Paul (standard:other, 2047 words)
Author: Anastasia	Added: Jul 15 2005	Views/Reads: 3338/2122	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This is about a boy Paul, who descovers many friends in the world around him, but his father whom comes back for a a day or so remains a stranger.

Paul was putting away his tea cup when Maurie came in the kitchen. He
pretends to start washing the dishes, but there is no pretending. Paul 
always does the dishes and the floors and the carpets. Paul never 
pretends, that is the one thing this fourteen year-old does not do. 
Instead, he believes. He believes that his work will pay off, meaning 
his chores and that people would stop pushing him around. Paul's 
patient with everyone and with the world around him. He works at a 
small bakery where Mrs. Launda, the owner raises him. Paul got the job 
when all, but one person in his family became his biggest strangers. 
First his father left unexpectedly, second his house burnt down. The 
neighborhood wasn't the greatest place to live, but Paul and his family 
didn't mind, but that changed when they lost everything to a mysterious 
fire. He didn't miss it, he put all his belongings in a big metal box 
and the box survived the fire. Three years later and Paul has not heard 
a word from his father and he and his family are living in a tiny house 
that will fall apart any day. Paul doesn't mind because he has his box 
where all his creations and the greatest words ever said are placed and 
he is still doing the chores, but unlike other kids he does them 
happily because he has dreams. 

“I'm sorry, but did I ever say that you can use my eraser?” angrily
asked the eighteen year old Maurie. 

“But, mine is all done. I had to use it for my illustrations,” said
Paul. 

“I don't care, what am I suppose to use? Besides go water the plants.
Mom's sick again.” said Maurie. 

Paul goes and does what he is told. As always he can't say anything back
so he waters his moms beloved plants. After all it isn't a big deal, 
when he is done he can go off to work and learn from Mrs. Launda, whom 
loves the boy as he were her own son. 

Later as Paul goes to the bakery, he steps on to a five dollar bill.
First he looks at it and then picks it up, he looks around to see if 
anybody has dropped it, but only sees a woman walk by. Wow I could buy 
new color pencils, a notebook and then an ice-cream. Wow, Paul thinks 
to himself. Again he looks around, but sees nobody, then pleased with 
his find, he walks toward the bakery. 

“Mrs. Launda, look what I found on the street,” yells Paul as he enters
the bakery. 

“Will you keep you voice down?” said the mid fifty year old woman. 

“Now what is it?” asked Mrs. Launda as she is walking towards Paul from
the counter. She takes the money, looks at it and faces the excited 
boy. 

“Paul, did you come to find it or did you purposely take it from
someplace?” she asked. 

“Oh Mrs. Launda, why would I ever take someone's money? I looked around,
but saw no one! I can keep it can't I?” asked Paul excitedly. 

“Paul, darling would you like it if you lost this money?” asked Mrs.
Launda and Paul shook his head. “No I didn't think so. Now I want you 
to go back and ask around and see if anybody had lost the money,” she 
said. 

Paul walks back out of the store without arguing with his boss. Unlike
other kids his age, Paul is patient and he can take things even when 
they seem unfair. Once he got in trouble with his mom when his little 
sister stole her fountain pen. Paul denied stealing it when his mother 
confronted him, but being the only boy in the broken family, he was not 
trusted. He was considered the man of the family when the father became 
an alcoholic and left his four children and a wife. Only to his seven 
year old sister Daviny, Paul is a big brother. She likes to help him 
with his chores sometimes and he is deeply thankful to have a friend in 
the family since his older sisters are selfish and mad at everything. 
His mom has been depressed ever since the burnt down house and her 
husbands disappearance. That is why he has to do all the chores around 
the house. 



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