Make New Friends

Monday, August 29

Noah walked into the house just as happy as he could be. He was the average 6-year-old, the type without a care in the world.

“You’re really happy,” his mother said.

“Yep!”

He was humming a tune that he didn’t get quite right.

“So, what did you do in school today?”

It was his first day of 1st grade. Since Mulberry Elementary School was right across the street from his house, he felt that he didn’t need his mother to walk him to and from school.

“I learned a new song today.”

“Ok. Let me hear it.”

“It goes like this ‘It’s about a song I wrote. You might want to sing it on a boat. I’m Happy. Don’t Worry.’”

“I know that song.”

“Mommy, I’m not finished. It then says, ‘Doo Doo Be Doo Be Doo Be Doo Doo Be Doo Be Doo’”

“Yes. I forgot about that part. That’s a good song.”

“Mrs. Chambers said that we should always find a way to be happy. When we feel sad or even mad, just think about what makes us happy.”

“That’s great advice. Mrs. Chambers sounds like a really good teacher.”

“I like her. She’s cool. She reminds me of you.”

“What else did you do today at school?”

“Oh! I met a new friend.”

“You did?”

“Yes. His name is Bobby. He likes cowboys just like me. And he likes pizza with sausage and mushrooms just like me. And his favorite color is green just like me. But he likes cats and I like dogs. But cats and dogs can be friends, can’t they?”

“Yes, they can. Bobby sounds like a nice friend.”

“Yep. And we’re the same height. And his mother marks his height on the wall too. And he walks to school just like me. He lives right over there on the other street across from the school. He didn’t want his mom walking him to school either.”

“How did you two meet?”

“He was sitting by himself and none of the other kids would talk to him. I think he was too shy to talk to anyone else. So, I went to talk to him.”

“That was very nice of you.”

“Mommy, I’m not finished. So, I told him my name was Noah and he said his name was Bobby. We would have talked more but Mrs. Chambers said that it was time to start class. But Bobby didn’t have a pencil. I had 2, so, I gave him one of mine. Then, at lunchtime, I was about to eat the chicken sandwich you made me. But Bobby was eating the school lunch, and it was peanut butter and jelly. Bobby said that peanut butter makes him sick. I gave him my chicken sandwich, and I ate the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I love peanut butter and jelly. Then we started talking and he told me what he likes, and I told him what I like.”

“Sounds like you are the good friend.”

“Yes. Mrs. Chambers said that to make a friend, all we got to do is ‘Be Happy. Doo Doo Be Doo Be Doo Be Doo Doo Be Doo Be Doo’”

For dinner, his mother gave him pizza with sausage and mushrooms. He ate his dinner and went to bed. His mother tucked him in and kissed him good night.

Tuesday, August 30th

Noah walked into the house just as happy as he could be. He was the average 6-year-old, the type without a care in the world.

“You’re really happy,” his mother said.

“Yep!”

He was humming a tune that he didn’t get quite right.

“So, what did you do in school today?”

“I learned a new song.”

“Ok. Let me hear it.”

“Jeremiah had a bullfrog. He was a best friend of mine. I do not know what he said. But I helped him something something. He was singing joy to my world, All the boys and girls. Joy eating fishes at the bottom of the sea. Joy for me and you.”

“Another good song.”

“Mrs. Chambers said that we should always be joyful.”

“Mrs. Chambers sounds pretty cool.”

“She is. She said joy can make you happy even when you want to cry.”

“That’s more good advice.”

“Guess what?”

“I give up. What?”

“I made another friend today.”

“You did?”

“Yep! With a girl this time.”

“What’s your friend’s name?”

“Her name is Madison. She was sad because she forgot her crayons at home.”

“Oh no.”

“I let her use mine.”

“That was very kind of you.”

“She didn’t even ask. I saw that she was upset and I wanted to help.”

“I knew I was raising a good son.”

“We colored a picture of a rainbow together. She likes drawing horses.”

“I found out that she likes pizza with sausages too. But she doesn’t like mushrooms. She got a stuffed monkey on her bed like me. But her monkey wears a pink dress. Pink, Yuck! Oh! I didn’t say ‘yuck’ to her. That would be rude.”

“That was smart of you.”

“Thank you. Mrs. Chambers said that I was smart. Anyway, she said that pink was her favorite color. I guess that’s ok for a girl. For lunch we had hamburgers and French fries. You gave me tuna. I love hamburgers and French fries. She loves tuna. So, she suggested we trade. We did.”

“Sounds like you’re good at making friends.”

“All I did was help people when I saw they needed it. You do the same thing.”

“That’s true.”

After dinner, she tucked him in to bed, read him a story and kissed him on the forehead. Noah drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.

“Sweet dreams, my love,” his mother said.

Wednesday, August 31st

Noah walked into the house just as happy as he could be.

“You’re really happy,” his mother said.

“Yep!”

“Was there a new song today?”

“Yes! How did you know?”

“I can hear you humming.”

“I was humming?”

“Yes, you were.”

“I didn’t even know it.”

“So, what new song did you learn today?”

