Click on one of the names below to read the work: Gina's Class: Our memoir unit began with the process of students reflecting on their lives. A list of "Questions for Memoirists" helped students uncover memories and events in their lives that mattered to them. The next step was to explore, through writing, their memoir-worthy experiences. Of these experiences, students selected one to work on as a published piece. We followed the rule of "So What?" making sure that our writing had a purpose and a point.
Heather's Class: Most students chose to share one of two writing assignments. Some chose their "How-to" piece, which is an example of simple expository writing. In this piece, we focused on writing an introduction and explored how to convey a sense of voice. Others chose a piece they created by using an excerpt from Truman Capote's A Christmas Story as a mentor piece. We examined his piece and studied his use of character and setting to inform our own styles of writing.
Me and My Mom Divorce is just a part of my life. Even though I see my dad and he picks me up from school, for now it’s mostly just me and my mom and I doubt that she is ever going to get married again. It would be like a whole new life if she did. The good things about me and my mom being together are that we get to see each other more, learn more about each other, and do things that you couldn’t do if you didn’t spend everyday with one parent alone. Also, if I weren’t always alone with my mom, we would not have as much time to be with each other. For example, we wouldn’t have as much time to go ice-skating or go out for fancy dinners at French restaurants. When it’s just me and my mom, we stay home and play games. Monopoloy is one of our favorites. We have a Scooby Doo set and I’m always Scooby Doo, and my mom is usually Daphne. My mom definitely doesn’t like to play video games, especially ones that have to do with fighting. This is one thing we disagree on. Finally Foreign I was living on Sixth Street when
I rediscovered something I had
disregarded for too long. Mess making, however, has a great tendency to make a mess, so out of courtesy to us Katrine, Claire’s mother, stayed to help clean up. We were simultaneously chucking a zoo of stuffed animals back into the hamper when a familiar, once loved ear caught my eye. “Stop!” I yelled. But It was too late; the ear was buried under stuffed animals. I hurriedly shoved my hand into the hamper, I had to reach him. My hand fought its way through a trillion animals. It attempted unsuccessfully to dodge my present favorite, a kitten called Love. I repented with a simple, “Sorry Love,” rather half-heartedly. Too busy to talk, I was already shoving my hand down in search of the ear’s owner. His puppy fur had been so beautiful; I had to see it again. It was a fuzzy, warm brown and to a minor extent, shaggy. His eyes had been beautifully alive with love for me. A hit on the hard hamper bottom shook me from my thoughts. I felt around the bottom and then my hand touched his like it meant, you’re my friend let’s shake on it. I looked down at him and smiled. That was the beginning of a friendship; I suppose that in some subtle way I must have known that because I responded right away. I remember you. I used to adore you. I want to adore you again. “Mommy I want to sleep with him,” I called out. “That’s nice, Angela gave him to you, he is from New Mexico, you called him Foreign,” she announced. “Foreign, Foreign I think that I will keep that name,” I said. I picked him up and put him on my bed along with all the Hedwigs and Unis, but not really noticing put him nearer to my pillow than the others. Every time I got into bed I was squished so started to sleep with less animals. Finally all but Foreign were eliminated. We have become secret correspondents since then. He listens to all my secrets and I do my best to listen to his. I love him, my darling Foreign. There are many times when I lie snuggled with him in my bed telling him exactly what I did that day that I get the feeling that Foreign is like my Velveteen Rabbit. 26 Hours For most kids, being in the hospital is a frightening experience, but for me it wasn’t. I learned that going to the hospital was a good thing, especially for making me well. In fact, it was a lot of fun because I had a TV in my room. The hospital’s TV didn’t have cable, but I watched the movie my uncle got me called Mewtwo Returns which I really liked a lot. I also received many nice gifts. I was five when I went to the hospital, and I had to miss a day of kindergarten. Probably all the kids in my class were wondering where I was. The best part of being in the hospital was the electronic adjustable bed. I enjoyed bending the end of the bed so my legs would almost reach the ceiling. When I was bored, I would play around with the bed by making it go up and down and control the top go to a 90˚ angle so I could sit up. It was like having my own amusement park ride. By now you must be wondering what happened to me. It all started when I was bowling at Bowlmor Lanes. My babysitter and my friend Cole and I were taking a lunch break and had ordered French fries. I started feeling sick to my stomach and so we had to leave. When we got home, I collapsed onto the couch and felt even worse. My mom took my temperature and I think it was 102˚! My mom gave me some Tylenol which made me throw up in the…(too much info actually!) Three long days later, I went to St. Vincent’s Hospital and had an I.V. (which means intravenous). It is like getting a shot, but it stays in your arm and there is a tube connected to a drip bag full of hydrating fluid. I was dehydrated and had to stay overnight. After I left the hospital, I watched Mewtwo Returns twice in a row on my comfy couch. I think it was much better out of the hospital. The Hospital “Sophie, I’m sorry, you have to go.” Those were my dad’s words. When I heard those words the world stopped. All I felt was panic. Deep panic. Words rushed in and out of my head, pushing my brain; hospital, pneumonia, doctors, needles, help. Fear overtook my body. It was already so late, 10:00. I burst out in tears. “No!” I cried, but it was a futile attempt. They were already pulling me out of bed. “Please Mom, Dad, you can’t do this to me!” I was sobbing now. The Hospital. My worst nightmare. I would be a prisoner at NYU Medical Center for the next 4 days. The doctors and nurses would be my jailers. It was so horrible, I don’t know where to begin. Let me start off by telling you about the needles. It hurts even when I think about it now. In the first 10 minutes I was there, a nurse put anesthetic on my arm. She said it would help the pain of the IV. It didn’t! I came into the room that I would have my shot and lay down on a cold hard table. I knew this was gonna hurt! The doctor and nurse came into the room. The doctor said, “I promise, you won’t feel a thing.” She counted to three and stuck me. And boy, let me tell you, it hurt! While I was trying not to cry the doctor and nurse se left the room. I was saying, “Ow, Ow, Ow” over and over again; that was all I could say. Thirty seconds later