short stories
The little girl who couldn’t speak
Once upon a time there was a little girl who couldn't speak.It was just too much.People looked at you if you spoke.And they wanted to know more.And they smiled.Or they really wanted you to speak back at them.It was just too much.So the little girl didn't speak.She didn't look at them either.She hid in her mother's arms.She hid in her father's arms.They loved her very much.They wanted her to be happy.Was it ok if she didn't speak?
The little girl, truth be told, did speak to some of the bigger girls.She told one once that she was shyAnd that she didn't speak at all to people she didn't knowAnd that that's just the way she was.Isn't it strange that the little girl who didn't speakSpoke so much sometimes?
And then one day another big girl came around.And she was full of life and laughter and joy.And she wanted the little girl to come out of her shell.'How could I help this little girl speak?', thought the big girl.
And so she did the simplest thing.How could nobody have thought of it?The big girl made the little girl laugh.They laughed in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.They laughed in every corner of the classroom.They laughed together and they laughed apart.And all the other children laughed with them.
And then the little girl spoke. She liked speaking so much that she couldn't stop.She told everyone how much she liked ice-cream.She told everyone how much she liked the ears of desert foxes.She told everyone when she lost a tooth.She told everyone about the world's best football coach.She told everyone how happy she was.And she also told everyone how much she loved the big girl.____________________________To Innogen Fryer, the world's funniest (and best) teacher. To Sophia.And to Kim Ward, who insisted.
Once upon a time there was a little girl who couldn't speak.It was just too much.People looked at you if you spoke.And they wanted to know more.And they smiled.Or they really wanted you to speak back at them.It was just too much.So the little girl didn't speak.She didn't look at them either.She hid in her mother's arms.She hid in her father's arms.They loved her very much.They wanted her to be happy.Was it ok if she didn't speak?
The little girl, truth be told, did speak to some of the bigger girls.She told one once that she was shyAnd that she didn't speak at all to people she didn't knowAnd that that's just the way she was.Isn't it strange that the little girl who didn't speakSpoke so much sometimes?
And then one day another big girl came around.And she was full of life and laughter and joy.And she wanted the little girl to come out of her shell.'How could I help this little girl speak?', thought the big girl.
And so she did the simplest thing.How could nobody have thought of it?The big girl made the little girl laugh.They laughed in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening.They laughed in every corner of the classroom.They laughed together and they laughed apart.And all the other children laughed with them.
And then the little girl spoke. She liked speaking so much that she couldn't stop.She told everyone how much she liked ice-cream.She told everyone how much she liked the ears of desert foxes.She told everyone when she lost a tooth.She told everyone about the world's best football coach.She told everyone how happy she was.And she also told everyone how much she loved the big girl.____________________________To Innogen Fryer, the world's funniest (and best) teacher. To Sophia.And to Kim Ward, who insisted.