The End of the Rainbow (Hudson 4)

hiccup in your dreary life. Harley Arnold. You've

achieved something and now you're going to do

bigger and better things.

"You march right into the guidance office on

Monday and talk to Mr. Springer. There are lots of

schools that will still consider you for their freshman

class."

"Yeah, and who's going to pay for that?" "I bet if you get accepted, Uncle Roy will see to it. And you know you'll make good money working

with him again this summer. You always do." "Right," he said skeptically.

"You've got to try. Harley. You've got to seize

the opportunity."

"Me? In college?"

"A few weeks back, you would have laughed at

your passing all your finals and graduating. right?

Well?" I pursued when he didn't respond.

"I guess so."

"Well, then, guess again and guess for bigger

and better things," I insisted.

His smile widened.

"You're amazing, Summer. You're like that old

oak tree that was hit by lightning years ago," he said

nodding at the tree. "It grew new branches and kept

going, hooking onto every ray of sunshine. I bet every

depressed blade of grass or wild flower basks in its

glory and gets up some hope."

"Call me an old tree, anything, as long as you

don't give up," I said.

He laughed and then grew serious again. "What

do I do when you're gone?" he asked.

Every summer for the last four. I attended