Bonnie Lasuh
The morning alarm rings at 7o’clock. He opens his eyes miserably. Was it only yesterday that he was excited and eager to go to that place? These two people have lured him there with new clothes and new shoes and promises of great things in store for him if he go there. Before yesterday, so many beautiful images were described and everyone said that he would be happy there. Aah! If they only knew. He was angry at everyone, he has been fooled.
The first day was a torture and a baffling experienced for him. He had never seen so many people his size and age amassed in one room. The shouts, shrieks and cries echoing in the room terrified him. One after the other, they started crying and his firm resolution not to cry was shattered and ten or so minutes later, he, too, broke into tears-partly because the hysteria around him mortified him and partly because he missed his world- a world he is so comfortable and familiar with. He was told by their caretaker that they will be released very soon. That pacified him a bit.She came into the room smiling and before he could gather his thoughts, she had dressed him up and pulled to the table. The delicious aroma of his favorite food did little to appease the dread of where he was headed. As he is sitting there, he tries to formulate a plan to avoid going. Can he lie to them and say he is not feeling well? “No, they won’t believe me,” he thought. “I can’t say I am sick. They’ll never buy it.”Then he wondered, ” Should I tell her the truth of what goes inside? I am sure she’ll believe me, after all she has always taken care of me and protected me.” ‘Yes!’ he resolved,’ I will tell her the truth.’
He will tell her what a miserable, horrid place it is. He will tell her of this thin, wide-eyed girl who cried the whole time, even rolling on the floor and trying to scratch and hit those people who tried to comfort her. Frankly, that girl absolutely terrified him. He decided that he will try to convince her that he is different and does not belong there.
Suddenly, the horn of the car disturbed his reverie and before a word could come out from his lips, she pulled him off again and dragged to the door. There he stands, the deliverer of his doom.”I am sure you are happy to put me there and get rid of me”, he frowned. ‘No!’ he chided himself ‘I can’t be mad at him when he doesn’t know what goes on behind his back. He is only doing his job.” He felt sorry for them for being so naïve and blind.
As he was walking down the steps, she was telling him, “Now today is your second day, so don’t let me hear from your teacher that you cried. You are 4 years old- a big boy now and you should be brave and strong. Even when other children cry, you shouldn’t, okay! I will come and pick you up and we will go to Grandma and Grandpa’s house and tell them all about your school. Bye, Bye now.”
He waved goodbye to his mother. He sighed sadly. Goodbye my toy train, Goodbye my favorite cartoon serials, Goodbye nice afternoon nap, Goodbye my neighbour’s puppy, Goodbye freedom. Now he felt like crying loudly. His father carried him and put him inside the car to drive him off to school.
The End
[Bonnie Lasuh is also a Career and Guidance Counseling for KROS College. She writes short stories and poems.]