Leap Year Birthday

Leap Year Birthday

" I'm a time traveler, " Leroy told his friends. He waved his hands, widened his eyes, and said, " Whoosh! " His friends looked less than impressed. " Seriously?" Alan said.

" Time works differently for me, Leroy said. " Today is my birthday, and I'm in second grade . . . but I'm only two years old! " The others stared at him, then burst into laughter. " You're eight, " Lucy said, " not two. "

Leroy tried to explain. " ost of the other years don't count. They're sort of 'pretend years. My birthday is on February 29. It's called a leap year birthday, which only happens every four years. For time travelers like me, four of your years is like one of mine. " " That's crazy, " said Philip. “ If you're only two, maybe you should be wearing diapers. " Leroy just looked at him. “ I don't need diapers, " he said. " I need to understand why I'm birthday deprived. " The others walked away down the street together, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Leroy frowned. No one had remembered his birthday this morning-not even his mother. He didn't complain because he knew it was hard to remember something only once every four years. Leroy wondered: What about those other people with leap year birthdays? There had to be a few out there. Were they confounded by this whole situation too?

Why did February 29 have to be different anyway? Why couldn't it behave like all those other days of the year? If it stopped being different, Leroy could stop being different too. Leroy shrugged and shuffled into the kitchen. " Mom, do we have a book about time travel?" Leroy asked. " Sorry, Leroy, " Mom said, " but the library might. Let's go see. "