Hi, my name is Casey. I have a great gift, and I would like to share it with you.

When I was three years old, my granny had a family get together. And before dinner was ready, as usual, all the kids were playing tag or hide-n-seek. I was on top of the very big slide this time instead of playing. Then all of a sudden I saw a figure of a boy. I couldn’t really see all the details of his face or anything. I just saw a figure. Now I don’t really remember what the original conversation was but I’ll try my best.
“Who are you? And why are you up here? This seat’s only big enough for one.” I said.
“My name’s Broccoli Bins. I’m the contract boy for the Head Council of Imaginary Friends. And you are now old enough to have one. So if you accept an imaginary friend by signing this contract…” he held out an odd looking small stack of papers, that I assumed was the contract,” …you can start your very on imagination. Any questions?”
“Yes,” I responded, “why can’t I make up my own imaginary friends? And why is there a Head Council of Imaginary Friends? And if I sign this contract, who am I getting?”
“You can make up your own imaginary friends. It’s just most of the children your age can’t read; and usually you get ideas from books. And there is a Head Council of Imaginary Friends because someone has to take care of all the imaginary friends who don’t have ..er..friends. And if you sign this contract you won’t get just one imaginary friend, you’ll get a hundred. The group you’ll get is The Monster Merry Mansion, the creatures at Sutter Mansion.”
“Where do I sign? And will you come every time I’m supposed to sign for a new one?” I asked.
And he answered, “Here, and only if you make that request.”
I signed it, and before I could say one more word he vanished. Then dinner was ready.
That night I heard a noise in the kitchen. I got up and went to see what was going on, but when I got there, all I saw was a clean kitchen. So I went back to bed. Then when it was still dark outside, I woke up because I heard it again. I wondered who it could be and that was when I heard a voice from the tree outside my window ask, “Who?”
I opened the window to see two great big eyes looking at me, and the figure said, “Its just pan man. He always does that. Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Tree Boy.” And I’m one of the imaginary friends you signed for today. You should go back to sleep before Scratching Sierra comes in here.” And I did exactly that.
Every night from then on Pan Man was in the kitchen banging those pots and pans. And the next morning, there would be a hot breakfast on the table for me when I went into the kitchen. At night before I would go to bed, I would draw a picture and write a thank you note for Pan Man and leave it on the table. Then in the morning, my picture would be on the refrigerator.
Scratching Sierra came to my room every night for a few months until I mentioned her to my mother. I think my mother had a conversation with her and told her to leave because she was keeping me awake . She was gone a long time. Then one night after I had said goodnight to Tree Boy and closed my window, I heard a noise coming from my closet. It was Scratching Sierra. She was back. I didn’t tell my mother this time and she stayed for a long, long time.
Tree Boy and I had many conversations. He told me many wise things and then would sit outside my window to make sure that I slept soundly. If I was sad about something, I could talk to Tree Boy about it. He was my best friend. He kept all my secrets. I miss him.
When I was seven, my mother and I moved to another town, and many of my imaginary friends did not come with us. Tree Boy was one of them. Broccoli Bins came to see me in my new house and he said that he was no longer a contract boy for the Head Council of Imaginary Friends. So, I only had a few friends left, and Broccoli became the best one of them. Throughout the years, he has been a great friend.
Now at the age of fourteen, nearly eleven years later, I realize that Pan Man was really my mother in the kitchen,Scratching Sierra was really a mouse that my mother caught in a trap, and Tree Boy was an owl, but Broccoli has been a figment of my imagination.
This is my gift and I might lose it to become more involved in my relationship with Christ. Though I will miss it greatly, it is getting old. It was a child’s project any way. I am now a young woman and need to let go of childish things. Thanks for letting me share my gift with you and I hope you enjoyed reading my composition.