Waddley waddled into the bright classroom on the first day of school.
Then a swirl from the ceiling fan lifted one small feather right off.
"Oh," said Waddley.
Waddley hurried after it between the little tables.
Waddley reached once, twice, three times, but the feather kept bobbing away like it was playing tag.
With a soft quack, Waddley watched it land beside a cubby with a paper sun taped to it.
Waddley picked it up.
From behind a stack of blocks, another child was staring at it.
"You can touch it," said Waddley.
Waddley waited, quiet as click, click, click went the block tower.
Then both of them grabbed the feather at the very same time.
The tower wobbled, tipped, and crashed down with a giant clatter.
Waddley blinked. Then Waddley laughed.
The other child laughed too and lifted the feather like a silly white flag.
Together, they tucked the feather into a jar of classroom pencils.
Side by side at the art table, Waddley and the new friend drew ducks with extra-feathery tails.
