In times of wonderment

There were times where Canada wondered why he even bothered.

These timeswere few and far between, often occurring after a particularly long day or, as the case maybe, excessive exposure to his brother.

Now, don't get him wrong, he loved America, he really did. But there were… times… timeswhen he felt like he didn't truly exist and, if he did exist which, in these times, was doubtful, he had to ponder if he wasn't indeed just a mere shadow; a slightly meeker mockery of the Superpower.

It was in times like these where Canada, for his adorable face and haywire curl, had to wonder if people never saw him because, as he feared, he did exist, if barely, as nothing more than a mockery of his twin.

Did you hear what America did?

So what? Canada did it first!

America finally passed the law!

It had been passed in Canada for many years now!

Oh, hey there America!

He wasn't America. He was Canada!

… Who?

Yes, Canada did try not to hate his brother – it wasn't wise to hate a man with a chainsaw – but sometimes it got a little too much! Maybe he did have an inferiority complex, but one might venture to say it was perfectly justified.

There were times, plenty of them, where Canada considered doing something – dare he say it? – outrageous! Something much in the same manner of, oh, you know, dying his hair red or tattooing a Canadian flag to his head, maybe getting a few piercings... Something to make people stop, pause and say 'Why, you're not America now, are you? You're… Canada!'

He never did, however, because the whimsical urges that breezed through his head in these times were daft and silly and American – which was exactly what he didn't want to be!

There were times, not so frequent but occurring none the less, when Canada wondered what would happen if he waltzed into a room with a 'Cheeseburger' and a goofy grin, calling out something like, 'The hero has arrived!'

He wondered if people would notice right away that he wasn't, in fact, America. Perhaps they'd stare incredulously, looking up from their paperwork and ask him if he'd skipped his daily dosage of maple syrup. Maybe, Canada thought, they wouldn't even realize he'd entered; the avoidance vibe that oozed from him was simply that strong.

Times like that made Canada sniffle and cling tighter to Kuma-whaty.

Sometimes Canada stopped and looked down at himself and was greeted with the sight of a faded brown suit, polished shoes, a bland tie and a cuddly polar bear that would look up at him and ask 'Who?'

Yep, Canada would think, still here.

Of course, he wasn't sure if he should take his own word on that particular matter for no sooner had he looked up than somebody would stride by, bumping him hard and causing him to stumble. 'Oh sorry,' they would say, 'didn't see you there… who are you?'

'I'm Canada...'

But they'd already be walking away.

Yes, sometimes Canada had to wonder.

And wonder he did, at times, that was, because it wasn't healthy to wonder all the time because, and he really didn't want to think about it, he might dredge up a particularly uncomfortable realization and then he wouldn't be in need of these times anymore because, quite simply, they'd be happening all the time and then, by definition, they wouldn't be times anymore.

So Canada tried not wonder, really he did.

But there were, no matter how much he tried, simply certain times…

In in those times, he wondered…