The sun shined brightly that day on the new family sitting on a checkered blanket in the park. The young couple chattered away as the happy baby boy grinned lovingly at his parents. Baby Arnold saw them start laughing, and the happy sound seemed contagious. Arnold waved his hands in the air and giggled gleefully.
Suddenly the chirping of a bird caught his attention. He stopped and looked at the robin. It was a few yards away, looking back at him. When it became uneasy with the eye contact, the bird quickly hopped away toward a bush. Curiousity poked at the boy, so he climbed up onto his feet and wobbled toward the creature. It was a skill he'd just picked up not long ago.
When the bird chirped and noisly flapped its wings, Arnold was sad to see his new friend fly away. He stopped walking but looked around when he heard something. It sounded like a sniffle. He walked over to the bush and pushed the branches aside to see what was making the sound. Behind the bush was a small clearing. There was a young girl his age with pigtails and a big pink bow atop her blond locks. She also had a pink jumpsuit on. She was clumsily running her small fists under her eyes to wipe the constant flow of tears dripping down her childish cheeks. The branches closed behind Arnold as he climbed into the clearing.
"Wassa matter?" he asked with worry to the stranger sitting on the ground. The girl looked up at the boy who had found her.
"My papa an' mama forgot me," she said before letting out another sob. "Dey went far away, an' I'm scared!" She buried her face in her small hands and kept crying. Arnold put his arm on her shoulder.
"It's okay," he said softly. "When I'm feeling sad, my mommy gives me a kiss an' I feel all better." The girl looked up at him.
"A kiss?" she asked, confused. "Wassat?" Arnold was a bit surprised at the question. But he leaned forward and brought his face to the girl's, giving her a kiss on the lips. He pulled back and looked at her.
"Do you feel better now?" he asked, hoping it worked on her like it always did on him. She stared at him blankly, her cheeks still wet with tears that were no longer flowing. After a moment of silence, she smiled and closed her eyes as she nodded. It was a new feeling to her; this happiness, and calmness. For the first time, she didn't feel that awful lonliness that was always in her heart. Arnold's soft smile beamed at her as they sat together, enjoying the first time company of someone their age. Suddenly, Arnold heard his mother calling his name.
"Uh-oh, my mommy's gonna be worried," Arnold said. He got up and climbed out from behind the bush. The girl followed.
Arnold's parents spotted their son, and Arnold's smiling father came to lift him onto his shoulder. They walked away and Arnold, hunched over his father's shoulder, waved at the girl as he left. The girl smiled and waved back as he faded from sight.
As time passed, the memory of that day sank deeper and deeper in their minds, only to be forgotten. And as they met later on at preschool, they found each other once again, but as strangers.
Suddenly the chirping of a bird caught his attention. He stopped and looked at the robin. It was a few yards away, looking back at him. When it became uneasy with the eye contact, the bird quickly hopped away toward a bush. Curiousity poked at the boy, so he climbed up onto his feet and wobbled toward the creature. It was a skill he'd just picked up not long ago.
When the bird chirped and noisly flapped its wings, Arnold was sad to see his new friend fly away. He stopped walking but looked around when he heard something. It sounded like a sniffle. He walked over to the bush and pushed the branches aside to see what was making the sound. Behind the bush was a small clearing. There was a young girl his age with pigtails and a big pink bow atop her blond locks. She also had a pink jumpsuit on. She was clumsily running her small fists under her eyes to wipe the constant flow of tears dripping down her childish cheeks. The branches closed behind Arnold as he climbed into the clearing.
"Wassa matter?" he asked with worry to the stranger sitting on the ground. The girl looked up at the boy who had found her.
"My papa an' mama forgot me," she said before letting out another sob. "Dey went far away, an' I'm scared!" She buried her face in her small hands and kept crying. Arnold put his arm on her shoulder.
"It's okay," he said softly. "When I'm feeling sad, my mommy gives me a kiss an' I feel all better." The girl looked up at him.
"A kiss?" she asked, confused. "Wassat?" Arnold was a bit surprised at the question. But he leaned forward and brought his face to the girl's, giving her a kiss on the lips. He pulled back and looked at her.
"Do you feel better now?" he asked, hoping it worked on her like it always did on him. She stared at him blankly, her cheeks still wet with tears that were no longer flowing. After a moment of silence, she smiled and closed her eyes as she nodded. It was a new feeling to her; this happiness, and calmness. For the first time, she didn't feel that awful lonliness that was always in her heart. Arnold's soft smile beamed at her as they sat together, enjoying the first time company of someone their age. Suddenly, Arnold heard his mother calling his name.
"Uh-oh, my mommy's gonna be worried," Arnold said. He got up and climbed out from behind the bush. The girl followed.
Arnold's parents spotted their son, and Arnold's smiling father came to lift him onto his shoulder. They walked away and Arnold, hunched over his father's shoulder, waved at the girl as he left. The girl smiled and waved back as he faded from sight.
As time passed, the memory of that day sank deeper and deeper in their minds, only to be forgotten. And as they met later on at preschool, they found each other once again, but as strangers.