Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

When I Grow Up

"I'm going to be a millionaire," my little brother said,
"And give it all to charity, so the orphans can be fed."
I thought about his grand ideas and gave a quick reply:
"That will never never happen 'til the day that pigs can fly."

"Then I will be an astonaut, and journey to the moon.
I'll jump and skip and dance across those dusty lunar dunes."
"You'll never be an astronaut, you'll never take those flights,
In case you don't remember, you've got a phobia for heights."

"Then I will be a doctor, and I will save so many lives,
With stethescope, thermometer and sharpest surgeon's knives."
"You'll never be a surgeon, since you'll always be a klutz,
And you always get quite woozy on seeing blood and guts!"

"So I will join the circus and I'll be a clown, you see -
I'll prance around the circus tent while children laugh with glee."
"To be a clown," I said, "you need a sense of humor.
But you're about as funny as a desmoplastic tumor."

My brother sat in silence while I paused for him to speak
As I watched and waited there, one tear run down his cheek.
For a moment then I felt such shame - how dejected he appeared!
But then at last his face lit up and all his sadness disappeared.

"I guess I have no talent," he said, "no skills or aptitude
This fact could get me down, but instead I shall conclude:
Though I'm useless as an outbreak of the worst pandemic flu,
At least I know, if all else fails, I can always be like you."

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