"Dad, hurry up!" Jonah yelled from downstairs. "I'm gonna be late for school!"
Well, this was weird...
His dad was always up early, usually yelling at him to get up. And then there was always the lecture on how "a
good education was important to survive in the world".
Although, Jonah still couldn't understand what knowing the capitol of Vermont had to do with working in some
boring job in a tall office building.
Where was Vermont, anyway? Maybe somewhere near Oklahoma... in the middle.
He stood in the living room, his red, yellow and blue backpack on the counter and stared out the window. The
clock chimed the hour and seconds later he could see the school bus heading for his house.
He was tempted to just get on the bus and go to school, but his dad refused to let him leave the house by
himself; especially since his trip to the Empire State Building. That was definitely the most adventurous thing
he'd ever done.
It was a little scary, too. Well, actually it was VERY scary, being in such a big city all alone, but it was all worth it
in the end.
His dad was happy and that's all that mattered.
"DAD!" He yelled again as the bus came closer. When there was still no answer, he wasn't sure what to do. If
he got on the bus by himself, his dad might get mad, but if he didn't go to school at all? Well his dad would be
REALLY mad then!
As fast as he could, he raced up the stairs and knocked on the door of his dad's bedroom.
"Dad?"
No answer again.
Slowly he pushed the door open and walked inside. In the darkness, he could see the outline of his dad under
the covers. Why was Dad still asleep? Didn't he have to go to work today?
And where was Annie? She was always up early, making breakfast and humming some dumb song that they
were always playing in those sappy movies she and Dad liked to watch. He watched one with them once and
when the man and woman kissed for like the millionth time, he'd had enough.
Good thing his Matchbox cars were nearby to give him something else to do.
This was getting really weird... his dad not waking up. He crept over to the bed and gently shook his dad.
"Dad, the bus is here. Aren't you going to come downstairs?"
But instead of answering, his dad groaned and turned over.
"Dad? Are you sick?" Jonah asked, shaking his dad once more. But again his dad groaned.
Now what was he supposed to do?
He looked out the window, feeling a touch of guilt as the school bus pulled away without him.
