Mama Needs New Shoes

This is how I became known as the "Junk Seller." One day as I am helping my mama I tell her, "I want new shoes." But mama says that right now, "We can't buy them."

When I go to school I always see that Molly and Kelly are wearing new shoes. I tried to tell mama that but she tells me "If something is not needed we can't spend the money." Of course I don't understand. "Why can't I have them?" is all I keep thinking.

One day while I am at school I see Molly, all dressed up in a red shiny blouse, black jeans and what do you think! Of course a pair of brand new shoes. I run home feeling sad and angry. "Mama won't buy them than I will!" I say to myself.

"Mama, I need to get supplies for an art project will you take me to the store?" I tell her in an excited way, she never says no when it comes to my schoolwork. At the store I buy a poster board, colorful markers and some dollar sign stickers. On the way home mama smiles at me and says "What kind of project are you doing?" I smile and tell her that it is a surprise.

The next day I get up extra early and put on my green shirt and white shorts. I run to get my supplies and head towards the school bus. As I start walking I start to think of a way to tell my teacher that I need new shoes and don't have the money, but I have an idea. "Yes, it will work. I know it will." I say over and over in my head.

After class I go up to Mrs. Hart. She says, "What's the matter Emily you look troubled." "No, I just need a little help getting something started," I tell her feeling a little nervous. "I will try my hardest to help," she says looking concerned. Well, instead of saying that I wanted new shoes I said my mama needs new shoes and I was wondering if I could have a suggestion box outside the classroom with ideas on how I could make money to buy them for her. She looked interested and tells me, "That's a great idea I think getting help from others is always a wonderful idea." She adds, "Two heads are better than one."

She helps me hang my poster board which says, "Suggestions on how to make money for a good cause." I feel a little guilty about the "good cause" part but it is sort of a good cause. I think.

"Emily, we will give it exactly one week and then you can look at the information and I hope this will help you." "Maybe we can make other suggestion boxes in the future for other thoughts," she tells me excitedly.

One week later I look in the box and to my surprise I find 25 notes. I go home and lay them on my bed and start reading them. Some have the same advice so I place those on top of each other. They read, do some chores, walk your neighbors dog, babysitting, ask grandma for money, beg and others. These did not help my situation because I was to young to baby-sit, my neighbor does not have a dog, I already do chores and mama can't pay me for them, my grandma lives in another state and begging would not get me the money. Then I read one that I found interesting. Have a garage sale, the person wrote, "One day my family was moving and they had a garage sale and they made a lot of money, just collect old stuff from your house and stand outside people will buy them."

I tell my mama that afternoon about my idea, of course I don't tell her it's for my new shoes. "I think that is a splendid idea we do have so much junk that I have collected throughout the years and we can use a little housecleaning, but you will be responsible for most of the work." So we start taking out things that we hardly or never used. I also go through my old toys and clothes that I no longer wanted.

I took my old poster board that I used to make the suggestion sign for and made a new sign on the back of it saying "GARAGE SALE." I made little tags out of scrap paper and put the amount of money I wanted on it. Mama said, "Don't put anything over $2.00 or no-one will buy them."

Today is the day. I make some lemonade also, and sell it at 25 cents a cup. I was glad that it was a warm day. I put everything outside. Things that were heavy my mama helped me with. At first, no-one came then after one hour two old women stopped by and fell in love with an old teapot that we never used. My mama finds it easier to boil the water then to use that old teapot she says its more trouble than it is worth. Anyway they gave me $2.00 for it, they also bought some old mugs at 50 cents each and 2 cups of lemonade. I could not believe it I made $3.50 in twenty minutes. This happened all day and at the end of the day I had $29.00 in my pocket. Mama said I can try again tomorrow with the junk that was left over. The next day I made $15.00. Now I had $44.00, much more than I needed. Mama tells me at the end of the day, "I am very proud of you," and then asked me, "What are you going to do with the money." I look down almost embarrassed and I notice that her shoes had a hole on the side and I turn to her and said, "I have a surprise, will you take me shopping."

While at the store I go to the shoe department and pick out a pair of sandals that I know would look wonderful on her. "Try this on mama," I tell her. She puts them on and they were a perfect fit. I tell her, "I want to buy you new shoes." She smiles softly at me and says, "Emily, my dearest I don't need new shoes," and I tell her, "Yes, you do mama yours have a hole and you told me that unless its needed we can't buy it and boy do you need them." She laughed and let me buy her the shoes and I still had some money left over. I look down at my own shoes and notice that they are perfect. I realize that I don't need shoes right now.

When we got home I took an old coffee container and put the $24.00 that were left over in the container and decide that I will save it for only when something is really needed like my mama's new shoes.

The next day I see Mrs. Hart and I thank her for helping me to be able to get my mama's new shoes. She asked me, "How did you do it?" I told her the whole truth about the art project and wanting to buy myself shoes at first. Well, she understood, then she asked me if I would help her have a garage sale the following week and that I could keep a percent of the money that was sold, which she explained to me meant that whatever I sell I get to keep some of the money. I helped her and came home with $15.00. I added that to my coffee container which I now called the, "Junk Funds."

After that day I put signs up everywhere saying, "IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING RID OF OLD JUNK, EMILY IS THE ONE!" and that is how I became the "junk seller." I now save all my money until I or my mama really needs something.

Mama said she will show me how I can start investing my money. She says it's almost like my "junk funds" but in a bigger and better place. She says it will even help me make more money. I can't wait.

I am sure glad that my mama needed new shoes.