He comes every day. He always sits quietly in or near the back of the room. He laughs at everyone’s jokes, but is never ever huddled with but always just nearby. He seems shy if someone tries to fold him into the group. Everyone thinks he is nice enough and he has attended school with them since kindergarten. He never gets invited to anyone’s parties, but he always gets nice generic Valentines cards from all the nice kids who have cards for everyone in the classroom. He’s never sick. He attends the home games, the town festivals, school dances or at least classmates are pretty sure they saw him there.

One day, someone sees him drawing a comic strip during recess when it rains too hard to go outside. Bob asks to see it. Bob laughs and without asking permission takes it to Tony. Tony asks him if it’s alright to look at it. He nods. Tony laughs and soon two or three others are reading it, too. Someone, I think it is Linda says, “This is really good.” Linda’s sort of boyfriend says he thinks it’s kind of dumb. Bob says to him, “No, you’re kind of dumb.” Everyone agrees with Bob.

Ten minutes of fame. That’s all it is. Ten minutes of fame that he keeps trying to replicate.

Categories: Sample writing

Tagged as: dailyprompt dailyprompt-1989

Douglas Knight

I have the rich life full of a sinner wounded by misunderstanding and punishment but blessed by mercy and forgiveness.