Bobby's Dream-Chapter 2

This is the first section of Chapter 2 from "Bobby's Dream." Available in print and digital formats.

Chapter 2

1.

            October 8^th, 1992.

            Hinckley, Oregon.

            2:01 p.m.

            “You should go out and play,” Ms. Thornton said, “like a normal boy your age!”

            Which meant: no, he couldn’t go to the library during recess.

            Dang...

            Bobby didn’t argue with his teacher. Having no choice, he moped to the playground; the last place in the world he wanted to be.

            A normal boy my age!

            What is that, anyway?

            Ever since he’d started school, the adults in Bobby’s life had been using the word normal against him, saying he didn’t act like other kids. At least, that’s how it seemed. Not every adult said that, of course"not his mother, anyway"but enough of them did.

            Enough that he began to wonder if they had a point.

            Just wish I knew what the big deal is. So what if I get better grades than everyone else? So what if I don’t care about sports? So what if I don’t wanna play on swing sets and monkey bars? 

            So what?

            So what if I’d rather read than go outside?

            So what? So what? So what?

            No one's ever answered that. No one's ever explained why I should change. Or what's so great about being normal, anyway.

            And they always blame me for not having any friends. Like it's my fault they're all afraid...

            The despondent boy stepped into the mellow autumn day feeling lost, lonesome, and scared. And who could blame him? He saw mean, distrustful faces everywhere, with no one to talk to.

            Almighty Ve'yn...I miss Dad so much.