J.R.V.A.

It was off to idaho again for us,every summer we had the barrus family renuion up in blackfoot. We would all climb in the car and off we'd go,i dont ever remember a summer we didnt make it. Thoughts of grandma barrus in her little pink house across from the church made the four hour drive seem like it took forever. I couldnt wait to get there and run up to her and see her wonderful smile.She always gave all of us a hug and then she would give us a cookie. She always remembered everyones name,I dont know how she did it,she had so many grandkids and great grandkids. Whenever i think of the renuions,The thing I remember most is how she made me feel. She would always take the time to make me feel like i was the most important person there.I sure loved my grandma lots.
Part 2
Every year on our way up to the renuion,We would stop in Tremonton at the cross roads for gas. I could never figure out why we did'nt put enough gas in the car to make it all the way,but i did'nt mind. It usally meant we got a treat when we stopped,Especially when mom went in with us to use the restroom.
Well this time when we stopped,there was a car by the road with its hood up. i did'nt pay much attention to it,i was to busy hoping for some candy.Dad pulled up and said,you kids better use the bathroom now if you need to,because we're not stopping again.
Well of course we all wanted to go,from Robert all the way down to Ricky jon. Mom just smiled and said Robert,will you go with the boys and I'll take Susan.When we were done,mom bought us all a candy bar.I thought i would save mine for a little while to eat while we were driving.Loyal and Lonny had already eaten their's before we got out of the store.Chester and Alan's were almost gone. Susan was saving hers ,and mom had Uel and Ricky jons.We were a pretty happy bunch. When we came out,Dad was over talking to the man with the hood up on his car.
Part 3
Mom told us to get in the car,but robert started walking towards dad,and i followed. We figured if there was any trouble we were the two oldest and we could help. When we got closer, we saw that there was a lady in the car,and a boy and a girl. The lady was crying, and the guy looked upset.We stood there listening to dad talking to the guy and i knew it wasnt good. I heard dad say we could give them a ride to Salt Lake,and i knew we were going the other way. I walked over to the back of the car where the kids were and they looked like they were sad, but when they saw my candy bar their eyes lit up. Now i know,we were supposed to share,but i did'nt even know these kids. Then the little girl smiled at me and it was all over. I said to them,would you like to have this? They both nodded there heads so fast,it was like they had never had a candy bar before. I thought to myself,thiis is just great,not only ae we going to have to turn around and take these guys back to salt lake,but now my candys gone too.Well i handed it to the girl,and then she did something i did'nt expect. she broke it in three pieces and gave me one. We just sat and ate our candy,and i cant remember ever having a candy bar that tasted that good.
Part 4
After we pushed the car behind the filling station,we loaded all four of them people in our already over crowded suburban.Dad introuduced us to the Millers like he had known them all his life.There was Mike and Sally,the mom and dad, And Matthew and Mindy. Mindy sat by me on the way to salt lake.Then he told us how they were from Montana, and Mr. Miller had lost his job. They were coming to Salt Lake looking for work.That did'nt help the fact that these guys were making it take four hours longer for me to get to see my grandma. Then mindy looked over and smiled and i thought i could wait,I get to see Grandma every year. We dropped off The Millers at the shelter and said goodbye,then Mindy gave me a hug and kissed me on the cheek. Lonny and Alan started to laugh at me,So i turned and scowled at them. They quit,they knew they would have a long ride in front of them if they kept laughing.
Part 5
After we were back on the road,I asked dad why Mr. and Mrs. miller made Mindy and Matthew wear clothes with holes in them.
He looked at me with a bit of a troubled look and said, Do you think they do that on purpose? I hadnt really thought about it,I just thought if they wanted clothes with no holes,They would just go buy some.He said Mr. miller would love to have new clothes for his kids,But they have no money. The twenty two dollars the filling station guy gave them for there car,And about thirteen dollars more,Is all they have to there name. I did some quick adding and i thought to my self, Thats a lot of money. Just think of all the candy you could buy with that. Then Dad said thats not much money to try and feed a family.There good people,just down on there luck right now.I decided to try and sleep for a while,but all i could think of was Mindy and that kiss.
