"Amy" and I Talk About Her Favorite Place.... "Babbling Brook"

Hi, my name is Amy! I like my Babbling Brook beacuse it tells me things I like to hear when I feel sad or lonely. I like to sit and listen to the water. And it is magic. It tells me when it is nice out and sunny and bright and happy.

Why is that Amy? How does the brook talk to you?

That's a silly question... it just does. It's a nice brook. It helps like Grammy helps when I do ballet.

What kinds of things does "Babbling Brook" say to you Amy?

Only nice things to make me feel better if I am sad or scared. Sometimes I see things or hear bad names and means words that make me feel really hurt. I run away from the mean people and hide on my bridge so I can see the water and feel good again. I hate mean people that make fun of me. It's not nice that people make fun of me beacuse I am kinda different.

How are you different Amy? You don't look different than anyone else here... you look pretty and well behaved for a girl your age.

They call me bad names beacuse I am not smart as they are. They call me "Retard" and that is a BAD name! I hate it. But Grammy loves me and she says I am VERY smart. I go to the pretty brook and it says I am smart too 'cus I know how to listen and be good. It cheers me up. If I look in the water sometimes I can see things that are happy.

You see happy things in the water, like what Amy?

I see frogs, bugs, fishies, and colors.... sometimes I can see my face in the water and see myself smile. That's happy isn't it?

It sure is. What else is special about your special place?

It is a friendship place. I have a friend named Robyne and she is my age and we have lunch sometimes on the bridge and have burping contests and we sing songs and dance sometimes. We are best friends.

Grammy says I need to go now... she wants to teach me ballet some more! I have to put on my pretty tights and a leotard I like. Okay? So bye-bye!!!!!

Thank you Amy for sharing.... have fun then.

So you see.... even the youngest among us and the least little things like a bridge over a stream can show us something profound. There are "happy" places waiting for us. And mean people do suck... and mentally challenged girls do have feelings too and shouldn't be called names. And friends are the best things on Earth. And seeing yourself smile can make you happy.

You might ask what sort of writer I am who has conversations with his own characters... what sort of writer am I who believes his characters have souls, feelings, emotions, dreams, and conversations...

My answer... hopefully a writer that cares more about the story and the characters than the black and white words on the page. Hopefully I am the kind of writer that evokes images, memories, feelings, and maybe even sounds.... like the sounds of Amy plunking stones in a brook.

D.