It’s bad enough having a brother, even worse when he’s a twin, but not an identical twin, just fraternal, just another brother, except this one has the same birthday and everyone compares us, which he likes because to him everything is a competition, a contest, even though everything comes easily to him, even school.
In fifth grade Mrs. Wilson said she can’t go bending the rules now can she, that even though I have started reading a sixth book I haven’t finished six books so I can’t get on the bus to go on the special picnic with my brother and all the other kids who’ve managed to read six or more chapter books since Christmas break. I will have to stay behind with Ms. Danielson and her first and second graders.
It’s lunchtime but instead of going upstairs to the gym where lunch is usually served the little kids carry boxes of sandwiches and chips outside for a picnic and then we stay outside all afternoon because some of the boxes contain picture books. Ms. Danielson has me help some of the little kids with their reading and she tells her class to always choose kind and to work hard like me, tells me she knows I don’t just coast through school.
Now I am in sixth grade and Mrs. Wilson is trying to convince me to go on the picnic bus because I read eight chapter books, two more than my brother, but I don’t, I get permission to stay behind because it’s Friday and ever since that day in fifth grade I go to Ms. Danielson’s on Friday afternoons to read with the little kids.
The Six Sentence Story prompt is “coast”. Thank you Denise at GirlieOnTheEdge for continuing the venerable tradition and coaxing stories, six sentences at a time.
That’s a nice ending. I knew many good twin/bad twin pairs. I always wondered who made the first categorization of them. And then of course it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. (K)
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Yep. But I think this kid is shrugging that off and learning to go his own way, not bothering with the comparisons.
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Aw. What a nice little boy. But how awful to be left behind! Of course Mrs. Wilson “can’t bend the rules”. Not. Great job with the ending, very poignant. It demonstrates the totality of his experience being left behind – clearly it had a huge impact, an impact a lot bigger than he realized at the time.
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I think he has seen through and outgrown the kind of recognition of that bussed picnic and is much more satisfied by the recognition he receives from Ms. Danielson and her young students.
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Cute story. The lad is obviously proud of his position
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Yes, and getting recognized by Ms. Danielson for his efforts all along.
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I root for the boy. Yay! Such a life-skill. Let the others play at their highly competitive aggressive team sports. Oh, yes, that’s how I was when at school.
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I really liked this, Miss D.
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I am glad you did. Thank you.
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❤❤ Great!
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Thanks.
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Well done you! 👍👍
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Two thumbs?! Thanks!!
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Aww this character has a good heart.
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So does Ms. Danielson, and she might be willing to bend the rules to do the right thing.
Thanks for the read!
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I think I’d be choosing Friday afternoon with Mrs Danielson where I’m appreciated and respected too. Nice tale.
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Kinda goes with validation and contest thinking?
Thanks for your validation Mizz Colvin.
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Thought-provoking Six.
Sometimes we find our own context in the world early, sometimes after much trial-and-comparison, and, sadly sometime a person never does, of if they do, are unable to have it become enough a part of themselves as to be self-sustaining.
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Yep. I think this kid is going to surpass his brother in the end. His brother doesn’t know how to work and does bare minimum.
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Beautiful story! Reading with the younger children is a win-win for all!
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Thank you.
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