Jason’s Walk

Jason was a small, timid, six year old, Kindergartener. He loved his mother very much. Everyday they would walk to school together. And everyday they walked the same streets, past the same houses, and saw the same people. He loved the walk.. His mother would ask about his day and what he was looking forward to most. He would always reply confidently, “I am looking forward to seeing my friends, then going home to play with you and my toys.”

And that’s what he would do. Once they got to school, Jason kissed his mother on the cheek and ran down the stairs to his classroom to learn new numbers and letters. After school was over, he would wait to see his mother walk down the street passed the man with dogs, the house with the neon pink blinds, and the rose bushes. He waited and waited, as he always did, but she didn’t come.

“Where is she?” he thought, looking left, right, then left again. All of a sudden, his teacher walked up the stairs and said, “You’re mother just called me, and I am here to walk you home.” Jason liked his teacher very much. She was tall, funny, and very pretty. But where was his mother? Jason was confused.

“Why are you walking me home? Where is my mother?” he asked politely.

“She wasn’t feeling well and called to see if I would bring you home,” she replied gently. Jason was happy. His mother was safe, and he had a new partner to walk with. As they walked, his teacher made him laugh and smile the whole way. She was a great walking partner. Once they got to his apartment, Jason was a little sad. He wanted to keep walking but was excited to see his mother like he told her this morning.

“Tell your mother I hope she feels better. I must get home though,” she said once they came to his front door, “I enjoyed the walk.”

“Me too,” Jason said as firm as he could to hint towards wanting another walk.

“I will see you tomorrow,” She said as she walked away. Once she left Jason turned around and knocked on the door. But no one came. He kept knocking but nothing. Jason looked left, right, then left again. Where were the roses he loved? Where was the man with the dogs? Jason thought. He realized he was on the wrong side of the building! What was he going do? How can he find his way around? It was like a maze in there. He thought some more.

“Where am I?” he thought. He looked around some more. Could it be a trap? Jason had to break out of his shell and go figure out where he could be. Jason did not know why his teacher had just left him. He guessed it was because she assumed he was at the right apartment.

“I know exactly how to get back! My mother always said to follow the signs on the walls, but I can’t read...” He just stared at them. Those numbers looked familiar, “We just learned those!” he whispered with a burst of excitement rushing through him. He looked down at his watch where his mother had written their address incase of an emergency like this.

“2035 Selwyn Terrace, code number: 1928,” Is all it said. He looked back up to the sign to see that his apartment was in the building to the right. He ran in the directions of the arrows towards the building. Once he got there, he typed in the code number to unlock the door then followed the next set of arrows to apartment 2035. He unlocked the door, ran in, then jumped into his mother’s arms.

“You’ll never believe what happened today!” He exclaimed to her while she finished making dinner standing next to a box of Kleenex.

“Tell me while we’re playing...that is still the plan, right?” She said with a smirk.

“Well of course! Are you feeling better though?”

“Yes, darling, I am. Now what was so crazy?” She said as she stirred the stew. Jason went from beginning to end explaining how their everyday walk turned into to something marvelous.