Danny...9th grade
Becky Lawrence
LA9- P.6
December, '98
Danny Alden looked at his mother, Ellen. Ever since they had moved away from Dad she
always looked tired, stressed out, and nervous. She never told Danny jokes anymore, and he
hadn't seen her smile but a few times in the two years since they had left Ohio and moved to
California. He missed his mother because although she was there physically, she was never there
for him like he needed her anymore. She was constantly occupied with her job as the manager of
a shelter for homeless people, and the time she had left over she used to help Danny with his
school work and care for their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Winterson. Danny also spent a lot of time
with their kind neighbor. He was never allowed to be alone. He was nine years old, able to take
care of himself, and Mrs. Winterson was always there. But his mother was always afraid that
when his father left jail after his one year sentence he might try to take Danny away from her.
She never told Danny this, of course. There was no need to worry him. He had had enough fear.
But so she could feel safe when they were at home, Ellen had taken handgun lessons, and even
purchased a handgun, which she kept in the drawer of her nightstand.
"Hey Mom, can we get a dog?"
"Honey, you know Mr. Fredricks has a rule against pets."
"We could hide it under my bed."
At this, his mom shot him a fleeting sideways glance and a small, sad smile. If she could,
she would get Danny a dog. She would get him anything- after what he'd been through, she felt
he deserved whatever he wanted.
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Well...most of it."
"Having trouble with reading again?"
"Sort of. But I can do it now."
Danny had been slightly behind in his school work ever since they'd moved. He and his
mother had left in the middle of the school year, and he hadn't been enrolled until they were
settled.
He pulled his homework out of his backpack with a wrinkled nose, and slowly read the
directions. He was to read a sentence somewhere on a piece of advertising, a magazine ad,
billboard, store window, etc., and copy it down. As they drove along the busy road, Danny
considered the billboards that approached slowly, and were visible from far away. He read them
quietly out loud.
"Haa-ve youu haad you-yourr b-rr-eeaa-brreaak to-day.......A di- di-aaa-mo-mond is
forrrevvver.......Ccommme ho-me to Be-en's Baaa-bak-errryy....."
Danny decided upon "Have you had your break today?" but continued to stare out the
window as they inched along the crowded freeway. Then, a simple billboard caught his eye. He
read it to himself. He recognized the first word: Trampoline. He knew it because although he
knew it was outrageous, that's what he dreamed he would get for his birthday. Above it he saw a
picture of a bed, and for a second wondered if some all-knowing person had made this sign. He
had often times jumped on his bed when his mother was not around. It was a lot of fun, and he
was always sure to straighten the covers so his mom wouldn't be upset. The next word was easy
as well: Drums. He smiled to see a picture of a pile of pots and pans. This billboard knew him!
The last word was simply Toy. Possibly his favorite word! Above this, he saw the picture of a
gun. He recognized the picture, it looked like the gun he had seen his mom load and place in her
night stand drawer. He hadn't meant to snoop, but he had heard the unfamiliar clicks of the
bullets sliding into place, and couldn't help but take a peek through the crack in the doorway.
At the time, Danny hadn't thought much about it. His mind was completely occupied
with the thoughts of finishing of the top of his lego building with a regal spire. But now he
wondered if the reason his mother was secretive about the gun was because it was to be a gift.
He'd seen her pull a candy bar out of the drawer once, and give it to him. She'd said the chocolate
was to be a gift in his Christmas stocking, but that he could have it as an early present.
"So that's what must be in there," Danny mumbled quietly to himself.
Gifts! Why hadn't he thought of it before? That must be where she was hiding all of his
Christmas gifts! As they pulled into their allotted parking space in front of their apartment
building, Danny's mother spoke.
"Take your backpack and things on up. I'm going to take Mrs. Winterson her Christmas
basket early since she'll be at her son's house this year."
For the two years they had lived in the California apartment, Danny's mom had made
Christmas baskets for Mrs. Winterson, Mr. Fredricks, and a few other elderly people in their
building. They didn'treally have money for it, but they managed to stretch at Christmas.
So as Danny tromped up the stairs to their apartment, his key in hand, a thought struck
him- this was the perfect time to sneak a peek in his mother's drawer!
He knew there would be little in the drawer; he never got much for Christmas, so he was
not opposed to peeking.
After unlocking the door, he kicked off his shoes, and threw down his backpack. He
knew his mother would probably be awhile at Mrs. Winterson's, so he might even have time to
play with his gift.
*** *** ***
"It's so sad, Marty, when things like this happen," said the rotund and overblown policeman to
his equally heavy partner. "I just wish there was more we could do to stop these accidental
shootings from happenin'. Seems like a rash of 'em has been breakin' out all at once. They need to
get some kind of awareness thing goin', make posters, TV commercials, make a fuss. Bet they
could even get a billboard or somethin', right here on the highway. Hmph; so sad."
