Ring of Dreams

The Man by the Trash Cans

Jane closed the door quietly behind her, glancing down the hall to see if anyone else was home. She heard some dishes rattling in the kitchen and she sighed. Mom.

"I'm hoooome," Jane called. "Just going upstairs to do some homework."

"Put your bag away and come back down," Mom replied. "I have some chores for you before you disappear into your room."

"Okay," she said unenthusiastically. Heading up, she took the carpeted stairs two at a time, more out of boredom than any desire for speed. She closed the bedroom door behind herself and leaned against it with relief. One more day. She tossed her bag on the floor and flopped down on the bed, enjoying the gentle bounce as she stared up at the ceiling. It was almost covered with drawings and watercolors she had done - mostly of fantastic creatures, although here and there a dramatic landscape made an appearance. Snowcapped mountains, rocky cliffs by the sea, stands of tall trees filtering sunlight through their branches, that sort of thing. Not that she'd ever seen any of them closer than on a computer screen.

She snorted a little, remembering their one family vacation to Florida. She'd been so excited to see the ocean, but it had been such a letdown. The flat dirty sand, the murky green-brown water, the squat city skyline that had completely surrounded it, not to mention the press of the noisy crowd...she had expected something better. There's more out there than the suburbs and a tourist beach, she told herself, and someday I'm going to see it.

"Jane?" Mom's voice floated up the stairs, edged with irritation.

"Coming," she called, dragging herself to her feet again. On the way she passed her brother's room, and she frowned. It sounded like Matt and his friend Ryan were making fart noises with his trumpet, laughing. Jane rolled her eyes. Matt might be two years older than her, but some days she would swear he was three younger. He acted twelve, anyway.

Her mother didn't even turn around to begin issuing orders when she entered the kitchen. "Okay, Jane. I need you to wash the pots and pans that won't fit in the dishwasher, then fold a load of laundry. Also, it's your week for the downstairs bathroom, so make sure it's clean before you finish up."

"How come Matt doesn't have to help?" she complained. "He's just goofing around in his room with Ryan."

Then Mom did turn around, frowning. "Your brother is practicing his brass duet for the band contest this weekend. You know it's his last year, and he needs to place well if he wants to get that scholarship to State."

Jane knew better than to talk back when Mom got off on the subject of College and Scholarships, so she went to the sink and ran the water until it got hot, still fuming. It took her a good half hour to scrub all the pots, and another to fold all of the laundry in the dryer and put it away. When she took Matt's laundry up to his room they had switched to Ryan's trombone and were taking turns doing their best 'sad clown' noises. Jane threw the stack of clothes at Matt's head and had the satisfaction of hearing him make a 'surprised elephant' noise instead.

Cleaning the bathroom was next - Jane's least favorite chore. How did so much pee end up on the floor behind the toilet, anyway? She was convinced it was all Matt's fault, but her suggestion that he be put on permanent toilet cleaning duty had been met with indifference and a reminder that, as a Senior, he needed to focus on his schoolwork now more than ever...like that was going to help him.

Yet another half-hour later, Jane was pulling the bag out of the bathroom trash can and carrying it to the can outside, ready to finally get to her room and get started on her homework. She hadn't been lying, she had an English exercise due the next day, as well as a research paper for World History - those two assignments alone would take two or three hours. The sun sat low in the sky, turning the light orange, and Jane thought glumly - there goes another day. I just wish that for once I could have an adventure.