Johnny’s Dilemma
Johnny sat on the back porch of the old house he and Amanda had been turning into an infant’s school and day care center. Amanda was washing out paint brushes.
“You did a good job on the murals Amanda, real professional looking.”
“Thanks Johnny, I just copied pictures out of a children’s story book. Easy stuff,” she straightened up.
“Got any kids signed up yet?”
“Two,” she smiled, “gonna need more than that. I think I’m going to run an ad in the paper, maybe gets some from outside The Glen.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled, “can’t open a school for two kids. Could you see me working in a butcher shop?”
“A butcher shop, oooh I don’t know, I don’t think so. Why?”
“McGee’s gonna open one and they’re looking for help. I don’t really want to go inside to work.”
“Well don’t, did they tell you that you had to?”
“Oh no, Jimmy just mentioned it in case I was interested. It would be regular hours and closer but probably not much more money if any.”
“I think you should do want you want to Johnny no sense in being miserable all day.”
“Yeah sometimes I think I could be doing better though you know, I traded sheep for cattle seems like I ain’t going anywhere.”
Amanda sat down beside him, “If you could do anything you wanted what would it be?”
“I’d like to run sheep it’s what I know. But that ain’t likely to happen.”
“Why wouldn’t it happen?”
“It takes money, land and people and I ain’t got none of that and not likely to have any either.”
“Just be patient Johnny we’re doing okay and we’re young yet. Who knows what’s in the future? You worry about things too much. You’re doing good out at Glenridge; we’re okay.”
“I guess it’s working for somebody else that gets me. When I was home with my mother it was ours and you either made it or didn’t depended on how hard you worked. Now I work hard and it don’t make a difference one way or another.”
“How is your mother Johnny? I haven’t heard you mention her in awhile.”
“She can’t write good anymore, I could hardly read the last letter her sister had to address it.”
“Maybe we should go see her sometime soon.”
Johnny put his arm around her pulling her into his lap, “We probably should, before it’s too late.”
“Does she know about me?”
“Yeah, she knows I’ve met the prettiest Sheila in Oz.”
