“Happy birthday Clara!” Clara’s mom exclaimed. “Who do you want to invite to the zoo with you?”
“I’ll invite…Jimmy!” Clara wrapped her arm around the empty air beside her.
“Clara, Jimmy’s not real”
Clara knew very well that Jimmy was most definitely real. He was to her at least and he was her bestest friend ever. He had brown eyes and brown hair and chocolate milky skin. He was perfect.
But instead of arguing back, Clara got dressed for the day. She put on a pretty blue dress that had flowers all over it. Then she went downstairs and gobbled up her birthday cake pancakes with sprinkles on top. She gave her father a hug and kiss, ran out the door, and hopped into her mom's car. They drove together and finally arrived at the zoo.
When they got out of the car Clara’s mom bought her a cocoon that would soon turn into a butterfly and they went to see the lions. While Clara’s mom was talking to the zookeeper about how they take care of the animals, Clara got bored and wanted to see the Black Bears. Rawr the lion grumbled. Wow, Clara thought, this lion is so big and loud. He could be my friend. Rawr the lion grumbled again, even louder this time. No, he would not make a good friend. He is way too loud.
“Shhhhh,” she gently whispered to the lion and slowly walked away.
Then she looked at the bear cubs. You could make a good friend she impressioned. But all of a sudden the bears’ mother came charging to protect her cubs and Clara didn’t want to be the bears' friend anymore.
She ran as far as she could until she realized that she was lost.
Clara saw an alligator nearby so she went up to it.
“Will you be my friend?” She asked.
“No,” said the alligator, “you are way too small and stout.”
“Oh. Okay.” Clara replied as she unhappily walked away.
Meanwhile, Clara’s mom was searching frantically for her when she realized that Clara wasn’t by her side anymore. She called the police and talked to a zookeeper but no one had seen her precious Clara.
Clara was over by the sloths. Even though they were sleeping Clara asked,
“Will you be my friend Mr. Sloth?”
“No,” the sloth replied, “you are way too slow.”
Clara got confused because she knew, she wasn’t the slow one, but she turned to the birds because the sloths fell back asleep.
“Will you be my friend Bird family?” Clara hopefully asked.
The birds looked her right in the eye and started chirping as loud as they possibly could.
“Chirp chirp. Tweet tweet tweet.”
Maybe they just don’t like me, Clara thought, besides they are getting to be as annoying as an itch on your pinky toe.
So she took a stroll over to where the ocean animals were. She went into a big building, took two lefts and a right, and finally made it to the touch pool. Then she realized that the fish and turtles and sea stars couldn’t be her friends because she couldn’t breathe underwater. She decided then and there that she just wouldn’t have any friends.
She tried to make the best of her trip, and through her tears, she reached out into the cool dark saltwater to grab a beautiful peachy-colored sea star.
When she grabbed it, it started moving and trying to pull away so she dropped it. But it was suspended in midair! By the time she realized it was a hand, she had already noticed it was a boys’ hand!
“Cooties, cooties. I’ve got BOY COOTIES!!” She yelled.
Then the boy yelled, “Cooties, Cooties, I’ve got GIRL COOTIES!!”
“Take your cooties back!” They both ordered each other at the same time.
So they rubbed their hands all over one another’s shirt.
“Honey, are you okay over here?” The boys’ mother ran over to him and questioned.
“I’m fine but she,” he pointed to Clara “got her cooties all over me. So I gave ‘em back.”
“OK, what’s your name little girl? And where is your mommy?
“She got lost and I’m Clara.”
“Well nice to meet you, Clara. I’m Julie. Let me call your mom OK? What’s her number? She must be scared half to death by now!”
So Clara give the lady her number and started talking with the boy. They were the same age, were in the same grade, and both liked the colors blue and red. Finally, Clara‘s mom showed up.
“Oh Clara, I was so worried! You should know better than to wander! I’m so relieved that you met this nice lady, but it was a dangerous thing to do to run off like that.
“I’m sorry mommy, but guess what? I made a friend. Oh mommy can we please get a picture with that giraffe over there. Pretty please with a cherry on top?”
“I guess. Do you want to take your new friend with you? What’s his name?”
So Clara whispered with the little boy. Then the little boy was whispered with his mom, and the little boys’ mom and Clara‘s mom whispered together.
“His name is Braxton and he would love to come with!” Clara exclaimed.
“Last one to the giraffe is a rotten egg!” Braxton yelled.
So the 2 seven-year-olds ran to the giraffe with their mothers trailing behind them. After they got a few pictures with the giraffe, Claire invited Braxton over for cake, and of course he said “yes!”.
So Clara’s mom gave Julie the directions to their house. When they all arrived at Clara‘s house, Clara‘s dad had already set everything up. There was an Ice-cream cake and Dora helium balloons and happy birthday balloons. When Clara finally blew out the candles on the cake, she wished she and Braxton would be best friends forever.
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