Home Improvement

Chapter 3: Sweet Sixteen

"So, tell me about your summer," Mark said to Kenneth on the day of his birthday during the early morning before classes started.

"Oh, my God, I have so much to tell you!" Kenneth said enthusiastically.

Mark closed his eyes as Kenneth started going off again. Why did he ask that question? Why on earth did he ask such a dumb question that would result in Kenneth flying off the handle again?

"… So I told my sister no and she said…"

Mark nearly fell asleep listening, but then the bell rang signaling the beginning of classes. Mark could have screamed in relief. For once, he was so happy to hear the bell.

"… I'll continue during recess, there's so much to tell!"

After hearing Kenneth for five minutes, he found it easy to listen to Miss Kennel during class. He didn't know why, he guessed that was the way of the world.

"Oh, Mark, um, Happy Birthday!" Kenneth said quietly while Kennel was speaking.

Mark smiled and nodded in thanks, making him feel guilty about needing to talk to Kenneth about talking a lot.

"So this year, you'll learn the horrors of World War I, World War II, and the Cold War," Kennel said. "You'll review them in 12th grade though. This year, we'll just learn the facts and historic events."

So easy, usually I'd be threatened with detention, Mark thought to himself. Just when I'm complaining about Kenneth's blabbering, I find it so easy and simple to listen to Kernel's blabbering. It's so dumb. I wish I didn't understand a thing she said!

Before he knew it, the bell rang for second period, Literature.

"Well, I can ace that easily," Kenneth said as Miss Kennel left the class. "Do you think you'd like to join the army? World War usually inspires me to do something like that. Or maybe I could join the police force or something. Of course, you can always be a teacher. But then there's always 11th and 12th grade to decide what you want to do."

Mark opened his mouth to speak, but Kenneth went off again. That does it, he thought. Come recess, it's time to teach him something about blabbermouths.

So recess came, and Kenneth went off about his summer again without Mark even asking him to do so.

"… My mum can be a riot sometimes. While we were in Australia, my dad, he suggested we stayed in Australia, so my mom just yells at the top of her voice as if she's demented, no disrespect to her of course. She said…"

"Kenneth," Mark said quietly, barely moving his lips.

"… So my dad just laughed and said he was just kidding and then my mum, my mum, she said…"

"Kenneth," Mark said a bit louder, biting his lips.

"So my dad, my dad, well, my dad, he said…"

"KENNETH!" Mark yelled without stopping to think. Some people looked around to see what Mark was yelling about.

"Kenneth, let's talk, tomorrow first break," Mark said, biting his lip, looking very serious. "We really need to talk."

"Today on Tool Time, we'll be celebrating a very special day," Tim Taylor said to the excited crowd. "Today, we'll be celebrating a birthday!"

The crowd whooped and cheered.

"I want you all to yell 'Happy Birthday' to my youngest boy, Mark!" Tim yelled.

Everyone clapped and cheered him a happy birthday as Mark came in to the stage, blushing, not collaborating with his black clothes.

"I no longer have three boys as you all once saw, and some of you knew," Tim said proudly. "I now have three men, and we're about to make a nice Tool Time tribute to Mark's sweet sixteen!"

Mark gave a small bow to the crowd.

"The absence of Al is explained now by the little job I gave Mark," Tim said. "As I did with Brad and Randy, Mark will be my assistant for the day, the end of which I will be passing on a tool to him."

Everyone clapped.

"Had a good day Mark?" Tim asked his young son when the show was over.

"A bit," Mark shrugged.

'"A bit,'" Tim repeated. "It gets better. Remember that Tolan precision engineered torque wrench you broke when you were seven? It's been taken for repairing and as good as new. It's yours." Tim pulled out of his bag a wrench Mark recognized.

Mark took it in his hands. He couldn't help feeling a surge of thankfulness towards his dad.

"Thanks," Mark said quietly.

"Keep it safe, or you'll anger the Tool Gods," Tim said.

The crowd clapped again as Mark and Tim bade them goodbye.