"Hey, Kay."
"Hello. How are you?"
"Tired, you?"
"Totally exhausted and stressed out."
"About what?
"Mostly school."
"Which college do you go to? Hey, you there?"
"How old do you think I am?"
"20 or so. Why?"
"Try taking 4 years from that."
"YOU’RE 16!!!"
"Well, 17 in Feb."
"But you don’t sound like any 16 year old I know. Man, you sound like your right in college or something."
"This doesn’t affect us in anyway does it?"
"No! Of course not. I’m just a bit shocked that’s all. I mean, you look older than your age."
"I think that’s a compliment now. But in a few years, that would be an insult, you know."
"Yeah. Hey I’ve been meaning to ask you something."
"What’s that?"
"How come you have the internet, but not a phone?"
"I don’t even know the answer to that. My parents didn’t want a phone, but when they saw that I was spending a lot of time at the library on the internet, they decided to open up a phone line so I could go on the net at home instead of going to the library."
"You have a set of very weird parents."
"Tell me something I didn’t know."
"You doing anything over the summer?"
"Nothing much, but it is a few months away. I’ve way ahead of everyone in school and don’t need any extra classes. I’m probably going to look for summer job."
"What kind of job do you want to do?"
"Just anything that will keep me busy and away from home."
"Are you interested in working as a stage hand or something? You get to travel all over the country for basically the rest of the summer."
"Of course, I would. I’ve been wanting to see the rest of the country. But where the hell would I find a job like that?"
"Well, I’ve got some connections and they’re wondering if I knew anyone who would want to do it."
"The only problem would be my parents. They’re kind of very protective and stuff like that."
"Just ask them first. If they say ok, just tell me and I’ll get you all the information."
"Thanks, AJ. You’ve probably made me look more forward to my summer."
“But Mom! It would give me such a great chance at seeing the rest of the country. Plus, I’ll be working most of the time so I’ll be earning my keep and a little more.”
“I understand that, but you’re only 16 years old and a girl. I know that there will be guys there, and you know how boys are,” her mother, Lanie, said.
“We don’t know these people,” Tony, her father, said.
“But come on. You guys never let me do anything I want to do. Everything I do, school, piano, etc. is all for you guys because you wanted those things to make you happy or feeling important. I honestly don’t want to do those things, but I feel that I have to because I’m your daughter and it’s my responsibility to make you happy. So can I do this just once so I can be happy for myself? If you want to, you can even talk to these people on the phone, which we don’t have, to make sure I’m not lying to you.”
“I know you well enough that you wouldn’t lie to me,” Tony said, “and I know you’re the most responsible in the family. You have a strong sense of what is right and wrong. So, I’ll say you can go.”
“But you…”
“I know you’re concern for her, but you have to let her go sometime. She has to face reality,” he said to Lanie, who grudgingly agreed.
“Mom, I’ve packed enough clothes. I’m not going to need that dress. All I need are my pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, underwear, and my toiletries. There are washing machines on the road, so I don’t need an outfit every single day.”
“You have to presentable at all times.”
“But I don’t care about that kind of thing. I could care less about my clothes.”
“Still you should have something for a special occasion, you never know what is going to pop up.”
“If it makes you happy, go ahead, but that’s all I’m letting you put in there. I have enough shoes. Boots, tennis, and my pumps to match the dress, okay?”
“Bye mom, dad, Yee. My ride is here,” Kay said as she grabbed a hold of her huge Fila bag and backpack.
“Remember to call us once a week or I’ll come and find you and drag you back here,” Lanie said.
“Yes, I know mom. I have to go now,” without even a hug or a kiss, Kay left her family standing on the door step as a taxi picked her up. 10 minutes into the ride, she rolled down the window and put her head out of the window. “I’m free! Finally!