When Boy Blackberry and Boy Evergreen didn’t hang out at each other’s houses, they would see each other at church. The mothers of the boys had decided to spend time in the same church, early every Sunday morning, so that they could chit-chat and drink coffee after the Preacher ran out of words.
One Sunday morning, Boy Blackberry didn’t feel like going to church. Boy Blackberry liked to sleep until he didn’t feel tired anymore, and watch cartoons with his little brother, Boy Alligator. Boy Blackberry’s mom said that he had to come to church. Boy Blackberry knew that he would see Boy Evergreen at church, and wanted to play Legos with him. Boy Blackberry asked if he could bring his Legos to church, so that he could play with Boy Evergreen. All of a sudden, Boy Blackberry’s mom became full with sad, blue feelings. She realized Boy Blackberry didn’t want to listen to all of the words of the Preacher. She said “No, you cannot bring your Legos, there are way too many of them.”
Boy Blackberry did not like the sound of this and did his best to imitate the face his mother made because of blue feelings. Boy Blackberry’s mom was then filled with the sort of grey-red-orange feelings that always hold hands with the type guilt associated with a child’s disappointment. She told Boy Blackberry, “You cannot bring your Legos, but you can fill your backpack with as many sheets of paper, pencils, pens, markers, and crayons as will fit.”
Boy Blackberry was overjoyed. Whenever he didn’t feel like playing with Legos, or hanging from monkey bars, he liked to put colors on sheets of paper with crayons and markers. So, he filled up his backpack and headed off to church with his mother, father, and brother Boy Alligator.
When Boy Blackberry and his family got to church, he saw Boy Evergreen and his family right away. Boy Blackberry and his family went and sat next to Boy Evergreen’s family in the same pew. Boy Blackberry and Boy Evergreen sat next to each other, and Boy Alligator sat next to Boy Evergreen’s little brother, Boy Mimir.
After everyone in the church had finished singing songs, whose words appeared on walls, in the language of adults, Boy Blackberry asked Boy Evergreen if he wanted to play with Legos. Boy Evergreen was excited, but also confused. He asked Boy Blackberry if he had brought his Legos with him. Boy Blackberry said “No, but I have something just as good!” Boy Evergreen’s eyes lit up and asked to see what Boy Blackberry had in his backpack.
The two boys descended below all the people who sat in the pews. And once again, as though they were still only 24 moons old, they sat on the church’s floor. Boy Blackberry revealed the paper and crayons he had stowed away in his bag, and gave Boy Evergreen a sheet. The two boys began to make lines on the sheets of paper, and they put colors in between the lines they had drawn. They looked at each other underneath the pews and laughed. They felt good, as though they were playing with Legos. For many, many moons to come, Boy Evergreen and Boy Blackberry would sit underneath all the other people in the church, put colors on paper, and feel the pinecones in their heads tremble in awe.
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