I turned 20 years old yesterday. I was really excited. “Now you’re a big girl,” Daddy said to me. I got to play in the park and watch a big yellow school bus drive by. Some of the people on it said things to me that I didn’t understand. Daddy looked mad, but I didn’t know why. I told him I loved him. That made him happy.
I learned how to tie my shoes today. I was excited, but Momma looked sad when I did. I didn’t really know why. I thought she should be happy I learned how to tie my shoes. I gave her a big hug and told her I loved her. Then she made cookies for me and let me eat the dough.
Then I went outside to play on the sidewalk. Mostly though, I kept tying my shoes to make sure I could still do it. I didn’t really understand how it stayed together.
Usually I play alone, but today there was a little girl who was trying to tie her shoes.
“Hi,” I said, because Momma always taught me to be nice. “I can tie your shoes.”
She started to cry and ran for her house.
“I can tie my shoes,” I said to the empty air.