GRANDMA'S ATTIC SERIES by More Stories From Grandma's Attic (epub)

Author:More Stories From Grandma's Attic (epub)
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-12-28T08:04:40+00:00

Grandma's Day Off

Would you set the table for me, please?" Grandma asked as she was getting dinner ready.

"I don't want to," I replied.

Grandma looked at me in surprise. "You what?"

"I don't want to," I said, a little less bravely this time.

"I don't believe I asked if you wanted to. I asked if you would."

While I placed the knives and forks around the table, I muttered, "Molly Stone never has to do anything she doesn't want to do."

Grandma looked at me thoughtfully. "I'm not sure that's always true. Having 'stuff' to do makes you part of the family. You'd be unhappy if you never had to work."

I'd like to try it sometime, I thought.

Grandma seemed to have read my mind, for suddenly she laughed. "I wanted to try that once. I thought I was expected to do entirely too much around home, and that if didn't have all my chores to do, I'd be perfectly happy." "Did your mother let you try it?"

"Yes, she did," Grandma replied, "and I'll tell you how it turned out after dinner."

When we had finished the dishes, Grandma sat down with her sewing, and I pulled my chair up beside her.

It was in the summer, the summer I was nine years old. Ma was very busy taking care of the garden, canning the early vegetables, and cooking for the hired men Pa had working on the farm. My job was to make the beds, help with the dishes, sweep the floors and dust, feed the chickens, and bring the cows in from the pasture in the evening.

Actually those chores didn't take a lot of time if I got right at them, but I grumbled and fussed until my work seemed to use up most of the day. One morning Ma became impatient with my complaining.

' "You seem to forget that you're not the only one in the family who has work to do," she reminded me. "Pa and the boys aren't out in the fields playing ball, you know. Where would you be if no one in the family did any work for you?"

"I'd probably get along fine," I replied grumpily. "I could take care of myself if I didn't have all these other jobs to do."

Ma eyed me carefully for a moment. "All right. We'll try it and see. You finish up your work for today, and beginning tomorrow morning, you may do whatever you like. The rest of us will take over your chores."

"Do you really mean it, Ma?" I exclaimed. "I don't have to do anything except what I want to do?"

"I mean it. But remember, no one will do anything for you, either. That will be your responsibility."

I couldn't believe my good fortune, to actually be free to spend my time in any way I chose. I began to plan all the things I would do in the glorious days ahead.

That night at supper, Pa regarded me thoughtfully. "I hear you're going to be a lady of independence."

"What does that mean, Pa?" I asked.

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