FRIENDS WANTED
Her silently cry for acceptance go unnoticed. She is the child that you pass in life and fail to see. She walks silently by and speaks in a voice just above a whisper. During church the only interaction that she engages in is correcting her brothers. Mother is busy with little sister, who is acting like a busy two year old and has to be taken out of the meeting. Her older brother sets quietly drawing pictures of dragons and seems to be in a world of his own. She sits quietly, beside her family, until the meeting ends.
She disappears silently into the crowd as the older ladies make a big fuss over the pictures drawn by her older brother. She hurries off to avoid the embarrassment of being ignored.
She is a visitor in the Sunday school class that I teach for eleven year olds. She introduces herself, but I can’t remember her name. Her short brown hair is straight and hangs limply around her face. Her dull, brown eyes are set deep in an unsmiling, pale, sad face that is covered with scabs that remains from a recent case of chicken pocks. Her arms are bony and white. She is smaller than the other girls in class. Her dress is white with a blue pattern of circles; it hangs loosely on her slender body, her shoes are plain and black.
As the children share she tell us, “I have a pet turtle, it has no personality, he just eats Hibiscus flowers. I don’t like school. During summer I mostly stay in the house.”
She doesn’t participate in class and seems unable or unwilling to volunteer answers. At the end of class she allows me to give her a hug, but hangs limp in my arms.
At last it’s time to go to grandmas and have lunch. I love to eat at grandma’s there are always so many yummy things there that we don’t have at home.
Going to church with Grandma is okay but I like my church best. It’s hard for me to meet new people I’m always afraid I’ll say the wrong thing.
Grandpa asks, “Susan are you ready for school to start?”
“Grandpa you’re funny, no kid is ever ready for school to start. I’ll be in the sixth grade and that’s cool, but summer vacation is my favorite part of school.”
The girls at school that wear expensive brand name clothes. Mother says we can’t afford brand name clothes. The first day of school Mrs. James has us stand and say our names. The new girl’s name is Sarah; my name is Susan and the teacher keeps calling me Sarah. It’s time to sign up for clubs, but I’m not going to join any of them. The bell rings for recess. I would like to play kick ball, but I’m not very good and the kids make fun of me. I would play if they asked me to, but they never do.
That new girl talked to me ,but I didn’t know what to say to her. I wish she would be my friend ,but I’m afraid to ask her, she might say no.
Sarah isn’t wearing expensive brand name clothes either, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. The other girls are talking to her. I wish they would talk to me too.
At lunch time I set alone and watch as the other girls giggle and trade sandwiches. No one ever wants to trade with me. The new girl is coming over here. She is setting down and smiling. I’m scared, but I say, “Hi.”
She says, “Hi, I would like to be your friend.
My friend!
She continues, “We go to the same church. Will you introduce me to the other kids at church?”
“Yes,” I answer with a thrill in my voice. We sit together at lunch time. My sandwich tastes better today and we trade cookies. I guess this is what it means when they say, “You have to be a friend to have a friend.” Sarah is my new friend and I am trying really hard to be a friend too.