Part 6
Chester woke me up by pushing me and hollering were here were here. I looked up and saw the little metal bridge that we drove across right before we got to grandmas house.I rubbed my eyes and realized I had slept all the way,even through crossroads. I wondered if any one got any candy.I wondered how the Millers were doing,and i wondered about mindy. Then we pulled up in front of grandmas house and we all piled out.I was the first one to the door,I even beat robert cause he had to carry something.I went in and gave grandma a big hug,then went to her toy room to see who was there. A bunch of my cousins were there ,so i sat down and played with them.We played for a while and then mom told us to get our sleeping bags ready so we could camp out on grandmas lawn.Then we had chicken for dinner, and we sat up and told stories before we went to sleep.Uncle Rulon started telling a story,and thats the last thing i remember from that nite.
Part 7
We all got up and put our sleeping bags away, And I could smell the pancakes uncle Jon and uncle Dean were cooking. I went and got me a plate and stood by the table in line. Boy did we have a lot of people in our family,and it seemed like i was behind all of them.
When i finally got my food,I went and sat by Wendy and Tauna, they were two i the funnest girls i knew,except for Mindy i thought.
I wondered if she was eating right now,and if her dad had enough money to feed them.When we got done eating,we just played and played, we knew that after lunch we were going to the church for a talent and show and tell time. I couldnt wait. Every year we all got to get up on stage and either show everyone some trick we had learned,or show them something we had or tell a little story.I knew just what i was going to do this year.Me and chester had already planned it out.
Part 8 We had a big pot luck lunch and then it was time.There must have been at least two hundred people there.our plan was going to work out well.We all got together and people started doing there tricks,cousin Mike got up and showed us his yo-yo, aunt Ida got up and told us about her trip to California and uncle Melvin told us about his new car. This was all good,but i just couldnt wait to get up there.Then it was our turn. Me and chester got up and walked up to the stage. We had gotten a big piece of poster board from grandma and we had drawn on it.I had chester turn it around and i started talking. I told them up in this corner is the state of Montana. Here is the road thru Idaho,and here is The crossroads. This is a car that doesnt run anymore. Here is the road into Utah,and here is a building where they let people stay that dont have much money to feed there kids.These people are the Millers,and they dont like to make there kids wear holey clothes,but the dad isnt working.
I turned around and some people were crying,and i didnt know why,i guess i would hear the sad story later.Then Chester put down the posterboard and i said,Me and chester thought if everyone here could give us a dollar,we could give it to Mr. Miller and he could buy some clothes for his kids.I looked and most people seemed to be noding there heads,so me and chester grabbed a couple of sacks and started passing them around.Then we went down to sit,and it was aunt Margrets turn on the stage.
Part 9
Mom came over and hugged us and said,Im proud of you boys,that was a very nice thing you did. You know we collected over three hundred dollars for the Millers. I could'nt belive it,i thought some people must have put in a litle more than a dollar each. We finished the show and everyone started cleaning up, and some of the aunts started coming over and hugging me and chester.Then when one of them kissed chester on the lips,I was outta there.
Part 10
The next morning we got everything loaded,and we said goodbye to everyone,and grandma gave me 2 kisses before we left,that was the first time she had ever done that. We started driving home,and i couldnt wait to find the millers and give them the money so they could get new pants.I started thinking about Mindy ,and i drifted off to sleep.
Part 11
When we got home,we had to unload,and then dad said do you boys want to go to find the millers with me? We said yes, and off we went.When we got to the place,,we went in and as ked if the millers were here. The guy said yes, he would get them.Mr. miller came out by himself and dad asked him if he would get his stuff and his family and come over for dinner and stay the night. He said tehy were looking for workers were he worked and he could ride in with him in the morning if he liked.Dad said i also need to talk to you about something else. They walked off ,and when Mr. miller came back,he was smiling. He went in the back and got his family and there stuff and we loaded everything in the suburban.Mindy got to sit by me.When we got home,mr. miller and dad walked down the street a ways while we unloaded the car. everyone helped.When we got done,dad and Mr. Miller were coming back. They said,boys,You know with that money we got,the millers are going to be able to move in down the street.You guys will be able to walk to school together.I thought that sounded really good.
Part 12
Well the Millers moved in,and Mindy and Matthew got new pants,and Mr. Miller got a job with dad. I think im the one that got the best of the deal though,I got to walk to school with Mindy every day, and Every day after school when we would stop by her gate,she would give me a kiss goodbye.
The End

__________________
And as she plays,
her sweet song of laughter
floats through the air
and warms my heart