The Speech
By: Noelle Pruitt
It was the first day of March; the birds were singing their little hearts out. Too bad mine was in my toes. I hated walking to school. The walk itself was wonderful because Maryland’s pretty countryside greeted me everywhere I went. It was the school that was the problem. Ever since moving here I had been teased out of my mind. Most of the time it was because I didn’t have a Dad. I knew I had to blow it all off, but sometimes it was just really hard. I didn’t have any friends either, not if you don’t count Buster and God. Buster was my Dad’s horse, but when Dad died Mom wouldn’t sell Buster so I got him. It was awesome having a specially bred jumping horse. Though Buster could be a pain sometimes, he was definitely my best friend. He was always there to listen to my problems and help me get out of my bad mood. God did the same. When I was down I would just talk to Him or read my Bible. It always made me feel better inside.
Stopping at the school doors I looked through my bag again, hoping that I had forgotten something. No such luck. As I opened the door a boy in the hall called out, “Hey, look. There’s Penniless.” Everyone laughed, with me as the only exception. It wasn’t that we’re poor, just that mom’s work as a writer had us on a tight budget. We were lucky that Mr. Wes let us keep Buster at his barn for almost free (I worked for him after school giving younger children riding lessons, grooming, mucking out stalls, and leading trail rides.)
When I reached my locker I retrieved my English notebook. Today, everyone was going to give a speech on what his or her father did for a living, that was what I was dreading. I didn’t want to tell everyone about my Dad. (None of them knew.)
Everyone settled in as Miss Lara, my English teacher, came in. “Hello class,” she said in her normal perky way. Of all the people at school she was probably one of my favorites. “As all of you know today we will be giving reports about what your father does. Michele, would you like to start?”
A Korean-looking girl nodded, stood up front, and told us about how her Dad was a pilot. All-in-all she gave a pretty good report. Next was a boy named Jerome, whose Dad was a builder and had built some really cool buildings. (He passed around pictures.) Soon it was my turn. I took a very long time going up front, I always sat in the back. When I got there my palms were sweaty and I wanted to melt into the floor.
Miss Lara gave me a nod to start, so I began to read out loud. “My Dad was a very special person. Some people knew him as The Undefeatable, others knew him as a world-class super star, but I just knew him as Dad. When he was away on a trip Mom and I would stay up at night to watch him on TV. I loved to watch him with Buster flying over those huge jumps while my Mother’s soothing hands braided my hair. It was a night just like that when he fell. I was eleven years old as I watched him fall in the ring from the other side of the country. Mom and I flew out the next day. I hated seeing him in the hospital with his leg up. Mom was so relieved when the doctors said he would be all right. That was a year before he died.
“Dad didn’t really mind having a broken leg, but he hated to leave Buster alone all the time. That’s when he started to let me take care of him. At first I was frightened to go near the big horse by myself. One day Dad came to the stable with me to help me with my own seat on my horse. (Her name was Starlight.) After we were done he asked me how Buster was. Feeling ashamed I told him that I hadn’t taken care of Buster but had one of the grooms do it. Dad simply gave me a hug and we walked down to Buster’s stall together. That is when I first learned to love the big horses. A couple months later Starlight died of colic. I cried a lot into Dad’s arms and into Buster’s mane. Finally Dad could walk and that meant that he started to ride again. Mom worried a lot, but Dad told her that the accident was not Buster’s fault. It was his for rushing the jump. Though Dad hadn’t been able to ride in awhile I saw the tears of joy on his face when he got back on Buster. I just remember what he kept on saying when he rode. ‘Thank you, God, thank you.’ I will always keep that day in my heart.
“A week or so later Dad was feeling funny again so Mom took him to the doctor. X-rays revealed that he had a tumor growing inside his brain. They wouldn’t do surgery because it would mean instant death. So my Dad had a little time to live and Mom and I spent every day with him. Sometimes we would cry together about how sad it all was. But in the end I’m glad Dad went to met his Maker. Mom had to start writing again. Her first book out was “That Amazing Man who Loved Me.” It was all about Dad; I read it every night just because it helps me get through the next day. God has always been with my family and I know He will be in the future, I just sometimes wish my Dad would have been there to see it with me.”
Taking a deep breath I reached into my backpack, pulling out my most treasured possession. “My Dad won six of these in his long career. Before he died he gave one to me.” Everything was still as I held up the Gold Medal.Hope you liked it! *-*
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