A Penny for Your Thoughts

by Timothy Paterson

son and said, “I love you too, Randy.”

  When he got on the school bus, Randy looked for a vacant seat. He found one next to the freshman who he used to pick on. As he sat down, Randy said; “Hey Brian, I’m sorry that I’ve picked on you and given you a hard time this year. It is just that when I was freshman, seniors used to pick on me, and I thought that it was tradition. I was wrong, and I am sorry. You can help change this tradition. When you become an upperclassman, you will have the choice between tormenting freshmen, and being a mentor to them. Make the right choice.” For the rest of the bus ride, Randy and Brian had a friendly conversation, and Brian no longer felt intimidated by Randy.

  When he got to school, Randy began looking around for Monica. When he finally located her, he asked her if she would like to go to dinner with him that night. “What about the big game?” she asked.

  “I don’t think that I will be playing tonight,” said Randy.

  “Where would you like to go for dinner?” asked Monica.

  “You pick the place,” said Randy.

  “Okay” she said, “how about Monica’s Steakhouse?” Randy told Monica that he would meet her at the restaurant at seven p.m.

  In Government class, the test papers were handed back to the students. When Randy saw that he got a ‘C’, he raised his hand.

  “Oh great” thought Mrs. Castle, “now he is going to complain about his grade.” “What is it Mr. Perkins?” she asked.

  “Mrs. Castle” he began, “I think that you made a mistake when you graded my test.”

  “You’re not getting a higher grade, Randy,” she told him.

  “I don’t want a higher grade,” said Randy. “I didn’t study for this test, and I should have received an ‘F’. If you recheck my answers, you will see that I got less than half of the answers correct.”

  “You do realize that with a failing grade on the test, you won’t be able to play in tonight’s game, don’t you?” asked Mrs. Castle.

  “Yes I do,” said Randy. “And I agree that I shouldn’t be an exception to the rules.”

  Mrs. Castle regarded Randy’s test paper and told Randy; “You are correct, Mr. Perkins, You failed the test. I will inform the principal and Coach Brown that you are ineligible to play tonight.”

  After class, Randy went to Mrs. Castle’s desk and asked; “May I please retake the test on Monday? Not for a grade, but to prove to myself that I can do well in school, if I push myself hard enough. Recently, I have begun reevaluating my life and I realize that I have cheated myself out of a good education.”

  “I think that I can put together another test by Monday, and you can take it after school,” said Mrs. Castle. “I’m impressed, Randy. You are beginning to show potential. If you would have started a few years ago, you could have been in the top half of your class by now.”

  Later that day, while Randy was eating lunch in the cafeteria with Monica, Coach Brown approached him. “Mrs. Castle told me that you are ineligible for tonight’s game, but don’t worry. I’ll talk to the principal about making an exception to the rule, just this once”, he told Randy.

  “No” said Randy. “It’s not fair for the rest of the students, if I don’t have to follow the same rules.”

  “We’ll lose the game without you,” said Coach Brown.

  “The rest of the team can still win the game without me,” said Randy. “You never gave them a chance. Heck, I never gave them a chance. I was always trying to make the game about ‘me’ instead of ‘us’.”

  “If you don’t play tonight, you’re off the team: said Coach Brown.

  “Fine” said Randy, “I’ll drop my uniform off at your office after school.”

  After school was over, Randy went to the locker room to clean out his locker. The rest of the team was getting ready to practice before the game. “Is it true that you’re not playing tonight?” asked Brad.

  “That’s right,” said Randy.

  “But, we can’t win without you” said John.

  “You guys are better than you think,” said Randy. “Coach just never gave any of you the chance to play your best, because I was always trying to hog all of the glory. I was always trying to be a one man team, and for that, I am truly sorry.” As Randy was walking out of the locker room, he said; “Good luck guys. I know that you can win this game.”

