Harold Dumpty

Harold Dumpty

Like all young kids, we had a neighborhood gang of friends who hung together everyday. After school, we’d start to gather and soon the discussion of what to do that day was on.
One of our group was Harold Dumpty; we called him ‘Humpty’ just because it rhymed.
Of course, being different from others, he was limited in the things that he could do but we’d always include him in our escapades. I think it was his great attitude and sense of humor that made him so popular with the group.
I had this cool little red wagon that we would occasionally ride down a hill~ sitting up with the handle in our hands to steer. We, also, took turns using it to keep Humpty with us as we moved from one adventure to another.
He would always be sitting by and watching us and when we would do something extreme, like climbing way out on a tree limb, we’d say~
‘hey, Humpty, look at me!’
I guess that gave our mothers a break, lol.
Sure, we’d all tease each other and take turn making fun of one another for one reason or another. But, we also looked out for each other when we got ourselves in trouble. Like most groups of kids, this seemed to happen as often as the fun times.
Then came a day, during the summer when a lot of our families were out of town on vacation. Humpty found himself alone and bored and rolled over to where some ‘big kids’ were hanging out.
They started making fun of him and teasing him about his ‘handicaps’. Or are they called ‘challenges’. Ugh.
It was all the same to Humpty when these older kids started to get physical. Rolling him back and forth between each other. Laughing at how he wouldn’t role straight because of his shape.
Then, as fate would have it, one of these bullies (I hate bullies!!) says~
“Let’s put him up on the wall”!
They all left him there, alone, and the sun was going down.
. . . .
And that’s where I found my friend, a couple hours later.
Well, not upon the wall but at the base of it.
He was cracked and broken and barely clinging to his young life.
I knelt, as I started to cry, gathering bits and pieces of shell, trying to find where they went without breaking his delicate membrane.
You could even see that large yellow ball inside that could only have been his brains, I thought.
I was just a kid and there was nothing I could do. He was hurt too badly.
I lost my friend that day.
My wonderful friend who seemed to always be happy despite his
difficulties.
Why is it that sometimes, it’s those who are suffering hold the torch of hope and love for life for those of us who so take it for granted?
Humpty will always be a part of me that reminds me to not take myself so seriously.
Love and live life for all that it is and has to offer.
Share what you can with others.
But, most of all, no matter how he felt, he would have a smile at the ready. Sitting there in that little red wagon. Holding onto the sides to keep from rolling around.
I liked and cared for him then. I love him, now.
It gives me great pride to share my story of Harold, today, and in doing so, I’ve reminded myself of who he was and the message he brought.

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Tags:

friends, handicaps, kids, life, nursery and rhyme