Purple

Purple is not a boy’s color.


Harold is a boy.


Who is Harold?


From the book. He has a purple crayon.


Where did you get this?


From school. We were allowed to pick our favorite and take it home.


This is your favorite book?


Yes. I love purple.


Boys don’t like purple. Girls do.


What color do boys like?


Blue. Green. BROWN.

But purple is way better.


Purple is for girls. Are you a girl?


no


Do you want me to buy you a dress?


No


Do you want me to call you Michelle?


NO. I am a BOY


Then be a boy. A REAL boy. Real boys don’t like purple.

Another silent stare down.

Michael stomps up the lonely thirteen stairs and slams his bedroom door shut.


Shut tight silence.


He upturns his box of crayons and spills them onto the floor.


A rainbow waterfall.


He snaps the green crayon in two.


He cracks the blue crayon into threes

and pops the brown one out the window.


He takes the purple crayon, the most beautiful one of all, and holds it to his heart.


Be Mine, it whispers.


Forever, he says.


He covers the walls of his bedroom in deep purple rage.

I AM A BOY

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