“It went like this, I am happy, don’t you know it. Shake my hand. I am happy, don’t you know it. Shake my hand. I am happy, don’t you know it. Tell me if my face does show it. I am happy, don’t you know it. Shake my hand.”

“Is that how it goes?”

“I think so.”

“Don’t it say, clap your hands?”

“Clap your hands?”

“Yep!”

“That would explain it.”

“Explain what?”

“Everybody started clapping.”

His mother laughed. “Yes. That’s why. What else did you do today?”

“I met a new friend.”

“Another one! Boy or girl?”

“It was a boy.”

“His name is Ethan. At recess, some big kids were using all the swings. Ethan wanted a turn, but he was too scared to ask. He thought that they might be mean.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I asked for him.”

“And?”

“They let us both have turns.”

“That was nice.”

“John and Mike were 4th graders. But they were nice. Then Ethan let me be first.”

“It sounds like you made 3 new friends.”

“Yes! But 4th graders don’t hang out with 1st graders.”

“They can.”

“I’ll have to think about that. Mrs. Chambers says happy people help other people be happy too. Even if they are bigger than you.”

“She’s smart too.”

“Mommy, I am happy. Don’t you know it?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, clap your hands!”

His mother clapped her hands. The day ended in the traditional way. She kissed him on the forehead, and he drifted off to sleep.

Thursday, September 1st

Noah walked into the house just as happy as he could be.

“You’re really happy,” his mother said.

“Yep!”

“What song did you learn today?”

Noah grinned.

“‘You got a friend in Steve. You got a friend in Steve. When the road looks rough ahead and you're miles and miles from your nice warm bed. You just remember what your old friend said. Boy, you got a friend named Steve.’”

His mother laughed.

“I think it's ‘friend in me,’ not ‘friend named Steve.’”

“Well, maybe Steve is the friend. Mrs. Chambers said that the best way to make a friend is to be a friend.”

“She’s a great teacher.”

“I like her. Guess what?”

“If I had to guess, I’d say that you made a new friend.”

“Yes. But guess what his name is?”

“Could it be, Steve?”

“Yes. How did you guess?”

“I heard it in a song.”

“He just moved around here. He moved into that big house we always go past when going to the store. He didn’t know anybody and was a little nervous.”

“So, what did you do?”

“I showed him where the classroom was. Then I showed him where the lunchroom was. Then I showed him where the bathroom was. That was a big help. He almost didn’t make it.”

“That was very helpful.”

“And I sat with him at lunch.”

“I bet he appreciated that.”

“He did. Mrs. Chambers says everybody is new somewhere.”

“That’s a wonderful thing to remember.”

“We didn’t trade lunches today. We both loved what he had.”

“What did he have?”

“His dad got him a double bacon cheeseburger with fries and cola from Burger Planet.”

“Wow! And I got you a double bacon burger from Sandwich King.”

“Yep. We both like the same thing. All my friends like the same things that I like. I like what they like. Except pink. I don’t like pink. Yuck. But don’t tell Madison. She really likes pink. And don’t tell Steve that I don’t like cheese.”

“I won’t.”

Friday, September 2nd

Noah walked into the house just as happy as he could be.

“You’re really happy,” his mother said.

“Yep!”

“I suppose you learned another song.”

“I sure did.”

“Let me hear it.”

Noah sang loudly.

“‘Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other is goldfish.’”

His mother covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

“I think it’s just ‘gold.’”

“Goldfish are better. You can eat them.”

“I suppose that's true.”

“What else happened today?”

“I made another friend.”

“Tell me about them.”

“Today I made a friend named Ava.”

“What happened?”

“A big kid walking down the hallway bumped into her. He made her drop all her books. He said, ‘Excuse me’ but he kept walking.”

“Did you help her pick them up?”

“Yep. Then a breeze came through an open window and one of her papers blew away. I chased it all the way down the hall.”

“Did you catch it?”

“Yep. Just before it went into the boys’ bathroom.”

“That was close.”

“Ava gave me a hug and said I was a hero.”

“A hero?”

“Yep. But I told her that I’m not a hero. I’m just Noah.”

His mother smiled.

“That was a good answer.”

“Mrs. Chambers said friends help each other.”

“She’s right.”

Noah nodded.

“Mommy?”

“Yes?”

“I made five friends this week.”

“You certainly did.”

“Seven, if you count John and Mike. They both said ‘hello’ to me today.”

“That’s true. Even if 4th graders don’t normally hang out with 1st graders.”

“And I learned five songs.”

“You certainly did.”

“Even if I got some of the words wrong.”

His mother smiled and hugged him.

“I think you learned the important parts.”

“What parts?”

“To be happy. To be joyful. And to be a good friend.”

Noah thought about that for a moment.

“Mrs. Chambers says those things go together.”

“I think she’s right.”

“Mommy?”

“Yes, Sweetheart?”

“Are you my friend?”

“Of course, I am.”

“Then I have eight friends.”

“I guess you do.”

Noah’s mother kissed him on the forehead.

That night, as Noah drifted off to sleep, he quietly sang to himself.

“Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other is goldfish. Doo Doo Be Doo Be Doo Be Doo Doo Be Doo Be Doo”

And with a smile on his face, he fell asleep dreaming about all the friends he would make next week.