"I got the cans of paint all stirred up and ready for you, Emmy," said Papa, bringing me out of my day dream. "It's in a pail out in the shed and there is a big brush hanging on the hook on the wall. Just stir it a little more with the stick and start painting."
"You'd better get your old jeans on," said Mama. "We don't want you getting paint splatters on your good play clothes."
I slid off my chair and carried my dishes over to the sink for Mama to wash up.
"Dora, Davey and I will go down to the barn and get the tractor hooked up to the baler and the wagon. Meet us there when you're through doing the dishes and we'll get right out into the field."
Papa and Davey slammed out through the kitchen screen door and headed toward the barn.
"Mama, it's so hot today. Do I really have to paint the fence?" I asked. "I was going to go down and play with Danny today."
"Well, Emmy, it has to be done. Davey got it all scraped and the wood is bare. If it rains, the wood will get soaked and ruined. Then Papa would have to build a whole new fence. You don't want that to happen, do you?"
"Aw, Geez!"
"Watch your language young lady," Mama said sternly.
"Now, get your chores done and get to it before it gets any hotter. Make a game out of it. Think about how beautiful that fence will look and how all the neighbors will know that you are the one that painted it. Think of how proud Papa will be."
Mama dried her hands on the dish towel and headed out the screen door.
"We'll be back for lunch," she called. "I'll be anxious to see how much painting you've gotten done by then. See if you can get half of it done by lunchtime, all right?"
Before I could answer, Mama was gone.