It was cold outside, not much was known about the outside world to Jimmy, who liked and preferred to be inside. Reasons vary, i.e. bullying, harassment, feeling of unwantedness, etc. Jimmy was a bright boy, but could not believe his misfortune in the world. Nobody seemed to like the boy at all. He sometimes blamed it on its financial condition i.e. dilapidated house with constant infestation of rats. Maybe Jimmy was a bit shorter than its peers and was a favourite of bullies. It didn’t matter where he was, whether at school, at the playground, or at home, someone always found Jimmy a soft target.
But the one thing he blamed for his misfortune and condition was his one remaining eye. His mother told him he was left outside and was taken by eagles. His sister, Claire never made it easier and said it was pawned at the shop to pay for his creditor. He could have had another version of his eye from his father, but Jimmy never met him. He was told he was conceived after a drunken stupor and his father couldn’t bear to see his face. Life for Jimmy was nothing but pure hell. He was always blamed for anything that went wrong in their lives, and he just found comfort in his green blanket. Ohh how much he loved his blanket, the only thing he cherished more than anything, something that gave him a purpose and meaning for his wretched life.
Life was going on as usual for Jimmy when he was called out for the first time. “Hey, Jimmy, can you help us out with this?” Jimmy was stunned as he had never been called nor could he believe people remembered his name. his existence was merely noticed by anyone and yet here he was being called by some people his age for something. Jimmy wasted no time and sprang towards them.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Can you help us take this boy out? He is a nuisance to us”
“Why?” asked
“What do you mean by ' why? For the first time, we found you useful for anything, and all you could ask is, "Why?" Are you in or not?
“Yes, I am in, but what do I have to do?”
“Do whatever you want, but make sure this boy never stands up again”
“But what did he do?”
“Look, if you do this for us, we will be friends, alright”
Jimmy was flummoxed. He was the one who was used to getting hurt, beaten, and dragged in mud, but this was something new. For the first time, he had a chance to make friends. With someone he can talk to. For the first time, Jimmy felt human. Jimmy wasted no time and wanted to garner a plan. He wanted to do something for his prospective friends. But what could he do? He cannot intimidate the guy, as who would be scared of a scrawny one-eyed boy?
He decided to practice. He practiced with stones. On birds, on animals, but failed completely.
“I am useless” thought Jimmy of himself.
But Jimmy had everything in plan. He wanted new friends at any cost. He decided to inflict every ounce of humiliation, shame, and anger he faced on this boy.
On the day of the plan, he saw his “friends” who asked him:
“Are you ready, Jimmy?”
“Yes, I am ready”
“Don’t stand there then, go finish it, and we will be friends”
Jimmy charged at the boy. Jimmy punched and kicked the boy, first stunned at Jimmy, decided to returnthe favour. The boy was at least a foot taller than Jimmy and was more powerful than Jimmy thought. The boy took complete 15 minutes with Jimmy that left with him with bruises, blood, and shattered hopes. He turned around to see his “friends” laughing at the corner.
“why?”
“ohJimmy you know its all fun. You don’t mind right. We were tired and bored so we decided to have some fun with you”
“this is fun to you?”
“Oh, buzz off Jimmy, don’t ruin our mood, we want to enjoy the laugh we had, go away you one-eyed freak”
Jimmy had heard enough. He got up and, without thinking, picked up stones and aimed at the boys. First surprised, but a gush of blood made them realize what had happened. All his “friends” received Jimmy’s friendship in blood, scars, and wounds.
After the ordeal, Jimmy ran to his house. He never experienced this feeling. After years of humiliation, he felt differently. Everything made sense to him now. He now knew he was completely alone in this feeling but this was HIS feeling. He can do whatever he wants with it, and nobody could question him.
He turned back and went to the boy again. He picked up the stone, and threw it with as much anger and power he had. But he never saw what happened. He ran back to his house to his green blanket. This feeling scared Jimmy. He did not know what to do with it. “was I right?” “they deserved it right, I always experienced it, now they will understand me better? Maybe now they will be my friends” maybe now I will get my eye back and mom and Claire will love me”
In this midst, Jimmy’s mother shouted.
“It’s the police, what have you done?
“I did this for my eye” screamed Jimmy, “I have no friends, I just want my eye back and that’s all I want. They all deserved to be hurt. There is nothing else that I wanted”
Amidst all this, police took Jimmy from his room, but he only wanted one thing: “ can I have my blanket? I feel much safer” “No, u cannot, there are good blankets where you are going”
Giving the blanket to his sobbing mother, once outside, he saw angry parents glaring at him, and suddenly his “friends” threw stones at him.
3 months later, Jimmy could only hear things. He heard his mother crying and cursing her fate, his sister wishing he was never born, and Jimmy wondering why there was so much darkness outside.
