Stan came home from school on a melancholy day. When it rained all day like this, he felt as dark as the weather. His mom was in just as bad of a mood because everything made her sad. All he wanted to do was curl up with his new book. But, Brian made sure that wasn't happening. Stan soon realized he would rather be outside in the rain than inside his dreary house. As he was getting dressed to go back out, he could hear Brian telling their mom another made up story. "Stan was calling me stupid on the way home from school." "STAN!", their mom yelled. The pressure started rising in Stan. He knew he needed to get out before he exploded.
Stan walked and walked, not caring who saw him or what they thought. "Why does Brian always have to get me in trouble? Why does mom always believe everything he says?", Stan thought. "Does she just like being mad at me?" The anger turned to anxiety at being trapped in that house. Soon, Stan was daydreaming about his future. The rainy day wrapped itself around him, comforting him that one day, he would be on his own making his own decisions. Stan was ready to go back home and face his brother. Rainy days never seemed to bring him down again, but rather started to feel more like a warm hug.
Long ago in a far away land there was a place known as box land. Box land was a land where the humans left all their left over boxes to store, to avoid clutter. Whenever they needed these boxes they could go back and get them, but that was once every couple of years. What the humans didn’t know is that when they left these boxes, these boxes came to life.
On one spring day, Josh and his wife were moving to Chicago. As anyone would expect, they had lots of boxes. Josh and his wife spent all day moving into this tiny apartment. After all of their belongings were moved in, Josh thanked the movers and decided to take a nap. As Josh was sleeping on the couch he heard his wife say, “Honey are you ready to unpack?” Josh began to unpack and started with the first box. After they unpacked the first box, they decided to call it quits for the day. They left their apartment and dropped their box off at box land. They decided to throw it out the window instead of bringing it to the site with the rest of the boxes. Immediately after dropping it off in the middle of the street, they began to feel a sense of relief. One box was down.
As the couple began to drive away, the box named Ted began to come to life. Ted began walking down this wet area. He was very sad that his feet were getting cold from what seemed to be water. As he continued to walk down this wet path, he looked for recognizable things. There were many of leaves and trees but nothing that appeared to look like his box family. He wondered why this couple just wouldn’t spend the extra time dropping him off to where the rest of the boxes were. He wondered if we ever find anyone that was like him or if he would be stuck in this wet area. As he began to walk, there were many things that worried him. He wondered if the path would stay wet, if it would become dark or if another family would pick him up before seeing his friends. All of a sudden a car passed. Ted hid behind a tree to avoid being seen. He wasn’t ready to be picked up just yet. All of sudden he heard a scream, “Ahhhhhhhhhh!” He looked up and it was a familiar face. Poor girl, she was being thrown out of the window just like Ted. Ted felt bad for her but happy that a friend would be joining him.
Ted and his friend Melanie walked around. It didn’t seem so bad with company. All of a sudden there was a loud noise. It was box land! They made it! Box land was magical. There were boxes of all kinds. Ted was so excited to be with people that looked just like him. Ted wondered how long he would stay. For now, he was just happy to be with friends.
Steadfast he trudged on, the numerous puddles on the street only a minor deterrence that would not keep him from his goal. A goal even he knew nothing about. No name, no address, just a delivery that needed to be made – an instinctual pull – gravity – an instinctual pull that pulls all boxes like him to their final destinations. He didn’t even know what important thing he carried. A gift, perhaps? Something trivial with unprecedented sentiment? It was true that boxes typically never knew their contents, but his face had been fixed into an inquisitive visage for who knows how many days now. It was starting to get dark. Gasoline rainbows on the street lost their colors as the sun dipped away over the horizon. He would not be lost. “I will deliver,” he said to himself. What, when, and to whom he still could not explain. Still, he pressed on. The rain came now. Little drips at first, but poised to get stronger. Pressing on, he felt his cardboard body dampen, the newfound weight of the water slowing him down. “I will deliver,” he said, out loud now, though to no one in particular. He pressed on. Here and there a slight tear. As he walked, his corners and edges began to soften. “I will deliver.” For miles and hours he walked, until the sun again began to creep over the horizon and the morning fog rolled in. “I will deliver.” As the exhausted box walked on, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a puddle and stopped for the first time in forever. It was then that he knew. His parcel had been delivered. “I DID deliver!” he said once more – writer’s inspiration to me and to you.
