The Soda Bottle Kid

                          The last days of school

The gloomy rain of May seemed to make the last few weeks of school
drag even worse for Rodney. Staring out the window of math class and
thinking of summer, his friends and how he would get the gang together.
Ten minutes until the bell, and then the long ride to his house. Ton and Tank
were making faces at him, the fattest twins in the 7 grade ever, Rod thought.
They were good enough guys, and he thought maybe they would join the gang
this summer.
   BBBRRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGG. Schools out!
The bike seat was wet and Rodney wiped it with his sleeve.
He rode, dodging rain drops, past the feed store, over the bridge,
and then the long mile of gravel home. He went past the dumpy house
where Lenny the Hippy lived. Lenny was out in the the yard, Rodney
waved but, Lenny didn't see him. He passed old man Walts' place.
He was welding machinery in the shop, the blue spark made him
see spots for a bit. He liked the old farmer. He would let him ride on the tractor
or in the combine during harvest.
    He turned his bike into his driveway, there was Clipper lying in the yard,
waiting for him. " Come on boy let's see if there's something to eat",
Mom or Ed wouldn't be home until 6 o'clock. Long enough to down an apple
with peanut butter and some milk. Clipper liked peanut butter,
Rodney let him lick a whole spoonful, and laughed
when it stuck to the roof of his mouth. "Mom would kill us, if she saw us pigs,"
Rodney said."Let's go to the club house, Clipper". 
The club house was the worlds greatest, an old barn that
nobody used anymore. Rodney had converted the grainary part
into his personal corporate headquarters.
Along one wall and old sofa and chair, on the other a desk and chair.
A single naked bulb that still worked, would light the room after dark.
The other room was a huge oats bin.
  Rodney would usually stay outside until he had to go in.
Talking to the dog, or himself about his plans for the gang that summer.
He went to the house for supper, he would get the usual small talk, how was school,
what did you do, was it raining on your way home?
He would answer with as few words as possible.
Not that he didn't want to talk to his mom, it was
Ed that made him feel small. Edwin Foremann
had married his mom a few years ago, and ever since
 Rodney knew where he stood. He was no
longer top dog in the house. He had pretty much lost his
special time with his mom, and had to make up his own fun, his own way.
After dinner he would watch tv, or head to his room upstairs of the old farm house.
He crossed off another school day on his Coop callender, 12 more days left.
Then he could start his plan for the summer. Rodney had figured out that the whole gang
working together, they all could get new bikes by the end of summer.

     His room faced east, and got the morning suns first light.
This was good because he would be out early looking for bottles, on his way to school.

Note: I thought maybe the boy should have story, tune in for more.