Emo Emo

Emo goes Emo

Emo the ostrich was looking through a dictionary when she saw the word "Emo".

"That's my name," she said.

She read the definition: "Emo is a style of rock music characterized by expressive, often confessional, lyrics. It originated in the mid-1980s as a style of post-hardcore from the hardcore punk movement in Washington, D.C., where it was known as "emotional hardcore" or "emocore." The emo fashion style includes skinny jeans, tight t-shirts with band names, studded belts, and flat, straight, jet-black hair with long bangs."

Emo knew what she had to do.

The next day at school Emo arrived wearing skinny jeans and a tight white t-shirt with the words "band name" hand-written on it in messy red marker. She had tried to straighten the fur on her head that morning with tree sap. The results were mixed. She had a old belt that Bennie had found in the garbage looped around her waist. It was much too big for her and kept slipping down.

Rachel the rabbit saw her first. "Wow Emo, I really like your...new look".

"It's not just a phase. This is who I am."

Rachel was taken aback. "Oh, of course. We're so happy to have you always Emo, no matter what you dress like."

"There's a beauty in sadness that I can't seem to explain to people who don't feel it."

Rachel paused for a moment. "I hope you're not feeling sad all the time. If there's anything I can do to help you, please tell me how. You normally show up to school in the mornings so peaceful and happy. This is a different vibe I'm getting from you today."

"I'm not being dramatic. The feelings are just really intense."

Just then, Titi came out of the woods and joined Ms. Rachel and Emo. "Hi Emo, you won't be believe how fast I made it around the lake on my afternoon run last yesterday. I made record time."

"That's cool I guess. I just feel so disconnected from everything around me. When I go home I just write in my journal because it's the only place my thoughts feel safe."

"Hey," Titi said, "cool shirt. Is there really a band name 'Band Name' ?"

"Probably. I find a lot of comfort in music. It's like the lyrics know exactly how I'm feeling."

The school bell rang. Ms. Rachel, Titi and the other foresthood school animals rushed to class. All of the animals rushing by greeted Emo in turn.

"Hi Emo!"

"Nice to see you buddy!"

"Good morning!"

"I wish I could just disappear to a place where no one knows me."

The next day Emo showed up in her regular clothes, and a normal attitude.

"Hi Titi", she said, "race you to class!"

"Life feels like a constant loop of looking for something that I can't even define."

"Uh oh....", said Emo.