Steven was a popular teenage boy. He was a Junior in high school and had a diverse group of friends. Everyone LOVED Steven. As Junior year was coming to an end Steven was starting to really think about who he was as a person and what he wanted for himself. He once thought that popularity was all but he was starting to wonder what that was going to mean after high school. Steven wanted to meet others and decided to start working in the tutoring lab in his second semester to refocus himself on his studies and meet other peers outside his circle. There, Steven met a quiet and studious girl named Lisa.
It was April and prom was approaching. “Who are you taking to prom Steven? Is it Keilah with the curly brown beautiful hair or Camila with her beautiful Spanish accent?” asked his best friend Giovanni. All Steven could think about was tutoring after school where he would get lost in the big hazel eyes of his new friend and secret crush; Lisa.
On a rainy spring afternoon Steven had finally built the courage to go from a friendly “Hello Lisa, how are you today?” to inviting her out! “Lisa, I was wondering… I know we don't get to talk much here at school because we are both busy, but I was hoping to know more about you. Would you like to get some coffee with me after school on Friday?” Lisa responded, “ Steven, you have been so kind but I do not see that working out. Look at you and look at me. We are far too different. I have goals and aspirations that you do not share with me.”
Steven was torn. He was trying to make a change and no one believed him. “Have I really been THAT guy the past 3 years of high school?” He was sadly realizing he had been. He had goals and aspirations too and having met Lisa had changed his life.
It was getting late and the rain did not seem like it was going to stop. He decided to walk home rather than continue to wait in the school library. Lisa had been long gone. Her father had picked her up right at 5 pm sharp. Steven put on his headphones and had a moment of truth with himself as the song “Wonderwall” by Oasis shuffled on his iPhone. Steven walked as slow as a turtle without a care that his brand knew brown BOX brand sweater was soaked.
By the time Steven got home, he had had enough time to figure out how he not only going to make a change for himself, but also show Lisa (the potential love of his life) know that there was more to him than meets the eye. His mother was sitting in the living room drinking a cup of coffee. “Honey, look at you! It’s pouring outside! Are you ok?” she asked. Steven poured his heart out to his mom. Without realizing, he had come up with his own solution. Feeling better about talking about his feelings, he was finally able to go to bed.
“Tomorrow will be a new day. I cannot wait to start with a fresh attitude and show Lisa who I really am!” Steven thought to himself as he began to dive into deep sleep as he listened to his song “Wonderwall”.
Christy Circumference, Tina Triangular, and Ronnie Romrhombus were the cool shapes on the block.
They were risk-takers.
They could be edgy.
They could be smooth.
They could be asymmetrical.
Sam Squarely was not like them. Sam was always following the one path he knew: the straight and narrow path. Even when Sam wanted to act outside the box, he kept thinking about how dangerous it would be to break away from his safe habits. He couldn’t imagine himself being like Christy or Tina or Ronnie with their unique personalities. Christy was so free flowing. Tina could take you by surprise with her pointed personality. Ronnie was a real rebel, never afraid be asymmetrical.
Thoughts like these haunted Sam, so he decided to look for ways to be different. He didn’t want to be such as “square.” He went online to do some research. He started with a simple Google search. He typed in “being different.”
What he found online surprised him.
There they were.
There were the images of all types of personalities: overjoyed ovals, pensive pentagons, happy hexagons, and even smiley squares.
It slowly dawned on Sam. He was different and being a “square” made him different. He wasn’t free flowing or twinkling or a rebel like his friends; however, Sam was stable, and he knew how to be a safety net for his friends.
Christy Circumference commented to Sam that he was “so smart.”
