“Dad” She asked him
“Yes dear” he replied
“Can Dogs and elephants be friends?” She asked pointing at the picture on the wall
He looked at the picture; it also said it was drawn by a fifth grader.
“Very nice” He thought
He looked at his daughter and said “Sure they can but why do you ask?”
She walked closer to the picture and said
“But they are so different. The dog is small and the elephant is so big” she gestured big with her tiny hands.
He smiled and said “Who told you that friends have to be alike?”
“I don’t know. I thought so because all my friends are like me; small and fun and your friends are all grownups and boring” She said
He looked at her surprised “Isn’t aunt Mary your friend?; what about mama and me?” He asked
“Yes Aunt Mary is my friend” she said with a sparkle in her eyes that usually comes just with the thought of Aunt Mary. She continued “But you and mom are my parents”

“As parents can’t we be your friends?” He asked her now kneeling down next to her and hugging her
“I can make you my friend, but I thought you don’t want to, I thought you only wanted to tell me what is good and bad” He looked away and continued “My friends play with me always and they don’t get cell phone calls during the play”
Just then the phone rang and she looked at him.

He smiled and picked up the phone and said “Sorry Jane, that can wait, I am with my best friend now and we are planning to go to a park and play on the swing for one hour. Please ask them to wait till then”
He said thank you and slipped his phone back to his pocket.
He looked at her and they both laughed and walked out and walked towards the park