First, make a list of 20 things that have happened to you this month. Try to find some that are funny, some embarrassing, some happy, some that made you mad. After you make the list, write about one of the incidents.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Something that Happened
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“Huh? What just happened?” wondering what just happened to my laptop.
It was a fine Saturday morning; as usual, after I finished my breakfast, I went to my bedroom to type my English 12 and Writing 12 homework.
During I was typing, my laptop just went without any warning notices. I was so shocked, I couldn’t believe my eyes—luckily, I had a USB card connected to my laptop thanks to my brother who gave it to me last summer—I tried everything to restart my laptop, but I couldn’t.
I felt so desperately lost, I didn’t know what to do; thinking to myself, “How could this happen to me? My computer. . . Yeah, I know, my laptop is old, very old, but it’s usable. And I understand my laptop can break down, but not now, during my homework time!”
I tried to calm down, and tried to look to a positive side, but I couldn’t—how could I be calm down when my computer is down and when I have my homework is still in my computer?— and that was when my mom had an idea of borrowing her laptop as a backup, and when my computer starts up again.
When my dad heard this, my dad asked my mom to buy me a new one and hoped this one would be the last one.
So, here I am. . . With my new destop, working beautifully, and how long does my new computer lasts, but this I know, I love this computer as much as I loved my laptop.
-262 words.
My peas and radishes and spinach seeds broke through the friable, warm soil this month —hallelujah! —and, soon, I will be having fresh salads and steamed vegetables; in fact, I may even be able to freeze some produce for the future. And I also found out where in my neighbourhood you could buy the best seeds and find the cheapest bedding plants. No (although one might think so seeing the tags all over town), I did not buy them all at Home Depot. How weird is that? A big box hardware store is the source of the majority of plants in my community. Ah, I do remember the good old days: starting everything from seed; never ever buying a bedding plant. It’s hard to explain to myself why I stopped gardening. Too busy? No, not really. Too lazy? Perhaps! Now, I await my Kentucky Wonder pole beans and the yellow wax bush beans and the garlic (oh how I love garlic) and the tomatoes, especially the delicious little cherry variety picked warm and eaten while standing in the garden. It certainly feels good to get my hands back into the soil and, if you look carefully at my hands on Thursday, you might see the dirt that has embedded itself into the cracks on my fingers.
—216 words
I got a long-distance call from California; my daughter told me that her son (a boy of ten) had a relapsed again since his teacher praised him: “he has greatly improved from the day-dream in class.”
The old things happened in the last summer--at that time I visited them for a vacation—recurred.
One day, while he was doing his homework, I kept an eye on his actions: looking out of the window for a long while; playing his pencil and eraser as toys; rummaging his schoolbag; swaying and twisted from this aide to other side as if he was on tenterhooks—half an hour past, to my surprise, he wrote nothing on the paper!
Every time my brother is using his passport he’ll recall his picture’s story. My brother is planning to visit our family overseas this summer. Of course, he needed to get a passport, and so was getting ready to go to the Shoppers Drug Mart to take picture.
He decided to put on his black shirt (mother’s gift for his birth day) and was trying hard to find a matching tie, “Which one is better?” he asked, bringing several of ties to the living room- a white one, a red, a multicoloured streaky, etc. The red tie was chosen, but not right away.
“Finally!” he said. As soon as he started putting it on, he found another problem- his shirt was now too small around his nick- he couldn’t fasten the first button of it. He did not do that at home, saying it can be done at the Shoppers Drug Mart.
At the Mart, with my help the button was fastened. “I can hold my breath for a while, don’t worry” he said, and then the picture was taken.
We went to Passport Canada office, after filling- up the application, we approached the front line worker who took our forms with pictures, and cut the picture right up his tie.
“What?” stunned, he looked at me, and back at the picture without tie. I couldn’t hold my laughter. The worker did not understand “Is something wrong?” she asked. I laughed and laughed, even tears came down my cheeks. We told the worker the story, too. Smiling, we left the office.
261 words
A Dream Comes True
14 years ago, the first time I received the letter of admission, I wasn’t particularly excited. Like the rest 99% of my classmates, I knew I would be taken by at least one of the universities for sure. The major was chosen carefully by my parents and nothing was left to me to concern.
