My mask

My mask

By Nathan Jones

This story is dedicated to every child who’s wearing a mask.

My mask is named Smiley(ˈsmīlē) Peek-a-boo.
And yours?

This is me.
I know … pretty cute(kyo͞ot) right?
I’m also brave, reliable, and good at my job.
(Can I have a close-up please?)

Thank you.
Now you can see my smile!
A face mask, like me, starts out with a special dream.

A dream of changing the world.
To be a hero and keep someone safe.
This is what every face mask dreams of and trains for.

We train in the rain and the snow and the hot sun.
Faster !
Stronger !
Safer !

Training helps us get ready to do our job.
But every mask’s future comes down to one moment.

You get chosen by someone and become their protector.
Or…

You don’t get chosen.
And spend your days waiting in a storage(ˈstôrij) box.
It’s dark, quiet(ˈkwīət) and lonely.
Me? I was lucky.

I was chosen for a very special kid.
At first she didn’t want to wear me, but I knew we would become great friends.

We went walking together. We read books together. We rode in the car together.

One day we even imagined flying together.
Protecting her made me happy and I think she felt happy too.

Every night when we went to bed, I dreamed about the day we had.

I wanted to tell her how proud I felt to be her mask. That she was amazing in a thousand different ways.
And say, “thank you” for always taking good care of me.

Then one day it happened.
Her dad said, “You don’t have to wear a mask anymore.”
I was happy for her…

It was time for us to say goodbye.
I would be thrown(THrōn) away now.
I didn’t cry though.
All my dream had come true.
Now it was time for her to realize her dreams.

On the way home, she walked past trash(traSH) bins and recycling(ˌrēˈsīkliNG) bins.
What was she thinking?

At home she walked right past the waste(wāst) basket(ˈbaskət).
Had she forgotten me?

She sat down in her room and started drawing.

When she finished coloring, I knew 100% that she would always remember me.

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IwJAg-WMP7gAUZ_5PhgmVw