Aysel carried her toy doctor bag to school. She hummed as she walked past the clinic with its red cross sign.
During playtime, Leo tripped on the sidewalk and scraped his knee. A red mark appeared on his leg.
Aysel opened her bag and pulled out a bandage with stars on it. She pressed it gently onto Leo's knee. 'It's okay,' she said.
Word spread quickly. Mrs. Chen from the clinic stopped by the playground and smiled at Aysel.
Other kids gathered around. A boy held up a boo-boo finger. A girl asked if her doll needed a bandage too.
Aysel opened her bag wider and handed out bandaids like a real nurse. She hummed again, taller than before.
That evening, Aysel hung her doctor bag on her bedroom chair. Tomorrow, she thought, she'd bring more supplies.
She patted the bag and curled up under her quilt, dreaming of stethoscopes and white coats.
In her dream, Aysel wore a tiny white coat and carried a stethoscope around her neck.
She visited her friends in the dream — Leo's knee was all better, and the doll had a brand-new star bandage.
Aysel hummed in her sleep, one hand resting on the red bag at her side.
Tomorrow she would bring more supplies. The town had many more friends who needed checking.
