Dreams

Andy stared into the shop window at the shiny red bike. Oh, how he dreamed of buying it and riding away down the road into the morning sun!

"Twenty-four hundred dollars!" He groaned. "How am I ever supposed to get that much money?"

"You gotta work for it, sonny," a man's voice said behind him.

Andy turned around to see Mr Brown, the president of the local bank.

"What can I do?"

"Look around your neighborhood and see if there are any needs you can meet. It's the basics of economic structure: you provide a valuable service to others, and they'll pay you what you're worth. If you put yourself to it, you'll make that money in no time at all."

"Really, you think so?"

"Yep. Better get started. Remember, look for unmet needs in the community and see what matches your skill set." Mr Brown smiled and waved as he headed off to work.

Might as well do what he suggested and take a walk around the block. Andy strolled along the sidewalk, looking for potential work opportunities. He saw an old lady struggling to carry groceries from her car to the front door.

"Can I help you with that, Ma'am?"

"Why certainly, young man."

When he was done, she handed him a twenty-dollar bill with a word of gratitude. It wasn't much, but it sparked his imagination.

There are so many elderly people around my neighborhood. I can run errands for them and help them around the house. Do yard work, maybe even a little bit of wall painting or something. I'll charge low rates for good work, and that'll be my summer job!

Andy's summer went by in a blur of activity:

"Are you the boy who mowed Sandy's yard? I need you to come to my mom's house and tidy up her garden. She sprained her ankle, and the weeds are a foot tall."

"I heard you're going to fetch people's groceries for them, young man. Can you please buy me a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk?"

"Would it be possible for you to come over and change a lightbulb? I'm terrified I'll fall off the ladder!"

And so it went. Every day Andy walked past the storefront to make sure the red bike was still there. If the shop had a layaway program I'd keep it safe. But I might not make enough money by the time I had to pay for it…

***
It was the day before school started. Andy had officially closed down his business the week prior. He spent the morning counting up his earnings and balancing his account.

"Only twenty-three hundred!" He moaned, leaning his head on the table. "I worked so hard, and I'm a hundred bucks short!"

Backpack over his shoulder, Andy paused to stare at the shiny red bike one last time as he headed to school.

"Didn't you make enough money, sonny?" It was Mr Brown again.

"No, sir. I'm short a hundred."

"Well now, that's not such a distressing amount." Mr Brown smiled. "Seeing how hard you worked this summer, I would be willing to arrange a loan to make up the remainder. Consider that bike an investment in your future—imagine all the more work you can get done if you had it."

"Wow, that's awesome! I can't wait. Thank you so much, Mr Brown."

Andy learned the value of working for his dreams that summer.

Word count: 578.