The Rejects Club

Chapter 23 - Cold Callers And Pokemon

Perhaps it takes courage to raise children.. - John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Thursday 1st February/ Friday 2nd February

Only one more chapter and he would finally be done with the damn hamster. Scott was curled up on his couch, currently reading through the last few pages of 'The World According to Humphrey'. It had only taken him nearly five months to read, unlike the few weeks most kids his age would take.

He couldn't feel too disheartened though. It was the first ever non-picture book he would finish on his own and no one was going to take that sense of pride away from him. Just as he got to the final chapter there was a loud knock on the door. His mom was in the bathroom so reluctantly Scott figured it was up to him to answer it.

Groaning loudly as he heaved himself out of his comfortable spot on the couch, he padded to the door, while wondering who on earth would be knocking at five o'clock. Things didn't usually get noisy until a lot later.

Opening the door Scott had to crane his neck back to see a lady dressed in a grey suit jacket and skirt, with her hair tightly pinned back and clipboard in hand. The clothes alone were enough indication to tell Scott she wasn't from the high rises and he was surprised that she hadn't already been mugged dressed like she was.

Whatever her reasons are for being here, she must be very stupid to come to this neighbourhood.

"Hello, is your mom or dad in?" she asked, bending down to speak in his face. She looked flustered.

"Well, my dad's dead."

The lady stood up straight and looked even more flustered. "Oh sorry...and your mom?" she queried, fiddling with the papers on her clipboard.

"She's sitting on the toilet," Scott answered, with all the shameless honesty a nine year old naturally possesses.

The suit lady fidgeted some more with her clipboard. "Right, um, do you think she'll be long?"

"Well she can be very long but...do you want money?" he asked, suddenly wary.

"Oh no no no, I'm here to save your mommy money," the woman put on her best saleswoman voice for the suspicious little boy in front of her.

Scott opened his mouth to interrogate her some more when he saw movement down the hall.

"Hi Scooter!" a young girl waved at him as she and her dad left their apartment.

Scott ran from his doorway so he was a bit further down the hall, barrelling past the suit lady. "Hi Lexy!" he shouted back. He had been in the same class as the girl in school up until his current year. Lexy was badass.

"She knocked on our door too," the little girl accused. "My daddy says people like her should be shot," Lexy told him, giving the woman an evil glare.

Scott nodded seriously. "My mom is sitting on the toilet!" he told her.

Lexy laughed, unfazed by that statement, this type of conversation being the norm for kids their age. "Bye!" she called out as her dad dragged her through the stairwell door and Scott waved his own farewell. After that interesting conversation was done with, the boy turned back around to face the suit lady, who unfortunately had still not moved.

"So, do you want money or not?" he asked her again.

The woman took a deep breath, "I'm here to save your mommy money by combining her internet and telephone access through fibre optic technology!" Her voice getting increasingly higher with every word she spoke.

Scott was not impressed. Is this lady on drugs?

"Who is it Scott?" his mom called out from their apartment.