Introduction

2008 Scout Law Essay Contest winer - Achinthya of Troop 765

My Chance to Be a Friend

A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. This is the pledge that Boy Scouts across the country recite at every weekly meeting. They are asked to live it in life, but some of them are hard at times. This is my story about my difficulty with 'friendly'.

Imagine a middle school at lunch, bustling with people. The lunch lines crowded, on a sweltering day. Got the picture? After standing in the lunch lines for what seemed like eternity, moving slower than slugs and snails, I dashed over to the spot where I sit, in the cool shade, waiting for my friends. I saw one of my friends at one place, but the rest of my friends where in another area. I ran over to the loner, and told him to come sit with me. Obediently following, he came and sat with the crowd of my other friends. Conversations followed, about video games, grades, and, eventually, about Boy Scouts. I told my friend, Steven, that he should join.

He said, "I will if I have time. But is it fun?"

With that, another friend and I launched into a long-winded lecture about camp, games, campfires, and other enjoyable factors about Boy Scouts. Steven excused himself and went to the bathroom. During his absence, another scout in Troop 765, one that was in my group of friends protested, "Don’t tell him to join Boy Scouts!"

"Why?" I responded.

"W-Well because!" he rambled at a loss for words. "He’s so immature, I HATE him!"

Stunned, I sat quietly until my friend came back. I told him to come with me and sit somewhere else and without saying anything, Steven followed. I glared at the perpetrator and sat with him for the rest of the break.

Now, I sit with Steven a lot more and have reprimanded my other 'friend'. I have grasped the moral of this incident. That is my example for difficulty in the chant. Once again here it is: Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, reverent.