“Mom, I’m embarrassed,” the boy said.
His mom was working around in their tent, trying to straighten the bed clothes from the night before and get the boy dressed for school.
“It’s my turn to have the boys over for a campfire, but they don’t know where we live. That we live in a tent.”
“Son,” his mom said. “You have to tell them I can’t find work.”
“I’ll try, Mom,” the boy said. “Some of their parents are out of work too and they are worried. Maybe they’ll understand.”
“They will, Son.”
“I love you, Mom.”
97 words
#amwriting #amblogging #writing
Photo credit Jan Wayne Fields
*This post sponsored by Friday Fictioneers
Thanks, Rochelle!
The Write Scribe 
It’s by no means certain that they’ll understand. However, he does have it in his gift to create a “campfire” like no other. I wonder if he’ll figure out the necessary spin
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Very poignant story.
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Dear Rosemary,
She sounds like a good mom. Hopefully their situation will change soon. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A sad situation yet very sweet – they have each other 🙂
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It sounds like they’ve fallen on Hard Times. My parents were farmer and didn’t have a lot of money. Many of the kids I went to school with were children of doctors, lawyers, professors, and college football coaches. There were times when I was embarrassed too.
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I understand. I came from a blue collar background and attended school with white collar kids as well.
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Realistic dialogue brings this story to life.
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Ah, that’s so hard for a kid, isn’t it? Life’s pretty embarrassing all round anyway, but anything that makes you different is humiliating. I hope his friends understand. Nicely written, Rosemary
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Thanks so much, Lynn!
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My pleasure 🙂
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So sad. The dialogue was painfully convincing.
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Thanks!
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A very touching story. My Mum was a Pastor’s kid and still talks about wearing hand-me-downs to Church and wearing them in front of the people who’d given them. It seems to have been more of a stigma then.
My daughter is in a class for gifted kids and we went to a party of the weekend. Most of the kids’ parents are comfortable and well educated but I met one single Mum who is doing her metric exams and working to go to uni. Most of the parents are paying for tutoring to prepare our kids for the selective high schools test but she can’t afford that or the books. Even though money is tight for us, I’m going to buy her daughter at least one of the books. It just seemed like the right thing to do.
UNfortunately, a lot of people are judgemental and not compassionate and make a hard time even harder for people.
xx Rowena
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How true, Rowena!
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