Tina Triangular told Sam that he was “on point.”
Even Ronnie Romrhombus gave Sam a high-five and simply called him “Swell Sam.”
Sam declared it this time: “I am a square!” and he added with enthusiasm “And I am proud to be so.”
Victor heaved a heavy sigh. The debris under his feet seemed greater and greater with each passing step. All at once, Victor could continue no longer. The weight of the invisible burdens he faced seemed heavier than the unavoidable afternoon rain. How could he make such a life altering choice? “If you stand there all day, you’ll end up soggy in the recycle bin!” The interruption to Victor’s thoughts came from another box-man in the neighborhood named Steve. Steve couldn’t help but make people smile. He was famous for living in the moment, though nobody was quite sure how Steve survived. He didn’t keep a job on the factory line like all the other box men. Nor did he live in the cardboard community so familiar to most residents. Today he was wielding a skateboard fastened out of old buttons, a rubber band, and a discarded silver gum wrapper. “Hop on, V. Time’s a’wasting!” The following journey was just the distraction that Victor needed. The men sailed past leaking gutters and pebbles that had been cast away by careless youth, their laughter fading away into the distance. Victor’s heart became a little lighter at the sight of this. He realized he had become overwhelmed by the “what could be” without enjoying what already was. No matter what Victor chose, he would land on his feet, no doubt. Steven had unearthed a sense of relief with his eccentric spirit. Victor would have to think how this gift could be repaid. For now, both box men leaned into the damp wind. Another fall evening lie ahead full of living in the present.
Sheldon was the happiest Lego around. Manny took him everywhere he went. To the park, to the dentist, to grandma’s house, and he even snuck Sheldon into his yellow backpack to show his friends at school (even though Miss Jenkins said there were no toys allowed at school!) Sheldon could feel his heart beat faster every time Manny picked him up and put him in his pocket. Sheldon didn’t even mind being crammed into the pocket with old chocolate bar wrappers, or stale gum, or the green peas that Manny didn’t want to eat for dinner. Sheldon was the happiest Lego alive until one dreadful Wednesday morning… It all started with a scream. No not a blood-curdling, bone chilling scream that you hear in those, mom told you not to watch and now you can’t sleep because you are thinking about the monster under your bed, scary movies. The scream was more of a just dropped my new iPhone into my cereal scream. It came from Manny’s older sister Petunia. The scream woke Sheldon from a deep sleep. His eyes flickered open and he yawned deeply. He stretched his short arms over his head and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Sheldon jumped out of his warm, comfy bed and exclaimed, “Good morning world!” After some investigating, Sheldon learned that Manny and Petunia’s family was being forced to move…today. They only had an hour to pack their most beloved valuables. Petunia was inconsolable. She screamed over and over “I’m not going, you can’t do this to me!” Manny on the other hand was cool, calm, and collected. This was not new to his family. He wondered why Petunia was so upset. He calmly collected his most treasured items. Sheldon, of course was one of them, lovingly stuffed into his old yellow backpack between his lucky green gym shoes and his battered pink piggy bank. The hour was up. Manny took one last look around his small bedroom and gently closed his door. He walked outside and noticed that it was drizzling. The day was grey and there was no sign of the sun. Manny climbed into the back of their old, beat up van and placed his yellow backpack on his lap. He leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and let out a sigh. Petunia did not get into the car as easily as Manny. Her parents had to practically carry her into the car and hold her down until dad peeled out of the driveway. Manny turned around and gazed at their house. He thought to himself, “Man, I’m going to miss this place.” After a short nap, Manny woke up and noticed that they were still in the car. Petunia had stopped screaming and was dozing quietly in the seat in from of him. Manny wondered where they were going this time. He opened his yellow backpack and took out Sheldon. Sheldon was delighted to see Manny and still hadn’t quite comprehended what was going on, but he felt reassured when he felt Manny’s thumb stroke his head. Manny fell asleep while stroking Sheldon’s smooth, round head so he didn’t see it coming. Petunia had awoken. She stared at Manny’s serene, peaceful face and felt anger rise inside. She thought to herself, “How could he just sleep like that?” She spied Sheldon warmly wrapped in Manny’s hand. In a flash, she yanked Sheldon out of Manny’s hand and threw him out the open window. It happened so fast that Manny didn’t have time to react. Sheldon flew out of the window and hit the wet pavement with a thud. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on the side of a two lane country lane. His head hurt. He touched the spot where Manny had rubbed his head. His heart ached at when he thought about how he was all alone. His heart broke when he realized that Manny too, would be all alone.