Last month, I was called for an interview in Capilano University film centre. Two gentlemen asked a couple of questions about my motivation, my understanding about film industry and my future plan. Even after running independent business for a pretty long time, I wasn’t an experienced person of being interview by others However I tried to my best to be the idealized one for my own standard.
20 days past after my interview, there was no information at all about the result. I used to check the mail box everyday and started from this week--I dared not to check it anymore--it’s too scary when you want something so badly.
Today, after my husband left to the gym room, I sneaked to the mail box and there it was the letter,--the admission letter from Capilano University—I was taken by them. I screamed and jumped and couldn’t believe this was just happened.
For a very long period, cinemas were my churches; movies were my gospels; characters in the movies were my preachers; filmmakers were my angels. . . . This was how I explained my interviewers about my passion of film.
Last week, I watched a short documentary about HIV/AIDS which featured a 15 year old girl and his 17 year old boyfriend, whom are both infected by the decease. The young man first knew about his condition when he had his blood tested because it was an entrance requirement upon entering a university. He then informed his partner as soon as the doctors notified him the he possessed HIV.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has the ability to infect or deteriorate the immune system until it is no longer capable of fulfilling its job, which is to fight infections and deceases.
After a few years the virus would developed and would turn into the deadly decease known as Acute Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) which is the most developed stage of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of opportunistic infections or HIV-related cancers.
There are various ways to transfer and spread the HIV. It can be by transfusion of the contaminated blood, by sharing contaminated needles, syringes or other sharp equipments, by infected mothers to their infants during pregnancy, birth or breast feeding and--by the most common way to transmit it--through unprotected sexual intercourse ( vaginal, anal or oral).
The kids, whom both had been active with sexual life since they were as young as 12 year old admitted that they have been fearlessly performing sexual acts with both men and women without using any protection such as condoms as long as they get paid for it--they met each other in the streets of Manila as prostitutes. “I need money to survive,” the young woman said. “I now ask them to use condom, I don’t want to give them the virus.” But when she was asked if how many people she had sex with, months before she knew she had the virus, her answer disturbed me, “More that twenty, I think,” she answered.
With this kind of trend--I don’t need to be a Medical Doctor or a researcher to conclude that this virus could somehow come near or reach me--the virus, without a doubt is one of the fastest spreading virus in the world. According to the estimation of the World Health Organization (WHO), 33 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2007. That same year, some 2.7 million became newly infected and 2 million died of AIDS.
“I came out to the open, not because I am proud of what I have; obviously I am not,” the young woman said. “I am here, with my face on the screen to let inform as many as I could about the decease, I want them to know, that there is really something to be worried about while having unprotected sex. Specially to the young people out there, they have to think carefully before acting, because this HIV is not a joke--there is no cure.”
“Also for the victims out there, we want them to know that having HIV is not the end,” the young boy added. “We are only sick, but not dead. We have to continue dreaming, because when we stop dreaming, then it is time for us to die.”
Awkward Day of My Life
“Hey, Makassia?”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Uh—just a sec please. Running late and I need to swipe in.” I said as took out my badge. What is it? I wondered. Giving a shift away and want me to take it?
“You know there are two girls in my school who came to me and said, ‘hey you know Makassia, your co-worker wants to go to the prom with you.’ I was like what? You know them?”
Oh my God. So she did it. “Yes I know them. They’re my niece and her friend. But I didn’t tell them to tell you anything.”
“I know. Don’t worry about.”
I asked him to make sure it was Bin and Nel.
“I’ll get them for that.”
“Kill them.”
It took all my strength to stay standing. I just wanted to scream. I knew she was hiding something from me. I asked her over and over, she said not everyday is Eid for her to be happy. Oh Bin, how could you? Was flooding and echoing in my head.
“—here?”
A lady whom I was helping on the register said, but I had no clue about what she was asking of me. How could you? What was motive behind this? Occupied my mind. “Oh “Sorry. What were you saying?”
Frown and silence.
When finally the time came—my break time, it felt like I’d been working for five hours instead of just one—I called my niece and told her about what happened.