the nurse came back to tell me simply, “The doctor popped your vein.” I had had enough, but obviously the nurse hadn’t. She grabbed a needle and counted to three again. I held my breath, preparing for pain. I waited, waited, and then looked at the nurse. She said, “Done!” and then walked out of the room. Wow, that nurse was good! I didn’t even feel a thing. When you’re stuck in the hospital with pneumonia, there’s not much to do. I hardly got any exercise in the hospital. I couldn’t breathe properly, so I couldn’t walk. It was the second day when I started walking, slowly around my floor. The first day I started walking I met a nice boy named Brian. He had sickle cell. He had a wheelchair, but he didn’t need or use it, and he let me use it. That was probably the most fun thing that happened to me at the hospital. Finally there was the day they sent me home. I was walking around the floor telling everyone that I was going home. My heart was bursting with joy. I packed my bag and headed out. As soon as I stepped outside I wanted to do a cartwheel. But I didn’t have the strength to do one yet. My mom and I jumped into a cab and out of jail. I was going HOME!!! A Limerick for Frank and Andy Frank was wearing a white tuxedo jacket with a colorful picture of the Eiffel Tower on the back. He had on a bright green shirt and black pants. His shoes were a happy gray, with orange laces, orange soles, and little orange pockets. Andy, on the other hand, was wearing mostly the traditional outfit except that he had on the same color shirt as Frank. It was their wedding day. They had been engaged for 30 years and were finally allowed to get married. They had invited 69 people to come to a small restaurant in Ottawa to celebrate their marriage. Everyone was up in the party room, applauding after a toast had been given for Frank and Andy. Then one of the best men stepped up and said, “And now, Beth Chuck, and Cameron.” I was nervous then, getting up in front of a whole bunch of people and reciting some limericks, but at the same time I felt good about it. 68 pairs of eyes stared at us. My dad read first. It was the funniest thing in the world. The two grooms burst out laughing and nearly choked on their drinks. Everyone else broke into a laughing fit, but no one laughed nearly as hard as Frank and Andy. After that I felt a little less nervous. My mom and dad both read, and each time they got the same response and each time I felt a little bit better about it. Finally, it was my turn. I read it over once and then recited… Their love is
a beautiful thing. After my reading was finished,
I got a huge laugh and the biggest
applause. The ceremony ended, the
dancing began, and so did Frank
and Andy’s lives as husband
and husband. Father-Son Tradition When I went to Fenway Park with my dad the weather wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t mater. It would be him and me, just like it was him and his dad and brother when he was younger. This was more than going to a ballgame. It was a father-son tradition. We walked past the Green Monster, the gray blue sky above us, my dad and I walking through the huge alley together. We walked past street venders selling nuts, hats, and shirts, and Red Sox stores selling anything that had to do with the Red Sox. We walked past the amazing colors of the Green Monster, and time seemed to slow down. That’s when I know I’m having a top moment with dad. We got to Fenway Park early, so we saw the Indians take batting practice. I asked my dad about stories of the games he went to as a kid. His first game was the Pirates playing his favorite team, the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bob Friend was pitching for the Pirates, Johnny Padres pitched for the Dodgers, and Johnny got the win. When he was 20 , he went to a Yankee World Series game with his dad and brother. That was the game Reggie Jackson hit three homers. We found our seats and got settled in. I was clinging to my dad so tightly when he said, “It’s like time travel, this could be 1910.” I said, “Yeah,” I was thinking this could be anytime and he would be there with me. I remember the hard red plastic seats we were sitting on, dad’s black sweater on me, and the way his beard felt on the back of my head. We talked to the crowd, but mostly to each other. Then he climbed up the steps and got me a foot long hotdog. I remember that we were in the biggest cheering section. I felt so great knowing that everyone saw the same beautiful colors everywhere that I saw. Whenever I feel down I can think back to the crowd, and the whole time I had with my dad. People say there’s almost no foul territory in Fenway, they’re right. I felt I was everywhere on the field that day. I felt I was everywhere good that day. Unsettling News At a young age, I knew I had a friend. I first met Roma when I was born. She gave me a stuffed animal that I named Chickie. Even though I bit Chickie's wing off with my toothless gums, Roma still loved me. She took me to Key Park and bathed me. I grew to love her and Roma loved me back. I could look into her eyes and see her huge heart. Then when she left, I was devastated. I felt bound to Roma as a babysitter. I missed her playing and reading with me. In the coming years, I spoke with her a lot. I sent her Valentines and Christmas cards. I sent Roma birthday cards. I missed and longed for her booming Jamaican accent. I missed her tucking me in. She would always pull the sheets up to my chin and I would kick them back and she would laugh as she just put them back again. Last summer, I wasn't prepared for the news. I remember walking through the door, longing to give my mother a glorifying hug, but she was unusually melancholy. She told me Roma had been diagnosed with cancer. Misunderstanding gnawed at me. I was scared to ask, but I did. My mom told me that Roma had been hospitalized for a day now. I turned on the gears as I sped to my room. I climbed up my bunk-bed stairs, remembering when we used to play castle there. I took Chickie and looked at where I had bitten him. I was very nostalgic. I pulled Chickie closer to my heart and prayed that Roma get well. I reminisced about all those late nights when I would peek my head through the crack of the door and see her watching the Oprah Show and in a small voice, I would ask for a story. She would always give in. I loved those times. I stared hard at Chickie as I thought of Roma, knowing she would have the strength and the hope to keep on fighting. I hope Roma will get well. Listen to Your Mom It was a warm summer day on the beach. I was lying down on a towel watching the waves, watching kids play and thinking how life is great. I decided to take a walk along the pier, and my mom reminded me not to forget my inner tube. I answered, “Sure, whatever,” and kept walking. I was four I had rights! I didn’t need a inner tube! I was wrong. I walked down the steps from
the pier to the ocean. The warm
summer sun was on my face and I
was having the time of my life.
I started splashing my feet in
the water, and with a smile on
my face, I laughed and clapped
my hands (remember I was four).
