Free Butterfly Weeds by Laura Miller Page A

proudly.
     
                  “A firefighter?” I asked. Was he serious? Was he joking? I was trying to figure it out.
     
                  “Yeah, it just came to me last night when I was driving by the fire station,” he said. “You know, I drive by that building everyday and never think about it, but last night, I thought, I can do that. I could do that for the rest of my life and be happy.”
     
                  He was smiling. He looked like a boy who had just won an all-day access pass to a theme park.
     
                  “You sure about this?” I asked him earnestly. My expression was as blank as the chalkboard in the front of the tiny classroom.
     
                  “Never been surer. Well, except when I met you,” he said, sending a wink my way.
     
                  I paused for a second, while a smile resurfaced on what was my vacant face.
     
                  “That’s great, Honey. I’m really happy for you,” I said, not being completely truthful. Though, I forced the corners of my mouth to turn up even so.
     
                  He smiled back at me as he turned to go.
     
                  “Wait,” I said, stopping him. “Does this mean you get to wear those sexy firemen outfits?” I asked in a hushed tone, half teasing, half serious, trying not to show him my hesitations.
     
                  Will looked at me, still smiling, not completely surprised by my comment. Then, he nodded his head slowly in confirmation, while raising one eyebrow.
     
                  “Then, you’ve definitely got my vote,” I said, smiling wider.
     
                  “Good, well I’m gonna be late. Don’t let Mr. Bones over here sweet talk ya too much,” he said, elbowing the life-si ze, plastic skeleton.
     
                  And then, he was gone.
     
                  My stare slowly faded from the doorway then and landed on a spot near the skeleton’s ribs. Thoughts cascaded through my head – lots of thoughts, from all directions.
     
                  His news left a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth. Firefighters were heroes – I knew this. Everyone knew that. But at the same time, there were always costs. Costs I didn’t even want to imagine.
     
                  My smile was fading when I noticed that I was still staring at Mr. Bones. I quickly turned my gaze down before anyone could misjudge my meandering thoughts for an odd obsession with the plastic figure.
     
                  Couldn’t he have decided to be an accountant or a banker or a teacher or something safe like that – anything but a firefighter? Didn’t he know how dangerous the j ob was or what it all entailed?
     
                  And sure, I was thrilled that he had found something he was passionate enough about to pursue as a career. He had fought the questions and pressures of classmates, teachers and the school’s counselor about choosing a livelihood for so long now. It must have meant the world to him to have finally found his calling – his heart’s desire. And he would be great at it. There was no doubt in my mind about that. He had always had that kind of connection with the community. Of course, camp counselor and little league umpire would never prove to be quit e as dangerous, one would hope.
     
                  And what about college? I had always marveled at its intriguing nature – a new place, new faces, new experiences and most of all, independence. But then again, Will had never really bought into the whole college scene’s allure either, I guess. He hadn’t ever been too interested in anything new at all really. And when it came down to it, I guess, his choice was, after all, honorable and courageous, even if he didn’t see it that way, and despite my own reservations, it wasn’t, after all, my