VOLUNTEER

The Dog Days of August
   were upon us, big time,
when the doorbell rang---

Two neighbor (barely) teens
    said: "We'll weed your
flower beds for ten bucks
   apiece." BE, being
soft of heart, hired them.

   We had had much rain
and it was true... new weeds...

Now as the heat of the day
   rose along with the sun---
Knock...knock..."Er, ma'am,
     we underestimated
how hard this job is---we are
    going up to fifteen bucks...
each. Okay?"

(Thirty bucks, in 1944 is what
   young  Mil made for
sixty hours yard work...95 degree
  days...)

Soft-hearted BE raised their pay.

Then, after awhile she realized
    that these inexperienced
yard people didn't know
    A VOLUNTEER TOMATO
from a weed ....and we had
  TWO mixed in, of which
we were very proud and rooting
   for...

Suddenly remembering them
    she rushed out and put a big
        sign      in front of the maters--
then showed them to the overworked
   boys---

"These are volunteer tomatoes---
    they deserve a chance, okay?"

Yesterday, one came through for
   us...and we hate to eat it!

Here it is.

The moral for us ...maybe

Persevere............

------------
MIL
8 SEPTMBER 18
0832 hours