This was turning out to be the
best day ever! I started counting
seagulls while sliding my toes
along the wooden steps. I slipped off the steps. I could not swim! Water went up my nose, my eyes were burning and I thought I was going to die! I was splashing with my arms, but to no avail. I started seeing my life flash before my eyes until everything went black… I woke up on the beach with the lifeguard and my mom were standing over me. Both were wearing a relieved look on their faces. I soon realized what happened and wept. Next time I was going to listen to my mom and take an inner tube. Shelter Island We finally got into Greenport. Our bus pulled into the parking spot. My heart was pounding. I haven’t seen Jack in so many days so I was so excited. When I was in the aisle, all I was thinking was, hurry people, I want to see Jack. And I did get to see him, a lot. I spent about a week and a half at his house on Shelter Island. On our mini vacation, we watched TV, played video games, went to the park, went on boat rides, went to the beach, and did five days of soccer camp. It was a great experience because Jack and I got to know each other better with no one else around. Since soccer camp was not very strict, Jack and I got to joke around with each other a lot. We would bump into each other and fake falling down. We would also tease each other in a friendly way. There were a lot of weird looking people at the camp who tried to be cool by dressing like hippies, and we would tease them too. When we were on Shelter Island, Jack and I would go to the beach a lot because my mom loves collecting rocks. My mom would leave us alone and Jack and I would run up and down the shore in a race. The beach was great because it was just me and Jack and we were able to explore the beach. We found lots of different things like dead fish and colorful shells. There were lots of rocks on the beach and we loved to climb them. There was this park on Shelter Island that Jack and I liked to go to. Our parents would drop us off while they went shopping, and we would play older kids in basketball, or shoot on our own. I liked this because we got along together a lot. We played really good basketball together. Jack was never selfish and passed the ball to me a lot. When our time was up, I didn’t want to go, and my brother was crying. It was a great week and a half for everyone. Grandma Betty When I was born I know I didn’t think of death and how sad it can be. My first time thinking about it was when my pet goldfish died. That was when I first found out that living things don’t stay alive forever. That was when I first found out what the word death meant. I was very little at the time, so I cant remember the details. I’ll tell you what I do remember. I believe I had just come back from school, my dad told me to listen to him. So I paid really close attention. Grandma Betty died, he said. I was trying to hold back tears. I remembered all the visits to Long Beach to see her, and how dad and I helped her shop for food. I remembered at the end of every visit she would say see you latter alligator! And I would always answer back catch you while crocodile! I loved those trips to grandma’s house. Nearing the end of grandma’s life, a woman named Teresa came to live with Betty. Teresa helped my grandma when she needed a hand. I never knew that the last time I saw grandma would be on a hospital bed. I never knew it would be the last time I would be able to say our end of visit rhyme. I didnít know it would be the last time I saw her alive. I didn’t want to go to my grandma’s funeral. I knew this time that this would be sadder than when my goldfish, Goldie died. I wore a somber gray color to the funeral. At the time I didn’t know how grandma died, but when I was writing this I found out that she died of old age. Her body just gave in, my dad said. To see so many people at the funeral cheered me up a little. To find so many people showing that they loved grandma made my day a little easier. They were all wearing a gray or black color. The only sign of white was on a tissue. I know that at the funeral people tried to hold back tears, but couldn’t. I can understand why, grandma Betty was a kind loving person. That is why when she died it meant so much for me. The memorial candle called Yahrzeit was placed in my house after grandma died. It stayed lit in memorial of my grandma Betty for one week. Almost every night I would sit by the candle and think about her. Even though I try not to remember grandma’s death, she will forever be in my heart. September 11th: The Day the Towers Fell We were on the bus to go to P.E. It seemed like a normal day. I was talking to my friends, it was a good discussion. We were talking about Shrek, when one kid saw a group of parents gasping and he asked, “What are they gasping at?” I looked at them and then what they were looking at. It was a Boeing 747 flying low, real low. I thought, “What is it doing?” And then it hit. BOOM! There was red and orange and yellow and brown and black all in a giant ball of fire. These are the things I remember about that day. The bus ride was really bumpy, and it didn’t help that much because I was already feeling nauseous. We walked inside the High school, and I nearly threw up. I could hear the sirens from the trucks in the 6th Avenue fire station. And I remember my teacher saying, “A plane just hit the world trade center by accident.” After P.E., we had to walk back because the bus didn’t come. When I looked up, I saw a big, brown dust cloud coming from the Twin Towers. We went back to class, and most kids were picked up. When my mom came, she told me that one of the Twin Towers had collapsed. When I got home, I heard on the news that the other one collapsed, too. I was really upset. So many innocent people died, and my 2nd favorite building was gone. I thought Who did this? And when I found out who, I asked Why? That question still remains. Why? Sept. 11 matters to me because it is something that scared the world, my parents, and me. Many people, including me, were mad, and many people were sad. Ground Zero is a quiet place, but it used to be loud. People mourn there now. Puggy People are always asking, “What’s it like being a twin? Is it different from being just plain old siblings?” The truth is, it's the same. All the same, except for being the same age and having the same birthday. We are annoying to each other, we play with each other, we talk to each other, we hit each other. And I don't understand why people think it is different. Eli is roughly one minute older than I am, he is taller than me, and I don’t think we don’t resemble each other in any way. When Eli and I were little kids, we played together all the time. We used to have a little red teeter-totter, the type that rocks back and forth like a rocking horse. We had it out in the backyard and we loved it so much. Whether it was rain or shine, we went outside to play with that thing and we rocked it back and forth so high and fast. We had so much fun wearing it out. We flipped it over, and walked across it like a bridge, and we used to fall off of it because we were flying off our seats and when we hit the hard, backyard ground, we cried and complained about our boo-boos. We had that red teeter-totter until we were about 7 years old, and then it was too small for us. But to Eli and I, that just meant that we could go much higher and much faster, even if our feet dragged on the ground and our new, big-kid sneakers got dirty. Then we got bored of it, after many years, and it moved out to some other happy place. When we were little, Eli and I liked to toddle around and kind of wrestle with each other. One of us would be sitting quitely looking through a book while the other would be traipsing about and all of a sudden the one who was walking about would just trip over the other one, and then we'd both wind up doing a face-plant on the ground, it all ended with both of us would start crying. When we were little, Eli and I would laugh at the weirdest things. "Puggy," was one of them. It seemed like we had been in that car forever. We had been sitting in those car seats, all buckled up, pointing to the trees and the grass. I think we had just fallen into a realm of silence and we were just about to take a light nap, when Eli shouted, “Puggy!” We broke out into a pool of giggling and we did not stop. We were bent in two like a snapped twig in a fit of side-splitting laughter. So for years after that first incident, Eli and I would always call out that nonsense word “Puggy!” to one another when we were bored or when we were filled with laughs that we had to get out. When we were little, the word “Puggy” would always set off our laughs like a lit fuse on a rocket. But these days, we really never bother to say “Puggy” to each other. I am not sure if it is because we don’t find it funny any more, or if we feel silly saying it. I wonder if I'll eventually forget that word as I keep growing older. Then that'll be it. That rocket will be gone forever. The Scariest Day of My Life It was my first day of school and I was playing with my Legos at home. My mom came up to me and said, “It’s time to go. Put away your Legos.” I looked up at my mom and said, “Where?” “To school of course,”she said. I had almost forgotten. My mom was pushing me out the apartment door. She kept saying over and over, “My office is right down the hallway from your classroom.” And all the way to school I’m thinking, this is going to be the worst day of my life. I ran right through the school doors and raced up the old steps. I waited on the last step for my mom. When we got to the door I peered into the awaiting classroom. I was hugging my mom tighter around the leg. I looked inside the classroom and saw a bunch of kids looking a little frightened too. My mom and I walked into the classroom. Then I realized that us kids were just standing around looking at each other. It looked like they didn’t know why they were here. It seemed a little silly that we were just standing around looking at each other. Then my mom bent down and whispered, ”Bye”. I felt like I was going to die without my mom, and that nervous itchy feeling spread all over my body. I felt so stranded with all of these strange people and all of these people thought the same thing I thought. We were all in the same boat. A tall woman walked into my view at that moment. She came up to me and said, ”I’m Sandy, you must be Aaron.’’ She had a kind personality, and she was very welcoming. She introduced me to other kids. The day wasn’t that bad after all. Gifts From My Brother I was walking down Downing Street holding my dad's hand. It was a cool October morning but I was wearing a yellow T-shirt and black shorts, and dad was wearing a soft white T-shirt and gray pants. When we arrived at the corner of the street Dad asked me, "Do you want to go to the hospital to see your new brother and your mom?" Inside my two year old brain I was thinking, what new brother? Without caring as much as I should have, I replied, "Yes." Dad caught a taxi and in a few minutes we were at the hospital. A nurse led us to the room Mom was in. She was in pajamas and she looked quite tired, but when I came into her room, she gave me a big hug. Then the nurse brought in some baby. For a few seconds I wondered who this baby was, but right before Mom said it I figured it out. "This," Mom said,"is you brother Ryan." Then it hit me, for the first time. I was an older sister! Ryan was all bundled up in blankets. I touched his small pale hands and feet. They were so soft. His eyes were dark brown, his mouth was smiling and he looked extremely happy. With Dad's help I managed to hold him. I reached out my arms and carefully held him, my little brother. It was a wonderful feeling, holding someone so small who I loved. "Isn't he cute?" Mom asked. I nodded. After a few seconds my arms began to get tired, so Dad took Ryan from me and put him back in a crib. As soon as Ryan left my arms, I began to feel nervous. The weight of the responsibility of being an older sibling had fallen on me. What if I was an awful sister? Many questions like that flashed through my mind. Ryan’s crying interrupted my thoughts. No one could make him stop; not the nurse, not Dad, not even Mom. But then I remembered the small toy train I had with me. As though by instinct, I put it in Ryan's small hand. Almost instantly he stopped crying. "Ella," Mom said, "you are going to be a wonderful older sister." After Mom said that my worrying stopped. I knew that what she said was going to be true. As I ate lunch that day, I thought about how much I already loved Ryan, how I had handed him the toy train, and how I had overcome my fears of being an awful sister. I realized that Ryan had given me two gifts: overcoming my fears and caring for someone other than myself. When I'm scared I think back to that day and feel reassured. And when Ryan and I get into silly fights, like when I don’t want him to keep playing his piano piece fifty times, and he gets mad at me because he only got to play three fourths of his piece hands together, we still love each other, and we both know it, no matter how we try to hide it A Walk I’ll Never Forget I was waiting at the camp bus stop for my babysitter Pierrette. She was going to pick me up. When she came, she told me that there was a blackout. I hadn’t even noticed at this point that there was no electricity in the city. Pierrette told me that the blackout started because the weather was so warm and that people were using too much electricity. I was scared because I’ve never experienced a blackout before. I was wondering if I would ever get home because I lived so far away in Brooklyn. We had to walk five to six miles to my house since the subway was closed. It would be a long walk. People were listening to radios, trying to call people on their cell phones, and trying to hitch a ride home. I remember seeing these two people who needed a ride, and when they saw a truck, they ran into the street and jumped on the back of it. There were people were selling candles and ordering pizza. It was so hot and with all that walking we drank so much of our water that we had to stop and get more. What I like about Pierrette is that she kept our spirits up and going. We told jokes and we both laughed, and I felt less worried. We thought that the easiest way to get to Brooklyn was by taking the Manhattan Bridge. We walked through Chinatown with about a million people getting onto the Manhattan Bridge, like Pierrette and me. When we got onto the bridge, we were so happy. The sky was a bright pink and orange with a little hint of red. That showed us it was getting late. When we finally reached my block, they sky was really dark, but I was so relieved! We were home. We’re Broken Running into the house, I yelled, “anybody ho...” “Shhh!” My mom told me to be quiet, and it was in that moment, I saw my brother lying on the couch with a bandage around his head. My mind raced with the all the thoughts of what could have happened to him. I wanted an answer, so I listened. “Gaia, your brother had an accident and fell off the bleachers at nursery school.” Despite his head injuries, in no time, my little brother Carlo was Back on his feet running around the house like a nut case, and was back in PE the next day. This is the first example I can remember of my family motto, “PERSERVERANCE,” being put into practice. According to the dictionary, perseverance is the “steady and continued action or belief usually over a long period of time despite difficulties or setbacks.” When I asked my mom if she broke any bones, she told me that once a car ran into her. The person driving the car was a nurse at the hospital my mom would be in. Wait! if it was a nurse hurting her own patient, wouldn’t she get fired? Well, my mom flew over the back of the car, and when she woke up... Hold it, was she was asleep, or knocked out? Anyhow when she woke, up the doctor told her that she broke both her legs, OOOOUCHE, and her pelvis, Ouchers, and got 19 stitches in her head, ow. All that must have hurt. Perseverance example #2: Even though she had severe injuries, she got out of the hospital in three weeks, and she still exercises everyday. When I asked my dad if he broke any thing or got stitches he said in high school he got stitches in his head. Like father like son. He got them because some wanted to mess up his hair and he ducked... Wait, so what if someone messes up his hair? Anyway, when he ducked, a door opened in front of him and slammed into his head. I’m so glad my dad doesn’t freak out when he’s next to doors. That’s perseverance example #3. Now it’s my turn for preserving example #4. I was at my friend’s house doing gymnastics as we would sometimes do. After we had done cartwheels and roundoffs, we were doing handstands. It was my turn, and I said to myself, this is going to be a good one. I was up there for thirty seconds and then someone called my name. I started to wobble and the next thing I knew, I would on the ground with a bloody nose. My knee hit my nose and broke it. A week later I had to go to the first day off school with two black eyes. To make it even worse, I was late and everyone stared at me, but I remembered to persevere and went on with the day. By the way, I still do gymnastics every Tuesday. My family would have been a lot different if we didn’t have perseverance as our motto. My First Sleep Over I kissed my dad goodbye, and mom and I walked up to Chloe’s apartment. It was my first sleep over and I was so excited. We walked inside and started to talk to Chloe’s mom, Kathy. My mom kissed me goodbye, and then the fun started. We played all these cool games and had dinner that was soooo good. When it was time for bed, Chloe and I put up something called “a sun shade cabana.” It was like a humongas tent that went over a big foam mattress. From our cabana, we wathched Harry Potter. When the movie was over, it was time to sleep. Chloe was sleeping and I was sitting scared, looking around the room. I felt so stressed, like something had come over me. My neck was as tight as somebody choking me. I was scared and it was dark. I can’t explain why I was scared. I have this weird feeling; it happens and it’s weird. It’s not the dark and it’s not homesickness, well maybe a little, but it’s just a feeling. I got up and went into Kathy's room. The light was on. I asked if she would put the light on in the living room. She said, “Sure.” She put a night light on and I lay down again, snuggled up with a pillow, and fell asleep. It was 6:00 in the morning when I heard screaming and felt something pushing me. Chloe’s 2 1/2 year old brothers had woken us up. While we waited for breakfast, we played with Chloe’s pets and played games. After a quick breakfast, we played on Chloe’s dad’s laptop. t about noon my mom had come.
