Tilley Tiger was walking to school one sunny morning with her best friend Hilary Hippo. She loved to wear her new sunglasses that her father had given to her for her Birthday only a few days earlier.
“Oh, I can’t wait until we get to school Hilary,” said Tilley.
Hilary Hippo mumbled under her breath that she didn’t really want to go to school, but Tilley Tiger didn’t even notice that she had spoken.
On and on she went, “Did you see Jeremy Giraffe the other day? He thought he was so cool, but he wasn’t. I’m the only cool person in school.” As Tilley Tiger continued to talk, Hilary Hippo began to wonder why she was friends with someone who loved herself so much.
“Hilary, did you see Christopher Crocodile the other day?” continued Tilley Tiger, “Could you smell his breath? Ugh! He smells awful,” she said.
“I know,” replied Hilary Hippo, “But I think it’s because he has a bad tooth. His mummy had to come to school and take him to the dentist.”
Again Tilley Tiger didn’t bother to answer her friend. “And did you see what Piggy Peter was wearing? I wouldn’t walk out of the house if I looked as awful as he does.”
Hilary Hippo decided not to answer Tilley Tiger. She actually quite liked Piggy Peter. She thought he was very generous, because he would often ask if she wanted a sweetie. She smiled to herself when she realised that Piggy Peter never, ever, gave any sweets to Tilley Tiger.
Before long they had reached the school playground and Tilley Tiger walked up to some of their friends who were sitting on her favourite bench. When everyone saw her walking toward them, they moved out of the way so that Tilley Tiger could sit in her favourite place. As she sat down Tilley Tiger lifted her new sun-glasses onto the top of her head. The other girls were chatting and no-one noticed that she was wearing her new sunglasses.
Hillary Hippo could see Tilley Tiger beginning to get angry and in her loudest voice she roared, “Daddy bought me some new sunglasses for my birthday. Do you like them?”
The whole playground stopped in their tracks as the sound of Tilley Tiger's voice reached as far as Gary Goat, who was standing in the shade, next to the caterpillar seat. What she did like, was the fact that all eyes were now focused on her, but within a few seconds everyone returned to what they had been doing.
Tilley Tiger began to make fun of some of the children in the playground. Hillary Hippo sat next to Tilley Tiger and cringed as she listened to all the nasty things that she was saying about all of her friends.
Hillary Hippo sat waiting for Tilley Tiger to say something nasty about her. But, for some reason, she never did.
“Look at poor Piggy Peter over there. He is so fat.’ Laughed Tilley Tiger. “And have you seen what he’s wearing? Ugh! I wouldn’t be seen dead in that.”
Hillary Hippo had heard enough. For weeks and weeks she had heard the same nasty things being said about her friends. What started out as something that just upset her a little, now began to upset her a lot. As she sat next to Tilley Tiger she couldn’t help herself. She stood up in front of her and spoke in a voice that was loud enough for most of the playground to hear. “I have been your friend for a long time now Tilley Tiger. But I’m sorry…I don’t want to be your friend any more.” She could feel her knees begin to shake as she spoke. “You think you are better than every other person in this school. Just because your Daddy buys you lots of fancy things that cost a lot of money does not make you any better that anyone else here in this school. You are a nasty, horrible girl, and I don’t want to be friends with someone who thinks that they are better than everyone else.”
Hillary Hippo turned round and walked over to Piggy Peter, who sat open mouthed at the other side of the playground.
Tilley Tiger sat and looked around her. All the children were staring at her. She began to feel her cheeks burn. Tilley Tiger didn’t like everyone looking at her now, and a single tear ran down her face.
Hillary Hippo's knees felt like they were still shaking as she walked over to her friend Piggy Peter, who was still sitting looking at Tilley Tiger.
Although he didn’t like Tilley Tiger, he couldn’t help feeling sorry for her now. “That was brave of you,” said Piggy Peter, as he offered Hillary Hippo one of his sweeties.
“I know. But I feel much better now.” She replied.
Can Tilley Tiger mend her ways and make friends again?
The end.
Ann Johnson ©2006
Category: Children's Stories
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