Lost and Found

I had to stop her before she really got started, otherwise she'd probably be able to go on for hours. " Uncle Dick was never able to pin the snake thing on me. Those were just pranks, jokes", I added

"That's what Brett would say. Did you see how hard he was laughing right before you kicked him, he probably thought it was a big joke too" I had noticed, that's probably why he has a broken nose.

"Peter we used to be friends and I want to be friends again, would that be okay?"

"We were friends?"

" You don't remember?" She seemed not to believe me, but the mystified expression on my face convinced her otherwise. "We weren't just friends we were best friends, our mothers used to take us skating when we were little."

The truth is that I not only don't remember being friends with Paula, I don't have any memoirs of my mother at all ,even though her pictures are all around the house, I couldn't remember a single thing about her. Sometimes I thought I had memories of her, but then the events I thought I could remember turned out to have happened before I was born. My mind must have created fake memories from stories that I'd heard about her.

"Oh Peter you have to remember!" Paula was on the verge of tears when she paused and began to move her hands in circular motions on the floor beside me. She began to speak, almost chant, in a sing-song voice.

"Fishy, fishy, in the water"

Paula looked up at me and her eyes seemed to have grown to the proportions that would fit a baby seal, her alabaster skin now had freckles.

"Fishy, fishy in the sea"

I could smell the arena, I was there, on the ice with Paula. We were rubbing the ice in circles, Paula wore big floppy striped mitts.

"We all stand up"

I could feel hands around my waist, lifting me back up on my skates. Paula's mother was behind her, laughing as she helped Paula up.

"One, two, three"

I looked up and my mother was there. She was above me smiling down . I could remember her. I remembered her for real. I remembered her voice and how she called me a 'silly rabbit.' I remembered all of the good things about her. Just as my mother was returned to me she was taken away in the same moment. I remembered the trips to the doctor and the hospital visits, I remembered her loosing her hair and growing thin and weak, I remembered trying to wake her up only to find her cold and stiff. I also remembered the fawning teachers trying to make me feel better and paying me way too much attention. All I wanted was to be left alone. I remember driving them off, and Paula away. I remembered everything. I didn't want to cry but I think my eyes grew moist.

I manage to croak, "I remember now Paula and I do want to be your friend again." Paula hugged me and tears ran down her cheeks. We sat silently for a few minutes, listening to our parents talk in the kitchen, there was no need for any more words to be spoken between us.

First thing Monday morning I was called to the office. I sighed and glanced at Paula, she looked worried. I shrugged and made my way to the principal's office where I was surprised to find uncle Dick waiting for me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with some trepidation.

"I work here." Uncle Dick replied gleefully. "Ms. Rossworm was just filling in while I tied up some loose ends at the old school. I'm your new principal!"

I couldn't believe it. "Yup" He said, smiling broadly. "I just finished settling in." He then pointed up at a framed portrait of Alfred E. Newman grinning gap toothed down at me. His wise philosophy emblazoned across the bottom of the picture; 'What, me worry?'

I groaned as I realised I was in for a long three years.