Wake up, brush teeth, look at jobs around here, dig until noon, cook, eat, cut and prepare wood. The same routine as always now. It has already been a month yet I can't seem to get a job!
As I cut wood I have nothing but time to think, but the more I think the angrier I get! I have always been working my entire life and now for the first time when I actually want to work I can't get work!
"FUCK! Why is it so hard!" Throwing the axe at a random tree to vent my anger. Seeing it not stick I use all my strength to slam it into the tree. Already exhausted from working all day I can't help but fall down onto my back as if I had used all the energy I had left.
All I could do is stare into the sky. A few small clouds above being my only distraction.
"Should I just kill myself?" I did nothing but lay there looking at the sky...
"Huh?" Before I could think about any other topic I heard a car arrive. I know no one here, and only person who would visit me is the landlady.
Slowly standing up I saw the nice old lady next to her small old fashioned truck covered with more rust than paint. Forgetting everything I was thinking about I only put on a smile as I greeted her.
"Mrs. Mary! How are you doing?"
"Oh I am doing fine sweety, I was more wondering how you were doing."
"Oh I have been doing fine, I just haven't gotten a job yet so I am quickly making way fixing this place up."
Looking around in wonder Mary focused a lot more on the giant hole that was quickly taking shape. "I can see that, but I also see you only have a shovel and that big hole. Did you dig it by hand?"
Sheepishly smiling I spoke, "Well, I don't have enough money to do it any other way."
Mary gave me a reproachful gaze as she spoke like a worried mother, "You should have told me! I could have paid to get a machine here to help you out! Now look at you all covered in dirt and filth."
Helplessly I could only tell her, "Well, right now I am almost done with it anyway. I just plan to make the drain lines a bit longer and then get the materials to install the septic tank."
Mary glared at me with a frown on her face for a full minute before finally sighing and asking, "Fine I will leave it to you, but I hope you can at least show me around."
Chuckling I gave her the full tour of the run down house that had all drywall removed and carpet removed. Most of the wood had already been replaced with wood I had gotten from the trees. In fact, most of the wood was so rotten and bad that I had already planned to replace it all with new wood and only keep the cement foundations which seemed to be the only good part of the house.
The roof is raised up by some logs so I could work without worry. At this point, I was even able to sleep inside with just a sleeping bag and no worry that the house would fall apart on me.
As I showed her the big empty room with only my sleeping back surrounded by canned and cheap food like potatoes and rice, she looked to me with sadness.
"I didn't know it was this bad. If I had known I would have at least given you a trailer to live in while you worked."
I smiled at her concern which filled me with warmth. I hadn't experienced any of that from my parents, so I smiled widely as I told her, "No need to worry! I have fixed it up enough that at this point I only need to make more wood!"
She then looked at me with more worry, "You made all this wood by yourself? Is that why there were so many stumps?"
"Eh..." I was saving money and just doing a bit more work what was the problem? I hope she won't be mad, "Yeah. Didn't you say I could cut down some trees? If you want I can stop right away and just buy some materials."
She seemed to have an epiphany as she spoke with a smile, "You told me you were struggling to get a job, so why don't you work for me? I have many things for you to do. I can make sure you are paid a fair wage and won't have to worry about money so much anymore."
"Eh..." ... "Um... I..."
Seeing my stunned face she smiled and walked up to me and patted my cheek, "Well, you can give it some thought, but I know you would be great to work with so just stop by my place anytime and I will get you started right away."
I didn't know what to say. Sure I wanted that job, but I already was taking a bit of advantage of her by living here for free and getting her to pay for things... Was I going to inconvenience her?
I could only watch in stunned silence as she hobbled her way out.
***
Laying on the bed of my truck enjoying the stars I could only think of her offer. To work for her, or to not work for her.
As I was thinking an owl swooped down and landed on the edge of the truck bed...
"Huh? Are you wise owl here to give me advice?" Chuckling to myself the owl looked at me curiously. I thought it would have flown away by now.
Sitting up I watched as it stayed put. "Huh... I guess you aren't afraid of me like other animals are... I wonder if it is because you don't get many humans around here."
Holding out my hand to pet it I was even more surprised when it didn't move away, but instead moved closer. As I started to pet it I talked to it like it was just another person.
"What do you think I should do? Should I work for the nice lady and maybe take advantage of her, or should I not work for her and hope everything works out?" The owl tilted its head sideways as it hooted once more before taking off.
"Lucky. I wish I had that freedom to just begin to fly." Looking at the empty air in the direction of the owl I sighed emotionally.
Looking back up at the sky I saw a shooting star. "I wish... I had the freedom to fly and do whatever I wanted. Unbound like a bird. I just hope I am not trapped in a bird cage..."
...
Suddenly something painful spread all across my body, "WHAT! AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGG!! WHYYY!!! HELP!!!"