by JonAre
RESPONSIBILITY
by
Emily Michaels
One
Just outside the little town of Pineville, Missouri is a red house at the end of Bear Creek Road. Ten year-old Phillip Carson lives there with his mom and dad and his little sisters, Eleanor and Allison. Eleanor and Allison are seven and are identical twins.
Mr. Carson works at the bank in Pineville and Ms. Carson stays home to teach Phillip and his sisters and to take care of their house and the big garden they have every summer. The Carsons also have chickens, a few sheep, a milk cow and her calf. Everyone in the family helps take care of the animals.
Phillips does not always like taking care of the animals. It isn’t because he doesn’t like them—they are usually friendly and fun to watch. (Well, everything except the rooster. Sometimes he tries to scratch you if you aren’t careful.) The reason Phillip doesn’t like taking care of the animals is because it means he can’t spend as much time doing what he really likes to do—fly his remote-control airplanes.
Phillip loves everything about airplanes and wants to learn everything he can about them and wants to be a pilot someday. So far he has ridden in two airplanes; once with his family to go to California on vacation and the other time was on his tenth birthday. Phillip and his dad rode in a small plane with Mr. Brockman. Mr. Brockman goes to church with Phillip and his family. He is a pilot and has his own plane he uses to take people to larger airports.
One time Phillip when Phillip went to gather the eggs he was carrying the bowl of eggs in one hand and the remote-control for one of his planes in the other hand. Everything was fine until a little gust of wind made the plane tip sideways in the air. Phillip dropped the eggs without thinking to keep plane from crashing to the ground.
“Phillip,” his mom scolded him, “I promised to sell today’s eggs to Aunt Charlotte. She needs them for the cookie shop. The cookies taste better when she makes them using fresh eggs and butter.”
“I’m sorry, Mom,” Phillip said. “I just couldn’t let the plane crash…”
“Phillip, I know how much you like flying your planes, but you need to be more responsible with your chores. Now I have to break a promise I made to Aunt Charlotte and she will have to use eggs from the store or hope she has enough cookies to last for a couple of days.”
Another time Phillip laid his plane and the remote-control just outside the gate before he went in to feed the sheep their corn and give them water. When he came out, he was in such a hurry to fly his plane that he forgot to latch the gate. When Eleanor came outside to play, she found the sheep in the yard.
“Phillip!” Eleanor yelled. “The sheep are out. Did you forget to lock the gate...again?”
“Phillip,” Dad said, “get a bucket with some corn in it and lead the sheep back into their field.”
“But, Dad,” Phillip started to argue…
“Do as I say, Phillip”, his dad said sternly. “You caused the problem so you need to be responsible for fixing it.”
So…Phillip got a bucket with some corn in it and the sheep quickly followed him back into the field where they belonged. This time Phillip made sure the gate was shut before he went back to the house.
Phillip did not do these things on purpose. He just fogot. He forgot he had the eggs in his hand. He forgot to lock the gate. It isn’t always wrong to forget things. Everyone forgets things sometimes, but Phillip forgot these things because he did not want to take the time to do them. This is what Phillip’s parents call irresponsibility. They said this means Phillip cannot always be trusted to do what he is supposed to do.
That is why when Phillip asked if he could take care of his best friend, Caleb’s hamster, for him, Mr. and Mrs. Carson said, “No!”
Two
“No, Phillip,” Mom said. “I don’t think it is a good idea for you to do that. I know Caleb is your best friend and I think it is great that you want to help him out, but I don’t think you need anything else to do.”
“Your mom is right,” Dad agreed. “Isn’t next week your week to do the sheep and help me with feeding hay to the cows? I think that is more than enough for you to have to do.”
“But…” Phillip said, “It’s just a hamster. How much trouble can it be? Besides, I kind of already told Caleb I could.”
“You shouldn’t have done that, Phillip,” Dad said. “You know you should never make that kind of promise without asking us first.”
“Let Ali and I do it,” Eleanor spoke up. “Phillip doesn’t even like Henry. He’s scared to pick him up because he’s afraid Henry will bite him.”
“Yah,” Allison said. “We’ll take care of Henry. He’s so cute. He…”
“Thank you, girls, but this is between your brother and us. You need to go finish up the math you did not get done during school today because I am not giving you time in class to do them tomorrow.”
“Okay,” both girls sighed. “But we love Henry and he loves us, so if you…”
“Girls,” Mom said as she pointed toward the door.
“We’re going. We’re going.” Allison said.
“Phillip, your dad is right. You should not have told Caleb you would watch Henry without asking our permission first. Pets are a big responsibility—especially when they don’t belong to you.”
“Please, Mom. Please, Dad. I really want to do this. You guys are always telling me I need to be more responsible, so here’s my chance.”
“You’re right Phillip, you do need to be more responsible. I just don’t think you need to practice on Henry…or Caleb,” Mom said.
“Well, now, wait a minute,” Dad said. “Maybe Phillip is right. Maybe taking care of something as special as his best friend’s pet is just what Phillip needs to make him more responsible.”
