Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

by Clare Pooley

“They want us to be small, so we have to stand tall.

They want us to be quiet, so we have to be heard. They want us to surrender, so we have to fight.”

Martha kicked herself. She should have remembered that adults often retain information you give them by accident and use it against you, just like Facebook does.

We have to be seen. We have to be heard. You need to show them what you can do. You are not past it. They want us to be small. You have to stand tall. You have to fight.

“The only way to be guaranteed of failure, dear boy, is not to try,” said Iona.

There were, Iona had learned, some problems that you really couldn’t solve. You just had to find a way to live with them.