Paid in Full
A
little
boy
came
up
to
his
mother
in
the
kitchen
one
evening
while
she
was
fixing
supper,
and
he
handed
her
a
piece
of
paper
that
he
had
been
writing
on.
After
his
mom
dried
her
hands
on
an
apron,
she
read
it,
and
this
is
what
it
said:
For
cutting
the
grass:
$5.00
For
cleaning
up
my
room
this
week:
$1.00
For
going
to
the
store
for
you:
$0.50
Baby-sitting
my
kid
brother
while
you
went
shopping:$0
.25
Taking
out
the
garbage:
$1.00
For
getting
a
good
report
card:
$5.00
For
cleaning
up
and
raking
the
yard:
$2.00
Total
owed:
$14.75
Well,
his
mother
looked
at
him
standing
there,
and
the
boy
could
see
the
memories
flashing
through
her
mind.
She
picked
up
the
pen,
turned
over
the
paper
he'd
written
on,
an!
d
this
is
what
she
wrote:
For
the
nine
months
I
carried
you
while
you
were
growing
inside
me:
No
Charge.
For
all
the
nights
that
I've
sat
up
with
you,
doctored
and
prayed
for
you:
No
Charge.
For
all
the
trying
times,
and
all
the
tears
that
you've
caused
through
the
years:
No
Charge.
For
all
the
nights
that
were
filled
with
dread,
and
for
the
worries
I
knew
were
ahead:
No
Charge.
For
the
toys,
food,
clothes,
and
even
wiping
your
nose:
No
Charge,
Son.
When
you
add
it
up,
the
cost
of
my
love
is:
No
Charge.
When
the
boy
finished
reading
what
his
mother
had
written,
there
were
big
tears
in
his
eyes,
and
he
looked
straight
at
his
mother
and
said,
"Mom,
I
sure
do
love
you".
And
then
he
took
the
pen
and
in
great
big
letters
he
wrote:
"PAID
IN
FULL"