(Happy Birthday, Jai!)

It was a clear August day that two special little boys met. Classroom doors opened and children filled the playground of Kelly Elementary School, screaming and laughing.

The kindergartners were led out by their teacher to their section of the playground and were let loose to play until the bell rang. The small children ran out to the equipment, leaving one little boy hanging behind. He trudged to the edge of the sandbox and sat down, his small fists pillowed against his cheeks. His brown eyes were sad. He scuffed his shoes against the sand on the ground, staring at his shoelaces.

He already felt like an outcast at age five. He knew the other kids in his class thought he was weird because he was from Australia. His accent made it difficult for anyone to truly understand him. He sighed softly. It was only the second day of school and the only one that seemed to be nice to him was his teacher, Miss Jenn. He remembered her telling him that morning to not be shy and to "go make friends". He saw her wave over at him and he waved back. Then, he looked at his feet again, not noticing Miss Jenn pulling a little boy aside and pointing him in Wade's direction.

Suddenly, Wade heard a bright voice next to him.

" Hi! "

He looked up and found a blue-eyed, curly-haired boy plopping down next to him.

" Hi, " he said softly.

" I'm Justin, " the curly-haired little boy said. " Who're you? "

" I'm Wade. "

" Whatcha doing here sitting by yourself? " Justin asked. " You look sad! "

Wade shrugged his small shoulders. Justin blinked for a moment. Then, he smiled.

" Don't be shy, come on, play with me, " he said cheerfully. " Please? "

" Okay, " Wade replied quietly.

Justin grabbed Wade by the hand and dragged him to the swings.

" Here, I'll push you first, " Justin said graciously.

Wade sat in the black rubber swing and gripped the chain tightly. He hunched over as Justin gave a push to his back.

" Whoa, " Wade said aloud as he rose into the air slightly.

Justin laughed, his blue eyes crinkling.

" Pump your legs! " he cried. " It's the only way you'll keep going! "

Wade did as told and soon found himself rising higher and higher into the air. He tilted his head back and let out a laugh. Justin grinned and sat in the other swing, pumping his way towards the sky. He looked over at Wade.

" So, why were you so sad a few minutes ago? Why weren't you playing with me and everyone else? " he asked.

" I don't fit in, " Wade said, his small fingers gripping the swing chain.

" Wade, it's only the first day of school, " Justin replied. " None of us fit in. We're not big, you know, "

" That is not what I meant. I'm different. " Wade said forlornly.

Justin cocked his head to the side.

" No you're not. You're new here, like me. You have a different voice, like me. You're just like me. " he said.

Wade looked at Justin, who had stopped his swing and was looking up at him.

" Come on, be my friend, " Justin said. " That way we both won't be lonely! "

Wade's face broke into a smile. He stopped the swing.

" You'd be my friend? " he asked.

Justin got out of the swing and grabbed Wade's hand. He dragged him up to their teacher.

" Miss Jenn? " he said in his small voice.

Their teacher knelt in front of them. She smiled as Justin gripped Wade's hand in his own.

" Yes, Justin? " she said.

" Wade is my friend. I just wanted you to know, " Justin said with a determined look on his face.

" He's your friend, is he? " Miss Jenn replied with a grin.

Wade beamed up at her. He nodded happily.

" He's my friend! " he said, his brown eyes shining. " I-I have a friend! "

Miss Jenn patted the two boys on the head.

" It's about time to go back inside now, you two, " she said. " Why don't you run ahead and choose your next activity? You can either go finger paint or you can go play with the rice table, "

The two little boys looked at each other.

" Paint! " they cried.

Miss Jenn nodded.

" You can go ahead inside and pick your colors, if you want, " she said. " But don't touch anything yet, okay? "

" Okay! " they cried. She chuckled as the two ran off, still holding hands.

" Those two are going to be a handful, " she said quietly. " But inseparable. "

Wade and Justin ran to the classroom. They made their way to the back of the room, where the paints were set up.

" What colors are you getting? " Justin peered over Wade's shoulder.

" I dunno. You? " Wade said.

" That blue there, and maybe red. You like red? " Justin looked at Wade.

" I like red. You like green? " Wade asked.

" I like green, " Justin nodded.

" Then I'm going to pick green and purple, " Wade nodded.

" I like purple too, " Justin agreed.

Just then, they heard the pounded of footsteps and Miss Jenn calling for slowing down. The children piled into the room and Miss Jenn separated them into groups. She smiled at Wade and Justin, who were sticking their arms though oversized shirts as smocks.

" Okay, painters, you can get your colors now, " Miss Jenn said aloud.

Wade and Justin grabbed their colors and each plopped down at a table in front of a large sheet of finger paint paper. The parent helper opened the tubes of paint and put some of each color on the paper. Justin giggled and stuck his hand in the paint.

" It's cold! " he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Wade covered his mouth with his hand as he giggled.

" You put your hand in! " Justin said, pouting.

Wade stopped laughing and tentatively put his hand in the squishy paint. Justin started to giggle as Wade's brown eyes got big. Wade then grinned. He started to spread the paint on the paper, mixing the green and purple paint into swirls of color. Justin did the same with his red and blue paints. They traced designs in the paint and finally Wade smiled down at his paper.

" Look, " he nudged Justin with an elbow.

" What? " Justin turned his head.

Wade took his index finger and drew a J in the middle of his painting.

" What'd you do that for? " Justin asked.

" Cause your name is Justin and you're my friend. " Wade replied.

Justin's face broke into a smile and he put a W in the middle of his painting.

" Then I did that because your name is Wade and you're my friend. " Justin said.

They smiled at each other. Then, Miss Jenn told everyone to clean up so they could get ready to go home. Wade and Justin splashed water at each other at the sink, but carefully, so they wouldn't get into trouble, and they hung up their smocks with the help of a parent monitor.

As each child's mother came to pick them up, Miss Jenn watched as Justin grabbed Wade's hand and dragged him to his mom.

" Mama, this is my friend Wade, " he said proudly.

" Hi Wade, " Justin's mom smiled gently.

" Hi, " Wade said shyly.

He looked up as his own mother walked over. He grinned.

" Mommy, Mommy! " he called.

His mother walked over and greeted Justin's mom.

" Mommy, this is my friend Justin, " Wade grinned.

" Hi Justin, " Wade's mom smiled.

" Hi! " Justin said cheerfully.

They showed their mothers their paintings, and suddenly, Wade saw Miss Jenn standing at the door of the classroom. He beamed over at her and pulled away from Justin. He raced over to Miss Jenn and pulled at her hand gently. She looked down and knelt to his level.

" Thank you, Miss Jenn, " he said softly. " Thank you for helping me make a new friend. "

Miss Jenn patted the little boy's head.

" You're welcome, Wade. I'm glad you and Justin are getting along, " she said.

Wade reached out and put his arms around Miss Jenn's neck and hugged her tightly. Miss Jenn smiled and hugged him back.

" Bye! " Wade let go and ran back to his mother, waving.

" Good bye, " Miss Jenn waved back and went back into the classroom.

Wade took Justin's hand and they walked with their mothers to the parking lot, signaling the end of the school day. The two boys waved goodbye to each other and their mothers drove away. Wade turned to his mother in the car and beamed. His eyes sparkled happily as he began to babble.

" Mommy, I have so much to tell you! "

*** © 2002 ***