I reach out for Joy’s shoulder as she cries, while at the same time looking around for Justin to come and help. 

“Joy…” I begin, but a girl from class interrupts me. 

“Oh, look, someone made the pirate girl cry!” she says in a derogatory tone. 

“Hey!” Charlie steps in front of Joy. “Everybody cries!”

“Is that what she wears every day?” another girl says. 

I notice that all of the kids are wearing everyday clothes, not pirate costumes. When did this change happen? This is Charlie’s dream? What is happening to it?

Joy looks at the others’ clothes, her tears still flowing.

“Look at that hair,” a third girl says. “Does she ever wash? Does she ever brush it?” 

“Hey hey hey,” Justin finally comes in from the small corridor and steps in between Joy and the girls. “Stop that!” 

More girls appear. “The only friend Charlie can have is a girl in a dream!” 

The girls laugh. 

And now the boys join in. “If he dreams about her, couldn’t he at least dream of someone cooler?” 

Catori walks in from behind me and looks the boy right in the eye. “Who taught you to be cruel to people, Dan?” 

“She only won because she cheated!” Another boy says. 

This is beginning to get very ugly now. All the kids - all the kids - are standing in a half circle around Joy and yelling out awful things while Justin, Catori, and Charlie try to stop them. 

“Stop!” Joy says loudly. 

Everyone stops and is silent as Joy steps forward to look at the kids.

“This is what I wear every day because I’m a pirate!” she tells the girl who badmouthed her clothes. “I’m a pirate and I save the world from villains. What do you do with your day?” She moves on to another girl. “I don’t wash my hair because I do exactly what I want each and every day. My dad doesn’t dress me up like your parents do!” She moves on to the first girl. “It’s brave to cry in front of people!” She moves on to the boys. “You should be so lucky to have Charlie as a friend. He’s the best friend in the world. You all miss out on him every day and I get him every day! Your loss!” 

Charlie bursts out crying and hides his face. 

Joy turns to him. “Charlie…” 

“That’s not true, Joy!” 

“It’s super true! You’re the best friend I could ever have!” 

Charlie weeps and hides his face. Catori holds him.

The kids melt and disappear and Charlie continues to cry.

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt