Greg's Journal Poverty
Wednesday
It was a peaceful day in our. the bright sun was shining brightly, the critters were all super calm and everybody was having a super silent relaxing day to themselves. well. almost everybody.
Rodrick: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
I was being pinned to the living room floor by Rodrick, my 24-year-old brother who was twice my size and very much a super powerful tough man.
"What the crap did you do with it?!"
I was super sick of Rodrick always accusing me of stealing my things. "I-I-I didn't do anything with your super thrilling bowling sneaker. now get off of me!"
Rodrick was really beginning to have enough. "I'll put this just as easy as I can. tell me what you did with my super lucky bowling sneaker or I'm gonna-"
Suddenly the door burst opened and there in the doorway were Mom and Dad with my now 10-year-old brother, Manny. Mom and Dad didn't look super pleased to see Rodrick pinning me right down to the living room floor.
"Rodrick." Dad said to him severely. "you get off your brother right now." Rodrick obeyed Dad and I got up.
"What on earth is going on in here?" Mom demanded Rodrick. he had an I-wasn't-doing-anything-wrong look on his face and he opened his mouth to speak up.
"I want the truth right now, Rodrick!"
He immediately stopped smiling at them and said to them, "This little goof brain is trying to deny that he stole 1 of my super lucky bowling sneakers! how exactly am I supposed to win Friday evening's tournament if I don't have both my bowling sneakers?"
Dad spoke to him again. "Rodrick. that's quite enough! now how exactly do you know Greg took your bowling sneaker?"
It took Rodrick a few minutes to think about an answer. after all, he didn't actually see me steal his super lucky bowling sneaker. he just really loved blaming me for everything I never really did. "'cause he's always taking my things away from me!"
"That's not really true, I never took any of your-"
"Shut it already!"
At 1 point, Mom had already lost her patience. "That does it! Rodrick, go upstairs to your bedroom right now!"
Rodrick left the living room muttering rudely underneath his breath.
"Frank?" Mom said to Dad right before following him around. "can you please make sure Greg's alright?"
"Yes. of course, honey cakes." Dad replied to her.
"Thanks a bunch." and with that, Mom left the living room to give Rodrick his punishment. Dad turned right over to me. "You alright, Greg?"
I nodded my head, but I still looked a bit disturbed. "I swear, Dad. I didn't take his super lucky bowling sneaker. every single time he loses something, he blames me for taking it away from him."
Dad placed his right hand on my right shoulder. "I know you didn't do it, Greg. and if he ever blames you for something you didn't really do, you can always come right over to me and your mother for help on this problem. okay?"
"Okay. but just as long as he hasn't pummeled me first."
Thursday
It was now a bit more than a month right after Rodrick's bowling sneaker had disappeared. it was another super good day, and it was a perfect day for young teens and 24 going on 25-year-olds to be looking for a future college or career. Dad had sent me and Rodrick upstairs a few hours earlier to look for a future college or career. he looked right out the living room window to see how we were doing. first of all, he looked right at Rodrick who was looking right at a university college. he was without a doubt the most super hard worker of all times. then he looked right over to me who was just a few yards away from Rodrick. at first, Dad couldn't help but smile at the sight of me. but his smiling face disappeared when he saw what I was doing: playing with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles.
"What's he doing? Dad thought to himself. 19 going 20-year-olds aren't supposed to play around with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles, even though that young boy's my second born son. without wasting another minute, he walked right outta the apartment and right outside to see exactly why I was playing with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles. he walked right up behind me and tapped me right on my right shoulder.
"Hi there, Dad." I said to him when I turned around to see exactly who it was. but he was also surprised to see how disturbed and upset Dad looked with me.
"Greg? what are you doing?" Dad asked me in a stern like voice that was mostly un-peculiar to me.
"I'm playing around with my Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles. you wanna see exactly how it works? It's really super-" right before I could say the word thrilling, Dad interrupted me.
"Greg. you're 19 going on 20 years old. you shouldn't play around with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles. now put them right back in the boxes and come right inside."
"But, Dad. I-"
"Now, Greg!"
I did just as I was told and went right inside wondering what had come over him. why exactly was he angry and upset with me for playing with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles? maybe he was just having a super hard day. maybe Zippo the Clown was getting on his nerves again or maybe 1 of our next-door neighbors probably sang to him badly again. maybe everything would be back to the way things were before by tomorrow morning.
Or maybe not. the very next day, everybody was silent except Rodrick, who was looking at a future career online.
