12 MATT SPROUTS AND THE DAY NORA ATE THE SUN Dad always talks about how Elliott and I need to learn the value of hard work He tells stories all the time about when he was our age working long hours in the sun bailing bailing hay or tending to his never ending newspaper route Still I wanted to push back to see how much I could get with away What does honest work mean anyways I asked It means a job you are proud of and one that contributes contributes to society he said Think of it as an entry point into the larger picture of what's important A life skill Building some Don't say it Dad Please I interrupted I knew where this lecture was going It was going to end with the same word that every lecture always ended on Character Dad laughed Building character Noo I moaned and put my head under the pillow on the couch How come my friends like Henry and John got to spend all summer at cool outdoor camp doing things like swimming archery and roasting marshmallows while I had to work on building character Where was the fun in that Dad squatted down next to me and pushed his face into my new fort You knew this was coming buddy C'mon now I actually have some ideas if you'd like to hear em Wait I blurted One of them isn't the Klinkles is it Mrs. Klinkle or as my friends and I prefer to call her The Old Grape Lady was part of the Curse last summer I
UNDERWEAR 13 had to work for her and her husband by picking up rocks in their yard even when I had a broken toe Not only that but she was my substitute teacher and always seemed to know exactly what was going on in my life And I don't know how or why she did it but she ended up giving me a clue to solve the Curse We still hadn't talked after that and even though I owed her a thank-you the thought of working for her again gave me the creeps Not the Klinkles house I shouted Please anything but that Actually I have something different in mind Dad said You've got some options He pulled out a list from his pocket and handed it to me Dad there is only one thing on the list I laughed Why did you even write it down For dramatic effect he joined Well what do you think I looked back down at the list to see my one and only option In Dad's handwriting it read GLICO INDUSTRIAL PLANT POSITION LAWN CARE
14 MATT SPROUTS AND THE DAY NORA ATE THE SUN what GLICO was Dad's shop I wish I could explain exactly goes on there but I can't All I can tell you is that there are a lot of machines a lot of metal and a lot of messes to clean up And all I knew about the outside of the shop is that there was a field so large it made our yard look like a little kid's playpen What do you think Matt Dad asked but his smirk was gone and replaced with something else This look was different Pride maybe Hope Whatever it was it made me feel like there was only one answer to give Sure Dad Why not I can mow some lawns I'll give it a shot Great I think you are really going to enjoy it there Dad said He had an excited smile on his face like this is what he was hoping for and continued with the details We are going to start tomorrow But don't worry You'll still get some summer I'll plan to take you to work with me at 5:00 a.m. and then Mom will pick you up at 10:00 a.m. each day It will be so great to have you in the car with me Matt Just you and me driving to work and Did you say 5:00 a.m. on a Saturday Like the morning 5:00 a.m Does that time even exist I moaned I don't think my body will know what to do Oh stop it Mr. Dramatic You will be fine Dad said as he stood up You'll get used to it Plus you'll want to get the work done before it gets too hot outside Just then Elliott emerged from the kitchen He was
UNDERWEAR 15 going into fourth grade but his goofy lopsided haircut made him look like he just got out of kindergarten From the look on his face he'd heard it all Have fun getting up SUPER early Matt he laughed I am going to enjoy sleeping in every single day He then ran away high pitch screaming I would have chased him but he was only in his underwear underwear Why I have no idea Dad does Elliott get to build character this summer too or does he just get to run around half naked all day Oh don't you worry about him Dad laughed as Elliott's scream faded He's going to be helping Mom out at her dance studio occasionally Scrubbing toilets and dusting cabinets That made me feel a little better at least Dad went outside to start some yard work which left me all alone on the couch again This was it My last relaxing morning before 5:00 a.m. hit tomorrow and I would need all the rest I could get for what was in store the next day Now that I'm reflecting on it I wonder what Nora was doing at this exact moment Probably something annoying She is always doing something annoying And you know what else I bet she knew I was going to meet her soon Somehow someway she always knows And that's the thing you'll soon learn about Nora No matter what is happening Nora is always one step ahead
