Oh Dear

Oh Dear

As sixteen-year-old Jan walked down the hall, she glanced into her younger brother’s room. It looked like a tornado had hit. “Teddy,” she said, “you really need to clean your room too!”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“I’m not telling you what to do, I’m telling you what you should do," she responded.

“I like it like this, why should I?” he snapped back.

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I can see all my stuff and play with what I want.”

“Oh really? Then how come when you go to play with something you always ask me to help you find it?”

“Not every time! Besides I don’t know how to clean a room.”

“This is what I read is an easy way to clean a room… First move all the stuff to the middle of the floor, then start taking stuff out of the pile and putting stuff that goes together, together. Just make piles next to the walls. When you get the big pile sorted out into little piles all around, then decide where you want to keep each pile.”

“Will you help me?” Teddy asked.

They worked, and giggled and tossed stuff at each other. In about half an hour they had sixteen piles of Teddy’s stuff and toys next to the walls, and the middle of the room was empty. Well except for dishes and spoons.

Jan took the dishes to the kitchen while Teddy started deciding where he wanted things to go, and moving the piles. After that Jan swept the floor for him. The room looked amazing!

“This is cool!” Teddy said, looking around at his new room. Just then their parents got home.

Suddenly Mom yelled, “Jan, I told you this morning, you needed to clean your room today!!!

‘Oh dear,’ thought Jan.