“I can’t believe you actually put your stupid idea in action!” I yelled. She’d suggested it when I told about two of my co-workers’ graduation and their prom and that I wish I were either of them. I flew off the handled the moment she suggested and then she promised she won’t tell anyone.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that you always talk about feeling sad for not having the chance to have your prom in high school. And it makes me sad to hear you say such thing when I know you can’t have them. I just wanted to make you happy.”
I was speechless. She can’t give me all I want in life. She always worries about things like that when I tell her. But I’ve learned a lesson: I won’t tell her anything I know she’d try to help me with.
The next day I called him and I apologized. But I can’t look him in the eyes. I don’t feel comfortable when he’s around. Thanks to Bin and Nel!
I stood at the sidewalk waiting for my friend Cindy to pick me up. As usual, we both got together on Sunday afternoon – chatting at the coffee shop or shopping in the mall. Not very long, her car stopped beside me. As I opened the door and wanted to get into the car, I saw her dog (a large one, at least to me) lying down at the back seat. “You brought him?” I breathed, stepped back and then shut the door. At that time, the dog has stood up, barked toward me through the window. I am afraid of dogs, especially when they bark. “Don’t be scared. Get in.” Cindy encouraged and waved her hand. Holding my breath, I reopened the door. Her dog was still barking and his body approached the front seat. Cindy patted the dog’s head, stroked his fur. “He won’t bite me, will he?” I smiled reluctantly and then got into the car. I sat at the front seat, and I knew he just was behind me. We were very close I could hear his breath. I dared not move my head, even as I talked to my friend. This was sort of my first time there was a dog staying with me. Scary.
Last Sunday with my daughter, I was driving off the Patullo Bridge; the construction site appeared in the front. I was shocked by the smoky dust hovered in the air and reached over to close the window. A flag woman (speaking about woman, she was actually a teenage girl fresh from high school) suddenly appeared in front of me with a stop sign, here I was with a sharp stop landed inescapably in the front of a angry monster with sharp teeth open and fist crunched, yelling and cursing; the words of “fuck” and “shit” were bursting out from her mouth, I can only use one word to describe the action “bitch” - hardly can relate this action with a teenager of girls in the most blossom year of the life. I can’t run anywhere - I was in my car, and my educational background taught me not to shout rude words since it is considered to be uncivilized - I told my daughter not to talk rude and how to be a real lady when she grows up – I certainly didn’t want to break the rules this time myself.
Dropping off my daughter at the church, I decided to go back for a person name and company name. You can imagine the whole scenery, where I went back, was quite terrifying, again with words of threats and curses. I insisted to stand there to fight for my own rights; eventually I received a well deserved apology from the supervisor.
I told the my incidence to some of my friends, they told me that the flagging person was the job specifically given single mother, I later started to pay real sympathy to her, since I don’t know what life had done to her to make her become who she is ( I dropped my idea of suing her). However, I doubted about my parenting method; sometimes, in this world, justice is not a given and you have to fight for it. But she didn’t know I was back later, did I give her a good modelling to run away like a coward, or I should just fight for it in the witness of her very eyes?
There's nothing more stressful then dealing with other peoples problems (big and small) when they bring yourself down. It doesn't matter how hard you try and not make yourself stressed out-when it involves someone you care about. Obligation goes hand in hand with close friendships; Being honest; Trusting each other; Never being judgmental; Understanding. All of those things are contributing factors in a working friendship. Yet no matter how hard you work on these rules (even diligently) things can go wrong, you slip up and lie about something trivial where honesty would have been perfectly accepted- or any other number of pointless reasons; Fear; Jealousy; Greed. Emotion swept over me like a cloud as I looked Jassi in the eye.
"You can't be serious?" I said venomously. My head felt like it was going to explode (like a balloon popped with a pin) as I hissed out the words.
"I'm very serious, I never meant for it to happen, but it did. If I could take it back I would"
"Well obviously you can't just take it back, you idiot!" And as fast as I could think- my fist hit his jaw hard enough to knock him on the ground.
I felt a crunch during the blow I made to his face- kinda like that feeling when your eating eggs and bite into a stray shell. It was a completely unnecessary reaction to the situation at hand. But I had no control over anything. Every muscle in my body was tensed; Fibre of my being in pain; All my thoughts filled with fury- anger consumed me, fully, and completely. Air I breathed was like tar, poisoning my body.
I raised my fist to strike him again.
"How dare YOU!"
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