I begged her to let me stay, but
she said, “No.” I’ll Always Be Your Little Princess I was Grandpa Roger’s one and only little princess and I was special to him. We waited for this moment all year. My mom and I took a taxi all the way to my grandma’s and I stuck my head out the window, loving the way the wind blew in my face. When we got to her house, I jumped out of the car and ran straight up to the second floor and there was Roger, sitting in that same chair of his. “Good morning little princess!” my favorite grandfather called out to me, “I’ve been waiting for you for such a long time.” Grandpa Roger took my hand and we went for a walk. On this day, I felt the sunlight kiss my skin as Grandpa Roger and I walked out toward the tennis court. We tiptoed across the splintery wood on our bare feet. We enjoyed the sound of the birds chirping and the crackling of pine needles under our feet. When we stepped onto the green floor of the tennis court, we both screamed‚ “AAAaaargh!” With our bare feet burnt from the sunbaked tennis court, we ran back inside for breakfast. We dove at the raspberries and gobbled down the yogurt like we were having an eating contest. This was the best thing about Grandpa Roger. He made everything fun. We were all so happy. We repeated this same routine the next year and the next, but on the third year, Roger wasn’t there. That year Grandma told me Roger had to go back to Mississippi. She told me he had liver cancer and I knew he wasn’t coming back. I almost didn’t talk the rest of the summer because when someone dies that you are close to, you get that lump in your throat and that summer, mine wouldn’t come out. MY MOM It’s a Sunday afternoon and a mother and a son are sitting on a bed reading. I am the boy and the mother is my kind mother with unmeasureable love for me and my dad. The book is called History of the World and the boy looks at the page with a far away, confused look which signifies his discontent. The mother is taking quick looks at the boys frowning face and finally, in a rather sad, exasperated tone she says, “ okay, you can go”. The boy quickly puts on a smile and remarks that he’s having a fine time. His mother is mixed with wanting to teach and learn, and her instinct, which tells her that her 10 year old boy is dreading every second of her reading the history book. She puts on a smile and lovingly tells her son to go play. The boy thanks her gratefully and starts getting off the bed. She starts thinking that there’s nothing that they can do together that he likes when her thoughts are interrupted by her sons voice. “ Do you want to play Mexican Dominos ”? he asks. The next hour is spent as mother and son play a heart warming game of dominos. How to Be Sickened By Children’s Entertainment Are you and your friends still going to each other’s houses to have fun and watch The Wiggles? You are all pathetic, but you also need my “How-to” on how to be sickened by children’s entertainment. You may be thinking, “Surely sickened is a feeling,” but there you are wrong, it is simply a wonderful state of mind. When you turn this page it will be one step to the road to popularity, success and…. taste. So if this is what you’ve been searching for turn the page and see what happens. You will need: -A VCR or a DVD player and a TV set -A couch, chair or pillow to sit on For more advanced sickeners a vomit bag and a stress ball. 1.Start the video and sit down. 2.Stare at the TV as if it was the most horrible and deadly form of torture known to man. 3.Picture Barney being beaten while he is singing Castle So High. You are now joining the people (or angry dogs) who are beating Barney .You are really focusing on his lower leg. Now stop and find something inside of you that still makes you happy at this picture of intense revenge but where you're not as violently involved. 4. If that makes you happy, well done .But if you're weeping like you soiled your diaper, try again. Then again ,then again ,then again ,then again ,then again ,then again. Ama Imagine being in a colorful house
full of life and love. Sitting
beside a best friend and drinking
orange, peach, mango juice with
seltzer. Picture us on a “L” shaped
couch that you can just sink into.
Pillows surrounding us. Then your
friend starts laughing for no particular
reason. This friend is Ama, her
face shining, her brown eyes wide
with laughter. I am the person
siting next to her. I have just
spit out a gigantic mouthful of
juice all over the place. By now
we are laughing so hard, not even
knowing what we are laughing for.
