WRITTEN FOR THE YOUNG
JESS SPEAKS UP CAROL SOKOLOFF
“O
kay girls, give us some breakfast,” Jess sang as she bent down to enter the chicken coop. Why did she have to live on a farm, and why was it always her job to get the eggs? The chickens looked at her with anxious eyes. They know I’m here to steal their babies, Jess thought. “I don’t want to get the eggs anymore,” she declared when she returned to the warm farmhouse kitchen. “I’m feeling sorry for the chickens. How would you like it if someone stole and ate your babies?” she asked no one in particular. “Oh Jess,” her Mom replied. “We couldn’t possibly hatch all those chickens. We only keep chickens for the eggs. You like eating them as much as anyone.” “I suppose, but why am I always the one who has to collect them? Why not Brian or Lacey? I’m not doing it. I’m not doing it. I’m not doing it.” “We live on a farm, Jess,” her Mother said, mixing up a batch of muffins. “Everyone has to help. What would you rather do?” “I’d rather not live on a farm,” sulked Jess. “That’s not a decision I had any control over.” “Come on, Jess,” her Mom sighed. “Everyone is born somewhere. You were born on a farm. Think of all the good things about it.” Jess thought hard and couldn’t think of anything about the farm she liked. She had to get up early every day and do chores before school. After school there were more chores. Her Mom and Dad had always wanted a farm, and bought one just before Jess was born. But that was their dream. It wasn’t anything Jess wanted and there was nothing she could do about it. It simply wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that parents got to control things and kids were at the mercy of their decisions. Jess was ten now. She loved her
Mom and Dad and even her little brother and sister, but she was already counting the days until she could finish school and leave the farm. * “I’m going to go live in a big city. New York or Paris,” Jess told her friend Eleanor, the next day at school. “I want to be able to go sit in cafes, and see plays and go to art galleries – all the things we can’t do on the farm.” Eleanor’s eyes widened in surprise. “I think the city is scary,” said Eleanor, as she munched an egg salad sandwich at lunch. “It’s noisy and dirty and kind of dangerous.” “That’s just what I like about it,” laughed Jess. “There’s nothing to do here and no time to do it anyway. It’s not fair. Think of those kids in the city. They study ballet and go to skateparks, see movies every week and get to ride subways to the mall. What do we do? Feed the animals, day after day. There’s got to be more to life than that.” * After school that day, Jess’ Mom asked for help with the laundry. As they folded the sheets together her Mom said, “Jess, I know that you are not very happy here on the farm.” “Oh, so you figured that out,” Jess mumbled. “Dad and I thought that maybe you would like to spend some time with Aunt Flora in Vancouver. Maybe over the spring break you could stay with her and Uncle Walter. Your cousin Serena is almost your age and you two get along well. You both enjoy art and I’m told there’s a special program at the art gallery there. In the summer Serena can come and stay on the farm.” “That would be amazing,” said Jess. Her cousin Serena was everything that Jess wished she could be. She studied violin at the Conservatory and was already playing in concerts. Aunt Flora was a graphic
designer who dressed with a wonderful style and Uncle Walter worked for the newspaper. Jess often wished that she had been born into that family instead of her own, although she really did love her parents and didn’t actually want to trade them. * “I’m spending spring break in Vancouver,” Jess told Eleanor as they walked to the lunch room the next day. “That’s great, Jess. What will you do?” Eleanor asked. “I’ll stay with my cousin and her family. They’ve got this cute little townhouse right by the beach, close to the stores and cafes. We’ll do an art program right at the Vancouver Art Gallery all week. How cool is that?” “Your dreams are coming true,” said Eleanor, as they plonked themselves down at the table. Jess reflected that sometimes a person just had to ask for what they wanted. Even though you couldn’t always control every part of your life, sometimes just letting others know about your wishes could make a difference. * When Jess got home that afternoon, she gave her Mom a hug. “Don’t worry, Mom. You’ve got a lot to do. I’ll get the eggs. I bet those chickens are missing me.”
Page 9 ◆ WordWorks ◆ Winter 2015