JU N IO R K IN G ’S B U S IN E S S / Part II of a Three-Part Story
THE BOY WHO WANTED TO BE GREAT
D o u b l e Stops and Decisions
by Betty Bruechert
Synopsis of Part I One of the numerous summer chor e s f o r thirteen-year-old Jim James, an A student ready for high school in the fall, was mowing the grass. His helpers in picking up the debris were his nine-year-old sister Terry and his Irish setter Shag, while Terry’s big white Persian, Kitty Bibbs, sat by, doing the “ heavy looking on.” Shag brought Terry a paper folded and secured with a rub ber band. It proved to be an an nouncement of a special Young Peo ple’s Meetings in the downtown au ditorium, conducted by a certain Gray family which included the fa ther as speaker, the mother as solo ist, and what interested Terry most, who was a piano student, the Gray twins, about Jim’s age, who played piano and violin. But Jim, although a fine trumpet player himself, was more intrigued with Mr. Gray’s sub jects, particularly the one, "How To Become a Great Man." He had been
thinking about his future ever since he finished Junior High and had about decided that he didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of his hard working, but poorly-rewarded, doc tor-father. Although it had been his dream since he wcls very young to be a doctor, now he wished to be a great, rich man and to make his name great. He regretted that it was such an odd name — "James James” — but was thankful everyone called him "Jim" or "Jimmy.” Mrs. James gave permission for the children to attend the meeting. The announcement had set her to thinking that because her husband was home so little, she did not make much effort to get the children to Sunday school o r chur ch; Jim thought about Mr. Gray’s formula for greatness; and Terry thought about the young girl pianist and her own pretty pink dress and new slip pers she was going to wear that night.
W it h f r o n t a n d backyards mowed and trimmed and the cut grass mower and rolled it into the garage. Then he dashed into the kitchen, gave himself a quick wash at the sink, bolted a sandwich and a glass of iced tea, and was off to the base ball game. He was glad he didn’t have to keep pace with his sister who had decided not to accompany him because of the big evening ahead. After washing the lunch dishes and tidying up the kitchen, Terry took Kitty Bibbs up to her room, where she did her nails with more care than usual. After a leisurely bubble bath, she put her hair up on rollers, and, according to her mother’s in structions, lay down for a nap, with Kitty Bibbs curled up beside her, purring like a small engine. True to his promise, Jim got back from his game in good time, elated because he had made a home run and clinched the victory for his team. Whistling as he showered, he was soon quite a different sight from the
blue jeans, T-shirt-clad boy he had been all morning. By the time Mrs. James called, “ Dinner is ready!” both children were ready, shining— clean from top to toe. “What meta morphosis is this?” she asked with a smile. She liked to “ spring” big new words on her children, for the whole family was in love with the English language. But Jim was a match for her. “ Yes, ma’am, we are the two caterpillars who cut the grass,” he said. Terry giggled. “We sure got out of our cocoons fast, didn’t we, Mom?” she said, “but I look lots more like a butterfly than Jim does, don’t I ? ” She spun around, twirling her full, pink skirt. “Well, yes,” her mother agreed, noting the neat hair arrangement with the pink ribbon holding back the pony tail, “but there is nothing much nicer for a boy than a white shirt and well- pressed slacks.” “ D on ’ t b e little , Mom!” Jim was grinning. “ Behold the fancy sport coat, too,” he said. When Mrs. James let the children out of the car in front of the audi
torium, she was surprised to see the large number of young people who were entering the building. “My shower may be quite late,” she said, “ So you children get the bus and hurry right home after the meeting. Your father should be there by then. Have a good time!” She drove away. “Wow! What a crowd!” exclaimed Jim, as the children went in, “ let’s try to get seats near the front. I want to watch that guy’s fingering on the fiddle.” Fortunately, two seats about ten rows from the front were still unoccupied for which Jim and Terry made a beeline. Seated, they looked around at the rapidly filling room. On the platform, a choir of young people filed in after which the Gray Family appeared. Terry was surprised that they were not wear ing elegant ev en ing clothes like grand opera performers. Mr. Gray had on a plain business suit and Mrs. Gray wore a black street dress with a glittering pin. The Tuneful Twins had matching blue jackets. But if there was nothing grand about their
disposed of, Jim cleaned the lawn
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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