Sibling Rivalry

         “I saw it first,“ Peter said.

         “You did not! I saw it yesterday,” his sister Susan argued.

         “Well, did you talk to anybody about it?”

         “Did you?”

         “Yes, I called the number. That’s how I know how much Mr. Scoby wants for it.”

Indent}“Have you got that much?” she asked.

         “Dad promised he’d help me get a car before next semester.”

         “He promised me. He said when we found a car that was right for me.”

         “That car isn’t right for you! That’s a guy’s car.”

         “Oh, so now cars have gender like bikes?”

         “I need a car, You don’t.”

         “Mom ~~ “

         Their Mom said, “I’m keeping out of this one. I don’t have a dog in this fight.”

         Susan said, “You must care which one of us gets it.”

         “Yeah, Mom,” Peter said. “I’m the oldest and I need it more.”

         “Peter thinks he should have it because he’s a boy. He wants it to pick up girls in.”

         “I need a car to go to school next semester.There’s no bus to Community College," Peter argued.

         Susan said “Well, I get to talk to Dad before you do.”

         “That won’t make any difference. He’ll say you don’t even have a license yet. He knows I need transportation for school.”

         At that moment their father walked in. He kissed Mom and took off his coat. “I don’t know how that Herb Scoby sleeps nights! You know that old car he was trying to sell? Well, he was bragging he sold it to some high school kid for a thousand dollars.”

“What was wrong with it?” Peter asked.

         “You mean besides ten years old? The transmission is shot.” He turned to Susan. “You wanted to talk to me about something?”

          “No, I figured it out for myself.”


298 words