Mari's ANs: Sammy and Ilna, love you to the moon. REAL McRollers and Readers, thanks doesn't seem like enough, but thank you always.
Sammy's ANs: Mari and Ilna-you guys are the best. Thanks for all the love and support McRollers
A Drop in the Bucket (1/1)
Angie sat cross-legged on the living room floor and pushed her hair from her eyes. She was focused on the letter in her hands.
"I'm going to read Ms. Lane's letter again before we go."
DJ couldn't suppress a smile as he was reading through his town school supply list. "We can bring our lists with us to Target," he told her, "so you don't have to memorize everything."
"I know, but I like reading it. It's super nice. Ms. Lane can't wait to see us."
"Ms. Lane's the best," he said, stepping over to his sister. He looked over her shoulder and read aloud, "Hello Second Grade Friends, I cannot wait to see all of your wonderful smiling faces!"
"See?" Angie grinned, her eyes dancing with enthusiasm. "She said we're going on a year-long journey! A journey's like a trip, Mommy said. Isn't that fun?"
"It totally is. You're gonna have a great year," he replied with a smile, "and you're going to learn so many new things.
"Is middle school a journey, too?"
"Grandma says every new school year is a journey, remember? So yeah." He glanced at his list again. "I'm thinking of joining the Art Club."
"Art Club?" Angie echoed, her eyes wide. "That sounds so fun. What clubs are there?"
"There's Baking, Joan's joining that one at her school for sure, Choir, Creative Writing… and Math Club. I might do Art and Math or Art and Creative Writing. Mom and Dad said it's good to try one or two, 'cause with baseball I don't want to have too many things at once."
"What's your supplies again?" Angie asked.
"I need to get two composition notebooks, two one-subject notebooks, pens, pencils, and highlighters."
She looked at her own list. "I need two boxes of sharpened number two pencils, Crayons — only 16 colors, though — two yellow highlighters and one other color, I'm getting purple, one bottle of glue, a scissors, a smock with my name written on it, hand wipes, and a pencil box. Maybe they'll have a goat pencil box at the store!"
Just then Steve and Catherine came into the living room.
"Ready to hit Target?" Steve asked. "I hear from our consultant, Jacob, that they have the best school supplies."
"Yes!" Angie squealed, jumping up. "Very very ready."
Catherine laughed, shaking her head. "Of course you are. Do you have your lists?" She and Steve had copies in their phones, but knew the kids wanted to carry their own.
"Right here!" DJ said, tapping his pants pocket.
"Here's mine!" Angie waved hers above her head.
"DJ might be in the Art Club or Math Club or Creative Writing Club."
"And those great choices for him to try, because he's good at all those things, right?"
Angie nodded as her brother said, "They sound like fun, and I get to hang out with my friends. Michael's joining the Math and Creative Writing Clubs and Matteo's joining the Art Club."
Angie beamed at her brother. "You're the best artist and writer and you're very very good at math. And I'm gonna do my best at second grade."
Catherine knelt to Angie's eye level, tucking the lock of hair falling over her shoulder behind her ear. "We know you will, baby girl. Now, let's get going and buy your supplies." She stood and took a deep breath, thinking how her babies were getting so big. How was DJ out of elementary school already?
Reading her mind, Steve gave her a knowing look. "It's going fast, but we'll be doing school supply runs until they graduate, right?"
"Definitely. And I wouldn't have it any other way," she replied with a smile, then bending to kiss Cammie's head, said, "Hold the fort, pretty girl."
Once they arrived at Target, Angie practically bounced out of the car. "Come on, let's go!" she urged, pulling DJ along as he laughed, holding onto her hand in the parking lot.
The store aisles were filled with parents and kids, some already engrossed in picking out colorful notebooks, while others debated over pencil types.
"Okay, let's do this," Steve said, "Operation: School Supplies."
Angie let out a squeal and began to wave wildly. "I see Grandma! Grandma is here!"
"And Grandpa too," DJ said as Joseph appeared from an aisle.
After a round of hugs Angie said, "We're here to buy the things on our school supply lists. What are you buying?"
"We're getting school supplies too," Elizabeth said with a smile. "For Tutor Time."
Angie tilted her hand. "Do you have a list?"
Joseph barked a laugh. "Grandma has been doing this a long time. She keeps the list in her head."
The skeptical look on Angie's face made the adults smile.
"I want to pick up a few things to contribute to the classroom buckets for both DJ and Angie's classes too," Elizabeth told Catherine.
"What?" Angie looked at her list.
Her eyes scanned each line.
"There's no buckets on my list. Do I need buckets?" she asked, becoming alarmed.
She was eager to be fully prepared for school right from the first day.
"Ms. Lane will provide the buckets," Catherine assured her daughter.
"What do we need buckets for?" Angie asked. "Will DJ's class have buckets?"
Steve knelt in front of Angie. "Every classroom in the whole school district is gonna have buckets," he explained. "That way everyone can put some of their extra supplies in and if someone needs a pencil, or a crayon, or some glue, they can take it from the bucket."
Angie thought for a second then nodded. "That's a very good idea."
"I wish everyone thought that." Elizabeth let out a disappointed sigh. "Sadly, there's been quite a bit of pushback from some of the parents. They only want to provide supplies for their own kids."
Steve's eyebrows creased immediately. "Are you serious?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Elizabeth said. "And I'm not talking about families that simply can't afford to buy extra. That's absolutely fine. I'm talking about people who just don't want to hold out a hand to other people's kids."
Steve shook his head.
"Can we get some extra things to put in the buckets?" DJ asked. "I have money in my bank at home. I can pay you back."
"Me too!" Angie's hand shot up in the air.
"I love that you both want to pitch in," Catherine said. "But Daddy and I are happy to buy the extra supplies."
"How about if we all split it," DJ suggested. "Make it a family project."
"YAY!" Angie said. "I love family projects."
"Family project it is!" Catherine said.
Suddenly something caught Steve's eye.
A reporter he recognized from a local station filming some footage, he assumed, for the evening news.
He and Catherine shared a look then Steve stepped directly into the reporter's eyeline.
The young woman perked up immediately and started walking towards Steve, her camera man in tow.
"Enjoying a little back to school shopping, Commander?" she asked, unsure if Steve would stop to answer the question.
To her surprise he stepped towards her mic.
"I look forward to it every year," he said with a smile.
"Any folder preferences?" The reporter smiled. "We understand that's possibly the most important choice being made here today."
Steve grinned. "A long way from when I was in school and we only had one or two choices."
"You'll certainly have plenty of choices today," the reporter said. "Hopefully your kids will choose some of your favorites."
Catherine beamed. She knew that was exactly the opening Steve was looking for.
"Hopefully," Steve replied. "But if not, we'll be buying some extra supplies for the classroom buckets anyway so I'll sneak them in there."
"Great idea," the young woman said. "Thanks for your time, Commander."
The reporter turned to talk to other shoppers, knowing fully well that her report just moved forward in the newscast because of Steve's willingness to comment.
"I see what you did there," Catherine said softly as she pushed her cart up beside him.
"All for a good cause," Steve said. "All for a good cause."
# THE END Thanks for Reading
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