A Friend is a Gift
By
Sharon Rose
Jeremy waited for his mother to tell him when he could leave. Twice this week, he’d been late because Mom wouldn’t let him walk with Oro.
“You can leave for school,” Mom called.
“I don’t know why you won’t let me walk with Oro.”
“You can walk with him sometimes but you can’t have him for a real friend, Jeremy.”
“What’s a real friend?”
“Real friends look out for each other.”
“I look out for Oro.”
“But Oro can’t look out for you. He has Down Syndrome. Do you understand?”
“I suppose so.”
His mother smiled. “Run along.”
Jeremy raced out the door.
It was almost summer vacation. It was getting hard to think about schoolwork.
That morning while the teacher was talking about long-division, Jeremy was dreaming about swimming. There was a river behind the school grounds. Mr. Sherwood, the principal, gave them a lecture about not going beyond that high metal fence.
Jeremy and his dad went fishing there a few times but Jeremy was never to go without an adult.
Oro and Jeremy couldn’t wait to get outside for recess. Some boys were playing soccer so they went over.
“Oro can’t play with us,” one of the boys yelled.
They tried to join other games but no one wanted Oro.
Jeremy said, “We’ll find something else to do.”
They sat in the shade under a tree but that wasn’t much fun.
“We should walk over to the river,” Jeremy said. “That would show those kids that we don’t need them.”
“No, Jerry.” (Oro couldn’t say ‘Jeremy’)
“I’ve been there. It’s no big deal.”
Oro shook his head. “I must never go out of the schoolyard.”
“That’s because you’re handicapped. You could come with me.”
Oro shook his head.
“Suit yourself. I’m going to stick my feet in the water.”
Jeremy ran out the gate.
The walk was longer and the river wider than he remembered.
He perched on a rock and took off his shoes and socks. The water was so clear, he could see almost to the bottom. Was that a fish? He leaned over. Someone told him there were turtles here. He leaned out a little farther.
Suddenly, his foot slipped and he was sliding off the rock and into the cold water. He opened his eyes. Above him, he could see the sun shining on the surface of the water. He pushed his feet and started to go up. Two more kicks and his head burst out of the water. Someone grabbed his shirt.
Oro was stretched out over the rock. He clutched Jeremy’s shirt with one hand and held out his other hand.
“Take my hand,” he shouted.
Twice Jeremy slid back but Oro clung to his shirt. Finally, he pulled himself up.
“You’re going to be all right now, Jerry.”
“Oro, you’re a hero.”
“I am?”
“Yep. Why did you follow me?”
“I have to watch out for you.”
“That’s what my mom says friends do. But we’d better hurry back. We might be in trouble.”
Before Jeremy had finished putting on his shoes, he realized how much trouble. They saw a policeman coming down the path.
“Ha! So here’s where you two are,” the policeman said.
Jeremy shivered. He’d broken some serious rules. “Will I be going to jail?”
The policeman smiled. “No, you won’t be going to jail but I hope you realize what a foolish thing you did. You could’ve drowned. If Oro hadn’t told someone where he was going, it might have taken us a long time to find you.”
“Oro saved my life,” he said, and he told the policeman what had happened.
Their parents were waiting at the school. Jeremy’s mother hugged him. His father said, “We’ll discuss this when we get home.”
No one said anything as they drove but then his mother said, “Do you know what the name Oro means?”
“What do you mean?”
“Some names have meanings. Oro’s name means ‘Golden One.’ That’s what his mother told me.”
Jeremy, however, was more concerned about the punishment he was going to receive.
His father had a serious talk with him but Jeremy had learned his lesson.
The next morning, his mother was at the window as usual.
“Time to leave,” she called.
“Isn’t it too early?”
“There’s someone waiting for you. Hurry!”
Jeremy grinned. He knew who was there - his best friend, Oro.
The end.
