clearly irritated. “And I wouldn’t wash a thing for you.”
“Sure you would. And if I give you this quarter, it won’t be helping my chances of owning one.” He put the quarter in his pocket and tilted his head sideways. “I’ve never seen hair as red as yours. You look like a circus clown.”
I huffed as I looked up at him. “And you are the ugliest boy I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
He laughed as if my statement was ridiculous. “How old are you?”
“None of your business,” I said testily as I scanned the street for my father. His old, beat up Chevy was still parked at the supply store. I suddenly wished he’d hurry up so I could get away.
“Look, Red, I’ll make you a deal.”
I looked up at him with anger. “Don’t call me Red ever again.”
“Anyway, Red, I’ll buy you a soda if you agree to wash my bike.”
“You don’t have a bike. And do you really think fifteen cents is worth it?” I rolled my eyes as he smiled at me.
“I will own a bike and you sure look thirsty.”
I was covered in sweat at that point and knew my time was running out. “Fine, but only once, and I doubt you’ll ever get one, anyway.”
He didn’t say another word as he walked into the store and came back minutes later with a grape soda. I looked at him curiously. “I could give you my money and you could get yourself one.”
“Good idea,” he said, holding out his hand as I popped the top on the ice cold can and swallowed half of it while digging in my pocket and handing him my money. He took it and slipped it into his pocket as he remained standing in front of me.
“Well, aren’t you going to buy one?” I asked, giving him an odd look.
“Taylor,” I heard my father call from across the street. I looked to see him hoisting up two bags of fertilizer and throwing it in the back of the truck.
“Coming, Daddy,” I shouted, taking my eyes back to the strange boy on the street.
“Taylor,” he said grinning. “I’m Lazarus, but you can call me Laz.”
“Okay,” I said quickly. “I have to go, bye.” I handed him my remaining soda, which had only a sip left, and he smiled at me.
“See ya,” he said a few beats after I started to walk away. I looked back over my shoulder and saw he was still smiling, so I gave him a small smile back. Deep down, I hoped he really didn’t think I look like a circus clown, because I lied when I said he was the ugliest boy I’d ever seen.
I got back into the truck with my father and slammed the door hard like he taught me so it didn’t open suddenly like it had the last few times I’d ridden in it.
“See you met our new neighbor’s kid.” I looked up at him curiously. My father and I rarely spoke. My new neighbors were news in this town. No one ever chose to live in Dyer. The nearest house to ours was nearly half a mile away and was a little more run down than our farmhouse.
“Yeah, his name is Laz. He bought me a soda.”
“Laz, huh? Odd name.” I nodded, not knowing if he saw me. That was the last we spoke as we made the fifteen minute drive home.
The following week, I saw Laz with a brand new Huffy riding down the dirt road toward my house. The moment I saw him, I couldn’t explain the amount of pride I felt for him. He was the first person I’d ever met that actually did what he said he was going to. I ran to meet him just as he cornered my driveway.
“You got one!” I said in sheer delight as he smiled at me proudly.
“Told you I would,” he said, catching his breath.
“You want me to wash it now?” I asked as he put down the kickstand.
“Nah, some other time.” He studied me for a long minute before he looked back at the bike.
“No one in our school has one,” I said, “except for Lucy Hardin. She has everything.” I snorted in disgust. “Her parents own half the town. I can’t stand her.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to beg him to let me try to ride it, but I knew better.
Laz studied me for a moment before piping up.
“Sure you would. And if I give you this quarter, it won’t be helping my chances of owning one.” He put the quarter in his pocket and tilted his head sideways. “I’ve never seen hair as red as yours. You look like a circus clown.”
I huffed as I looked up at him. “And you are the ugliest boy I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
He laughed as if my statement was ridiculous. “How old are you?”
“None of your business,” I said testily as I scanned the street for my father. His old, beat up Chevy was still parked at the supply store. I suddenly wished he’d hurry up so I could get away.
“Look, Red, I’ll make you a deal.”
I looked up at him with anger. “Don’t call me Red ever again.”
“Anyway, Red, I’ll buy you a soda if you agree to wash my bike.”
“You don’t have a bike. And do you really think fifteen cents is worth it?” I rolled my eyes as he smiled at me.
“I will own a bike and you sure look thirsty.”
I was covered in sweat at that point and knew my time was running out. “Fine, but only once, and I doubt you’ll ever get one, anyway.”
He didn’t say another word as he walked into the store and came back minutes later with a grape soda. I looked at him curiously. “I could give you my money and you could get yourself one.”
“Good idea,” he said, holding out his hand as I popped the top on the ice cold can and swallowed half of it while digging in my pocket and handing him my money. He took it and slipped it into his pocket as he remained standing in front of me.
“Well, aren’t you going to buy one?” I asked, giving him an odd look.
“Taylor,” I heard my father call from across the street. I looked to see him hoisting up two bags of fertilizer and throwing it in the back of the truck.
“Coming, Daddy,” I shouted, taking my eyes back to the strange boy on the street.
“Taylor,” he said grinning. “I’m Lazarus, but you can call me Laz.”
“Okay,” I said quickly. “I have to go, bye.” I handed him my remaining soda, which had only a sip left, and he smiled at me.
“See ya,” he said a few beats after I started to walk away. I looked back over my shoulder and saw he was still smiling, so I gave him a small smile back. Deep down, I hoped he really didn’t think I look like a circus clown, because I lied when I said he was the ugliest boy I’d ever seen.
I got back into the truck with my father and slammed the door hard like he taught me so it didn’t open suddenly like it had the last few times I’d ridden in it.
“See you met our new neighbor’s kid.” I looked up at him curiously. My father and I rarely spoke. My new neighbors were news in this town. No one ever chose to live in Dyer. The nearest house to ours was nearly half a mile away and was a little more run down than our farmhouse.
“Yeah, his name is Laz. He bought me a soda.”
“Laz, huh? Odd name.” I nodded, not knowing if he saw me. That was the last we spoke as we made the fifteen minute drive home.
The following week, I saw Laz with a brand new Huffy riding down the dirt road toward my house. The moment I saw him, I couldn’t explain the amount of pride I felt for him. He was the first person I’d ever met that actually did what he said he was going to. I ran to meet him just as he cornered my driveway.
“You got one!” I said in sheer delight as he smiled at me proudly.
“Told you I would,” he said, catching his breath.
“You want me to wash it now?” I asked as he put down the kickstand.
“Nah, some other time.” He studied me for a long minute before he looked back at the bike.
“No one in our school has one,” I said, “except for Lucy Hardin. She has everything.” I snorted in disgust. “Her parents own half the town. I can’t stand her.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to beg him to let me try to ride it, but I knew better.
Laz studied me for a moment before piping up.
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