We are in a moment of total joy. I’ve known Ama since I
was about 3. First we went to a
creative movement class. Where
we would dance with objects like
hula-hoops and such. Then we went
to pre-school at 3rd Street Music
School, which is where I now take
paino. Now here, L.R.E.I. We have
playdates and sleepovers as much
as possible. Our sleepovers are
so much fun, we stay up sort-of
late waching movies and telling
jokes. Our friendship has lasted
9 years and will last forever more. -Love, Lilly Grandpa Imagine a bleak December night when I went to your house on the last night of Hanukah, two years ago. The fluffy red sweater I hug. Your tanish brown pants that I see every time visit. The tiresome walk from the den to the kitchen. Grandpa, when I walk with you it feels like an adventure. I watch you sit on the black chair while watching TV. Football games, basketball games, baseball games, watching and watching. The way you say “You’re the nicest grandson in the world.” I ask, “Do you want to play video games?” “Yes I will,” you say. My grandpa is not like any adult I know. I think, “Why is he ill? If he didn’t smoke he would have been healthier.” The stubborn grandpa who doesn’t use his wheel chair and doesn’t call the hospital when he is really sick. But you’re still my grandpa, and to me the best. Thanks for surviving World War ll. Thanks for being my grandpa. Canadian Pigeons I was in Canada a little more than a month ago. Being and looking outside very often, I noticed the pigeons. Living in New York they are ever-present; it is impossible to get away from them. In Canada it is no different, however, there is one large difference: the thickness. No, not how thickly they flock together, how thick they are around the middle. In other words, you could fit two-and-a-half American pigeons in one Canadian one. Some Canadian pigeons are so fat they can hardly walk, in fact they don’t; they waddle like penguins. Other than that they are the same (except citizen-ship). They do the normal pigeon things (head bobbing, pecking at food etc.). Upon pondering this odd case of pigeon portliness, I have thought of many conclusions, each less likely than the last. There is a kind of organization for homeless pigeons, there are pigeon keepers, there are pigeon feeders, stupid things like that. Then it struck me. There is another big difference: There is less. Logically, if there id the same amount of food as here and less competition for it the are obviously doing to get fatter (pigeons have no desire to be skinny; there is no such thing as a pigeon diet). Now, having solved the mystery of fat pigeons I can finally sleep at night. God bless pigeons. HOW TO FRAME A BABY This is a guide on how to frame a baby. If you are reading this I assume you are bored with nothing to do. If you read this your mind will be filled with junk so I suggest you stop reading. You Have Been Warned! Prank #1 1)Get a piece of candy- preferably chocolate because it’s messy and sneak it into the kitchen. 2)Place BABY in kitchen! *Take the candy out of the wrappers, rip them up and put them on your sibling. Smear the chocolate on their face. *Also make sure that you are: 1)in a room with candy At this point you need to stay
away from the crime. There are
4 options that I will give you: Of course you can do something different, but STAY AWAY FROM THE the scene of the crime! *You might want to throw away
the candy because: After your mom throws a fit, tell her “she got punked” (I fooled you). Prank #2 All you have to do is take a crayon,
marker etc. then write on a wall,
table, floor etc. How To Be A Good Brother I know it doesn’t sound very assuring but sometimes if you’re the oldest brother in a family surrounded by girls they can get you in to some big doo-doo. If you want to find out thrills and ordeals and what you need to do to be a good brother read this manual. 1.What You Need Okay this chapter is pretty quick because you can’t really know what you need. But I don’t want to brag or anything but I do. What you need is a loving heart, kind smile and incredible patience (trust me as I said on the introduction they’re a pain in the butt). 2. What To Do When They Make You Pull Out Your Hair Well hmmm, let me think, got it! Now I’ll put this an orderly list
3.What Happens? Part One (specifically for new brothers) Now this is where the good part begins. This is when you learn what happens if you need help. It all comes down to this, the big time, this is when you learn all about problems and how you fix them when you… BABYSIT!! Yes, babysitting! Now all little brothers, if you are turning into a big brothers do not, I repeat in a more demanding way, DO NOT take this the wrong way. I mean babysitting is when you watch the baby not sit on it. Good glad we got that part out. Part Two (For Longer Been Brothers) For this whole chapter read the list below: Q. What do you do when you have
to babysit? Q. What is the process? FOLLOW THESE RULES IF YOU WANT TO BECOME THE BEST BROTHER YOU CAN BE!! P.S. THIS GOES FOR SISTERS TOO. Catherine In a afternoon in late November, In an old antique store, with worn paintings, and 60’s furniture, and dilapidated african masks, A woman with short black hair sitting in a large chair. She was wearing black hiegh heals,a pair of jeans, and a shapless grey sweater over a black shirt. She is tall and skiny and has the face of a goddess, and the mind of a wild cat. She said “strangely it’s nice weather” too the girl next to her which is myself, she is 39 and I am 10. I am thankful to her because she helped me overcome my fears. She makes me feel happy all the time.She likes to be kind and be a helping hand.She is funny, smart and wild.She reminds me of a cat, a jaguar. That’s Catherine for you. How To Take Care Of A Cat Or Dog If you love your cat or dog they will love you back when you take care of them and give them attention. People will say, “Oh, your dog is really nice to you.” You and your dog will be best friends forever. Your pet will always come to you when they’re hungry. The main things your pet needs are food to eat and time and a place to go to the bathroom. Another major thing they need is love. They need your love. You have to pet them and play with them. You can’t just pick them up and think they like you. They like to play too so you have to throw them the ball or play with a string. You should always be aware of your pet’s behavior. If something looks suspicious or they’re limping something might be wrong and you should check it out. You should also mention it to someone. If your pet has fleas or ticks a good solution would be get a special collar. To keep your cat healthy you should feed them around one can of wet food every day and always have a clean bowl of water and dry food. There are also some things you should keep in mind and avoid. When you run your dog (like you should often do) make sure your dog is not on the pavement because I’ve done it before and my dog got blisters on her paws. You should also watch what they eat and to cut up what you give them so that they don’t choke. Some people say that if you give your dog chocolate they will get sick. That is true if you give your dog a big Hershey’s candy bar but if you let them lick your ice cream bowl there will be no harm done. In the winter you should be on the watch for salt on the sidewalks. It will irritate your dog’s feet. The best solution is to get booties but if you can’t just try to avoid them. A lot of cats are mischievous and like to hang low, that’s why you should look out when you close a door so you don’t lock you cat in. A high percentage of cats are overweight. Your cat does not have to be too. If your cat comes up to you and rubs against and purrs don’t think he or she is starving because they aren’t, choose once a day and feed them then. How to Clean a Lizard's Tank Has your lizard been going crazy over a dirty environment and begging you to clean it? Well you probably don’t know how to clean a lizard tank and here are some simple instructions how. Cleaning a lizard tank is hard depending on how big the tank is.The cleaning of the tank happens about once a week and takes about one hour. When you clean the tank, first you must take everything out of the tank including the lizards. The reader is probably asking, “Where do you put the lizard?” You probably should have a deep and large plastic bin (not the bath tub!) to put them in because cleaning the tank takes a long time and during this period they will get restless and want to run around. Then pour some of the old substrate (which is what they walk on, for instance, sand) into the plastic bin. Before you deal with the rest of the substrate you must first take out all of the furniture or pieces of climbing wood. Then you take a small plastic shovel and dig out the rest of the subtrate making sure( if your lizard is a carnivore or an omnivore and eats crickets) not to get any crickets in your shovel because then your neighbors will be complaining that there’s crickets in the building or trash. Then (not using anything with strong fumes) clean the walls of the tank. This especially applies for iguanas because they sneeze out excess salt called “snalt” which gets all over the walls of the tank. I know this sounds disgusting but if you want an iguana it pays off to do the dirty work. In my opinion coconut bark is the best substrate for any lizard no matter where they come from because other substrates like sand, lizards will swallow and it’s bad for their digestive system. Before you deal with putting the new substrate in the tank, you put the pieces of climbing wood in the position you want them in, then put in the new substrate (which I get in tightly packed blocks that aren’t easy to take apart) and put in the food whatever it is, crickets or lettuce or both for omnivores and then your lizards are welcome to a neat and clean home…until next cleaning! Although there’s a lot of steps required to this long process it pays off if you want to have a lizard! How to Throw a Halloween Party Being scared is not a good thing.
