Daddy Isn't Very Good at Cooking

"Come on. Hurry up."

Why is Calvin so slow? He finally gets to come over, but he's acting like he wants to run away. That's mean. He's my best friend; I just want him to like me and my house and my family. Mommy's not around anymore, but Daddy works super hard to make our house look nice.

I have friends over a lot, and it's always the same. I know our house is kinda old, and the paint is peeling, and the porch creaks when you walk on it. But that doesn't mean that I don't wanna have friends over. Daddy says it's good to socialize, and that I should make lots of friends.

"Come oooonnnn. Just come inside."

"A-are you sure? I might fall through the floor."

Now he's starting to make me mad. "You won't. I didn't. Now hurry up. Daddy made dinner, and I shouldn't keep him waiting. I told him you were coming, so he made extra."

Cal starts walking up the stairs to the porch. "What did he make?"

"Pork roast." It's not my favorite thing to eat. It really doesn't taste like much to me, but Daddy really likes it. I have to put lots of sauces on it to make it taste good. Daddy isn't very good at cooking.

"Oh, okay. That sounds pretty good." Cal finally walks inside, and I think he's less scared than before.

I lead him down the hallway past the bathroom and the basement door. "Daddy, I'm home!"

"I thought you said that."

"No, not until now. Daddy wouldn't know if I didn't."

"No, not that. You still call your dad 'Daddy'?"

I didn't know Cal was gonna be this mean. I kinda wish I didn't invite him. "Yeah, I do. Don't you?"

"N-no, not anymore."

"That sounds lousy." I kind of ignore him a bit after that and walk to the kitchen. Daddy is there, in front of the stove. There's a crock pot on the counter, and the room smells like stew. I guess Daddy made some vegetables to go with the roast.

"Hey buddy. How was school?"

"Fine." I don't want to tell Daddy about the fight I got into earlier.

"That's good. And is this Calvin?"

"Mm-hmm." I nod my head and pull out a chair so I can sit at the table.

"It's good to meet you, Calvin."

"Just Cal is fine, mister Venns." Cal's face turned red. I guess we're even for earlier.

"Well, we're having pork roast with carrots and potatoes. How does that sound?"

"I don't really like carrots."

"Oh, that's okay. I can pick around them for your plate."

"Thanks."

Daddy gets our plates ready, and I get my school books out. I had some homework to do, and Daddy doesn't like it when I don't do my homework. That's why he grounded me two months ago.

Cal and Daddy sit down at the table, and we all start eating. I'm working and eating at the same time so I can have the rest of the night to hang out with Cal. He doesn't like Daddy's cooking either, and Daddy gives him some barbecue sauce and ketchup to make the food taste better.

"So, what do you like to do, Cal?"

"Baseball, mostly."

"Oh, yeah? A lot of kids your age are more into football. Baseball's more practical, not to mention patriotic. I think that's pretty cool."

"Daaaddyyy..." Now my face is red too. Daddy laughs a little bit, but he stops asking questions. We keep eating in quiet for a while. Once we're done, I show Daddy my homework, and take Cal to my room. We play video games all night.

"Your dad seems nice."

"He is nice. I just wish he could cook better."

"Still better than my dad. I mean, it wasn't that tasty, but my dad just burns everything, and the potatoes were pretty good."

"Yeah, he can get those right. Just not the roast. But he likes it so much. It's what we usually have."

"And your house is pretty nice. Why is the outside all old and peeling?"

"I don't know. Maybe Daddy just doesn't like painting. I think he did like four years ago, but he's just being lazy."

"Hmm."

When we get tired of games, I get an extra blanket for Cal so we can go to sleep. In the morning, Daddy comes in and shakes me awake.

"Hey, buddy. I'm gonna run Cal home, so he can get ready for school."

"Okaay.." I'm still sleepy, and roll back over. I hear some rustling behind me, and the door closes.

Daddy wakes me up again later so I can get ready for school. I get dressed, pack my books and papers, and put my shoes on before going out to the car. Daddy's dressed in a nice shirt and a tie, like always.

"So, did you and Cal have a good time last night?"

"Yeah."

"You guys played video games, right? Who won?"

"Me, mostly."

"That's pretty cool."

"Yeah."

"So, do you wanna do that again tonight? Maybe bring another friend over?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why not? Gotta have fun before you're old like me." Daddy laughs a little bit and messes up my hair with his hand.

I go to my classes, all in the same room. In the hallways, I see some police officers talking to the teachers. When lunch time comes, I go to the table I normally sit at. I don't see Cal anywhere, but I guess that he's late to school. We were up for a long time playing, so he might have slept in. That's okay. I've got other friends. I start talking to Gary, and ask if he want's to come over to my house after school. I tell him all about the games I have and how Daddy will let us stay up a long time. Gary says he wants to come over. I call Daddy to let him know.

"Hey buddy."

"Hi, Daddy. My friend Gary says he wants to come over tonight. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, of course it is. I told you so earlier, right?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure."

"It's alright. I'll just have to get some more long pig out of the basement to make the roast."