Dragons

Dragons

“You don’t belong here,” Mrs. Grant said to the small green dragon standing with the kangaroos next to the snack tables. She took his hand. “Let’s see where you do belong.”

As they walked, she talked softly to him. “Do you remember your teacher’s name?”

“I think it’s Teacher.”

“Very good!” she said, as if it had solved the problem. “Let’s see if that class is over here!”

They walked from room to room, all full of children and adults, none dressed as dragons.

Finally, she asked, “When you’re not a dragon, what do people call you?”

“My sister calls me stinky!” he said, an angry scowl on his face, “but Mom calls me Honey. Daddy usually calls me Son.”

“How about people not in your family?”

“Oh. They call me Jeff, or sometimes Jeffy.”

“OK. And, sometimes do they call Mommy or Daddy a name that starts with Mr. or Mrs. like Mr. Green or Mrs. Broomstick?”

“Um, sometimes they call Mommy, Mrs. Walsh?”

“So, Jeffrey Walsh?”

“Yes! That’s me!

“Well, Jeffrey Walsh! Let’s go find out what class you’re in and why we can’t find them!”

Up in the office they found Jeffrey Walsh’s class was preparing in the library. Once they got there, Mrs. Grant found that she couldn’t find more dragons because Jeff was the only dragon. All the other children were dressed as elves.

As they walked in, all the elves came running, “The dragon’s here!!” they yelled! And Jeff ran into the middle of them smiling.

The teacher and Jeff’s mother rushed over, “Where did you find him? We’ve been frantic!”

“He was standing with the kangaroos, over next to the snack tables...” she said.

His mother frowned, “I just knew his father shouldn’t have told him dragons got to eat whatever they wanted!”