The Rock That Didn't Cry

ROCK

George’s rock was very obedient. When George said sit the rock sat. When he said stay the rock stayed. When he said sleep the rock slept. When he said run well the rock was asleep by then so it couldn’t hear him. But that’s ok because the rock was probably tired from all the sitting and staying. George was proud of his rock. He liked how smooth it was and the reddish color. He always tried to talk to the rock to make it feel at home. He asked it if it wanted food or water but it never did.

PARENTS

George’s parents didn’t mind the rock. He was pretty sure they liked it. At first they asked him where he got it but he didn’t know. He just remembered not having the rock and wishing for a pet and then the next day he did have one. They told him to take good care of it as practice since he might get another pet some day. Sometimes if he forgot it on the bathroom counter after he brushed his teeth or it fell between the couch cushions then they would help him find it.

His dad said something about how he used to have a special stone too when he was a kid. He told George he would rub it and wish on it to get a good grade on a test or get the present he wanted. George didn’t know if his pet rock could do that but he didn’t really care because it didn’t have to grant wishes to make him happy. He just liked to look at it and feel it and have it with him.

One time his mom said Your rock is getting dirty let me wash it for you.

And George said No you might hurt it.

I promise I won’t hurt it. It just needs a bath she said.

Ok but let me do it he said.

So he got on the step stool and turned on the faucet and filled the sink with water. And then he got some soap and started scrubbing the rock with a sponge. His hands started getting brown and it ran down his fingers into the sink. The dirt must’ve been hard to see because of what color the rock is. He thought the rock liked the bath. George was having fun so he kept the faucet running and put some more soap on the rock. But then it got really slippery and it flew out of his hands and landed in the sink water. George started crying because it was all the way at the bottom of the sink and he didn’t know how to get it out.

It’s okay his mom said. You don’t need to cry. The rock is strong. You can be strong too.

And he said I just wish that it wouldn’t sink to the bottom where I can’t see it.

And just as he said that there were circles in the water and it bubbled and the rock popped up to the top and floated next to the soapy suds.

Look my wish came true it’s like Dad’s rock he said excitedly.

It must be hollow inside or something his mom said. Most rocks don’t float.

It’s because I wished it! George told her. It must be a wishing rock.

It’s definitely a very special rock she told him. See I told you it didn’t mind a little swim.

George was happy that his rock was ok. He also wanted to be able to swim like the rock could. But mostly he liked what his mom said. He could be strong like the rock.

FRIENDS

George wanted to show off his rock to his friends at the park. It looked cooler than the boring small gray ones at the playground. But they didn’t like it like he did.

It’s just a dumb old rock they said it’s not your pet. 

You're wrong it is my pet said George it’s the best pet ever. 

They laughed a bunch and said something about dumb as a rock. 

Don’t insult my rock he said. But that made them laugh more.

And then they grabbed the rock and started to throw it around.

Don’t hurt it George shouted you’re going to drop it.

And he was right they did drop it. They said it wasn’t on purpose but they were just being mean. Then they stepped on it and said that was an accident too. George knew they were lying because they smiled when they said it which made him want to cry because they didn’t even feel bad for hurting the rock. But he didn’t cry because the rock wasn’t crying. He wanted to be strong like it.

He said Stop it or I’m going to tell an adult but they didn’t listen. 

You’re clearly a bad owner since the rock is dead they said. 

I’m not a bad owner I took good care of it George said. 

Did you feed it? they asked. 

No he told them because it didn’t want any food.

I bet it did want food but you didn’t feed it so now it’s dead because of you.

They started laughing really hard after that.

I didn’t kill the rock George said but he wasn’t as confident now. 

You did too. So now it’s dead and we should have a funeral.

George said quietly No its not. 

We should bury it they suggested. 

But it was almost time to go home so they had a better idea. 

They took the rock to the lake and hurled it into the water. Circles spread out on the water.

Go swimming and get it if you’re a good pet owner they said. 

But I can’t swim said George. 

Then I guess you don’t care about your dead rock.

And then they all left but George didn’t. Because George knew that the rock could swim. So he just waited there for it to float back to the surface. He felt bad for the rock and he didn’t want to be a bad owner like they said. So even though he couldn’t swim he sat by the lake until it got dark and his mom came to find him.

Where have you been young man? Supper was ready twenty minutes ago.

But he just stared at the lake quietly because he didn’t want to leave the rock behind.

DOG

The next day he saw his friends at the playground again but he didn’t try to play with them. He didn’t want to be friends with people who are mean to rocks. And he didn’t want to cry because his pet rock didn’t cry when it was being bullied and he wanted to be strong like it. So he sat by the lake again and looked out at the lake where his pet rock must be swimming. 

