Benji’s Magic Boots

“Dad, I think I need new boots for winter.”

Dad laughed. “It’s summer, Benjamin! Get a move on or you’ll be late.”

All day long I daydreamed about the boots. I imagined hiking through forests, trekking up sand dunes and crossing wobbly rope bridges.

All week I stared at them longingly when we passed the shop.

On Friday I told a fib. “Dad, we’re doing a play about explorers and I need some new boots.”

Dad wasn’t listening. He was messing with his phone.

“They need to be big and black, like the ones they wear on expeditions.”

“I see.” Dad nodded, still tapping away on