mother smith had a new baby every year on november 1, and as there was room for only eighteen people (including herself) in her little white house, each child on its seventeenth birthday had to leave home and find its own way in the world.
today it was joe’s turn. joe had always been a cheerful child, though not very bright or curious, and unlike many of his predecessors had never studied much or given much thought as to what he would do when he was released from the white house.
on the big day (for him) joe got up with the rest of the family at six o’clock, but in honor of the occasion of his departure he was not assigned any “chores” as his previous chore of feeding the pigs had now passed to his brother eddie, who had become fifteen years old.
so joe just lay in bed until breakfast time, staring at the low ceiling of the room he had shared with the three other oldest boys, and wondering what life held in store for him in the great wide world.
the other three were at their assigned tasks - their new assigned tasks, as each had moved up one spot on the duty roster - and the house was somewhat quiet, except for the plaintive crying of the newborn baby, adelaide, and the sound of bacon sizzling in the kitchen.
there was a knock on the door.
“come in,” said joe, and the door opened and his sisters teresa and gaia entered.
teresa had just turned sixteen and gaia fourteen. they were the two oldest females in the house except of course for mother who had no age, and joe had always gotten along very well with both of them.
“good morning, joe,” said gaia and teresa in unison.
“good morning,” joe replied.
“i hope you slept well, “ said gaia, “in the night before your big day.”
“i do not know if it as big as all that,” joe replied with a smile, “after all it must happen to everybody who passes through this world.”
“true that,” agreed teresa, “but look here, joe, i have brought you something to take with you as you begin your travels. i know you have always expressed a sincere appreciation of my chocolate cupcakes, so here are a dozen of them, neatly wrapped in aluminum foil, and placed in a plain brown bag.,”
“why, thank you so much!” joe exclaimed. “these will really hit the spot, especially as it seems to be a cool day, and i am sure to work up an appetite walking along the road to the city.”
“i hope you have room in your bag for them,” said teresa, with a smile.
“oh, do not worry about that,” replied joe. “that reminds me, i had better start packing, as i do not want to outstay my welcome, in this house in which i have spent my entire existence up to now.”
“so,” said gaia, “you have decided to head for the city , hey, and not deep into the country? what decided you, if you do not mind my asking?”
“i flipped a coin,” said joe, “as i could not decide any other way. i am sure either choice would have been good.”
“and wherever did you get a coin?” asked gaia.
“i found it about a week ago, when i was feeding the pigs. the wind must have blown it into the yard. i do not know where it came from, or what it is worth or what country it is a coin of, but i hope it will bring me luck.”
“speaking of things that might bring you luck, joe, i too have a present for you, “ said gaia, “and one that will not take up too much space in your bag or even in your pocket.”
and with that gaia handed joe a little wooden figurine that she had carved, a plain unpainted figure of a woman with one large eye and one small eye, staring vacantly into space, or at some distant horizon.
joe would much have preferred something edible, but as he was well brought up, like all the smith children, he did not say so, but replied, “”thank you so much gaia, i am sure it will bring me all the luck in the world, unlike the coin i found among the pigs, which might portend anything or nothing.”
“well, joe,” said gaia, changing the subject, “things will be different with you gone, and eddie moving up to number one boy, and even more so with sal moving up to number two boy, as i have always thought him a somewhat devious rascal, with thoughts that are a mystery to all.”
“oh, sal is all right,” said joe, “he has a good heart under his somewhat mysterious exterior and i am sure everything will go on as it always has.”
“we had best be getting along now,” said teresa, “as it is a busy time wth the new baby and so many of us assuming new duties, so we will leave you now with a final good luck.”
“good luck to you, too,” said joe. “and to mother and everybody else.”
with that teresa and gaia left the room and closed the door behind them, leaving joe to his packing and to his thoughts.
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