Harvest of Friends
Nancy Oleson
"I have a horse. I named my horse Billy. He is very strong and very fast." The little boy, standing at the front of the schoolhouse, held up his paper in front of his face so he did not have to look at the crowd of people who gathered to listen to the students' essays. "I feed him carrots. He stays in our barn. One day, I want to take Billy to a race track and race other horses with him. I love my horse Billy. Thank you."
The crowd clapped as the boy rushed back to sit with his parents.
Miss Plum then stood up to announce the next speaker. "Next up, we have Nancy Oleson."
Nancy sprung up from her seat with a great big smile on her face. Harriet clapped the loudest as her daughter sashayed up to the front of the schoolhouse and held out her essay to read.
"My essay is titled 'Why Everyone Hates Me'. Why does everyone hate me, I asked myself almost every day. I used to not understand why people did not seem to like me. I am the most beautiful girl in town. I am also the smartest student in school. I am righteous and kind, but only to those who deserve it. I did not understand for the longest time why everyone seemed to hate me. But now I realize, standing in front of all you poor country folk, that you all hate me because you want to be me. That everyone hates me because they are jealous of me and what I have. The girls want to be me, with my stunning good looks and expensive toys and dresses. The boys can't have me because I am too good for all of them. Every man and woman want me to be their daughter, but they can't have me either because none of them have the means to fund the life I deserve. So I am honored to be hated, because that means that I am better than all of you. Thank you."
Only Harriet clapped.