LA9- P.6
December, '98
Danny Alden looked at his mother, Ellen. Ever since they had moved away from Dad she
always looked tired, stressed out, and nervous. She never told Danny jokes anymore, and he
hadn't seen her smile but a few times in the two years since they had left Ohio and moved to
California. He missed his mother because although she was there physically, she was never there
for him like he needed her anymore. She was constantly occupied with her job as the manager of
a shelter for homeless people, and the time she had left over she used to help Danny with his
school work and care for their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Winterson. Danny also spent a lot of time
with their kind neighbor. He was never allowed to be alone. He was nine years old, able to take
care of himself, and Mrs. Winterson was always there. But his mother was always afraid that
when his father left jail after his one year sentence he might try to take Danny away from her.
She never told Danny this, of course. There was no need to worry him. He had had enough fear.
But so she could feel safe when they were at home, Ellen had taken handgun lessons, and even
purchased a handgun, which she kept in the drawer of her nightstand.
"Hey Mom, can we get a dog?"
"Honey, you know Mr. Fredricks has a rule against pets."
"We could hide it under my bed."
At this, his mom shot him a fleeting sideways glance and a small, sad smile. If she could,
she would get Danny a dog. She would get him anything- after what he'd been through, she felt
he deserved whatever he wanted.
"Did you finish your homework?"
"Well...most of it."
"Having trouble with reading again?"
"Sort of. But I can do it now."
Danny had been slightly behind in his school work ever since they'd moved. He and his
mother had left in the middle of the school year, and he hadn't been enrolled until they were
settled.
He pulled his homework out of his backpack with a wrinkled nose, and slowly read the
directions. He was to read a sentence somewhere on a piece of advertising, a magazine ad,
billboard, store window, etc., and copy it down. As they drove along the busy road, Danny
considered the billboards that approached slowly, and were visible from far away. He read them
quietly out loud.
"Haa-ve youu haad you-yourr b-rr-eeaa-brreaak to-day.......A di- di-aaa-mo-mond is
forrrevvver.......Ccommme ho-me to Be-en's Baaa-bak-errryy....."
Danny decided upon "Have you had your break today?" but continued to stare out the
window as they inched along the crowded freeway. Then, a simple billboard caught his eye. He
read it to himself. He recognized the first word: Trampoline. He knew it because although he
knew it was outrageous, that's what he dreamed he would get for his birthday. Above it he saw a
picture of a bed, and for a second wondered if some all-knowing person had made this sign. He
had often times jumped on his bed when his mother was not around. It was a lot of fun, and he
was always sure to straighten the covers so his mom wouldn't be upset. The next word was easy
as well: Drums. He smiled to see a picture of a pile of pots and pans. This billboard knew him!
The last word was simply Toy. Possibly his favorite word! Above this, he saw the picture of a
gun. He recognized the picture, it looked like the gun he had seen his mom load and place in her
night stand drawer. He hadn't meant to snoop, but he had heard the unfamiliar clicks of the
bullets sliding into place, and couldn't help but take a peek through the crack in the doorway.
At the time, Danny hadn't thought much about it. His mind was completely occupied
with the thoughts of finishing of the top of his lego building with a regal spire. But now he
wondered if the reason his mother was secretive about the gun was because it was to be a gift.
He'd seen her pull a candy bar out of the drawer once, and give it to him. She'd said the chocolate
was to be a gift in his Christmas stocking, but that he could have it as an early present.
"So that's what must be in there," Danny mumbled quietly to himself.
Gifts! Why hadn't he thought of it before? That must be where she was hiding all of his
Christmas gifts! As they pulled into their allotted parking space in front of their apartment
building, Danny's mother spoke.
"Take your backpack and things on up. I'm going to take Mrs. Winterson her Christmas
basket early since she'll be at her son's house this year."
For the two years they had lived in the California apartment, Danny's mom had made
Christmas baskets for Mrs. Winterson, Mr. Fredricks, and a few other elderly people in their
building. They didn'treally have money for it, but they managed to stretch at Christmas.
So as Danny tromped up the stairs to their apartment, his key in hand, a thought struck
him- this was the perfect time to sneak a peek in his mother's drawer!
He knew there would be little in the drawer; he never got much for Christmas, so he was
not opposed to peeking.
After unlocking the door, he kicked off his shoes, and threw down his backpack. He
knew his mother would probably be awhile at Mrs. Winterson's, so he might even have time to
play with his gift.
*** *** ***
"It's so sad, Marty, when things like this happen," said the rotund and overblown policeman to
his equally heavy partner. "I just wish there was more we could do to stop these accidental
shootings from happenin'. Seems like a rash of 'em has been breakin' out all at once. They need to
get some kind of awareness thing goin', make posters, TV commercials, make a fuss. Bet they
could even get a billboard or somethin', right here on the highway. Hmph; so sad."