by Shannon Wong-NizicI’m Ryan … But I really wish my mum and dad had called me William. Or Wallace. Or even Wolfgang.
Y’see, I’m not friends with the letter ‘R'. No siree. We’re deadset enemies.
When I say rabbit, it sounds like 'wabbit'. When I say run, it sounds like 'wun'. When I say ridiculous, what do you think it sounds like? Yep. You guessed it. Widiculous.
The other kids made fun of me. So I just kept my mouth shut most of the time. In my own little world, I pretended that I was William. Or Wallace. Or even Wolfgang.
That’s why Mrs Turner made me a lion in the class play. 'You just have to stand there and not say a word,' she said.
At the first rehearsal, Mrs Turner asked me to stand on stage next to the giraffes.
'Wyan, are you weady to wehearse?' I heard Jeremy the lead giraffe snicker.
I didn’t say a word.
At the next rehearsal, I heard Millie whisper, 'Wyan, maybe you should stand near the whinocewoses.'
When the other monkeys laughed, I didn’t say a word.
On opening night, I pulled on my mane and pinned on my tail.
Just as we were going on stage, I heard Jake the Snake say, 'There goes Wyan the Lion.'
I know I wasn’t meant to say a word. But my blood was boiling.
'ROAR!'
The audience erupted into applause. I had done it! I had just beaten my deadset enemy, the letter ‘R’.
Nevermind being called William. Or Wallace. Or even Wolfgang. Now everyone calls me Ryan the Lion.
Except Ella Fantini. She calls me the King of the Jungle.
I’m cool with that.
Shannon Wong-Nizic is a Kindergarten teacher who believes that reading is as important as breathing. She blogs about picture books, sweet treats, craft and life at www.ohcreativeday.com
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