hidden talents

note children playing... singing in background.. young girl has a marked effect on the people who cross her path.. they are changed by her.. she doesnt notice and wants more than anything to be good at something.  she wishes on a loose eyelash, upon a star, a wishbone,  a wishing well,  birthday candles, dandelion seedhead,

This old man, he played one
He played knick-knack on my thumb
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home

She squeezes her eyes shut tight, sucks in all the air she can, makes her wish.. and blows with all her might. The loose eyelash floating gently on the breeze, with just a little help.  The child wants more than anything to be good at something.. to have some talent that sets her apart from all the others.  Something that makes her special.  She wishes for a beautiful singing voice, one like that pretty little girl on PBS, who's angelic voice filled her living room last night. 

She runs to join her friends in singing..

This old man, he played two,
He played knick-knack on my shoe;
Knick-knack paddywhack,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

But she can tell by their faces.. her singing is off.  Children can be too honest, sometimes.  And she leaves them to their singing.  Head down, she runs and hides in the cement tunnels at the end of the playground.  Holding back the tears stinging her eyes.  Stifling her own sniffles, she hears an echo.  Someone weeping.. in one of the other tunnels.  Crawling quietly to the opening.. she peeps around the corner and sees another little girl, tears streaming from her eyes.

Without a word, Sara sits next to the girl, reaches into her pocket and brings out the sparkly pony sticker she just got from Mrs. Spence.  The little girl blinks back her tears, and quietly peeks at the sticker.  Sara smiles, and gives it to her.

<<ROUGH DRAFT>>
The recess bell rings.

On her way home from school that day, Sara...

She plops down in her neighbor's front yard, lying back, looking up at the clearest blue sky.  A lone airplane jets across the sky leaving its trail of clouds.  Sara glances around for the most perfect dandelion tuft, smiles, and plucks it.  Squeezes her eyes shut tight.. sucks in as much air as she can.. makes her wish.. and blows with all her might.  The seeds waft gently in the breeze.  It would be so cool if she could fly. 

She spends the next few minutes daydreaming about all the things she would do, if only she could fly.  Eyes closed.  Then, slowly opens one eye.. she feels she isn't alone.  Sure enough, two intensely blue eyes are staring down at her, just inches from her face.  Both eyes wide, Sara rolls over and stands up.  It's the little girl from the tunnel.. and she isn't alone.

'Whatcha doin'?'  asks the little girl

'Making a wish.'

'Whatcha wishin for?'

'I cant tell you.  It wont come true.'

'Oh.'

The little girl looks down at her shoes.

'This is my brother.. his names Jason.  Im Kasey.'

Jason pushes his sister out of the way .. 'I CAN TELL HER MY NAME!'

'I'm Sara' she smiles and turns toward her house.  'C'mon.'

She climbs the steps of her front porch and pulls herself up onto the brick ledge.. about 4 feet from the ground.   Smiling gaily, she tells them.. 'I can fly.'  In a flash, the small boy is on the porch next to her.  'I CAN TOO!' he takes her hand.. and they jump.

They fall with a thud.  Sara sits a moment, a frown forming.  Jason is up ready to go again.

'AGAIN!  AGAIN!'
'COME ON, KASEY!'

This time all three jump.  Gleeful peals of laughter bursting from each of them.  They jump until they cant jump anymore.. til its time for her new friends to go home. 

They get halfway across the street, when Jason comes running back.  He reaches deep in his pocket and pulls out a shiny rock.  'HERE,  IT'S MY AGATE.. YOU CAN HAVE IT.'  he says in his loud serious voice, and hugs her quickly.. then runs to catch his sister.

***

The next day, Mrs. Spence calls Sara to take part in a mentoring program, to help tutor younger children.  She is set up with a little boy in first grade, who wont speak.  It's Jason.  In school, he whispers to her.. she coaxes him to speak.. helps him with his schoolwork.. this leads to something!!