by Samantha Paoletti Brian the Box Man walked home, dejected. Brian had once again tried, and once again failed, to fit in with his classmates. Brian had finally accepted an invitation to a party. He didn't often receive invitations, but when he did, he was always hesitant. Brian couldn't shake the feeling that he was different: his favorite subject in school was geometry (most of his classmates hated math and were very vocal about it); he would rather be by himself than out with friends or at parties. He was, according to most of his classmates, a "square." Brian didn't even know that people still used that term anymore, but it definitely applied to him. So, Brian really didn't know why he had wanted to fit in his classmates. He thought of the old saying, "trying to fit a square peg in a round hole." It didn't work. It wouldn't work. And Brian didn't want to try to make it work, but he felt that he should. How could he go through high school not fitting in with his peers? It seemed expected. But it didn't work. Brian had remained the square peg: no one wanted to talk to him at the party. He couldn't shake the weird label, and the more he tried, the more he felt himself close off. So he left. And he walked home, feeling like a failure. And then it started to rain. Why not? However, as Brian walked along, something began to change. He felt a weight lift, slowly but surely. Why did he care? Why did it matter what other people thought? He tried to picture his life in one year, and he didn't see any of the people at the party in that vision. It didn't matter what other people thought. It only mattered what he thought of himself.
Stan came home from school on a melancholy day. When it rained all day like this, he felt as dark as the weather. His mom was in just as bad of a mood because everything made her sad. All he wanted to do was curl up with his new book. But, Brian made sure that wasn't happening. Stan soon realized he would rather be outside in the rain than inside his dreary house. As he was getting dressed to go back out, he could hear Brian telling their mom another made up story. "Stan was calling me stupid on the way home from school." "STAN!", their mom yelled. The pressure started rising in Stan. He knew he needed to get out before he exploded.
ReplyDeleteStan walked and walked, not caring who saw him or what they thought. "Why does Brian always have to get me in trouble? Why does mom always believe everything he says?", Stan thought. "Does she just like being mad at me?" The anger turned to anxiety at being trapped in that house. Soon, Stan was daydreaming about his future. The rainy day wrapped itself around him, comforting him that one day, he would be on his own making his own decisions. Stan was ready to go back home and face his brother. Rainy days never seemed to bring him down again, but rather started to feel more like a warm hug.
Box Land
ReplyDeleteLong ago in a far away land there was a place known as box land. Box land was a land where the humans left all their left over boxes to store, to avoid clutter. Whenever they needed these boxes they could go back and get them, but that was once every couple of years. What the humans didn’t know is that when they left these boxes, these boxes came to life.
On one spring day, Josh and his wife were moving to Chicago. As anyone would expect, they had lots of boxes. Josh and his wife spent all day moving into this tiny apartment. After all of their belongings were moved in, Josh thanked the movers and decided to take a nap. As Josh was sleeping on the couch he heard his wife say, “Honey are you ready to unpack?” Josh began to unpack and started with the first box. After they unpacked the first box, they decided to call it quits for the day. They left their apartment and dropped their box off at box land. They decided to throw it out the window instead of bringing it to the site with the rest of the boxes. Immediately after dropping it off in the middle of the street, they began to feel a sense of relief. One box was down.
As the couple began to drive away, the box named Ted began to come to life.
