by Alice Schott
Once upon a time there was a robin walking around the street trying to make a friend. She found a rock. Hello rock said the robin. No one answered. She was sad and flew away. Then she found a flag but still no answer, so she flew away.
Then she came to a rug. The rug was all nice cozy. She thought this rug would surely want to be my friend, “ hello rug” said the robin but no one answered. The robin then came to a bee and she knew they could be dangerous so she flew away.
Then she came to a skunk and smelled something bad. The skunk yelled “Stay out of my territory”. So she flew away and she was sad because no one was answering her nicely and she is trying to find a friend.
Then a turtle came. Hi said the turtle, what are you doing? The robin replied, I've been trying to make a friend. I've tried a rock, I've tried a flag, a rug, and a bee, but I got frightened and ran away. I also tried a skunk but he was mean.
The turtle said, I’ll be your friend. Making friends can be hard. My name is Aron, What is your name? The robin replied, My name is Olivia.
Not everyone is friendly, said Aron the turtle so you should just walk away if someone is being mean to you. Then the turtle said, and not all bees are scary. We could try to talk to them again. No, said Olivia the robin, I am too scared. It’s okay to be scared said Aron.
Okay, I’ll try again, let’s go talk to those bees. I hope they don't sting me, Gulp said Olivia.
As they walked Aron explained that rugs, rocks, and flags cannot talk back because they are not real. Oh, I did not know that said Olivia, as they approached the bees. The bees got scared and ran into their hive. I guess that plan did not work, said Olivia with relief because she was still scared of getting stung.
Aron the turtle said, well we are friends so we can go in the field and play ball. That’s a fun idea said Olivia. Olivia the robin and Aron the turtle ended up being friends forever.
This writing is part of a collection featured in the 2020 Celebrate the Arts Writing Contest, an annual contest hosted by The Arts Council of Westerville, Westerville Public Library and the ThisWeek Westerville News & Public Opinion as one of many events organized by the Arts Council to mark April as “Celebrate the Arts” month in Westerville.