“I don’t know,” Phillip’s mom started to say…
“Thanks, Dad! You’re right,” Phillip interrupted. Caleb is my best friend. I won’t let anything happen to Henry. You’ll see!”
“Son, I didn’t say yes. Your mom and I will talk about it and let you know tomorrow. But because you didn’t ask permission before telling Caleb you would take care of Henry, you will not be allowed to fly your planes for two days.”
“Two days! But Dad…”
“Phillip, would you like to make it three?”
“No, sir,” Phillip said to his father.
Phillip put his plate in the sink and went to work on a new model plane he bought with some of his birthday money.
Three
Phillip, Eleanor and Allison got all their school work done early the next day—even the math test the girls did not want to take. As soon as their mom said school was over for the day, the girls put on their coats and ran outside to play and to look for pretty leaves.
It was October and where the Carsons live, October is the time the leaves on the trees turn yellow, orange and red before they fall to the ground. Both girls wanted to find the prettiest leaves they could. They wanted to put in a basket with some pinecones and set on the kitchen table for everyone to enjoy.
Phillip ran to his room to get his coat, too. He also grabbed his favorite plane before starting out the door.
“Phillip,” his mom said, “Go put the plane back in your room. Remember…no planes for two days. Besides, I have something I want you to help me with.”
“What,” Phillip grumbled.
“The corn stalks we cut last month are ready to tie into bundles. After we tie them into bundles we will tie a few to rails on the front porch.”
Phillip and his mom spent the next hour tying the corn stalks and using them to decorate the front p
orch of their house. While they worked, Phillip’s mom made sure to tell him what a good job he was doing. She knew her son didn’t mean to disobey when he promised Caleb he would take care of Henry. She also knew he didn’t mean to be irresponsible. But she also knew it was important for him to learn to be responsible with his chores and his words.
“Tomorrow after we are done with school we’ll go buy some pumpkins to put with our corn stalks,” Mom said. “We can get some to paint faces on, too, if you want.”
“I want to paint a pumpkin!” Eleanor said, smiling.
“Me, too,” Allison added. “Look, Mom, look at our leaves. Aren’t they pretty?”
Eleanor and Allison ran up the stairs onto the porch to show their mom the leaves they had gathered and to put them in the house while they went to the edge of the big field to get some pinecones to go with them.
“Okay, go get the pinecones,” Mom said, “but don’t take too long. I want all of you to read two more chapters of the books you are doing book reports on.”
Eleanor and Allison ran off to get their pinecones—and talking about how they would paint their pumpkins.
“I want to get one of those white pumpkins if they have them,” Phillip said. “A white one and two little orange ones to go with it.”
“Well, it sounds like we will be bringing home quite a few pumpkins,” Mom laughed. “Oh, well, that’s fine with me. I think fall colors are the prettiest colors there are.”
“Mom,” Phillip almost whispered, “are you and Dad going to let me keep Henry for Caleb?”
“Your dad and I will talk to you tonight at dinner,” she smiled.
Four
Mr. Carson came home from work at the normal time. He did fed hay to the cows and checked on the ewe (momma sheep) with the cut foot to make sure it was healing like it should. He was shutting the barn door when Allison went outside to tell him dinner was ready.
“I’m coming, sweetie. Did you have a good day,” Mr. Carson asked as he tugged at her pony tail.
“Yes, Eleanor and I picked out the prettiest leaves we could find and put them in a basket with some pinecones. It’s in the middle of the table so you can see it when we eat,” Allison smiled up at her dad.
“That sounds really pretty. Let’s go see them…I’m hungry,” her dad smiled back.
Once everyone was seated at the table, Mrs. Carson said, “Eleanor, it is your turn to pray before we eat.”
“Thank you, God, for this food, our home and our family. Thank you for the pretty leaves we got today and for the pinecones. Please let us be safe and have a good time getting pumpkins tomorrow and please help us get our school work done so we don’t have to wait too long to go get them. Oh, and I’m sorry for making fun of Allison’s art project. Thank you for letting Jesus die for our sins and help me to be the best person I can be. Amen.”
The Carson family talked about their day while they ate. All three children talked excitedly about going to get pumpkins the next day. Mr. Carson said he had never seen a prettier front porch or prettier fall leaves…ever.
“I agree,” Mrs. Carson said. “Fall colors are…”
“The prettiest colors there are,” everyone else said altogether.
“Well, they are,” Mrs. Carson laughed.
The twins had finished eating and were playing in the living room when Phillip finally asked, “Dad, are you and Mom going to let me keep Henry for Caleb when they go on vacation?”
“Yes, Phillip, we are,” his dad said. “We are going to let you take care of Henry if you want to.”
“I do, Dad. I do. And I promise I will take good care of him and I will be responsible for everything. You won’t even know Henry is here unless you want to come into my room to see him.”
“Phillip, before you decide, I think you need to know what taking care of Henry means. Your mom talked to Caleb’s mom today to find out what you will need to do. You will need to feed Henry every day, make sure he has water and you will have to clean his cage out at least once while he is here. You may have to do it more than once, though.”
