Petal is a very pink pigeon, the only one in all of Pigeonopia. It’s her first day of school, and she can’t wait to make friends! She puts on her backpack, kisses her papa, and bobs off to school, happy as ever.
But when Petal comes home, her face is covered in tears!
“What happened, baby?”, Papa asks.
“The other pigeons looked at me funny because of my pink feathers,” she cries.
Papa quickly ties a gray scarf around her pink neck. “No one will ever look at my baby funny again!”, he says.
But when Petal comes home the next day, her face is covered in tears again!
“What happened, baby?”, Papa asks.
“The other pigeons called me a flamingo because of my pink feathers,” she cries, “the scarf hides my belly, but the rest of me is still pink!”
Papa quickly wraps a gray coat around her pink body. “No one will call my baby names again!”, he says.
But when Petal comes home the next day, her face is covered in tears again!
“What happened, baby?”, Papa asks.
“The other pigeons won’t play with me because of my pink feathers,” she cries, “the scarf and jacket hide my body, but my face is still pink!”
Papa quickly brings gray paint to cover her pink face. “No one will stop my baby from playing with them again!” he says.
But when Petal comes home the next day, her face is covered in tears again!
“What happened, baby?”, Papa asks.
“No matter what I do, my pink feathers keep poking out,” she cries, “I will never make friends, and I will never go to school again!”.
Papa has covered every inch of pink, but he still can’t stop his baby from hurting.
Petal runs to her room and washes her face. As the gray paint comes off, her matted feathers become pink and fluffy again. She unwraps her jacket and unties her scarf. As she sheds the gray layers, she takes a deep breath and feels good after a long time.
The next day, Petal paints her nails pink, puts on a pink hat, and wears her favourite pink boots.
Papa looks at her with astonishment. “Aren’t you afraid to go to school so pink?”, he asks.
“Not as much as before.”, she replies with a smile.
“I’m so proud of you, baby!”, he says, before giving her a big hug.
Petal bobs off to school, a little bit nervous but a lot more courageous. The other pigeons whisper and snicker when she walks in, but then a few come forward.
“I like your pink nails!”
“I like your pink hat!”
“I like your pink boots!”
Petal gives them a big smile as they surround her. She finally realizes that to make friends, she first had to become her own best friend. She holds her head high as she walks the halls with them, pinker than ever before…
And she never tries to hide again.
Tasneem Dairywala 