But on Halloween, folks love to
get freaked out and this is what
that’s about. If you want
to be known throughout the school
as the #1 Halloween Chapter 1:Mummy’s Den If you want to make a scary spooky house you have to have this goal: “No one leaves without a scream”. This section will tell you how to make a perfect mummy party! Room Recommendation: Bedroom This room should be scary as well as enjoyable.You’ll need: 1. A can of green paint First, place the cardboard boxes on top of each other and measure. They should be about 4’9’. Then, take them down and cut out the bottom totally and stack them again. This time, tape them with silver tape and paint it green and let it dry. When it’s dry, use a knife to cut a slit in one side. You’ve made a coffin! Extra scary: if you have a “not-being-used-and-never-will-be” white sheet, draw a scary face on it and dribble ketchup on the cuts you can make randomly anywhere on the ghost and put a light under it to show it! Chapter 2: Eerie Eats The throats of your victims will be hoarse from all those screams, so (like I always say,) have ready some gum-replenishing goodness “nice ‘n piping hot”! Ghost guts: What to do: Sewer water What to do: Bat eyes What to do : Vampire’s Tower What you’ll need: First drape the sheets over everything. Then move a table into the middle of the room. Then draw an outline of a bat on the paper and cut it out. Put it on the pumpkin and carve. Then empty the pumpkin guts and light a candle and put it in the pumpkin. Put the book near the pumpkin (which should be on the table). Put the coffin at the end of the room and have a friend jump out from inside the coffin. “Hope the party’s a success!” How to Clean a Bathroom If you are a sorry excuse for a bathroom owner, and your rich clean bathroom owner friends shriek in horror at the sight of your bathroom, DON’T GET MAD, GET GLAD!!!!!!! Because at the measly price of $2.50, your bathroom will be sparkly clean guaranteed! If you have the problem above please read this manual one rule at a time and be the master at cleaning bathrooms! 2. When to clean the Bathroom Mainly you should clean your bathroom weekly. At least once a week, because if you don’t, there probably would be dirt in the tub and grime on the tile walls. And unless you really don't care for your bathroom you don’t want any bad smells. (if you know what I mean). 3. Materials (Materials not included) Now if you want a deep clean, you’ll want a tough sponge that can take serious scrubbing. Here are some materials you will need: -Streak free Windex 4. Turn your ugly bathroom into a bathroom of a lifetime Now that you have all of your materials, you’re ready to start cleaning. First you put on your gloves, then put a lot of Ajax tub powder in the tub. Then you put very little water in the tub to keep the powder from going down the drain. Quickly get the sponge and start scrubbing! Make sure the dirt is loose by spraying water in the dirty spots to get rid of the dirt. Keep doing this until the dirt is gone. Then you take the Pathmart showercleaner and spray it on the tiles and shower doors or shower curtain, (which ever one you have) and afterwards rinse with water. Then wash out the sink with the Windex streak free cleaner (which I asume you bought) and spray the handles and nosil to get it shiny and fantastic!!!!(DON’T FORGET TO SCRUBB) And last but not least you clean the toilet with Lysol toilet brush with spraying foam (available at Pathmart) and spray the inside with the foam and scrub with the brush. Afterward spray the outside of the toilet with fantastic all purpose cleaner. Spray, then let it sit come back in 10 minutes and it will be dry. The next time you will come into your bathroom… it will smell and look great!!!! All this work can take about 30-60 minutes. After all the scrubbing and hard work, you have a germ and dirt free bathroom that even your cold-hearted friends want to use. Congratulations on your new bathroom!!!!!!!!!! How to Crab If you want to get crabs without paying money, this guide is for you! If you crave to eat crabs for breakfast, lunch and dinner but you don’t know how to get them other than going to a seafood restaurant, read the following text. Of course, you don’t have to eat the crabs, because that is just barbaric. Instead, you can just have fun by pulling the crabs out of the water and (safely) release them. Either way, read the following text. What you need: How to prepare: How to start: How to finish: Twanette Imagine two boys on a bus, both around eleven, talking to a young woman, about twenty years old. One boy and the woman are looking at the other boy, waiting for something. The boy they’re looking at suddenly starts talking really fast and pronouncing things oddly (likdess). He keeps talking using weird expressions and gestures. Finally the woman begins to smirk, then smiles, then flings her head up, squeezes her eyes shut, and beams. She bursts out laughing and her brown hair flies backward. She is wearing blue jeans and a white turtleneck. Her name is Twanette; she takes care of me. She has brown eyes and cute fat cheeks, good for making funny faces. She is South African. She helps me out and cheers me up when I’m down. One time, when I was in a big argument I hadn’t yet resolved, she told me that neither person is right or wrong, and that I should just play around with my friends and not to worry about it. After all, it was a pretty stupid argument. Another time was when I felt depressed (I can’t even remember why but I think it had something to do with my mom) and Twanette said I can eat dinner so at least I’m not hungry and speak to mom about it later. I bet it was just hunger since I didn’t care much about it afterward. I guess I learned that time and hunger fix most problems. She’s always there for me and I love her. Merry Christmas Twanette. The Rainy Day of Love Imagine a day, a rainy autumn day in a classroom in New York. Everyone laying back, some with pillows, some wishing they’d been quick enough to get one. A beautiful woman with blond hair cut just beneath her shoulders pays no heed to the rustle in the audience and continues reading aloud to the class. The rain was hammering down on the glass roof above us. Katherine stopped, it was almost time to go. She told us to lay back and close our eyes and to just listen. Her calm voice sent me into my thoughts. I thought back to the day at lunch when we were all playing telephone with Katherine. The message was coming around as, “Yankees are better than the Red Sox.” Katherine was right before me. I remembered the smile on her face as she whispered to, me “Red Sox are Better than the Yankees.” It was only too soon that she kindly told us to get our coats, pack up and leave. I wished I didn’t have to walk home in the endless rain and puddles. I gave my teachers each a hug to say good-bye, Suzanne first, then Katherine. As I embraced her I was overcome with warmth. Not my skin but my heart, and as this happened I started to think about how much she joked and the countless times she’s smiled. She liked the Yankees, I liked the Red Sox, enemies, yet I couldn’t get closer to her. Happy Holidays Katherine! Love your old student who will every day be happy. The Holidays Are
