Childhood stories are always welcomed with open arms specifically those with a tenacity to outlast time. This one does, one of my own. So I tried to match it up with a verse from a novel I dearly love.

With lives being much busier now that we had entered sixth grade, we usually ate lunch quietly and quickly. But today was different, us three, the three of us wanted enjoy the fading foliage and cooling weather; we wanted to eat outside. The three of us decided this but of course, being 12 year-old girls, myself and Aisha* fought over the position of being the one to sit in the middle. This position most coveted amongst us because both friend’s stories could be heard equally. And therefore this was of course the best spot.

Regardless, Aisha and I thought it through and argued that this time it should be Sara’s* turn because she had not partaken in the war of words and abstained with such dignity. The queen of good behaviour. ‘You should sit!’ we exclaimed. We found a picnic table to hold our appetites, and so we sat. We spoke about the geometry homework and then a few minutes later…Polp!

We all looked up to see a large seagull incline further into the blue skies. On Sara’s hijab there was a good size bird doo-doo, white and thick.

We all laughed and couldn’t help but stare with the wide eyes. Needless to say, no one fought over the middle position after that.

*Real names were not used, in love for these two, who I still know and love more than I did in the 6th grade.