Ted began walking down this wet area. He was very sad that his feet were getting cold from what seemed to be water. As he continued to walk down this wet path, he looked for recognizable things. There were many of leaves and trees but nothing that appeared to look like his box family. He wondered why this couple just wouldn’t spend the extra time dropping him off to where the rest of the boxes were. He wondered if we ever find anyone that was like him or if he would be stuck in this wet area. As he began to walk, there were many things that worried him. He wondered if the path would stay wet, if it would become dark or if another family would pick him up before seeing his friends. All of a sudden a car passed. Ted hid behind a tree to avoid being seen. He wasn’t ready to be picked up just yet. All of sudden he heard a scream, “Ahhhhhhhhhh!” He looked up and it was a familiar face. Poor girl, she was being thrown out of the window just like Ted. Ted felt bad for her but happy that a friend would be joining him.
Ted and his friend Melanie walked around. It didn’t seem so bad with company. All of a sudden there was a loud noise. It was box land! They made it! Box land was magical. There were boxes of all kinds. Ted was so excited to be with people that looked just like him. Ted wondered how long he would stay. For now, he was just happy to be with friends.
Steadfast he trudged on, the numerous puddles on the street only a minor deterrence that would not keep him from his goal.
ReplyDeleteA goal even he knew nothing about. No name, no address, just a delivery that needed to be made – an instinctual pull – gravity – an instinctual pull that pulls all boxes like him to their final destinations.
He didn’t even know what important thing he carried. A gift, perhaps? Something trivial with unprecedented sentiment? It was true that boxes typically never knew their contents, but his face had been fixed into an inquisitive visage for who knows how many days now.
It was starting to get dark. Gasoline rainbows on the street lost their colors as the sun dipped away over the horizon.
He would not be lost.
“I will deliver,” he said to himself.
What, when, and to whom he still could not explain. Still, he pressed on.
The rain came now. Little drips at first, but poised to get stronger. Pressing on, he felt his cardboard body dampen, the newfound weight of the water slowing him down.
“I will deliver,” he said, out loud now, though to no one in particular.
He pressed on. Here and there a slight tear. As he walked, his corners and edges began to soften.
“I will deliver.”
For miles and hours he walked, until the sun again began to creep over the horizon and the morning fog rolled in.
“I will deliver.”
As the exhausted box walked on, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a puddle and stopped for the first time in forever.
It was then that he knew. His parcel had been delivered.
“I DID deliver!” he said once more – writer’s inspiration to me and to you.
Steven was a popular teenage boy. He was a Junior in high school and had a diverse group of friends. Everyone LOVED Steven. As Junior year was coming to an end Steven was starting to really think about who he was as a person and what he wanted for himself. He once thought that popularity was all but he was starting to wonder what that was going to mean after high school. Steven wanted to meet others and decided to start working in the tutoring lab in his second semester to refocus himself on his studies and meet other peers outside his circle. There, Steven met a quiet and studious girl named Lisa.
ReplyDeleteIt was April and prom was approaching. “Who are you taking to prom Steven? Is it Keilah with the curly brown beautiful hair or Camila with her beautiful Spanish accent?” asked his best friend Giovanni. All Steven could think about was tutoring after school where he would get lost in the big hazel eyes of his new friend and secret crush; Lisa.
On a rainy spring afternoon Steven had finally built the courage to go from a friendly “Hello Lisa, how are you today?” to inviting her out! “Lisa, I was wondering… I know we don't get to talk much here at school because we are both busy, but I was hoping to know more about you. Would you like to get some coffee with me after school on Friday?” Lisa responded, “ Steven, you have been so kind but I do not see that working out. Look at you and look at me. We are far too different. I have goals and aspirations that you do not share with me.”
Steven was torn. He was trying to make a change and no one believed him. “Have I really been THAT guy the past 3 years of high school?” He was sadly realizing he had been. He had goals and aspirations too and having met Lisa had changed his life.
It was getting late and the rain did not seem like it was going to stop. He decided to walk home rather than continue to wait in the school library. Lisa had been long gone. Her father had picked her up right at 5 pm sharp. Steven put on his headphones and had a moment of truth with himself as the song “Wonderwall” by Oasis shuffled on his iPhone. Steven walked as slow as a turtle without a care that his brand knew brown BOX brand sweater was soaked.
