Look At Me Now
I drove home after a long day of work at the construction site. As I opened the door to my two story house, I was attacked by two small screaming children. Four-year-old Nelly clung to my leg with her red curls bouncing every time I took a step towards the kitchen. Little James’ was asking “Mommy, can I have a chocowit chip cookie?”. “Not now Jamesy, but you can have one if you eat all of your vegitables at dinner!”. His green eyes lit up as he ran towards the toy trucks he left on the livingroom floor.
As I entered our pale blue-gray kitchen with black counters I found my three oldest kids sitting peacfully at the kitchen table doing homework with my husband Dean working at his computer. Dean stayes at home with the kids and has a part-time job while I am the main provider for our family. Once James starts school we’ll both be back at work fulltime. Dean walkes over and kisses me on the cheek “Hey Mel, how was work?”. I was about to relpy when little Annie exclaimed “ Mommy, what letters make the shhh sound?”. “S and H, honey” , with that she quickly wrote them down.
I turned to my husband and replied “It’s been buisy, Mr.Ralferson retired today.” , as we both set to work as we made dinner for five hungry mouths. Twelve-year-old Jenny and ten-year-old Nick helped me set the table as the rest of their sibblings ran away trying to avoid the task. As I called “ Dinner’s ready!” they all came bouncing back.
After dinner Jenny, Nick and Annie finnished their homework and once I put the little ones to bed I sat on the sofa thinking. How did I go from being a lonely little girl to having an incredible family and having my dream job. I lay back and closed my eyes as I remember my past.
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“Melanie Elizabeth Nickles, hurry up or you’ll be late for school!” my Mother hollered as I quickly raced down the stairs with my curly red hair tied back in two braids. “Ugh, I look like Pippy Longstocking!” I thought to myself. Today was the day that I’d been dreading for years; my first day of kindergarden. I rushed into the car, squeezing between my two older brothers. Before I knew it I was sitting at a tiny gum filled desk on an uncomfortable yellow chair. I hate yellow.
“Mr.Welshed, my name is Mr.Welshed” a grumpy old man with wrinkly skin said. He’ll be my teacher for the rest of the year. Yipee. One by one he walked around the class, asking what our names are and what we want to be when we grow up. I heard my classmates say all sorts of things “Jane Amy Baker. I want to be a mommy!”or ”Joe-John Jack Jameson-Jules. I’m going to be a layer. This went on and on until he reached me. “M…M…Melanie E…E…Elizabeth N…N…Nickles. I w…w…want to b…b…be a c…c…construction w…w…worker” I stuttered. Mr.Welshed looked down at me and laughed, “you can’t be a construction worker, you’re a girl!” Soon all the kids were laughing at me, taunting “Only boys can do construction work!”. My dreams were crushed as I ran home from school that day with tears streaking my face. From that day on I worked as hard as I could on my school work, I was determined to be a contruction worker. But sadly the taunts and the name calling stayed.
I soon learned that this was only going to get harder. My only real friend is Dean Tuner. As I grew older he always stayed by my side and I gre to like him for more than just a friend. Once I reached University to go into the construction program he was the only one I had left. My brothers both laughed at me, saying “You’re never going to graduate, you’re a girl!”. My mother says ” Melanie, you’re making a mistake. Why should you go to University when you can get married, settle down and have a family?” My own father won’t even talk to me, I’ve never been good enough for him.
In 1995 I graduated from University and Dean proposed to me. We got married in the September of 1998, Jessie was born the summer of 2000 and Nick was born two years later. By the year 2012 I have an amazing family and I’m the C.E.O of the construction company Loads of Bricks.
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I smiled as I opened my eyes. If only Mr.Welshed could see me now.
