The snow was coming down so hard that they couldn't see the road in front of them. Richard James III sat in the back seat with his brother and sister, watching his dad, Rick, constantly wiping the windshield in front of him so he could see the road. They had to keep going. To stop would mean they might be stranded out in the middle of nowhere in West Texas. Everyone was tense. They had not seen another car for over a half hour.

"There has to be a town along here somewhere," Rick said.

"If there's not one soon we're in big trouble," Kathy answered.

There was nothing but silence as the car slowly made its way on down the road through the snow. The uneasy feeling of fear had begun to grip everyone way down deep in their stomachs. The stories they had heard on the television, of people stranded in the snow storm a week ago, flashed through their minds. The glaring whiteness reflected back into the car from the falling snow, making them feel like the world was closing in around them. It was so intense it was suffocating.

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Richard James III, better known as, Ricky, lay on his bed looking up at the ceiling. His mother had sent him to his room until he could cool off and then apologize. Why does everything always have to happen to me, he thought as he lay there. He tried as hard as he could to do what he was supposed to do, but somehow things just didn't seem to work out right. One of these days he would not get into any trouble. He'd be the best boy his mother ever knew.

But until that day came he would have to lay on his bed and think about it. His brother, John, and sister, Christi, also, got into trouble, but not as much as he did. Why? was the question he asked himself over and over. What was he to do? was the great mystery in his life right now. He had worked hard at being good today. He'd done everything his mother and dad had asked him to do. Then his brother took his favorite Nintendo game, and everything he'd done that day had been for nothing.

Parents are mean, he thought as he sat up on the side of his bed. "I think I'll run away," he said out loud.

Just then his bedroom door opened and his mother looked in. She stood there smiling at him and then came into his room.

"What did you say?" she asked.

Ricky didn't answer right away. He thought about what he had just said. He would have to think about it some more, then if things didn't get any better, he would run away.

Looking up at his mother he said, "I'm sorry I fought with Johnny, Mother,"

Kathy stood there looking at her son. She knew that what Ricky was saying was not what she heard when she walked up to his door, but those big blue eyes looking up at her melted her heart.

"You're forgiven, Ricky," she said sitting down beside him. "But you've got to do better. Not just here at home, but at school. I thought you said you would be a good boy all day today. What happened?"

"I don't know, Mom," he said sadly. "You know how hard I tried this morning, but it fell apart this afternoon. I do try, Mom."

"Yes, my love," Kathy said. "I know you try. You get an ‘A’ for trying, but a ‘D’ for doing. You've got to do more than just say you’re trying. You’ve got to think before you act.

Just then the phone rang. They looked at each other, smiled, got up and ran into the front room to see who it was. It could be anyone. That's what made it such fun answering the phone.

It was Richard, Jr. calling to see how everything was working out. Kathy had called him earlier about Ricky getting into trouble.

"Everything’s fine now, Rick," Kathy said looking at her son. "He’s going to start thinking before he acts. Right, Ricky?"

"Yes, Mam," he replied.

They talked a while before Kathy hung up. Sitting down on the couch she patted the seat next to her. Ricky sat down and looked up at her.

"Your brother and sister are outside playing, Ricky," she said, "but before you go out and play I want to talk to you."

Ricky didn't say anything as he sat down beside her and looked at her and smiled. He loved his mother very much and liked to sit next to her and get all of her attention. He never missed a chance to do that.

"How old are you now, Ricky?" she asked.

"I'm nine years old, Mom," he said. "You know that."

"Yes, I do," she answered, "but sometimes I wonder if you know it. You're going to be grown before you know it and you have to stop acting like a small child. You have to take on some responsibility. Your fighting with your brother and sister has to stop. All it does is create trouble for them and yourself. Can't you see that?"

"Yes, Mam," Ricky said.

The phone rang again. Saved by the bell, Ricky thought to himself.

Kathy picked up the phone and said hello. Then a smile crossed her face. She turned to Ricky and said, "It's your grandpa."

Ricky's eyes lit up. He loved his grandpa and thought he was neat. He listened to his mother talking to him and could hardly wait. He knew his grandpa wanted to talk to him, so he moved a little closer to his mother.

The minutes passed and Ricky wondered if he would ever get to talk. Then his mother handed him the phone. "Here, Ricky," she said. "You talk to your grandpa while I go out and get your brother and sister. Grandpa wants to talk to all of you."

Ricky took the phone. "Hello, Grandpa," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm just fine, Ricky. What have you been doing?" his grandpa asked.

"Not much," Ricky answered. He didn't want to tell him about being sent to his room.

His grandpa had talked to Ricky's parents earlier and had asked their permission to try and help him over some of the troubled times he was having.

"I haven’t been doing much either, Ricky," Grandpa replied. "In fact, I've been thinking about you today and I thought I'd call and talk to you about something. I'd like to make you an offer. Your grandma and I would like for you to visit us at the mountain cabin this summer. Would you like to do that?"

"Yes, Grandpa," Ricky answered coming up off the couch, then sitting back down.

"Well, I tell you what, Ricky. You pass all your classes in school and stay out of trouble the rest of the school year, and your mother and dad have agreed to let you come up and see us. Can you do that?" his grandpa asked.

"Yes, Grandpa, I can do that!" Ricky said almost yelling. He was so excited at just the thought of getting to go to their cabin the next summer. He had had so much fun up there two summers ago. But all his family were there then. Now it would be just him. He could hardly wait.