By the time Steven got home, he had had enough time to figure out how he not only going to make a change for himself, but also show Lisa (the potential love of his life) know that there was more to him than meets the eye. His mother was sitting in the living room drinking a cup of coffee. “Honey, look at you! It’s pouring outside! Are you ok?” she asked. Steven poured his heart out to his mom. Without realizing, he had come up with his own solution. Feeling better about talking about his feelings, he was finally able to go to bed.
“Tomorrow will be a new day. I cannot wait to start with a fresh attitude and show Lisa who I really am!” Steven thought to himself as he began to dive into deep sleep as he listened to his song “Wonderwall”.
Square Struggles
ReplyDelete“I am a square.” Sam felt dejected.
Christy Circumference, Tina Triangular, and Ronnie Romrhombus were the cool shapes on the block.
They were risk-takers.
They could be edgy.
They could be smooth.
They could be asymmetrical.
Sam Squarely was not like them. Sam was always following the one path he knew: the straight and narrow path. Even when Sam wanted to act outside the box, he kept thinking about how dangerous it would be to break away from his safe habits. He couldn’t imagine himself being like Christy or Tina or Ronnie with their unique personalities. Christy was so free flowing. Tina could take you by surprise with her pointed personality. Ronnie was a real rebel, never afraid be asymmetrical.
Thoughts like these haunted Sam, so he decided to look for ways to be different. He didn’t want to be such as “square.” He went online to do some research. He started with a simple Google search. He typed in “being different.”
What he found online surprised him.
There they were.
There were the images of all types of personalities: overjoyed ovals, pensive pentagons, happy hexagons, and even smiley squares.
It slowly dawned on Sam. He was different and being a “square” made him different. He wasn’t free flowing or twinkling or a rebel like his friends; however, Sam was stable, and he knew how to be a safety net for his friends.
Christy Circumference commented to Sam that he was “so smart.”
Tina Triangular told Sam that he was “on point.”
Even Ronnie Romrhombus gave Sam a high-five and simply called him “Swell Sam.”
Sam declared it this time: “I am a square!” and he added with enthusiasm “And I am proud to be so.”
Victor heaved a heavy sigh. The debris under his feet seemed greater and greater with each passing step. All at once, Victor could continue no longer. The weight of the invisible burdens he faced seemed heavier than the unavoidable afternoon rain. How could he make such a life altering choice? “If you stand there all day, you’ll end up soggy in the recycle bin!” The interruption to Victor’s thoughts came from another box-man in the neighborhood named Steve. Steve couldn’t help but make people smile. He was famous for living in the moment, though nobody was quite sure how Steve survived. He didn’t keep a job on the factory line like all the other box men. Nor did he live in the cardboard community so familiar to most residents. Today he was wielding a skateboard fastened out of old buttons, a rubber band, and a discarded silver gum wrapper. “Hop on, V. Time’s a’wasting!” The following journey was just the distraction that Victor needed. The men sailed past leaking gutters and pebbles that had been cast away by careless youth, their laughter fading away into the distance. Victor’s heart became a little lighter at the sight of this. He realized he had become overwhelmed by the “what could be” without enjoying what already was. No matter what Victor chose, he would land on his feet, no doubt. Steven had unearthed a sense of relief with his eccentric spirit. Victor would have to think how this gift could be repaid. For now, both box men leaned into the damp wind. Another fall evening lie ahead full of living in the present.
ReplyDeleteSheldon was the happiest Lego around. Manny took him everywhere he went. To the park, to the dentist, to grandma’s house, and he even snuck Sheldon into his yellow backpack to show his friends at school (even though Miss Jenkins said there were no toys allowed at school!) Sheldon could feel his heart beat faster every time Manny picked him up and put him in his pocket. Sheldon didn’t even mind being crammed into the pocket with old chocolate bar wrappers, or stale gum, or the green peas that Manny didn’t want to eat for dinner. Sheldon was the happiest Lego alive until one dreadful Wednesday morning…
ReplyDeleteIt all started with a scream. No not a blood-curdling, bone chilling scream that you hear in those, mom told you not to watch and now you can’t sleep because you are thinking about the monster under your bed, scary movies. The scream was more of a just dropped my new iPhone into my cereal scream. It came from Manny’s older sister Petunia.
