All details of this morning were lost to small eyes and small ears. Two laughing boys in the living room dreamed of better places. They jumped from couch to couch in a dangerous, playful fashion. Neither noticed the colorful sunrise or the sunny fall day. Devin only watched the clock move way, way too slow. Sam watched Devin. When the big hand moved to the five Devin darted back to his room to get it. He moved at the pace of a kid on Christmas morning, whatever he was doing, it was the most important thing in his world.
Devin had one sock on his dresser, his stocking from years ago. The illogically sized sock was red with a stitching of Rudolph in a white pinstripe. Devin begged for it because it was the biggest stocking he could find at the store. Wide green eyes watched the stocking grow for months. At the last family reunion, the crafty freckled boy learned to ask everyone for their change. His grandfather planted the idea in his head. It worked wonders.
His idea to ask and collect change spun out of control. He used both hands to pick up his growing improvised piggy bank. The sock bulged downward toward the ground, like a sort of a bungee cord. It was a Christmas miracle that the sock had yet to tear open at the bottom. Now he had too many options of what to do with it. He ran down the hall looking for his brother. He had to see this!
Sam! Where did he go? Oh great. Devin was old enough to regret teaching his brother to play hide and seek. That was a mistake; a bigger mistake than putting hot sauce on jello. The little blonde hair boy was now simply missing in action. Devin first thought to run to the office. That is where all of the electronics are kept. He would be trying to get his Kindle. That or the kitchen. Devin was looking at the kitchen, and well nope, his brother was not there. Unless he had hid in the cabinets: again.
Suddenly the lights in the living room went off. Devin was more clever, at least most of the time. His brother was on the other side of the hallway entrance, by the front door, playing with the light switch. Sam was too young to appreciate and understand much, what his brother was holding did not catch his eye. It looked like a sock for your arm. His arm was not cold so he turned back to flipping a switch. Sam would have been content flipping the switch for most of the day.
“Think about what we can buy.” Devin could not hold back the eagerness in his voice. He held out the sock like a coveted lost artifact.
Devin had counted to over twelve dollars and lost his count. Too many pennies! He was focused on all the things he could buy. He was wise beyond his years to focus on what he could do. Why waste your time focusing on what you cannot do?
“We can buy most of the things in the store!” Devin explained to his brother. Sam ducked under his brother’s arm and once again flipped the light-switch to the up position.
Now was the time to gain Sam as his ally in this ever important adventure. He knew just the way to do it.
When all of the silver and copper coins were emptied out, the three year old changed his mind quick jumping up and down excited. The two dreamers had their own pile of treasure. Sam counted four different types of coins! Big and small! Silver and copper. Some were dirty, some shined like the lights. Sam liked the little silver ones the most. He liked the coins enough to put one in his mouth, but he knew that would get him in trouble. Sam still did things that got him in trouble, he was just learning which ones were worth the punishment.
“I am not just spending all of this on candy. We can have so much more. We can buy toys, too!” Devin waved his arms and jumped around. “Wow, next year I am gonna buy a car with all of this.”
Soon enough the duo were in the only car they ever knew, a red two-door Toyota coupe. Devin dreamed of having a truck so he could be the biggest car on the street. He hated feeling little, in a little car. Sam liked seat belts. He tied them in a knot every chance he got!
Two very eager kiddos walked almost fast enough to get in trouble for running; almost. Devin knew where the toys were, in the back. He paused, making sure Sam was in toe. Nope. He could see his mom though. She was over near the cat food, dogs toys, and fish. At his eye level, Sam had found a school of neon fish to watch swim. Wait fish? That was a great idea!
“You are old enough for a pet.” His mom took notice of how they both eyed the glowing fish. “If you help out when Julie stays with us I will buy the tank, food, and pump. That way you can buy more fish.”
“Wow, we could have a pack of fish?”
“A school of fish.” His mother was quick to correct him.
Sam was not listing. Together a family picked out all the needed pieces of the aquarium. A great day became even better. Sam was right on the best looking fish; blue neon guppies. For only a few dollars a piece Devin knew he got the better end of the deal. That was not even all of the change in the sock. The whole exchange was cute enough the cashier smiled while counting their change. It was an impressive amount.
The hardest part of this day was naming the fish. The duo were hungry when they thought up the ice cream flavor names for their five new friends. Coco, Cherry, Blueberry, Swirl and Fudge. Five new friends in one day. Back at home Sam found the light-switch on the tank and was mesmerized. The secret to the boys success? It is ALL big stuff!
Never give up on life. Never give up one love
That’s it, that’s all:
-Nathan Hall