Doug rested his head on his desk. The exam was over, his very last one forever. He never did like exams and had a very low IQ. The best thing about school was his classmates. They were a bonza crowd, but now they were all talking about their future. Most of them were going to become doctors, dentists, lawyers, teachers and so forth.

Poor Doug, he didn't have a hope of getting a high position. Whatever would he do? He loved people and always got along very well with them, 'cept his teachers of course, who never understood and were always picking on him.

Now he had to decide. What did he like doing best? Why walking of course, and meeting people and keeping secrets. Most of the folk in the mall town where he lived seemed dull and uninteresting as all they appeared o think about was work, work, work, worry, worry, worry. This disturbed Doug very much, as he always felt so jovial and cheerful.

School was he only thing which made Doug unhappy and on his first day out he was feeling extremely cheerful. He met some of his school mates in the street, who were on holidays. They called out to him:

"Hey Doug, what are you going to do now that you've left school?"

"Ha,ha", he said. "That's secret." He thought they may think him more stupid than ever for having decided that his job was to cheer up all the people in his town.

Then Doug met the butcher who said:

"You look even happier than usual, what's up?"

"School is over", replied Doug.

"I know", said the butcher. "School finished yesterday, but what's so unusual about that? You lucky kids are always on holidays. I wish I could have one occasionally."

"I'm not on holidays," said Doug. "I've left school for ever. I never want to pass through that horrible gate again as long as live."

"Why," asked the butcher. "You have lots of friends at school."

"It's the teachers," said Doug. "I never want to see another teacher, the cruel things."

"Ho", said the butcher. "You wouldn't like a job would you? My wife needs a holiday. As you know, she has been in a wheelchair for years and is getting very weary of her life. We've heard of a place she could go, but I can't get away from my business. Excuse me grumbling, but that's how it is. I guess we'll just have to grin and bear it."

"Wait a minute" said Doug. "I'd love to help you out. Ah! but I'm hopeless with money."

"The other night, my daughter and I were building sand castles in the air. She said that if I could get someone to help her, she would be only too glad to take over the shop and let my wife and I have a much deserved holiday."

"Well, this needn't be a pipe dream any longer," said Doug. "I will gladly help you out."

So the butcher took Doug home for dinner that evening. When his wife saw Dough, she moaned:

"What is he meaning of this, bringing such a lad home to our place? Be off with you boy. We haven't time for people such as you."

"Now then," said the butcher. "Remember what we were talking about last night. This boy is ready and willing to help us make our dream for a holiday come true."

"I can't believe it," said his wife, who thought she hadn't had any good luck for years. "We can have a holiday at last!"

Doug beamed at her and said:

"It's Mam. I'd decided that it would be my job to help cheer up the people in this town and you and the butcher are my very fist successes."

So that's how Doug's career as a streetwalker began and when the townspeople spoke of him, they always remembered him kindly as the boy who lived happiness.

Jean Murray