The scream woke Sheldon from a deep sleep. His eyes flickered open and he yawned deeply. He stretched his short arms over his head and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Sheldon jumped out of his warm, comfy bed and exclaimed, “Good morning world!”
After some investigating, Sheldon learned that Manny and Petunia’s family was being forced to move…today. They only had an hour to pack their most beloved valuables.
Petunia was inconsolable. She screamed over and over “I’m not going, you can’t do this to me!”
Manny on the other hand was cool, calm, and collected. This was not new to his family. He wondered why Petunia was so upset. He calmly collected his most treasured items. Sheldon, of course was one of them, lovingly stuffed into his old yellow backpack between his lucky green gym shoes and his battered pink piggy bank.
The hour was up. Manny took one last look around his small bedroom and gently closed his door. He walked outside and noticed that it was drizzling. The day was grey and there was no sign of the sun. Manny climbed into the back of their old, beat up van and placed his yellow backpack on his lap. He leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and let out a sigh.
Petunia did not get into the car as easily as Manny. Her parents had to practically carry her into the car and hold her down until dad peeled out of the driveway.
Manny turned around and gazed at their house. He thought to himself, “Man, I’m going to miss this place.”
After a short nap, Manny woke up and noticed that they were still in the car. Petunia had stopped screaming and was dozing quietly in the seat in from of him. Manny wondered where they were going this time. He opened his yellow backpack and took out Sheldon.
Sheldon was delighted to see Manny and still hadn’t quite comprehended what was going on, but he felt reassured when he felt Manny’s thumb stroke his head.
Manny fell asleep while stroking Sheldon’s smooth, round head so he didn’t see it coming.
Petunia had awoken. She stared at Manny’s serene, peaceful face and felt anger rise inside. She thought to herself, “How could he just sleep like that?” She spied Sheldon warmly wrapped in Manny’s hand. In a flash, she yanked Sheldon out of Manny’s hand and threw him out the open window. It happened so fast that Manny didn’t have time to react.
Sheldon flew out of the window and hit the wet pavement with a thud. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on the side of a two lane country lane.
His head hurt. He touched the spot where Manny had rubbed his head.
His heart ached at when he thought about how he was all alone. His heart broke when he realized that Manny too, would be all alone.
by Samantha Paoletti
ReplyDeleteBrian the Box Man walked home, dejected.
Brian had once again tried, and once again failed, to fit in with his classmates. Brian had finally accepted an invitation to a party. He didn't often receive invitations, but when he did, he was always hesitant. Brian couldn't shake the feeling that he was different: his favorite subject in school was geometry (most of his classmates hated math and were very vocal about it); he would rather be by himself than out with friends or at parties. He was, according to most of his classmates, a "square." Brian didn't even know that people still used that term anymore, but it definitely applied to him.
So, Brian really didn't know why he had wanted to fit in his classmates. He thought of the old saying, "trying to fit a square peg in a round hole." It didn't work. It wouldn't work. And Brian didn't want to try to make it work, but he felt that he should. How could he go through high school not fitting in with his peers? It seemed expected.
But it didn't work. Brian had remained the square peg: no one wanted to talk to him at the party. He couldn't shake the weird label, and the more he tried, the more he felt himself close off.
So he left.
And he walked home, feeling like a failure.
And then it started to rain. Why not?
However, as Brian walked along, something began to change. He felt a weight lift, slowly but surely. Why did he care? Why did it matter what other people thought? He tried to picture his life in one year, and he didn't see any of the people at the party in that vision. It didn't matter what other people thought. It only mattered what he thought of himself.