Peer Pressure - Bobby wanted to be accepted by the 'cool crowd' so badly that he was willing to give up a true friend.
Everyone knows how it feels to not be accepted by others or 'ostracized'. The real measure of a person's character is how they cope with the rejection. Does the person allow themself to become what the 'others' want them to be or are they able to listen to the 'voice' inside, and follow a different path? (check out the reference verses at the end of the story)
"BOBBY’S GUIDE"
(ages 8-12)
“King me!” Bobby took a deep breath and with it the smell of roasted hot dogs as he raised his arms in triumph.
“Young Mr. Bobby you are most assuredly the expert of the checkers game,” Apu said good-naturedly.
“You sure do lose a lot, considering you’re so smart,” Bobby wondered aloud.
“In my country, friendship is of more importance than the winning of games,” Apu said. “Speaking of friends, here arrive your fellow classmates,” Bobby heard the familiar “ding-dong” of the front doors as four of Bobby’s classmates swaggered into Apu’s convenience store.
“I wish they were my friends,” Bobby said quietly. “They’re too cool. That’s Jonathan Horcer and his buddies. They all have the new Z-Game. There’s no way I could ever be like them.”
“That game must cost hundreds of American dollars. How do twelve-year-old children make its purchase?” Apu whispered.
“Their parents buy it for them,” Bobby said. “They have everything.”
“Is not your birthday celebration next week? Perhaps you also could ask your guardian for such a game of z?” Apu asked.
“It’s Z-Game, not game-of-z,” Bobby explained, “and my grandma doesn’t have enough money. She’s retired. She gets some money every month in the mail. I could never ask her for a Z-Game. Besides, I already know what I’m going to get.”
“You have peeked at your present? You are a naughty boy indeed,” Apu smiled.
“I don’t have to peek. Every year it’s the same,” Bobby whispered. Every year I get underwear and this year I’ll probably get deodorant too, ‘because you’re turning into such a young man’ she always says.”
“She loves you very much. You are very lucky young man,” said Apu.
“I know she loves me, but I don’t feel very lucky,” Bobby said. “I don’t have any friends, nobody wants me to hang out with them and I don’t have enough money to get the stuff I need.”
“Poor Young Mr. Bobby,” Apu frowned. “You are most definitely in a troublesome river without a rudder.”
“You mean ‘up a creek without a paddle’.”
“That one I have not heard,” Apu said. “Did I ever tell you about my friend? I have a very close friend indeed, who does not ask me to earn his friendship, he just gives it to me, all the time.”
“Hey, where’s the Red Kick?” Jonathan called out from the refrigerated section.
“I am sorry to announce that drinks such as those have too much of the caffeine and are not healthy.” Apu explained. “I am no longer offering such drinks for your purchase. I have other….”
“What a loser store!” Jonathan complained. “Are you playing checkers?" Jonathan asked Bobby as the ‘cool crowd’ walked past the counter. “That’s what losers play ‘cause they don’t have enough money to buy a real game. If you had a Z-Game we’d let you hang out with us. Guess that’s why you hang out with old man Apu. You losers are made for each other. You don’t have any money and he can’t speak English. See ya around losers.” The cool crowd laughed as they left the store.
“Bobby, please to not pay attention to their insults,” Apu advised.
“Did you hear what Jonathan said?” Bobby asked excitedly. “He actually said I could hang out with them if I got a Z-Game.”
“I am not so sure that being part of the ‘cool crowd’ is best for Young Mr. Bobby,” Apu said. “You can ask my friend to help you and he will.”
“So, I can ask your friend for the money?” Bobby asked.
“My friend always does what is right,” Apu answered. “It is not always what you think you want, but it is always what you actually need. Whenever you want some advice you just start talking. You may not see him at first, but eventually you will. He can be your own personal rudder, or guide, in your river.”
“I don’t really understand what you just said, but I gotta go. Maybe I can catch up with Jonathan,” is all Bobby could say as he quickly left the store.
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“Hey Jonathan!” Bobby yelled as he ran to catch up with the cool crowd. “Did you really mean I could hang out with you guys if I had a Z-Game.”
“Yea, but you’d have to stop hanging out with the old-guy,” Jonathan said. “He’s just not cool.”
Bobby paused. “I can do that. Apu… I mean the old-guy is definitely not cool. I was just hanging out with him ‘cause he gave me stuff. You know, hot dogs and stuff.”
Jonathan changed the subject. “Well come on, let’s go get a Z-Game.”
“I don’t have enough money,” Bobby said.
“Who said you had to buy it?” asked Jonathan.
Bobby slowed down. “What do you mean?”
“I can show you how to get one. Come on,” Jonathan coaxed as they changed direction and headed towards BigMart department store.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” Bobby said as he stood in front of four shelves full of Z-Games and all the accessories.
“Don’t worry,” said Jonathan. “They have so many and you don’t even have one. They won’t know it’s gone. You deserve it. This will make you one of us.”
“I don’t know….” Bobby’s brain shut out all sensations except for sight. He didn’t hear the store’s music. He didn’t smell the fresh popcorn. But he did see his hand take a Z-Game off the shelf and tuck it inside his jacket. Bobby felt as if he didn’t have control of his hand, as if he was sitting in the bleachers during a basketball game, watching two players wrestle for the ball. Only now he felt his mind and heart struggle against each other. His mind wanted the Z-Game but his heart wanted to play checkers with Apu.
“Store manager to aisle twelve,” blared the public address system.
“Let’s go! We’ll meet you outside,” Jonathan said.
“Hey guys, where are you?” Bobby called out quietly as he walked into the parking lot.
“Stop right there son we need to have a word with you,” demanded two men in uniforms.
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“Young Mr. Bobby I did not expect to see you today again,” said Apu with a look of surprise.
Bobby sat down and started to set up the checker board. “I met your friend this afternoon,” Bobby moved the checkers into position. “I didn’t know if I should take the Z-Game. Jonathan said I deserved it. I was willing to forget everything good Grandma and you taught me just so I could hang out with kids who make fun of me, and make fun of my friends,” Bobby added.
“What did our friend say?” Apu asked.
“Well, I didn’t actually hear anything, but I felt different,” Bobby explained. “I didn’t feel like I was all alone. It felt like someone was helping me. I could finally tell my hand what to do. So I put the game back on the shelf and all I could think about was coming here to tell you. Right after I showed the store manager that I didn’t have the game, that is.” Bobby paused. “Apu? Can I talk to your friend even when I’m not in trouble?”
Apu smiled. “It’s your move.”
Reference Verses to "Bobby's Guide"
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (The book of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 3)
"Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction,
and there are many who enter it." (The book of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 13 and 14)
"Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend,.." (The book of Proverbs, chapter 27, versre 10)
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:15-16)
"A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The naive proceed and pay the penalty." (Proverbs 27:12)