May 24th

Dearest Little Boy,

Let me first start by making my sincerest apology. The first time you saw me, I frightened you, which wasn't considerate of me; I owe you an explanation. I arrived late last night, while you were asleep in your mother's arms (although, in my opinion, you are much too large). I entered your house in my good friend's borrowed clothes, careful to take off my smelly shoes that threatened to make a ruckus leaving the mudroom. Your dog had met me outside, the big, black, beautiful thing that doesn't know who I am, even when I've visited before; your family has neglected to introduce me to her. She barked, but you never woke up to listen. I sat down next to your toys and played with a figurine, engaging in conversation with your family. Your father was quietly, solemnly confident in trusting me, thinking I'm a good influence. Your mother was encouraging my conversation with your sister, and I think she and I, we could be good friends if she needed another,talking about the arts, ballet, that big city. This morning, you've figured the situation out with your brother and I; I adore him, and although he neglects me, he finds me often. (Be patient, I'm trying to get him to share me with you.) And so, I spent the night at your house without your knowledge, and I'll be there again. I slept in that bed, with red-and-blue pillows that lies across from yours. You arose from your dreams, and at seven-thirty in the morning you saw a stranger you've glimpsed before. I was wearing black leggings, a large shirt that showed a bookshelf and a dog with a bloody mouth on it reading "Man's Best Friend." I had one of your little-kid books in your lap, engorged by a duck and surprised I hadn't read it before. There are a lot of things that make you different from me, but neither one of us is any better.

I know you, that's one of the best gifts of being me. You've made delectable soups on Friday afternoons, encouraged by your classmates to sip a portion, and surrender the ladel to the next King. Creating finger puppets out of socks, you've created worlds unbeknowst to anyone, and you can see the remote control etched into the virgin piece of wood that's controlling the aliens beneath my feet. You've participated in celebrations between colorful ribbons and tall wooden poles, dancing in barefeet, to faerie's music. Outside, you run to wield the wooden sword against me, your least fearsome foe. Somehow, you still had that shield, which I suppose is fair, I have my age. You've grown up next to your own lake, fish at your fingertips, and the oppurtunity of relaxing in that nice, comfortable hammock on the far side. This autumn morning you have whispers of ideas at a carefully constructed identity, a fallacy enabling you to steal the grocer's candy. Just this morning, you wanted to be a vampire, a ghost, and the headless horseman. I see you in each as you dictate where I should cut next on the pumpkin's head, I'm scooping out all of the gross parts, the guts, seeds and string that devalue the face of the vampire your mother drew. For simple tasks, you might need me, but you always have had the option of turning to someone else to do the work for you. This morning was one of the times you did. You ran out of the room. You ran down the old hallway into the bathroom. But then you came back again. And we played. And we read.

You have all the capabilities of a young prince, I promise. Stacking Legos I saw you learn, I saw you depend on your imagination, I saw you develop the story, I saw you create. You saw the twinkle in my eye, when your brother explained what you said to me. "The little wormie" was you, something I didn't understand; you didn't want me to go, you literally held onto me in your sleeping bag and wiggled yourself along those floorboards to hold onto my leg. I like you, little boy, and I think we can be friends. Not on the recommendations of your teachers, not on the rumors of your knucklehead friends, not even with the help of your mother, father, sister or brother.

So, little boy, I'm sorry I worried you this morning, and I'm sorry I scared you when you awoke from your bed. But I had a fun day playing today, and I think you liked hanging out with me, too. I'm sorry I had to go away so early this afternoon, but it was time I helped out your sister, time I hung out with your brother by myself. So take care, have fun please, and finish that book I was reading with you (it's still open on that red-blue sheet).

Love,
Literacy.