"Greg. you need to realize that it's in a soon to be young man's body to get off Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles and concentrate on finding a future college or career."
"But, Dad. everybody really loves playing around with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles!" I said to him.
Dad got right up from his seat. "Gregory Thomas Heffley! if you were any son of mine, you wouldn't play around with any of those Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles!"
"Frank!" Mom was now terribly upset with him. "how could you speak to him like that?"
Right before anybody could say another word, I got right outta my chair and walked right outta the living Room.
Dad sat right back down looking super upset. Mom was at least 12 times upset. but not with me.
"Well. that sure was maturely handled." she said to him sarcastically.
"Stay calm, Susie. he's nineteen going on twenty years old. he'll outgrow this entire thing in a couple of-"
"I never meant him, Frank!" Mom snapped at him. without saying another word, she left the living room leaving Dad, Manny and Rodrick alone with 1 another.
Mom approached my bedroom and knocked right on my bedroom door.
"Greg?"
My voice called back from the other side of the door. "Come in." Mom opened the bedroom door and saw me sitting right on my bed and looking just as if I was about to cry and weep.
"Why's Dad acting this way?" I asked her. "all I did was play around with my Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles. I didn't embarrass anybody."
Mom sighed heavily to me. "Greg. I'm pretty sure he didn't really mean what he said to you."
"Of course he did, Mom. I don't understand. a few days ago, he was my Frisbee catching partner and right now, he disagrees with me just 'cause I like playing around with my Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles."
Mom sat right down next to me. "Don't even say that, Greg. you're our second born son and he really loves you more than anything."
I turned my head away from Mom. "I just wanna be alone for a bit." I said to her.
Mom smiled at me, kissed my face and got right up to leave. "Just give him plenty of time. I promise everything will be back to the way things were before real soon. goodnight, Greg." and she left me alone in my bedroom. when she had gone out, I put my head right on my pillow and fell asleep hoping she was absolutely right all along.
Friday
Days have past ever since I went away from the house due to Dad's misunderstandings and Dad headed for his and Mom's bedroom to take a relaxing nap. he was rather surprised to open the bedroom door and see Mom there.
"Hi there, honey cakes." he said to her casually.
Mom might've been the only young lady in the city town who would never take any crud from Dad. "Don't you hi there honey cakes me." she said to him. "where on earth have you been?"
"Well first of all," Dad began. "I'm pretty sure you heard from my former co-workers that Greg's alive and kicking. well. the depressing thing is-"
"That was just a rhetorical question." Mom interrupted him. "I know exactly where you been. and don't even waste my time by telling me that Greg was killed in some sort of accident right now and your little sit-down meetings. I also know that he's still alive and kicking right now. and for corn sakes. he better be alive and kicking."
"How exactly did you find out?" Dad asked her.
"It's on the news." Mom said to him. "now quit stalling. who exactly do you think you are, Frank? what makes you think you have the right to send our young 19 going on 20-year-old son away from this house without hearing what I really need to say about it?"
"I had to send him away." Dad said to her. "he's ruining his appearance of a soon to be grown man. don't you understand that?"
"No, Frank. just as a matter of fact, I don't really understand." Mom snapped at him. "how exactly is he ruining his appearance of a soon to be grown man?"
"Come on, Susie. he plays around with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles."
"I don't care if he plays around with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles." Mom said to him angrily. "he's our son! so live with it! and you're willing to send him away just 'cause he doesn't do the exact same hobbies that you and Rodrick do around here?"
"He needs to concentrate on finding a future college or career like a real young man or he's not gonna be able to take over the true family business."
"Oh, Frank!"
Now Dad truly was angry and upset. "I wasn't gonna have a grown man playing around with Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles."
"So that gives you the right to send him away?" Mom said to him. "honestly. sometimes I think it means more to you than your own true family."
"Look." Dad explained to her. "he wasn't willing to learn himself and he doesn't even have Grandpa Heffley to show him the ropes any longer. therefore, I had to use the true power of the iron fist on him."
Mom rolled her eyes. she had more than enough of Dad constantly using fear to get his way. "Good grief!"
"Now what?"
"You can't always use the true power of the iron fist to control other people, Frank."
Saturday
"I really love you, Greg." Dad said to me "no matter what you really love playing with or whatever types of hobbies you really enjoy doing."
I was okay with what Dad was agreeing with and I finally began playing around with my Thomas and Friends wooden railway sets and collectibles. Rodrick, Manny and Mom seemed okay with it as well too.