Tim was four years old.
His mom was a lot older than that. So was his dad. His brother Jeff was older too.
Tim’s birthday was coming up soon. He knew exactly what he wanted.
“I want a ladder for my birthday,” Tim told his mom. She didn’t hear because she was busy with “an important phone call”. Tim wondered why the phone call was so important.
“I want a ladder for my birthday,” Tim told his dad. He didn’t hear because he was heading out the door to meet with “clients”. Tim wondered who “clients” was. “’Clients’ must be important too,” thought Tim.
“I want a ladder for my birthday,” Tim told his brother Jeff. Jeff didn’t hear him because he was too busy ignoring everyone who wasn’t on TV. “I wish I was on TV,” thought Tim.
At dinner, Tim told his parents, “I want a ladder for my birthday.”
“That’s nice,” said his mom, who was reading a magazine about important people.
“Hmmm,” said his dad, who was looking at something important on his computer.
Jeff said nothing because Tim wasn’t on TV.
Tim drew a picture of a ladder and colored it. He got some tape and stuck the picture on his mom’s magazine. The next time his mom wanted to read her magazine, she saw the picture. “What the…?” she said.
She showed the picture to Tim’s dad. “Hmmm,” he said. He wondered why she was showing him a picture of a ladder.
She showed the picture to Jeff. He ignored her because she wasn’t on TV.
She showed the picture to Tim. “Did you draw this picture?” she asked him.
“Yes,” said Tim. “I want a ladder for my birthday.”
“Wouldn’t you rather have some money to spend?” his mother asked.
“No,” said Tim.
“Wouldn’t you rather get a video game?” his mother asked.
“No,” said Tim.
“Wouldn’t you rather go to summer camp for a whole month?” his mother asked.
“No,” said Tim. “I want a ladder for my birthday.”
On Tim’s birthday, he woke up early and got dressed. He wanted to look good for his birthday.
He woke his mom and dad up and said, “Can we get a ladder for my birthday?”
“Hmmm” said his dad.
“Hmmm” said his mom.
Later that day, his mom was looking for her magazine. She couldn’t find it anywhere.
“Can we get a ladder for my birthday?” asked Tim.
“OK, fine,” said his mom.
They got in the car and drove to the hardware store. When they went inside, Tim asked the manager where the ladders were. He showed them that they were in the second aisle. Tim saw all of the ladders and picked out the one he wanted. His mother paid for the ladder. She also bought a magazine.
They put the ladder in the backseat of the car and drove home.
When they got home, Tim’s mom helped him to carry the ladder in from the car. She finally started to wonder why he wanted a ladder for his birthday.
Tim set the ladder up in the middle of the kitchen. He began to climb the ladder.
His mom wondered if he wanted to get in the cupboard to get some cookies. She wondered if he wanted to turn the water on in the sink. She wondered if he wanted to change the light bulb.
While his mom was wondering, Tim climbed up to the top of the ladder. He looked into his mom’s face and smiled. For the first time in a long time, she smiled back at him.
Then he gave her a biiiiiiiig hug. She hugged him back. Then she lifted him off the ladder and carried him into the living room.
On the way, she dropped her magazine in the trash can.
When they got to the living room, his mom sat down on the floor beside Tim and looked up at him. “I’m sorry Tim,” said his mom.
Tim felt important.