Three-Numeral Wolves

Whenever den meetings

were held after school for special occasions,

all packs were required to wear

their Cub Scout uniforms to school.

I was proud of my uniform

until I ran into three stray wolves

from another pack at school.

Every pack had its own

numerical designation.

All the wolves

running around school

had two or three 

white stitched numerals

on a red patch

sewed on their left sleeve.

I had only one numeral;

it was number one.

Being the lone wolf from my pack

at elementary school,

I dreaded wearing mine

for fear of being taunted

every time I was in uniform

there were three

wild wolves

from an aggressive pack

making sport

of my pack number.

Those boys belonged

to a three-numeral pack.

On uniform days

these three wolves

would jeer and jest at me

while standing in the queue

for school to start.

“The only thing lower than one,”

they cried,

“Was a big zero!”

I allowed them to convince me

that the number one was

a mark of inferiority

among the packs.

I became so self-conscious about it

that whenever I was in their presence

I would cover my pack number

with my right hand

just to keep from inviting

any disparaging remarks….

Naturally, this only caused

the wolves with three numerals

to howl the more.

I never cared much

for being number one;
I just wanted to 
be among friendly wolves.

Looking back,

one thing was for certain.

Those three-numeral wolves,

with their alpha-like behavior,

never understood what it was like

to be number one.