If you can get through one what is there to say that you cannot make it through the next one. When you find yourself struggling take a deep breath and tell yourself you can get through this. Just remember you are a strong person even though you may not feel like it. Tomorrow will be a better day.

The choice

John Jones has an average life. He is very timid so he avoids confrontation. He works to support his family but hates his job. He has values but has never stood up for them. He dreams big but has come to the realization that none will come true. He just goes about his days as he goes about every other day just trying to get by. One day like any other he was off to work. His office was not to far from his house, maybe 8 blocks, so he usually walks. On his route he stopped at the coffee shop to get a cup. He likes his black. He did not at first but it makes him feel more like a man. He left the coffee shop thinking how miserable this day will be. He often wonders what it would be like to tell his boss of and quit. It makes him get a little smile on his face when he has that daydream. So there he was off to work just like all the other people. He is always considerate of others but most of the time people are not considerate of him. On his way to work he walked passed this alley and seen a man and a woman. The man was pushing and yelling at her. He stopped and looked for a moment. He thought about leaving and making his way to work but knew he would not be able to look his wife and kids in the eyes. He always tried to teach his kids beliefs and to stand up for those beliefs even though he knew himself that he has not done a very good job of it. He slowly started down the alley. He started to sweat and his heart was starting to race. He got close and asked if there was anything wrong. The woman's face was white with fear and the man yelled at him to leave or else. He asked again if everything was ok. The man told the woman if she left that he would find her and kill her, John could see she was to afraid to move. The man moved toward John and shoved him. John tried to get around the man and get to the woman but this time he punched John in the gut. John went down to a knee because his got the wind knocked out of him. The man started to yell at John. He pulled out a gun and held it to John's head. The man smiled at John and said how much of a coward he was. John looked at he woman with the most sad look. The woman started to cry uncontrollably because she though this was it. The man got very angry because he told the woman to stop crying and she wouldn't. He looked at John and told him that it was all his fault. He hit John in the cheek with the gun. John went down on his hands and knees. He was bleeding under his right eye now. The man laughed. At that moment John did not feel fear but anger. He could feel all the years of being put down and being bullied coming to a head. In that instant he did not think he reached up and hit the man right in the jaw. The man started to aim the gun John's way but John jumped on the man. They started to fight and the man lost the gun. John was the first to reach the gun. While still on the ground he rolled over onto his back and aimed the gun at the man. The man stopped and looked at John. He said to call the police, it didn't matter because he would be out in a day or so. The smile on the man's face faced vanished when John drew the hammer back on the pistol took steady aim and........