James woke up to his alarm and the smell of dirt under his fingernails. He could hear his mother in the kitchen making breakfast downstairs. He was able to make it to the bathroom and wash his hands before they even saw the dirt, before they even saw the life.
James drew a slow breath and descended the stairs to the noisy first level of their house. The television was blasting news, then music videos, a western movie, then music videos again. Sophie’s dad was sitting on the couch in the living room changing the channels. In the kitchen, James’ mother was cooking something that must have been breakfast while she was also washing dishes. They were clanging against one another and the inside of the metal sink. James thought about how whenever anyone did dishes in the morning it sounded so angry. It sounded like his mother was trying to hurt the dishes.
“Good morning,” he said, but she could not hear him over the noise in the sink and on the television. James sat down at the kitchen counter and sighed as he looked out the window. James’ mother turned off the sink and was drying her hands off with the dish towel when she turned around and jumped a little when she unexpectedly saw James. She caught her breath and smiled. She was dressed and alert.
“Oh! There you are!” she called into the other room, “Honey, James is awake!”
“Send him in!” Sophie’s dad yelled back.
“You go ahead,” she said to James, “breakfast is almost done.” She went to the stove and began humming as James went into the blasting rank noise of the living room. The television was set on some infomercial selling some product guaranteed to make the consumer a billionaire. It clashed entirely with the rising sun outside of the window. The sun was still and silent and full empty of promises but full of hope. Sophie’s dad was on the couch and looked up at James.
“I’m going to have to apologize, for coming down so hard on you last night,” Sophie’s dad said, James tried to look at him, but his eyes were drawn to the booming television set.
“Look at me, boy!” Sophie’s dad shouted and James looked back, “you can’t just play up what happened to you and use people’s sympathies to get away with what any other kid would get away with, you understand?” James did not understand, the infomercial was offering the system for half price, he nodded. “Not everyone is as lucky as you are,” Sophie’s dad continued, “not many kids your age get to play the martyr card, has their mom saving up the checks she gets from the Army for their college,” James was paying Sophie’s dad his complete attention, he did not know his mother was saving the money. “The thing is James, if you don’t work for anything, you won’t appreciate anything. All these things people do for you because they think you’ve had a hard life.” James was confused, “It’s not fair- but, I’ll just have a talk with your teacher, let her know not to baby you like your mother does, we’ll get you working more around here.” Sophie’s dad lifted his coffee cup and sloppily motioned to the kitchen.
“Breakfast!” they both heard called from the other room. Sophie’s dad stood up from the couch and towered over James, “We’ll have you sorted out soon,” and he led James into the kitchen while the television continued its drone behind them.