Something Changed: Day 6

Word Count: 36,083

Summary of Events:

At the Domino Group a game of dodgeball was played that Luke found frustrating, on one hand because no one would go out when they were hit, and because the 'it' from the tag game and his friends ganged up on Luke, who got pulled from the game by an adult because of the fact that he'd been seen throwing a ball at the 'it's head — which he only did because he'd been hit in the head by the 'it'. He texted his parents to come get him, but since he wasn't injured, they refused to come early. The following week, Luke's dad tried to talk him into giving the new church a chance, but Luke refused. After being surly while visiting Finn's family, he was taken aside by Finn's dad to have a chat, in which he told Finn's dad about the injury of the girl, among other frustrations…

Excerpt of the Day:

“Hm,” Finn’s dad said. “That doesn’t sound very good. Has anything that bad happened since?”

“No,” Luke replied. “But why do I even have to go? If I don’t want to, I don’t want to, right?”
“That would be the case for my children when it comes to something as optional as a recreational social program,” Finn’s dad replied. “But I’m not your dad, and obviously your dad and mom have different ideas.”

Luke sighed.

“I do really wish I could give you some help,” Finn’s dad said. “But you do have to obey your parents.”

“Even when they force me to do stuff I don’t want to?” Luke asked.

“Yes,” Finn’s dad replied.

“Then I don’t want to live with them anymore,” Luke said.

“That’s not quite how it works Luke,” Finn’s dad said. “You’re not an adult, you can’t live on your own yet.”

“It’d be better than living with them,” Luke said.

Finn’s dad sighed, looking like he was rather sympathetic to Luke’s plight. “You can make living with them easier, you know.”

“How?” Luke asked, making his disbelief clear in his voice.

“By living what’s called the Golden Rule,” Finn’s dad replied. “Which is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In your case, you want your parents to listen to you, so you should make it a point to listen to your parents.”

“That’s all I do,” Luke complained. “Between them and Kylie somebody is always talking. I can’t even get a word in edgewise when I want to.”

“But how do you listen to them?” Finn’s dad asked. “With the attitude you displayed to me just now? Or with the attitude that you have during your lessons?”

“Well they don’t talk about anything interesting!” Luke protested.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s part of why they won’t listen to you,” Finn’s dad said.

“Seriously?” Luke protested.

“I don’t think they feel any more listened to than you do,” Finn’s dad said. “You’ve got yourself locked in a vicious cycle, and if you want it to end, you might need to be the one who takes the first step toward seeing it end.”

“I’m supposed to bore myself to tears just so that they’ll listen to me?” Luke asked. “I don’t care about office gossip and school gossip and clothes!”

Finn’s dad sighed. “You’re not going to take this advice, are you?”

“It’s not going to help,” Luke replied.

“You haven’t even tried it Luke,” Finn’s dad said.

“I don’t have to to know it won’t work,” Luke replied.

Finn’s dad sighed again and shook his head. He looked disappointed in Luke, but considering the lame advice he was giving, Luke wondered why he was. If he were giving actual advice, Luke would try it, but this wasn’t actual advice.