When I got a little older, the mean nicknames started to fly. In the third grade, I got called chicken legs a lot. I don't know why. Chickens don't have long legs like mine, the last time I checked. Every time I'd walk through the hallways, someone would shout, "There goes chicken legs." I would remind them, "My name is not chicken legs. It's Winter." kwa the time spring came, I was so tired of being called chicken legs. One day, one of my classmates said, "Hey, chicken legs!" I said, "That's better than what wewe are." He said, "Oh, really? What am I?" I said, "You're a horse's ass." He didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't say anything else. I never got called chicken legs again. I thought, "Man, I should have opened with that!" Thankfully, I didn't get in trouble. People swear all the time in Illinois. I later told my aunt about it. She said, "You remind me of your dad." I said, "Really?" She said, "Oh, yes. He was so witty. wewe get your looks from your mom and your sense of humor from your dad." I thought, "Those are good traits to get from both parents." About a mwaka later, I began to notice that I was having trouble seeing. I could see up close okay, but distant objects looked blurry to me. As a result, I got glasses. Having glasses at my age wasn't all that common. One girl called me four eyes. I alisema in a creepy voice, "The better to see wewe with, my dear." She got scared and never bothered me again. Being able to outwit the bullies helped, but I still didn't gain friends, even when I was in the school band. At least I had a dog, Scribbles. I would often smile when I looked at him, remembering the siku I got him. I was always getting bullied, and I was really lonely. My aunt decided to get me a puppy to lift my spirits. She found a breeder who was selling Siberian Husky pups. I tried to pick one out, but I never got to choose one, because one chose me. His fur, manyoya was a rust red with white markings. He had piercing ice blue eyes. He was a beautiful boy. Even when he grew into adulthood, he was still my puppy. Many days, he was one of the few things that kept me going. Still, I wished that I had a human friend.
A few hours later, Una and Everett were comfortably snuggled up together on the couch, sharing the last of Una's chocolates which lay in the open box between them, as the credits rolled on the movie.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking mbele to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's siku plans were on me," she said. "Next mwaka I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of inayofuata year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's siku together inayofuata year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I upendo you, Una," he said.
"I upendo wewe too, Everett," she said.
"That was so good," murmured Una, her head resting on Everett's shoulder. "You know - I was looking mbele to your plans, whatever they were going to be, but I was really hoping we'd be able to watch this."
Everett gave a small laugh and shook his head. "I wish I'd known. I could have saved myself all this trouble."
Una grinned. "This year, our Valentine's siku plans were on me," she said. "Next mwaka I expect it to be your turn."
Everett felt a warm rush at the thought of inayofuata year, that Una was so certain they would be celebrating Valentine's siku together inayofuata year. But then... of course, Everett though. He wouldn't have considered anything different.
"I upendo you, Una," he said.
"I upendo wewe too, Everett," she said.
