This is L the floating square. L lived within a world within a world within a world. They would say he lived in a city within a state within a country.
But lots of times, L felt like he lived mostly inside his head. The world within the world within the world was hard for L to understand. He knew his location by heart. But what is a city within a state within a country when you don’t belong. You see, L had always been a floating square. While it seemed everyone else was a standing circle or a rectangle. And since L looked most like a rectangle, everyone wanted him to be a rectangle.
They tried to stretch L into a rectangle. They tried to hammer L into a circle. Every time L got close to the ground someone tried to change him. Eventually, L stopped coming down. He’d float all day. The standing circles and rectangles would look up and talk about L. L forgot the language of his world within a world within a world. Even though the sun and birds made for peaceful company, L was lonely.
One day as he was floating he spotted something he had never seen: A balloon with a basket attached. Inside the basket he saw a rectangle. The balloon was flying quickly toward L.
‘Hello, L! I’m A.’ L looked at the stranger. No one had ever tried to float with L. They had always expected him to drop to the ground. ‘Oh.. uh. Hi, A. Uh….’ L stumbled over his words. ‘L, I want to know you.’ L found his words. ‘You don’t want to change me?’ A replied, ‘Never. No one else is quite like you. Who else can float?’ L realized he’d never see any other shape float. Well, without a balloon.