Pera: My First Friend
A lonely child playing outside looking for salamanders under rocks near the basement windows. You appeared and I was comforted knowing you were there.
We played with toys from the big cardboard box in the garage. Sometimes we put on shows in the backyard. We spent hours in the afternoons searching for arrowheads around the trees way out near the forest. When my mom left to run errands, you were always there, letting me know I had a friend and was not alone.
At my grandmother’s we built tents using blankets. We had pretend sleep overs and read Dr. Seuss books using a flashlight. I told my family about you and they seemed happy that I had a friend.
When we went to the beach you and I looked for shells while the others sunbathed. We organized them by color and shape and then painted some of the bigger ones when we got home.
In the Fall we collected leaves together. We saw how many different colored ones we could find. In the Winter we made snowmen and snow pancakes near the side of the porch.
Then one day, when I was 6 or 7 years old, you told me that it was time for you to leave. There were other children who needed you. I understood and walked you down the street to say goodbye. I started walking back to my house and when I turned to see you one last time, you were gone. I always remembered you though.
Thank you for being my first friend.
