The café informed me they were no longer looking for help. Though my
appearance may have had something to do with it. I filled out an
application at the movie house but it ending up being so full of blanks I
simply left. It was Saturday so the school thing would have to wait.
Beside it made me nervous being around the high school. I wished I had
finished school. I was sure if I took an equivalency exam I would pass but
school itself. Friends, classes, homework, dances. I actually missed all
of it. The farm was last. It was a two-mile walk from town. What did I
know about farms? Mom had a garden in the back yard. She used to love
taking me to Agricultural fairs in the spring. I reached the farmhouse and
sat down just looking at the yellow house with the wrap around porch and
barn in the back. The hard labor didn't scare me. I could learn quickly.
My stomach growled and sure enough as I looked at my watch it was 6:30. I
had been sitting for a half hour. I got up and dusted myself off. I had
nowhere else to go. I walked up to the door newspaper in hand and knocked.
The mailbox said The Kent's in bold black lettering. The smell of food
was strong coming from the house and it made me wonder if I should wait. I
didn't want to interrupt their dinner. But it was too late. The door
swung open. In front of me stood a young man, tall, with dark hair and
light eyes.
"Can I help you?"
"I…I came about the job." I held up the newspaper. "I'm sorry if I interrupted, I can come back later." I started to turn and leave when a woman joined the young mans side.
"Who is it Clark?"
"This is…?"
"Dorinda, Dori Russo."
"She was wondering if you were still looking for help."
The woman eyed me up and down. I knew this was a bad idea. Just then my stomach made the loudest noise. I was so embarrassed.
"Clark why don't you put out another plate. Dori? Come on in, I'll speak to my husband about the job."
"Ok Mom." The boy went back into the house but I started to back away.
"Oh no that's ok. I'll just come back. I really don't want to…"
"Just leave your things on the porch, they'll be alright. Come on in."
This was so odd. These people were too nice. They didn't know me. They invited me into their home. This woman was that boy's mom? She looked so young. I hesitated.
But she again insisted I left my things out side and wiped my feet as well as I could. My shoes were old falling apart. Again I dusted myself off and ran my fingers through my auburn hair. I guess I looked very non- threatening to them but still I shouldn't be going into their house. They shouldn't be inviting me.
But I was in. It was warm and so comfortable looking. Mrs. Kent led me into the kitchen. Clark had set an extra plate and was dishing out food.
"Jonathan, this is Dorinda Russo. She asked about the job in the newspaper." Mrs. Kent introduced me to her husband. He then shook my hand. This was too much.
"Well do you have any experience working on a farm?" He asked as I sat down.
The food looked so good. Chicken, stuffing, carrots, corn.
"Umm no I don't really. I've been living in the city for the past four years, but I can learn real quick and listen I'm sorry I'm wasting your time." I started to get up.
"Sit down." Mr. Kent told me. He had a smile on his face but he also had a voice that commanded respect. So I sat.
"How old are you?" Mrs. Kent asked. There was concern in her voice. She was doing the mom thing. I had only gotten that once before when I had first left home. A landlady who let me stay in New York paying half rent but then her husband found out and I was kicked out.
"I'm 20. My ID in my bag I mean it says I'm 16 but it's old so…"
Mrs. Kent held up her hand. "I believe you."
She believed me. "Eat your food." She added and began to eat herself. I tried to eat slowly. I hadn't had a home cooked meal in forever. It was amazing so I said so.
"Mom is an excellent cook." Clark added. Mrs. Kent smiled at her son. This family was amazing. I had only been in the house for a little over a half hour and already I could tell how much they loved one another.
Diner was finished and I wasn't sure what was expected of me now. There wasn't much talking during diner. Mr. Kent reminded Clark to fit a fence before doing his homework.
Mrs. Kent and Mr. Kent then brought me into their living room as Clark left. I sat nervously.
"You want to work here?" Mrs. Kent asked
I nodded.
"Where are you from?"
"The last place I lived was Metropolis but I'm originally from Connecticut."
"Is that were your family lives?"
It was an innocent enough question but my head dropped and I started to pick at my nails. Damn nervous habit. "They're dead." I said simply. I looked at their faces for their reaction. They didn't seem to know quite what to say at my declaration.
"I should go. I'm not qualified to work for you. Thank you so much for the dinner it was delicious." I walked quickly towards the door before they could protest. I didn't want their pity I didn't want the job because they felt sorry for me. I had taken their food and that was enough.
I picked my bag off the porch and left. Half way across the yard I heard my name being shouted. "Dori!" It was Clark. I stopped though I can't explain why.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm leaving. I don't know anything about farms. I can't fix fences or plant crops and I don't want the job because your parents feel sorry for me." I didn't know why I was explaining anything to him.
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"What?"
"Some place to sleep. It's supposed to rain tonight."
"Didn't you hear anything I said? "I don't take handouts. I shouldn't have even stepped foot in your house."
