Daminan is a 5 year old boy , who spends time with his dear grandmother Betty.  He has dealt with a lot of rejection due to his chrontic condition. Will Daminan ever feel comfortable in his own skin? 

On a windy day in North Dakota, Bismarck a White Oleander spurted from the concrete.  It was the size of the fragile baby mushroom.  Soft and white, with a twinge of crystalized death running along the veins of the flower. The flower was poisonous, but remarkably beautiful. It glistened in the sunlight, and illuminated in the darkness. A boy named Daminan Roberts trails along the snow with his grandmother. Daminan was about 5 years old. He stopped along the trail when he noticed a flower spurting from a patch of the concrete. It was the middle of a winter, so it was odd that a flower had grown. With his curiosity he knelt down and picked the flower up and stuffed it in his pocket before his grandmother could even notice.  Daminan’s grandma Betty reluctantly was blind in one eye, so he always stayed on that side.  Daminan was albino, given his looks Daminian had no friends, nor did anyone want to assoicate with an albino kid.

Once Damian and his grandma Betty reached their log cabin, Daminian ran up the stairs to examine his newfound flower in his bedroom. He scrutinized the flower for 5 long minutes. He named his flower… white…sugar. This is the first time Daminan has ever seen a flower in the wintertime.  He was curious as to why such a beautiful flower could survive in the mist of a snow blizzard and about 2 inches of snow. It was peculiar. Daminan hid his flower in his fish tank. The flower floated like a boat, swaying from one side to the other.

Daminan’s grandmother Betty was baking her favorite cookies, which she never made Damian before. Betty was about 70 years old. She was in good health, besides the blindness in her one eye.   She mixed flour, sugar, and chocolate cookies and sifted the flour, and took out shaped cookie cutters, and made chocolate chip snowflakes. Damian was a kind kid; Betty knew he didn’t have a lot of friends. She went to the school a couple of times to complain about the things Daminan had repeated after school. Damian’s mother and father had abandoned him 3 years ago when he was just 2 years old. Betty’s daughter Lee Ann had went off to fulfill her acting career, while Daminan’s father pursued his business duties. Betty considered Damian her son.

“Daminan, honey come downstairs I have a surprise for you!”

Daminan got his sweater and ran downstairs to help grandma Betty.

“Yess, grawma?”

“  Come on give me a BIGGG hug first and I’ll give you the surprise…”

“Owf couwrse. Where is the suwrprise? ?”

“Turn around.” grandma said with a smile.

Daminan turned around a found a pile of chocolate chip cookies on the counter. His mouth water as he imagined the chocolate chip cookies melting in his mouth. The smell paralyzed him.

“Go ahead and grab a couple” grandma gestured warmly.

Daminan ran to the counter and grabbed a handful of cookies and offered grandma one, grandma took it and they ate the cookies in peace. After the baked goods, Grandma made Damian clean his room, and help with other chores around the house.  Being that Damian is the only child, he is very spoiled. Even though he is spoiled, he has manners that he inherited from his lovely grandma.

Usually one a day Grandma Betty and Damian take a long walk through the forest, and watch the birds and the trees sway. Damian enjoyed the outdoors.  One time last summer Daminan and Betty had played flag tag. In the game you had to catch the other person and removed their flag to win the game. It was one of his favorite games. Of course Damian one, because it’s only right.  Today they just took a walk in the snow to grab bread from the grocery store for the cookies.

Finally it was almost 7:30pm,which is Damian bedtime. He got in the shower, and Betty gave him a kiss and tucked him in.

“Grwandma can you read me a bedtime stowry?

Betty smiled said “ Which one would you like tonight?”

“ I want to read The Pigeon loves things that go!”
“Good choice.”

After Daminan fell asleep, grandma Betty tiptoed downstairs to watch T.V

The next morning Damian woke up and touted to the fish bowl.
Daminan’s eyed widened and he screamed.” AHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Grandma Betty ran up the stairs and found Damian crying next to his fishbowl. Grandma walked into the bedroom and found fishy dead.

“Grwama, what happened? He’s not moving?”

“ Honey, fishy is in a better place called heaven. Heaven is where all the fishes go, when they stop moving
“But he can’t go there, I love him too much.”

“I know sweetie. If you want we can go to the pod a find you another friend.”

“No I want FISHY BACK.”

“Honey, I’m sorry. But I’m afraid that’s impossible-unless we go to the pond to find a new one”

Betty wiped the tears from his face and hugged him tight. Grandma took the fish bowl and took fishy out and put him in a box. While Grandma was pouring out the water from the fish tank, she noticed there was a flower, a white one. She examined the flower and gasped!

“Daminan where did you get this flower from?”

“Um, I don’t know.”
“Damian “ Grandma prompted and tapped her foot.
Damian spilled where he got it.

Betty had seen that plant before and it was known to be deadly, that’s no wonder why Fishy died. Later that day Betty had a talk with Damian about picking things off the floor and bringing it in the house. He promised to never do that again, without Grandma’s approvable.
Grandma Betty took Daminan to the pond to find a new “fishy” Daminan looked into the translucent pond and tapped his foot into the water, which made rings around his shoes. Damian hadn’t found a fish he wanted or one that resembled Fishy.  As his walked around the pond, there was a little boy about 6 or 7, clearly older then Daminan. The boy walked up to Damian and said…
“ Hello, my name is Brian, what is your name?” Brian said in a British accent.

“Huh, awre you twalking tow mwe?” Daminan said surprised.

“Yes. Who else would I be speaking too?”

“Huh, my name is Damian”

“Nice to meet you Daminan” Brian said as his stuck his hand out for a handshake.

Daminan reluctantly gave Brian and hand shake.

“So, are you looking for rocks too?” Brian said.

“Nwo I’m looking for a fishy. Want to help?” Damian asked innocently, expecting rejection.

“YESS, I LOVE FINDING THINGS, I CAN HELP YOU BUDDY” Brian yelled enthusiastically.
“Owkay let me find my grwama first”

Damian went up the trail to tell Grandma Betty that Damian had found Brian and that he was willing to help find a new fishy. Grandma was astonished that someone wanted to help Brian. No one ever wanted to help Brian, especially kids around his age. Grandma got off her fold up chair and went to see who this Brian was… She was greeted by a 4 foot figure with dark black hair almost blue, and brown big eyes. The little boy was accompanied by a tall stature about 6 feet. The man appeared to be in his late 40’s.  Betty introduced herself to the both of them and knelt down to the 4-foot figure.

“Make sure you take care of my grandson, please do not go to far. I will be here, do not leave my eyesight.” grandma said happily and Dave agreed.

Dave and Betty talked while the boys explored the vast pond for a fish in their liking.

Betty did not realize how late it was getting until she realized the sunset was settling on the other side of the hemisphere. Grandma Betty and Dave Went to the other side of the pond and found the two boys giggling and laughing.

“ Damian it’s getting late, say good bye to your friend”

“ Awh, its time to go? Do you thwink Brian can come over?”

Grandma Betty looked at Brian’s Father and looked questionably. Dave shook his head in approvable. Daminan look innocently and looked at both them. Brian looked also.

Finally grandma said,” Yes, come on
boys.”

“Grandma, wait we have something to show you!”

“ What is it honey?”

“Brian helped me find a NEW FISHY!”

“ Let me see this little critter. Thank you Brian.”

Brian smiled proudly and smiled widely in a toothily smile. Brian and Damian marched along the path with Dave and Betty trailing behind.” Thank you “ Betty whispered to Dave.