ERNIE AND ERNESTINA: Searching

Book Two, Chapter 281: Test of Character

A few weeks ago, at the Charles Street house, Joshua was on a ladder sealing every gutter seam, the last job on his Charles Street to-do list. I painted the rest of the garage trim, then cleaned my brush for the last time.

When we finally finished about five o’clock that Friday, we were both extremely thirsty and ready for a small celebration.

“How about White Castle?” Joshua said. “I’ll get lemonade and a fish sandwich, and you can get a chocolate shake.”

“That sounds good. I have a twenty on me.”

When we were at the drive-through window, Joshua began to order.

“Just a small shake for me,” I said.

He turned my way. “Get a big one. That way you’ll have it for later.”

I didn’t want a big one, but I let him order it and only drank half of it. Now, these weeks later I finally throw the rest of it down the sink.

So often in my life, I’ve let myself be talked into doing what I didn’t want to do. This is, I think now, a basic test of character. Am I able to assert and affirm my own needs and wants, to work on fulfilling them, and to say no when I need to?

If I don’t, there will be waste of one kind or another.