'Race you 'round the garden'
He boyishly grins and then
Dashes off into the distance
Like a flying uncorked screw

I stand beneath the cherry tree
Ruffled yellow gown and scuffed leather shoes
Vexedly chew a finger, bite a nail; watch him run
He never once looked back.

He tore the ribbon from my neatly brushed back hair
While I cried, his embarrassed mother scolded
Fifteen minutes after, back he comes my way
Chafing his shoes, dark head hung

Mutters a gruff apology in my ear
Hurriedly pressed a limp daisy in my hands, I blink
And he is gone again, chasing butterflies and brothers
Plastic waterguns drawn, battle tactics, armour chinks

The daisy sought refuge in my pocket
As I sat on the verandah with the other outcast little girls,
We rolled our eyes and tittered
Oh, how nothing has changed...

They brought out the cake, emblazoned in cursive pink
And stood well back as we fought for the strawberry pieces,
He stole mine off my plate,
The birthday girl had stolen his.

Presents now and as we crowded around her
I felt his hand sweep past mine in spaces
And heard his indignant voice as he yelled at Michael
That he was being squashed; lost in a sea of anticipating faces

Party time was over with the screech of cars as parents started to arrive
I waited patiently cross legged, willing the awful music to continue
The game could not be over, the parcel was almost mine-
Then it stopped.

He won it.

A cautious pebble cast to test the waters
Broke up both our reflections in the pond
My mother had still not come yet
I thought that I would have to spend the night

My dress was dirty now, a mess and disarray
'Filthy', I woefully sighed and
Stroked the piteous ribbon
Now knotted loosely around my wrist.

A tug of the hair
I yelped and spun around.
His arms were crossed across his chest
'Your mummy's here, you have to go.'

His mother called across the yard
And gave a tired gracious smile
'Won't you give him a kiss, Emma
Before you say goodbye?'

I complied.

You were six.
And I was four.