Left Out – Flash Fiction

Umar’s cousins and siblings said, “You must be a student, you cannot be a teacher, and if you want to be a teacher, then we will not let you play with us.”

Umar wanted to play, but this time he was not willing to be a follower. He always wished to play the role of his choice but he was forced into playing the role that others have decided for him.

‘It’s not fair,’ he thought and then walked away. He was a left out.

This happened to him very often. He had a lot of cousins that were a year or two elder or smaller than him. They asked him to play games against his will.

That day he wanted to play ‘side-side,’ but he was asked to play ‘house-house.’ His cousins’ threatened him that he would be kicked out from the group if he complained.

It also happened to him in the school. He was not very good at throw ball, so the team treated him as an extra. When the whole team was present, he was left out.

He loved accompanying his mother to shopping and parties. However, his siblings would buy him into letting them go. He felt ‘left out’ on many occasions in his life.

People came to him to get his journals and assignments. They knew he had the best ideas, but whenever it was a field trip then people would partner with others, and he was left out.

He played with his apartment friends. He was last to be selected by the captains. If the number of the players were odd, he was left out.

When people would discuss something of importance, they wouldn’t trust him into the hearing, so he was a left out.

He was left out so many times that he ceased longing to belong to anyone. He searched for places where he didn’t feel left out.

One day, Umar’s younger sibling cried, so he weaved a whimsical tale, and his little brother enjoyed the story. Not only the boy, he saw the elders beaming and commenting on the story. He enjoyed the experience.

He started weaving tales; he would project his wishes and dreams in his characters. In his stories, he was never left out. He loved the experience.

Soon the world knew his skills as a storyteller, and they would beg him to tell his tales. His stories were interesting.

When you interview him about advice, he says, “If you feel left out then search places where you belong. Soon you will never feel left out.”