The Runaway
The chill of the late summer evening made Danny's teeth chatter as he sat on the curb waiting for the bus. He fingered the small backpack that sat beside him on the ground. Earlier, he ran from his house in a hurry forgetting his jacket. But he couldn’t go back, not now.
“Where you going, Son?” His father's voice startled him from behind.
But, Danny just stared at his shoes and didn't answer.
“Are you taking any money with you?”
The boy nodded then pulled a wad of bills from his pant pocket. “Grandma gave me some.”
“You know, Son, we wish you would come home.” His father cleared his throat.
“It’s not fair," Danny yelled. “You don’t love me anymore.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, but we do love you, ” he said quietly. “If you leave we will miss you.”
Danny pursed his lips as a big tear ran down his cheek. “Why did you tell me no?”
“Sometimes… fathers have to say no,” he said. “Are you hungry?”
Danny nodded.
“So where are you going?”
“I don’t know - I can't cross the street yet.” He pouted. “I'm going to wait for the school bus to pick me up.”
“You won’t go to school until next year." His father sighed then held out his hand. "We talked about this.”
“That’s not fair.” The boy stomped his foot then surrendered his five-year-old hand to his father’s.
“Not everything is fair. Do you even know what fair means?"
Danny looked up with his big blue eyes and shook his head.
His father bent down to Danny's level and lifted him into his arms. "Let's go back in the house and have a snack and a story before bedtime.”
“Where you going, Son?” His father's voice startled him from behind.
But, Danny just stared at his shoes and didn't answer.
“Are you taking any money with you?”
The boy nodded then pulled a wad of bills from his pant pocket. “Grandma gave me some.”
“You know, Son, we wish you would come home.” His father cleared his throat.
“It’s not fair," Danny yelled. “You don’t love me anymore.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, but we do love you, ” he said quietly. “If you leave we will miss you.”
Danny pursed his lips as a big tear ran down his cheek. “Why did you tell me no?”
“Sometimes… fathers have to say no,” he said. “Are you hungry?”
Danny nodded.
“So where are you going?”
“I don’t know - I can't cross the street yet.” He pouted. “I'm going to wait for the school bus to pick me up.”
“You won’t go to school until next year." His father sighed then held out his hand. "We talked about this.”
“That’s not fair.” The boy stomped his foot then surrendered his five-year-old hand to his father’s.
“Not everything is fair. Do you even know what fair means?"
Danny looked up with his big blue eyes and shook his head.
His father bent down to Danny's level and lifted him into his arms. "Let's go back in the house and have a snack and a story before bedtime.”
*******
Comments
I think all kids have that desire at least once in their life. :)
They convinced me to stay, and well lunch was made and ready so how could I let that go to waste? Ha.
Angela
I remember one of my charges tried to run away when I was a teenage babysitter! Talk about panic! Of course she was heading the wrong direction to get out of the subdivision, but...
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
I remember running away. My mom actually helped me pack (though I was in quite a huff) We had a little woods where all the neighborhood kids would gather- we called it the hideout- so that's where I went. I sat under a pine tree for hours (or so it seemed) then picked up my bag and went home...
back "in the day" I guess you could let your kids do that...
Carol, Yes both my kids had the urge to run away. Me too everytime I got angry with my folks.
Angie, Yep, thanks.
Elizabeth, Thanks. Oh my...being a babysitter and your charges wanting to run...a little scarey.
I have a small thought you might want to know--email me:)
(I had a similar experience like this with my son, and I offered to walk with him to where he wanted to run away!)
Simon, Thanks, that means a lot.
Mumsy, I appreciate your compliment. Aren't children wonderul and inspire much writing and photographs.
I love it.
Stephen Tremp
Best Wishes Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog
Good on the little soul he wanted to go to school!! Love the story - told with feeling ..
Hilary
xx
Sorry I've missed so much, been busy. It's nice catching up.