Cameron the Chameleon

by Yuna Vavrovsky

Cameron the chameleon was a funny creature who despised the fact that he inadvertently changed colour. Just last week in school, Cameron let out a little fart. All of his friends asked, "Who passed wind?" Everyone answered, "Not me!" including Cameron, although he turned from pink to dark purple with sparkling, yellow dots. It was immediately obvious it was Cameron. His friends pointed at him and laughed.

Embarrassed about the incident, Cameron hid in his tree under his favourite coloured leaf, avoiding the other animals. He kept on thinking, "Why do I change colour whenever I don't want to?" The leaves outside began to rustle, disturbing his deep thoughts. Cameron froze. Out of the blue, Bepsy - a butterfly - flew in his dwelling."Hi, just on my evening flight. Why do you look so glum?" asked Bepsy sympathetically. "I am upset that I can't control my colours like the other chameleons," replied Cameron. He told Bepsy about what happened at school, noticing that her frown became deeper as he spoke.

After listening attentively to Cameron, Bepsy began to tell her own story, "Well, I was once a dull, brown caterpillar. I was really jealous of everyone else who had vibrant colours because they could express themselves freely. All I could do was eat, eat and eat out of frustration! Until one day, I emerged from my cocoon and found my wings painted yellow like my favourite Acacia flowers. Cameron, it is wonderful to be able to express yourself freely, especially as honestly as you do." Cameron's eyes danced around as he processed his friend's words. He had never thought that his ability to change colours was a privilege! That night, as the stars emerged to decorate the inky black sky, Cameron reflected quietly about the things he had learned that day.

The next morning, a glistening drop of dew splashed on his head. Cameron woke up feeling as fresh as if he had just emerged from a long, deep sleep. As he stretched carefully on his branch, he saw his magnificent turquoise blue reflection in the puddle beneath him. He took a closer look and knew things would be different from now on.

As he slowly made his way to the school, he could not help but smile. He greeted and waved at Mr. Kingfisher, Dr. Warthog, Mrs. Baboon and her children along the way. The fresh smell of orchids filled the morning air. As he approached the entrance of the school, Cameron was no longer intimidated. He confidently strode into the classroom, taking a seat at the very front, embracing his true colours for the very first time.