Here You always need to be good. I know it’s torture, but it all pays of when Summer turns into fall and fall will fall into Winter and December will come strolling around the bend. Snow will fall from the sky, signaling to us that Santa has finished checking his list and will soon be riding into town, sleigh bells ringing. The children make snowmen to welcome Santa while parents do some secret shopping. The older kids find pleasure in snooping around the closets and under the bed. The mailmen are busy delivering packages from aunts uncles and grandparents, while fending off vicious dogs. Children beg their older siblings to help them write letters and Christmas lists, begging for a Barbie doll or racecar track. Christmas eve has come and everyone is shlapping down to church. This old guy on a platform says something and everyone starts singing really loud and weird. The kids have their minds set on the next morning, presents galore. Finally, the service is over and it’s home and up to bed. Everyone falls asleep quickly, though they here a small rustle by the tree below. Wake Up! Wake Up! Every soul in the house awakens and we rush downstairs to the tree! Wide eyed the kids stare at the presents. There were more than ever before. Countless presents, and countless smiles. Snow Day Imagine a snowy cold afternoon in December. Today is Thursday. My mom and I are walking in the park when I noticed a fenced yard with beautiful white snow. “Maybe we can go in that fenced yard! There’s fresh snow and no one touched it yet!” I said was so excited to go in that fenced yard but I was worried she would say no. There was a long pause as my mom thought. “… Okay…” “YAY!” Once my mom said yes, I ran over to the fence. There was a short problem though; I couldn’t reach it. I got really mad but luckily, my mom picked me up. When she pushed me up over, I knew this would be the best afternoon ever. We played and wrote our names in the snow. My mom ran over to me and pushed me headfirst into the fluffy whiteness. I laughed and pushed her into the snow too. We laughed and played until we got tired and then we lay in the snow, like two tired dogs from a 5-mile run. As we walked over the Hudson River Park, I felt warmer that night with my mom close to me on that cold winter night, when we watched the sun over the river, no one around us but the wind, grass and the stars. MY DADDY Imagine 3 people hunched over a table. In the middle of use there is a monopoly board. There’s a piece of paper next to the banker (which is usually me) it is all scrolled up with math on it. Then all of a sudden my sister yells it’s your turn in a funny voice to me. But just before I was going to have my tern suddenly my dad yells wait I want to mortgage some of my property. My dad is one of the best monopoly players I have ever met. I say that because he knows when he should buy the property and when he should put it in an auction. That is way I think my dad is one of the best monopoly players. My dad has salt and pepper hair and a mustache, he wears classes to read and write, he can tell funny jokes that you will never forget, he is very tall, and likes to wearjeans, gym shoes, and a regular shirt, he likes to travel but only for a short times because he rather be with his family, he loves to go to work, he loves to go on vacation with his family, he has a creative mind because he can think of things that I would have never think of. But there is one thing about my dad that is the best part of my dad and that is that my dad has a BIGGGGGGGGG HEART. How to Get Sick, Know You’re Sick and Get Better Usually people don’t read books about sicknesses, but you are so congratulations! You shouldn’t get sick just because you want to, unless it’s to go outside and play all day instead of seeing your twice-removed Aunt in Alaska. NOTE, this book is not illegal (I think). Step one: The procedure In order to become sick you have to know the three letters: N.B.S. (never be sanitary) One example of not being sanitary is sharing your drink with someone who is sick. Another example is shaking hands with a person you know never washes their hands after going to the bathroom and then you touch your eyes. Knowing these abbreviations you will would get a cold in one to two days guaranteed. (If I’m wrong, you won’t get your money back because I’m cheap.) Step two: To tell if you’re sick To know you’re sick the three S’s will show: Stuffy, Sore, and Sad. Your nose might not let you breathe, (stuffy), you may cough a lot until your throat is hurting so much that you can’t eat, (Sore), after these things happen to you, you will be extremely depressed, (Sad). You may mope around all day but you will survive. Just use all my advice in step three. If you don’t have all three side effects (stuffy, sore, sad) it’s okay because they all don’t come at once. Step three: to get rid of your cold (CAUTION, vomiting may be necessary.) I would tell you to ask your parents but I have pretty good advice too. Drink plenty of orange juice/tea/and water, don't eat or drink milk products, and if you can’t focus on something (like reading) then stop. That can cause serious headaches. If you toss your cookies (throw up) don’t stop it, it means that your body is trying to get the germs out through the mouth. Sickness guides are one of-a-kind and hard to find. Use this guide well and share with friends so they know too. This took me a long time to make, so enjoy every time you read this guide. My Dad Imagine my dad, who makes every boring day special. He just got home on a chilly day, from work, teaching, something my dad loves, and has been doing for 30 some odd years. I am with him, I have come from school. It is probably about 4:00, because we walked home, and that takes longer than if we’d taken the subway. My dad has on a soft collared shirt, and a silky tie. We are both a little tired. I hang up my coat, and sit down on the old beat up couch, we’ll get a new couch soon. I ask him if soon he might play a game with me like Monopoly, that would be fun, it always is. After we play he’ll bring me down to play piano, and either stay to listen, or take a nap. If it isn’t too cold out I’ll walk Maisie with him, and we’ll run. After that I’ll start my homework, and he’ll do something else. My dad is always understanding, and supportive. He doesn’t often get angry, and he takes care of me, and so much else. I try to be helpful, seeing as he does a lot. My dad makes wonderful food. I hope I become as good a cook as him. I love helping him cook. We also have fun baking together. He’s a cook, I’m a baker, but he’s learning to bake well. I love it when we have coffee and cocoa on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and we just chat. Even though those days are busy, we make time. My dad is a very good dad. He will always love me and I will always love him. Merry Christmas dad. With Love, Katherine Imagine a classroom filled up with noisy kids at choice time. Some drawing or playing checkers and the usual fighting crowd around the computer: “Get off!” “No!, It’s not your turn yet!” “You’re being really selfish.” “Hey, when can I go?” “I was before you.” “No, I was!” “I was before both of you.” And the teachers trying to break it up. Sometimes. One of them was Katherine. She had long, blond agreeable hair. It would always go the way she wanted it. Unlike mine. She had a happy smiling face and her eyes were live, bright and blue like she laughed a lot. She did laugh a lot. Right now, Katherine wasn’t trying to break up the uproar around the computer. She was playing checkers with me. We were sitting at the fourth table, the one nearest the rug. My back was to it, and Katherine was facing me. In the middle of us lay the checkers board. It was shining there innocently, the pieces holding their breath, hoping that their color would win. It was Katherine’s turn and she was concentrating hard on the board, thinking about what to do next. “If you beat me again Sasha, I will get so mad.” “Okay,” I said. “I’m going to beat you,” she said. “You do that,” I said. “You can really keep your cool Sasha,” Katherine said. Katherine always had something nice to say. Like it was natural, like there was a filter in her mouth and the bad things were big so they got caught but the good things were small so they just came tumbling out. But there wasn’t a filter because she never had anything bad to say. It was always something good. Always something good. |
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