A Different Challenge

Veronika was sitting on the windowsill, reading, when she heard Emil come in through the door.

"How was your day at school?" she asked.

Then she noticed that Emil looked concerned or worried. "What's the matter?" she asked when he looked up at her.

"Well," Emil began, as he climbed up on the windowsill, "there's a boy in my class who is strange," he said. "He coughs a lot, even though he isn't sick, and sometimes he says a bad word. The teacher doesn't scold him. It surprises me that he doesn't. Instead, the teacher scolds the kids who laugh at the bad word."

"Are you talking about Max?" Veronika asked.

"Yes," Emil replied. "How did you know?"

"I know Max," Veronika said. "He's a nice kid. He doesn't mean the bad words he says. He can't help saying them or the coughing. Sometimes his mouth twitches, too," she added. "He can't help that, either."

"You're right!" Emil exclaimed. "He does that, too. I can't even make my mouth move that way. Why does he do that?"

"It isn't something he means to do," Veronika explained. "He can't help it. He came out of the factory that way. That happens sometimes."

"So he's a little like me," Emil said. "I came out of the factory unable to hear and almost unable to see."

"That's true," Veronika agreed. "Your problem has been mostly fixed with your special glasses, but Max's problem is harder to fix."

"Can they do anything for Max?" Emil asked.

"I know he's taking some special pills," Veronika said. "The medicine helps, so it isn't as bad. He's having to learn ways to keep from saying bad words, but it isn't easy."

"The poor kid!" Emil said. "I guess I'm lucky! I think maybe my problem isn't as hard to live with as Max's problem."

"We're very happy you can see and hear with your special glasses, Emil," Veronika agreed.

"You know," Emil said, "I'm glad I'm not the only doll who isn’t perfect. I'm sorry Max has to go through this, but at least I know there's another doll who has problems."

Veronika looked at Emil. Then she said, "No one is perfect. We each have something that we have trouble with, maybe not always something others can see, but everyone has problems, and that isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes what doesn’t work right makes us better in some other way," she explained.

"Like the way I can hear what animals are saying?" Emil asked.

"Yes!" Veronika exclaimed. "Exactly like that! Maybe Max has a superpower no one knows about."
"Is that why some of the other boys pick on Max," Emil asked, "because they're afraid of him?"

"I know the boys you mean," Veronika agreed. "They are bullies. They pick on anyone who is different. They were mean to Mariah, because her vinyl is brown. It made her cry."

"She has learned to ignore them, so they have stopped," Veronika added.
"Do you mean they stopped because Mariah stopped getting upset?" Emil wanted to know.

"Yes," Veronika agreed. "Well, she still gets upset, but she ignores them. The bullies decided it was no fun anymore if they didn't see they were hurting her."
"If they enjoy hurting others," Emil pointed out, "they have a bigger problem than Max has."

"Yes," Veronika said, nodding. "They try to hurt dolls who are different because dolls who are different make them afraid."

"Wow!" Emil exclaimed. "I'm different, but they don't bully me." Then he thought of something. "Wait! Maybe they were trying to bully me when they called me 'Four Eyes,' but I thought it was a compliment. Having four eyes sounds better than having only two eyes. I think I even laughed."

"That's because you're grateful you can see at all," Veronika pointed out, "and by laughing you spoiled their fun."

Emil said, "That was when I was new here. They did it a couple of times and then stopped." Then he thought a moment. "They stopped because I wasn't hurt!"

"Yes," Veronika said. "They must be very unhappy dolls. Being afraid of dolls who are different is a real problem, and one those dolls have to fix for themselves, but we don't have to let it be a problem for us or for others."

"Today the bullies were picking on Max in the school yard," Emil said. "I saw Jolena walk over to where they were. She ignored the bullies and showed Max a book she had. She started talking to Max about the book."

"Max was interested in the book," Emil continued, "and stopped looking at the bullies."
"What did the bullies do then?" Veronika asked.

"They turned around and left," Emil said. Then Emil looked surprised. "I'll bet Jolena did that on purpose to get the boys to leave Max alone!" he exclaimed. "What a great idea!"

Veronika smiled. She knew he was right. It was just what Jolena would do. She also knew that Emil and other dolls were watching...and learning.

Cast--
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend
Emil: Götz Happy Kidz Emilia

Max the doll has what's called Tourette Syndrome a neurobiological disorder, like attention deficit and depression, that can occur in real human children and teenagers. It can be treated but not cured, although human people sometimes grow out of it.

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Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.

"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
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Mariah: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Emil: Stories from The Doll's Storybook, Classic Tales Retold: Stories from The Doll's Storybook and Our Favorite Verses: Poems from The Doll's Storybook are available from BookBaby and other booksellers worldwide, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

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