“Mrs. Peters said Henry likes to play with his water bottle sometimes. When he does, the water drips out and gets his cage wet.” Phillip’s mom said.
She went on to explain to Phillip what he would have to do to change Henry’s cage and how important it was to keep the cage clean and dry.
“Are you sure you want to be responsible for Henry?” Phillip’s dad asked after Mrs. Carson was done talking.
“Yes, I’m sure. I can do it. I promise. I’ll be more responsible than I’ve ever been before. You’ll see. I promise!” Phillip was hugged his parents and then ran to call Caleb to tell him the good news.
“Does Henry really get to stay with us?” the girls asked.
“Yes, Henry gets to stay with us,” their mother sighed. “I sure hope Henry is ready for the three of you,” she laughed. “Now, Eleanor, it is your turn to help me clean up the kitchen. Let’s get it done. I want to get some things done tonight so I can spend more time outside tomorrow.”
When Phillip’s dad came in to tell him goodnight at bedtime, he smiled when he noticed that Phillip had already made a place on his desk for Henry’s cage. Maybe this really will help Phillip be more responsible, he thought.
“See Dad,” Phillip said, pointing to the space he had made for Henry’s cage, “I already have a place for Henry.”
“I see that, Phillip. That’s great. When are they bringing him over?”
“Sunday afternoon. They leave Monday morning. Did you know they are flying? They are flying on a 737. That’s what most people fly on. Caleb’s mom said he could have the seat by the window so he could see the clouds and how small looks on the ground.”
“That’s great, Phillip. Now let’s get ready for bed.”
Phillip and his dad read some verses from the Bible just like they did every night. That night they read the parable of the two sons.
The parable told the story of a farmer who had two sons. He asked one son to go work in the vineyard. The son said he would not go, but after he left, he was sorry he had hurt his father’s feelings, so he went and worked all day long. After the first son said he would not go, the father asked his other son to go work in the vineyard. This son lied to his father by saying he would go work, but instead he spent the day doing what he wanted to do. After Jesus told this story, he asked the people listening to him which son did the right thing. Everyone replied that the first son did the right thing.
“Do you agree, Phillip,” his dad asked?
“Yah, but did the son who worked tell his dad he worked or did the dad think the son who said he would go did all the work?”
“Phillip, Jesus told the story to help people understand why it is so important to obey God. The father in the story is God. The two sons are people just like you and me. After the people listening to Jesus answered his question, Jesus told them to be careful not to be like the second son; people who say they love God but don’t act like it. Instead, he said we should be like the first son; obeying God even when it is hard of when we don’t really want to.”
“Okay, I get it,” Phillip said. “It’s like when we say we don’t want to clean our rooms but do it anyway because we know we will get in trouble if we don’t.”
“That’s right, but going to heaven someday because we obey God is a lot better than not getting in trouble because your room is clean, isn’t it.” Phillip’s dad was proud of Phillip for understanding.
“Yep, it sure is.” Phillip yawned.
“Okay, let’s read the Bible verse and then it’s light’s out for you. Tonight’s verse is found in the Old Testament. Here it is. Why don’t you read it?” Phillip’s dad handed Phillip the Bible he was holding.
Phillip read, “Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” (Ezra 10:4 ESV)
After Phillip was finished reading, he said his prayers, told his dad goodnight an
d drifted off to sleep thinking about how much fun it would be to fly in a 737 like Caleb.
Five
Eleanor and Allison had a hard time paying attention to their school work the next day. They were too excited about going to get pumpkins.
“Can’t we go get the pumpkins and then come home and do school?” Allison begged their mom.
“We could, but we aren’t,” Mom laughed. “Come on, get back to work. If you do, I’ll let pumpkin painting count as the art class we are supposed to do today.”
“Come on, girls, just do you work so we can go.” Phillip loves his sisters, but sometimes he gets tired of listening to them. They talk all the time.
By noon, Phillip and his sisters had done their math, spelling worksheets, two science experiments and had started writing their stories for history. Phillip was writing about slavery and the twins were writing about traveling across the country in a covered wagon.
“Good job, kids,” Mom said. “Let’s eat lunch then head on over to pick out our pumpkins. We should have plenty of time to do so before we meet everyone else for PE class.”
After lunch they put on their coats and hats, made sure they had their sneakers for PE and off they went. When they got to the pumpkin patch, the girls went one direction and Phillip went another; all three looking for just the right pumpkins. There were several other people there, too—even a few of the other kids in the home school group they belonged to.
“Hi, Sophie! Hi, Emma! Hi, Suzanna!” Eleanor and Allison waved and hollered excitedly to their friends.
It didn’t take long for Phillip to find the ‘perfect’ white pumpkin. He didn’t want to take a chance of dropping it while he looked for the little orange ones he wanted, so he set it at the end of a row of pumpkins and ran to tell his mom he was going to find the other two pumpkins he wanted.
“Mom, I found the white pumpkin I want, so I’m going over to the other side of the field now.”
“Where is it,” Mom asked?
“I put it over there on the end of the row,” Phillip looked back over his shoulder.
“Why don’t you bring it over here with mine? That way you won’t forget where it is.”