The bad day

“Dave! Dave! Wake up! It’s late! If you don’t get up now, you will be late for school.”
Dave rolled over and groaned, “Oh, mother” he said, “Didn’t the alarm go off again?” That was the second time this week.
“We’ll have to get it fixed,” his mother said. “But don’t worry about that now. I’ll wake Susan and have breakfast ready in ten minutes.”

Dave swung himself out of bed and dressed quickly. Then after gulping down his breakfast, he dashed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. But Susan had beat him to it.

“Come on, Susan,” he hammered on the door. “You know I am late again. Don’t stand there looking at yourself all day in the mirror.”

“Okay, okay. Just a minute!” At last Susan opened the door, hairbrush in hand and her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders. Dave pushed past her and grabbed his toothbrush. In a few minutes he was ready. If he ran he might just make the bus. He kissed his mother, scooped up his schoolbooks and raced out of the door.

The school bus was already coming down the hill. He kept running. The bus roared past him in a cloud of dust up to the bus stop where a group of students were standing. Dave had almost reached the bus as the last student climbed aboard. He heard the doors close and his heart sank. But the other children had seen him and the doors opened again. Dave staggered aboard and the driver glared at him.

“That’s the second time this week I’ve had to wait for you,” he growled. Dave was embarrassed, “Sorry,” he managed to say. He sank down in the nearest empty seat. Thankfully he had 20 minutes now to catch his breath and gather his thoughts for the day. It was Friday; that meant a math test. Mrs.

Harman had said so yesterday. Dave wasn’t ready for it either. He knew he shouldn’t have watched that TV program last night, but it was so good, he couldn’t bear to miss it. Well, maybe he could make up for a little lost time now. He still had a few minutes to look through his math book.

His math book! Where was it? Dave went through the books on his knee in disbelief. He was sure he’d brought it home. Then he remembered. He’d taken it upstairs to bed with him, thinking that if he woke early enough he could study before getting up. Dave stared miserably out of the window. What a day this was going to be. The math test was awful. Dave knew he’d done poorly and he’d only himself to blame. He shrank down in his seat as the papers were collected, vowing never to neglect studying for a test again.

But the worst wasn’t over yet, for Mrs. Harman had other work for the class to do, and Dave didn’t have his textbook. It was no surprise when Mrs. Harman said he would have to make up the work at home.

By lunchtime, however, Dave was feeling much happier, as he lined up in the cafeteria for his food. “Lasagne for lunch,” was the word passed down the line. Things were turning out better, thought Dave. Lasagne was his favourite school lunch.

When his turn came he picked up his tray and moved along the line as the kitchen helpers placed food on it. Wow! He was lucky. He got a large helping. Mmm! It all smelled so good he could hardly wait to eat it. He swung around from the line to go to his seat. Too late, he saw Mrs. Harman striding towards him. Crash! Food, dishes, and tray went flying. Dave’s plate of delicious lasagne landed upside down on Mrs. Harrnan’s foot!

Dave froze. The noisy clatter arid chatter in the cafeteria stopped, and it seemed to Dave that every eye in the room was on him. Then the air was filled with comments around him.

“Look out clumsy!”
“What a mess!”
“Boy are you in trouble!” Some of the students behind him in the line giggled.

Dave tried to apologize. He felt his face flush scarlet. Even the fact that Mrs. Harman didn’t blame him entirely – she had been in a hurry, she said – Didn’t make him feel much better. Somehow, between them they cleaned up the mess.

At last Dave sat down with another tray of food, listening to the teasing from his classmates.
“Just because you got in trouble for not having your math book, doesn’t mean you have to throw your lunch at her,” snickered Bob Jones.

Dave growled, “Shut up” and ate his lunch. But he had lost his appetite. The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully, and Dave breathed a sigh of relief as the end-of-school bell ran. As soon as he got home, he dumped his books on the kitchen table. Thank goodness it was Friday!

He could hear his sister in the living room.
“Mom will be home in an hour,” she called. “She’s gone to the store.”
Dave grunted in reply.

He went out into the backyard. The hot wind stirred the thick-leaved maple tree. Dave went over to it and sat down in its shade, propping himself against the firm trunk.
What a day this had been! Why did everything go wrong for him? Seems like I’m no good at anything, he thought. I’m clumsy, forgetful, and always in trouble. I’m no use to anyone.

He hunched up his knees and glared into space.
“Hey, Dave!” It was Jordan Smith from across the street, appearing around the corner of his house. His large brown eyes peered out from under a green hat. Jordan was only 8 years old, but Dave talked to him once in awhile because he felt sorry for him.

All the other kids on the block were several years older than Jordan, and they never had time for him.
“The chain came off my bike. Could you help me fix it?”
Dave stirred lazily, and replied, “Sure. Bring it over. I’ll do it.”

“It’s here in the driveway. I brought it over already because I knew you’d fix it. I asked Ryan, Carl, and Greg too. But they never do anything for me.”
It took Dave only a few minutes to fix the bike. Jordan was overjoyed.

“Thanks, Dave! You’re the best friend I have!”
“Glad to do it,” Dave
grinned and pulled the peak of Jordan’s hat down over his eyes.
Dave thrust his hands into his pockets and sauntered around into the back yard again. Well, maybe he was good for something after all. Then he noticed the brown marks on the lawn. It was burning up under the hot dry wind and sun of the last few days. He unwound the hose and set up the sprinkler.

It felt good to be doing something useful. He turned the water on and set the timer for thirty minutes. In thirty minutes this stretch of the back lawn would be nicely soaked. Then he’d have to move the sprinkler to another stretch.

Just then Dave heard the family car pull into the driveway.
“Oh Dave!” mom exclaimed as she came into the back yard. “I’m so glad you’re home. I have a large sack of salt for the water softener in the trunk, and I can’t lift it by myself. Could you help me?”

“Sure, mom,” Dave said. It was a large sack and heavy too, but Dave figured he could manage it.
“It’s okay, mom,” he said, “You don’t have to help.” He heaved the heavy sack upright. Then grasping it firmly around the middle he lifted it into the garage. “Thanks, Dave,” mother said with a sigh of relief. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Dave brushed himself off. The praise felt good after such a bad day. Mom had not noticed the sprinklers yet. He knew she’d be pleased about that too. This was turning out to be a better day after all. Just then morn paused, as she was about to enter the house. She looked back at Dave. “You’ll be happy to know I bought a new alarm clock while I was out,” she said with a smile. Dave grinned. Things were definitely improving. “Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:34.

Lord, when everything goes wrong, help me not to give up. Give me strength to keep going. Thank you for each new day when I can make a new start.