Ted said, “Last night I had the Special Power dream: <br />I could go through doors unseen.” <br />“Bernstein, ” said Michelle Dooling, <br />“that’s one of your composition topics.” <br />“This often happens: <br />I invade the subconscious mind of my students.” <br />Ted continued, “And after I had another: <br />I could stretch myself like Rubber Man <br />to be any size I wanted.” <br />Danielle stared at Ted with those sad serious eyes <br />I had seen before <br />when her baby ran a high temperature <br />and lay in the hospital close to death. <br />She spoke softly, “There ain’t nothing wrong <br />with how tall you are, Ted.” <br />“Yeah, I know.” <br />“Just got to find a little woman.” <br />“You saying we can’t get together <br />cause you’re six feet and I’m only five? Eh? <br />But I’m growing. <br />The doctor says in another year <br />I’ll shoot up seven inches.” <br />Danielle continued, “You’re my friend, Teddy. That’s all.” <br />He leaped from his chair, stood on it <br />finally screaming, “THIS HOW TALL YOU WANT ME TO BE? ” <br />“C’mon, Teddy...” <br />“ANSWER ME.” <br />Then tears seeping into a terrible moan, <br />“I wanna know when I should stop growing <br />cause I don’t wanna get too damn tall.” <br />Ted flopped down, missed the seat, <br />now on the floor, looking up <br />utterly exhausted by his confession. <br />Laughter resounded throughout the room. <br />Finally Danielle yielding, me too <br />probably not wanting to enter sadness just then. <br />“What you two giants laughing at? ” said Ted, <br />making no effort to rise up. <br />Michelle Dooling asked, “Why you call them ‘giants’? <br />They ain’t that tall, just you so short, is that it? ” <br />Ted’s tiny tears trembled down his cheeks <br />the lad really suffering now <br />and more to come <br />unhappy in his own skin.<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-heavy-world-on-his-narrow-shoulders/
