My first NO

I will never forget my first NO.

I'm not talking about being rejected. Can you get your mind off that area?

I was the one saying NO.
And I wasn't being asked out too. Can you also get your mind off that area?

Look how it all happened.

I've always been a Yes guy. In fact when No was needed I also used another word that sounded like I was explaining myself.

Most people called me a pushover but I called myself sensitive.
The truth was that I hated been told No, so I also felt that telling others No wasn't a good thing too.

You know the popular saying, "do to others what you want others to do to you."

"Zuko, you are a man my friend, you've got to learn how to say No." Mike my best friend said as he tossed the basket ball to me.

We were just nine years old. I wondered who told him I was a man. But truth be told I felt a little bit hyped when he called me a man.

"I know it's not a road you prefer taking, but my friend, it is a road required to be taken." He added.

Mike sounded like an old man in a little boys body most times and it was quite impressive. Because he almost got me to do anything.

He took me to different places that afternoon, just to put me in a situation that would make me say No.

We almost succeeded that day, but unconciously I would start explaining myself like it was even needed. I never knew when it happens. I just found myself explaining instead of saying outright No.

He practically gave up on me.
I mean, I would give up on me too.

We had just returned from Christmas break and I had a lot of toys with me. I had sneaked a few of them to school so I could show my classmates how cool my December break was.

During the break time, I brought them out and was playing with them and soon after some classmates walked up to me and asked to play with me.

You know my phobia with No.
I allowed them to play with my toys. Mike also joined as we played and had a lot of fun.

Mike walked up to me and asked, "Zuko." He scratched his head as he called out. "Can you give me this toy as a gift. A new years gift?" He asked.

Without thinking about it I said, "NO."

Mike stood there looking at me. He didn't know whether to be impressed that I had said No for the first time or to be sad that i had refused his request.

I was also shocked.

"Where did that come from?" I asked myself.

Mike walked up to me and hugged me.
"I'm proud of you Zuko." He said. "You have been fixed."

I didn't know how to feel about that last statement because it came out like I was broken.

I guess all it took so to have something really important that I wanted to keep or protect to bring out that side of me.

I gave myself an assignment which was to be marked by Mike. The next ten request in school my answer would be outright NO.
No questions asked, no excuses given.

I actually had fun saying NO than I have saying Yes.
Not like anyone notices though.

Thanks for reading 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