Hi, how are you doing? I’m fine. You want to know why I am in the woods, right? I’ll tell you. My parents really chewed me out all the time. They gave me only one thing that I liked, and that was an audio device. But I had to be aware of Greeks bearing gifts. My dad works in a real estate agency. Every day he’d come home with lots of money, probably about $700. My parents’ plan was to become millionaires, live in complete luxury, live in a mansion, and abandon me and keep me in an orphanage. They were counting their eggs before they hatched! They said, “We should have a girl, not Andy!”
One night I packed my stuff and ran away. With aid from my flashlight, my decision was to run to a forest near town. Seven weeks ago, I was hiking when I heard a sound. I turned around and saw a squirrel. The squirrel said to me, “Hi! Who are you?” I said, “Hello! I am Andy Blubbers. What do you want?” The squirrel replied, “I want your friendship and for you to realize your potential.”
“All right,” I said in enthusiasm. “But what do I do?” The squirrel instructed, “When there are some bullies and we see them, you will speak encouraging words to make them stop bullying other people.” I said, “Yes, but you haven’t told me your name. Cat, got your tongue?” “Boyyard is the name,” came the reply.
I must pause here to tell you one thing. Almost everything here is all in the past. I resume now.
For one week Boyyard and I went to town to get supplies for our life in the forest. We were also building a log cabin out of the trees we chopped down. We bought furniture by using the money I made from mowing lawns for people in the neighboring town. It was a great week for us.
One day we were in town buying a chair for me to sit on when a group of boys were bullying some people. Surprisingly, amongst them were my parents! I walked up to the mean bullies and told them, “I don’t think you should bully people because you just hurt their feelings. Treat those people over there the way you want them to treat you.” The bullies did not heed my advice and retorted, “Mind your own business.” I made them understand that they would not gain anything by harassing others. Surprisingly my words drove sense into them and they walked away.
People who were witnessing the scene clapped. My parents felt very proud but they were ashamed too. Even though they were not nice to me earlier, I never stopped loving and protecting them. They walked up to me and said, “Andy, we are so sorry that we were mean to you and only wanted a girl, not you. Will you come back to us?” I said, “Yeah, sure! But can I keep Boyyard, my squirrel friend?” The answer was “Yes.” Mom and Dad decided to quit their millionaire dream and instead live with Boyyard and me helping others and bringing them joy. We sometimes come to the log cabin I built in the woods to enjoy the beautiful sights. And that’s how I’m here today.
(Ayan is a fourth grade student in Findley Oaks Elementary, Atlanta, Georgia. He loves reading books, listening to Indian music and playing the piano.)
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