  When Randy’s mother picked him up from school, he was very quiet, which for Randy, was quite unusual. Finally, he asked his mother a question that had been nagging at him all day; “Mom, why didn’t you tell me that I was a spoiled, selfish jerk?” His mother started to tell him that he was none of those things, but Randy interrupted her. “Mom, I’m just being truthful. For much of my life, I have thought of nobody but myself. I took you and Dad for granted. Everything I did, I did for me, and nobody else. I do not want to be like that anymore. I want to turn my life around. I hope that you will help me. Promise me that you will speak up if I start becoming self-centered again.”

  “I promise,” said his mother. “I’m really proud of you. You have really grown up these past few days. What caused this big turn around?”

  Randy was silent for a minute, then he replied; “I have had a life changing experience. I was given the opportunity to see myself as others saw me, and I did not like what I saw. I didn’t like myself.”

  When they arrived home, Randy found his sister Annie doing her math homework. He walked over to the table and asked; “Do you need any help with your homework?”

  “No thanks” said Annie, giving her brother a strange look. I think I understand it.”

  Randy sat down next to her and said; “Annie, I don’t know why you have put up with me for so long. I have been mean and rude to you and have not been a very good brother to you. I’m so sorry.” As he wiped a tear from his eye, he said, “I do love you, Annie, even though I haven’t done a very good job of showing it. You are my little sister, and I’ll always be here for you.”

  As Randy hugged his sister, Annie told her brother that she loved him more than anyone else in the world.

  Randy asked her; “How would you like to spend the entire day with me tomorrow, just you and me?”

  Annie had a big smile on her face, as she replied; “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

  As Randy started to go up the stairs to get ready for his date, he turned to Annie and asked; “Could you help me pick out something to wear for my date tonight? I really want to make a good impression on Monica.”

  “Sure” said Annie. “It’s about time you came to me for fashion advice. You dress terribly.” Annie did a nice job at coordinating an outfit for Randy. Even his mother complimented him on it.

  “You should go into the fashion design business when you grow up” Randy told his sister.

  When Randy arrived at Monica’s Steakhouse, he saw that Monica was waiting tables. When she saw him, Monica told him that her parents owned the steakhouse and that two waiters and a cook had come down with the flu and she was helping her parents out.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to cancel out on our date,” she said.

  “If the cook is sick” said Randy, “then, who is doing the cooking?”

  “My father is” said Monica, “but his strength is in management, not cooking.”

  “I can cook,” said Randy. “Ask your father if I can help out.”

  Monica went into the kitchen to talk to her father. One minute later, her father came out of the kitchen, handed Randy an apron and said; “You’re hired.”

  At first, Randy was rather slow in keeping up with the orders, but he caught on fast. Then, he started seasoning the food with different seasonings and spices. When he was called into the dining room, he thought that he was in trouble, for changing the recipes, but instead, he received compliments for the best steak dinners that the customers had ever eaten.
The compliments on the food kept coming all night long. Randy had found his true calling, and he knew that he wanted to be a chef more than ever.

  At ten thirty, Randy’s former teammates entered the restaurant, celebrating a victory. They had won the game, just as Randy had predicted. When Randy explained why he was working there that night, his friends ordered steak dinners to celebrate their victory. When they were finished with their meal, they told Randy that it was the best food they had ever eaten.

  After the restaurant closed, Mr. Young told Randy that he was very impressed with his cooking. “If you want a job, you can start tomorrow,” he said.

  “Can I start on Sunday, instead?” asked Randy. “I promised my little sister that we could spend the entire day together tomorrow.

  Mr. Young told him that he could start on Sunday. He shook Randy’s hand and then paid him his wages for the night. Then, he gave Randy an extra hundred dollars.

  “What’s this for?” he asked Mr. Young.

  “These are the tips the customers left specifically for you because of the best tasting food they ever ate,” said Mr. Young.

  After Randy helped Monica clean the restaurant, he said; “The night’s still young; how about a dance?”

  Monica turned on the radio, and the two of them danced around the restaurant, singing while they danced.

  It was after one o’clock in the morning, when Randy finally arrived home. His dad was waiting up for him. How’d your date go?” he