"I heard everything. I'm just saying there's a barn in the back. There are blankets in the loft. Tomorrows Sunday, no one will be in there until the afternoon. Someone could stay there and we wouldn't know."
I looked at him like he had two heads.
"Well, good luck in the job search. I'll see you around town." He turned and left. Leaving me confused. These were the nicest, oddest people I've met in four years and yet they reminded me of my mom and dad. Yes I'm sure my mom would take in a stray just as Mrs. Kent tried to.
The sun had set. I looked at the barn and then at the road back to town. I hitched my duffle bag unto my shoulder and heard thunder in the distance. I headed to the barn.
"Can I help you?"
"I…I came about the job." I held up the newspaper. "I'm sorry if I interrupted, I can come back later." I started to turn and leave when a woman joined the young mans side.
"Who is it Clark?"
"This is…?"
"Dorinda, Dori Russo."
"She was wondering if you were still looking for help."
The woman eyed me up and down. I knew this was a bad idea. Just then my stomach made the loudest noise. I was so embarrassed.
"Clark why don't you put out another plate. Dori? Come on in, I'll speak to my husband about the job."
"Ok Mom." The boy went back into the house but I started to back away.
"Oh no that's ok. I'll just come back. I really don't want to…"
"Just leave your things on the porch, they'll be alright. Come on in."
This was so odd. These people were too nice. They didn't know me. They invited me into their home. This woman was that boy's mom? She looked so young. I hesitated.
But she again insisted I left my things out side and wiped my feet as well as I could. My shoes were old falling apart. Again I dusted myself off and ran my fingers through my auburn hair. I guess I looked very non- threatening to them but still I shouldn't be going into their house. They shouldn't be inviting me.
But I was in. It was warm and so comfortable looking. Mrs. Kent led me into the kitchen. Clark had set an extra plate and was dishing out food.
"Jonathan, this is Dorinda Russo. She asked about the job in the newspaper." Mrs. Kent introduced me to her husband. He then shook my hand. This was too much.
"Well do you have any experience working on a farm?" He asked as I sat down.
The food looked so good. Chicken, stuffing, carrots, corn.
"Umm no I don't really. I've been living in the city for the past four years, but I can learn real quick and listen I'm sorry I'm wasting your time." I started to get up.
"Sit down." Mr. Kent told me. He had a smile on his face but he also had a voice that commanded respect. So I sat.
"How old are you?" Mrs. Kent asked. There was concern in her voice. She was doing the mom thing. I had only gotten that once before when I had first left home. A landlady who let me stay in New York paying half rent but then her husband found out and I was kicked out.
"I'm 20. My ID in my bag I mean it says I'm 16 but it's old so…"
Mrs. Kent held up her hand. "I believe you."
She believed me. "Eat your food." She added and began to eat herself. I tried to eat slowly. I hadn't had a home cooked meal in forever. It was amazing so I said so.
"Mom is an excellent cook." Clark added. Mrs. Kent smiled at her son. This family was amazing. I had only been in the house for a little over a half hour and already I could tell how much they loved one another.
Diner was finished and I wasn't sure what was expected of me now. There wasn't much talking during diner. Mr. Kent reminded Clark to fit a fence before doing his homework.
Mrs. Kent and Mr. Kent then brought me into their living room as Clark left. I sat nervously.
"You want to work here?" Mrs. Kent asked
I nodded.
"Where are you from?"
"The last place I lived was Metropolis but I'm originally from Connecticut."
"Is that were your family lives?"
It was an innocent enough question but my head dropped and I started to pick at my nails. Damn nervous habit. "They're dead." I said simply. I looked at their faces for their reaction. They didn't seem to know quite what to say at my declaration.
"I should go. I'm not qualified to work for you. Thank you so much for the dinner it was delicious." I walked quickly towards the door before they could protest. I didn't want their pity I didn't want the job because they felt sorry for me. I had taken their food and that was enough.
I picked my bag off the porch and left. Half way across the yard I heard my name being shouted. "Dori!" It was Clark. I stopped though I can't explain why.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm leaving. I don't know anything about farms. I can't fix fences or plant crops and I don't want the job because your parents feel sorry for me." I didn't know why I was explaining anything to him.
"Do you have a place to stay?"
"What?"
"Some place to sleep. It's supposed to rain tonight."
"Didn't you hear anything I said? "I don't take handouts. I shouldn't have even stepped foot in your house."
"I heard everything. I'm just saying there's a barn in the back. There are blankets in the loft. Tomorrows Sunday, no one will be in there until the afternoon. Someone could stay there and we wouldn't know."
I looked at him like he had two heads.
"Well, good luck in the job search. I'll see you around town." He turned and left. Leaving me confused. These were the nicest, oddest people I've met in four years and yet they reminded me of my mom and dad. Yes I'm sure my mom would take in a stray just as Mrs. Kent tried to.
The sun had set. I looked at the barn and then at the road back to town. I hitched my duffle bag unto my shoulder and heard thunder in the distance. I headed to the barn.