toiling in vain

I was gathering laundry the other day. As I stepped into the closet in the room my two older boys share, I discovered Owen, my third son. He was on his knees, his back to me as I approached him.

"Oh hi, Owen," I said. "What are you doing herein your brothers' closet?"

"I trying to clean up."

"Really? Oh, well...good luck with that."