Grass On The Other-Side

“Come on Pops, I want to show you something,” Jimmy said excitedly.

“I’m a little busy right now, Jimmy, can’t this wait until tomorrow?”

“No, because it might all be gone by then, you have to come now, you’ll be surprised.”

“Okay well give me an hour to finish up what I’m doing and I’ll come with you.”

Jimmy sat outside on the front stoop playing with his homemade game of Jacks getting impatient wishing his father would hurry up.

His stomach was growling as he’d not had anything to eat since last night and it was only a few pieces of bread with mustard. There had been no work at the factory and Jimmy’s dad was having a hard time trying to keep a positive outlook on life but knew he had to for Jimmy’s sake. It was just the two of them living in a one room flat that they were about to be evicted from.

Jimmy was told never to cross the tracks but couldn’t remember why, he just knew not to until this morning while he was followed a dog, curious to see where he was going.

“Let’s go, Jimmy, show me what it is you’re so excited about.”

Crossing the tracks Pops said to Jimmy, “You know this is out of your boundary right?”

“I know that but you’ll be happy when we get there, I promise.”

When they came upon this lush green pasture Jimmy said, “See Pops ain’t it pretty?”

Jimmy didn’t realize it but it was all part of a farmers property and life was about to change for him and Pops.

A man on horseback came riding up to them and offered them a meal after talking with Jimmy’s dad.

The conversation at the dinner table started out light and led to discussing a job opportunity for Pops. The man not only gave Pops a job but said they could stay in the bunkhouse too.

On the walk back to their dingy old flat Pops stopped and looked behind them at his new place of employment. “Well son, I must say the grass on the other-side is truly greener.”

This was written for Crimson’s Creative Challenge #27