Part of him wanted to wish out loud for it to float to the top of the water. But he figured the rock must enjoy swimming if it was staying underwater. And he wanted to let the rock do what it wanted to like a good owner. So he just waited quietly. But it kept swimming underwater for the rest of the day and the next day and the next day.

After a few weeks of waiting for the rock when he came home there was a dog in his house. 

Look what we got to cheer you up! his mom said. 

We knew you’d been feeling down so we thought a dog would lift your spirits said his dad.

George looked at the dog. His mom told him to say hi but he wanted to see if it was a good pet so he said Sit. But it was so excited it didn’t sit and tried to jump up.

It’s not house-broken said his mom. We have to teach it. But it’ll learn soon.

Oh ok said George.

That night in bed there were no tears on his face but it was red and his cheeks hurt. He heard the dog scratching at his door and that made him even madder.

I’m sorry I’m not strong like you were he said.

You didn’t yell or call those people bad names or even cry.

But I’m not strong like you. Those people are meanies and I wish you’d come back.

I wish that one day they know how you felt.

George went to bed sniffling and listening to the dog scratching and barking at his door.

ROCK

But the next morning George felt a lot better. Even the dog didn’t bother him that much. He kinda liked it a little. He decided to go to the park with the lake again. His mom even let him walk the dog there on the new leash they got.

When he got there the meanies weren’t standing in their regular spot. He sort of missed going to play with them but he didn’t care that much because he had a dog that was running around smelling the trees. It was a good dog. He looked out at the lake. And when he did the dog suddenly it got low to the ground and started smelling its way to the lake. The water began bubbling and gurgling. Lots of circles. As objects emerged and floated on top of the water the dog started barking even more.

Bodies.

The lake suddenly was filled with bodies. 

Human bodies bobbing there like apples. But he knew who the bodies were. The meanies. Every single person who had bullied his rock. One by one they floated into view. Their faces were covered with dirt. Their arms were limp and weren’t moving. Each person was still. Like a rock. 

George was scared. The dog was barking.

Be quiet he said to it but it kept barking.

After all the limp bodies came up there were more bubbles and something else started floating to the top. George knew what it would be. The rock. Strong and silent it bobbed alongside its bullies. And George hated the rock. He hated it for being silent. He hated it for answering his wish. He hated it for not crying.

I wish you were just a regular rock.

I wish you couldn’t swim or listen to wishes.

And I wish no one will ever find you again!

The rock considered Georges request for a moment as it bobbled on the water defiantly. Slowly it sank back to the bottom of the lake. George waited to make sure it wasn’t going to come back.

Stay!

The rock stayed.

He waited for a little longer and then went back home with the barking dog. He told his mom it was bad around squirrels and wouldn’t stop barking. She said it would learn soon.

PARENTS

No one ever found out how the kids died. Their parents mourned and the police department investigated and swept the bottom of the lake for evidence but all they found was a bunch of rocks. The detectives said the kids looked like they were thrown on the ground and hit several times with a hard object before being thrown in the lake. But all the people the investigators suspected had a good excuse of where they were. So everyone assumed it would never be solved.

Did you know those boys that they found in the lake? his mom asked reading the paper.

I’ve seen them before said George.

Oh how tragic she said looking at the photo. Who would do such a thing?

FRIENDS

George eventually got new friends that didn’t bully rocks. Well he assumed they didn’t. He didn’t have a pet rock anymore so he didn’t know for sure. But George even brought his new friends over to the house and they were nice to his pet dog. So they were good friends. 

Sometimes they would say something about his clothes or toys and laugh a little but that was ok because when they did he just laughed too and then the next day he found different clothes and put away those toys and they stopped talking about them. His friends were really strong and they used words like wimp and sissy and crybaby when they talked about other people. Sometimes he overheard them talking like that about each other. But George knew they didn’t use words like that about him because he was strong and didn’t cry. 

He was glad to have friends to play with during recess or talk to during lunch or mess around with at baseball practice or cheat off for homework assignments or go do stuff with on Friday nights. When he finally moved out for college he felt good because he was going to the same college as most of his friends and they were all going to room together. His parents were glad that they had raised such a strong independent young man who had such nice friends.

DOG

The dog was never really the same after that walk to the lake. George’s parents stopped taking the dog for walks because it would go crazy growling at the strangest moments. Near lakes. Near children. And especially near rocks. They figured it was sick. But the doctors never found anything so they just got used to living with an indoor dog that ran around the house. But they were still glad to have it. It learned how to sit when they said sit and stay when they said stay and it would even fall asleep when they needed it to. They washed it in the bathtub when it got too dirty and took good care of it. They would talk to make it feel at home. And the dog was always there whenever they were feeling sad if George couldn’t be with them during holidays or breaks. The dog didn’t try to be strong and cool. It just curled up with them and let them cry as long as they wanted.