“Banged Up Knees” by Heather Ruszkowski

BANGED UP KNEES

Heather Ruszkowski*

On the rockwall coated in moss, waiting for the bright yellow school bus, I hold out my knee to a friend. “Look!” I exclaim, frantically pointing at each freshly formed bruise. Purple and black disfigures my freckly skin with a light pink hue. “I have more than you!”

My friend in turn to my bragging begins to show off her carefully cultivated collection -- all the way to her bandaged elbow. “Ha!” she replies to my boasting. I guess I have more trees to climb and more kids to fight.