Ray’s.
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Boots can wait: $40
I turned to the next one.
Brought lunch all week: $25.
Then another.
Truck service next month: $60.
I looked up.
“What is this?”
Ray suddenly looked embarrassed.
“Nothing.”
“You wrote on all of them?”
“I was keeping track.”
“Of what?”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“I don’t know. Just wanted you to see someday that even when it wasn’t much, we were still getting somewhere.”
I pulled out another statement.
Sorry, kid. Tight month: $15.
Then another made me stop.
Danny needed new glasses. I’ll make it up next month: $0.
The following month.
Doubled up this month: $80.
“You didn’t have to do this.”
“Yeah.”
“Then why did you?”
He shrugged.
“College isn’t cheap.”
That wasn’t really an answer.
Before I could say anything else, Mom called from downstairs.
“Birthday breakfast!”
Ray left immediately.
I remained on my bed with the box.
