my book of regrets // rants

training wheels; ryden

Brendon looked at Ryan across the carpet as Ms. Bell read a new story. Brendon was sitting in a red square, while Ryan sat in the row with the green squares.

"Looks like it's time for recess, everybody line up at the door!" Ms. Bell says happily. All of the kids race to stand up and line up straightly at the door so they can be let out. When every single kid is in line, Ms. Bell smiles and opens the door for all of the kids to run out and get to their play area. Ryan sat at the jungle gym next to the slide and watched the other kids play at the sandbox and the plastic playhouse. Brendon bops up the steps of the jungle gym and waves at Ryan.

What's your name?" He asks the boy sitting alone.

"Ryan."

"My name is Brendon, do you want to play?"

"What do you want to play?"

"Let's build trucks." He smiles. Ryan stands up and they both bounce down the steps and skip over to the building blocks table near the door in the shade.

Ryan's truck was green, like his shirt, and had red doors and three holes on each side, where the wheels go.

"I like yours." Brendon said. He likes Ryan's truck more than his. His was a mix of blue and yellow, because there wasn't enough blue for the entire truck, and only had two spots for wheels.

"Mine looks stupid." He says sadly as he looks at his own. Ryan gasps.

"What? It's stupid!" Brendon says louder. Ryan giggles.

"You're not supposed to say that." Ryan explains and shakes his head.

"Well that's stupid." Ryan giggles even harder, making his stomach hurt.

"You can play with my truck." Ryan slides his truck across the table and Brendon smiles excitedly.

"Here you go." Brendon slides his truck over to Ryan. Ryan agreed with Brendon, his truck really did look stupid. He didn't want to play with it.

"I'll make another one. Can I break this one?" He asks Brendon politely and Brendon nods and goes back to driving Ryan's truck around the air.

Ryan was halfway through building the new truck just before the little bell that Ms. Bell held rang loudly next to their ears. They both put the trucks in the box full of blocks for later.

When the kids all filed into the classroom, Ryan and Brendon sit next to each other on the carpet. Ryan sat in a red square and Brendon sat in the orange block right next to him. 

"It's time to see what the weather looks like!" Ms. Bell announces. This was always exciting for a kid when it was their turn to check the weather.

"Ryan, do you want to pick a partner to check what it feels like outside?" Ryan nods and taps on Brendon's arm. They walk outside and look around.

"What does weather mean?" Ryan asks Brendon.

"What does it feel outside like." Brendon tries to explain, and does it pretty successfully, for a preschooler.

"It's hot." Ryan stretches his hand out.

"Okay." They walk back in and Ryan repeats what he said earlier.

"And is it sunny or cloudy?" Ms. Bell asks.

"Sunny." Brendon says with a nod.

"Good job, Brendon and Ryan. You can put these on the calendar." She hands them a card with a sun with sunglasses on and points to a clear slot on a blue piece of  fabric that has the month, day, and year. It changes every day, Brendon has noticed. When they put the card in the slot, they both sit down in their spots.

The class sings a song about counting and draw until it's time for lunch.

"Everybody find a buddy." Ms. Belle instructs. Brendon and Ryan get their lunch pales and find each other in line. They hold hands as they walk to the cafeteria.

"I like your lunch bag." Ryan tells Brendon, who holds his Mickey Mouse and Goofy lunch pale with pride.

"I like yours." Brendon looks at Ryan's Thomas the Train lunch pale.

When they reach the cafeteria they grab a milk out of the big metal refrigerator and sit down at the tables.

Brendon gives Ryan half of his cookie and Ryan gives Brendon five Gushers.

"My mommy says she is gonna bring Snow White for nap time." Ashley brags to the table.

"I don't wanna watch Snow White." Brendon tells Ryan. They go on to talk about what movies they want to watch at nap time.

***

Brendon could never nap during nap time. He always had to watch through the movie as parents came and picked up their kids.

When the movie is over and there's only a few kids left who need to be picked up, Ms. Belle lets them go out and play until their parents come to take them home.

Brendon was happy when he saw that Ryan was still there. They went back to the building blocks table and continued to play with their trucks. Ryan built a new truck completely out of yellow blocks and had spaces for five wheels.

"Ryan," Ryan's mom walks through the gate and waves with a smile. "Ready to go, bud." Ryan looks at Brendon sadly but nods. His mom goes into the classroom to sign him out.

"Bye Brendon!" Ryan waves at Brendon while he holds his mom's hand with his other hand. Brendon waves sadly, but continues to play with both of Ryan's trucks until his own mother comes to pick him up.