Playwright: Rumble Rumble

This assignment was a one act playwright. I enjoyed writing this because it allowed me to turn a real life dilemma into a creative story/play. This piece illustrates my ability to write quality plays.

Rumble Rumble

Characters

Joe- A teenage boy, just older than 16 who’s daily routine consists of school, hours of football, and quality family time. On the weekends he is often away at some sporting event with his father while his sisters are off at college or visiting home.

Meatloaf- The hardy, zesty piece of meatloaf was not created but a few short days ago. Its contents consist of hamburger meat, sweet onions, ketchup, and other assorted spice. To be honest no family recipe book is complete without this delectable item. Just about once every two months he gets served for dinner, and then casually resides on the shelf as a left over for the week.

Barbecue Steak- Like most steaks are, this steak is from deep south and flown in just for the welcome home dinner for Joe’s oldest sister. This steak is nothing but pure masculinity dipped in decadent barbecue sauce. He is an item much more rare than the meatloaf but a special item for special occasions.

            Scene 1

It was a cold gloomy day. The clouds had just rolled in and the rain began to come down outside of the old ranch house in a town called Santa Rita. There was a musky scent blowing in through the blinds, and only the howl of the soft wind outside could be heard. At the window are Joe and his dog gazing outside as the drops of water bounce of the asphalt.

NARRATOR: The day had been long, and Joe had just gotten home from a hard football practice. It suddenly hit him as his stomach rumbled under his shirt.

JOE: Jeepers! (Grabbing his stomach in agony)

NARRATOR: That instant hunger settled in, and he needs food quickly. Deciding it would take too long to make a meal; he picked up his keys and was out the door to his car. As he turned the key…. Nothing.

JOE: You have got to be kidding me!!! (Hitting his steering wheel with frustration) Why must this happen in a moment of such hunger, my battery was fine yesterday.

As he slowly does the walk of shame back into the house hanging his head low with his hands held above trying to block the rain. Joe walks straight to the kitchen with the orange counter tops that seem to be straight from the 60’s. Joe opens the fridge and takes a deep breath as he stares at the countless items in the fridge that he has seen many times before.

JOE: I feel so dizzy, I must be starving, but I have no idea what I am craving. (He begins to look through the shelves hoping for something to call out his name)

MEATLOAF: How about you eat some of me Joe? I was only cooked the other night.

NARRATOR: Joe could not believe his ears, was he hallucinating or is the meatloaf really speaking to her? While pondering what reality is, he finds himself responding.

JOE: HMMM, no no no, not today. You do not seem to be what I want, maybe tomorrow though. Then, a much raspier voice comes from the shelf below.

BARBECUE STEAK: Well hello there, perhaps your taste buds would like some medium rare steak today. I feel might fresh if I must say so myself.

JOE: Maybe but I think I am going to keep looking until I find something that will surely hit the spot.

NARRATOR: Looking around, Joe spots a bag of salami hidden in the drawer of shredded cheese and lunch meat. His stomach growls in some sort of agreement to what he has seen, so he grabs it out.

JOE: Yes! That is a start.

NARRATOR: You can see his eyes scanning back and forth, up and down, and behind each and every item in the fridge, like a mouse in a maze.

JOE: Mustard! (He grabs the yellow container and sets it next to the salami) I will need this. LETTUCE! SLICED CHEDDAR CHEESE! CHICKEN! (A smile begins to grow on his face)

NARRATOR: The day seemed to get better as Joe places all of her chosen items on the counter and analyzes them. Something is missing, not from the fridge but…

JOE: Bread! Of course, how could I forget? (Grabbing the bread roll from on top of the fridge) Two slices of white bread should do the trick. All I need now is a paper plate to begin the construction of a masterpiece.

NARRATOR: Joe lays the bread next to each other on the plate and carefully places four pieces  of salami on each piece of bread, and then atop the salami a piece of American cheese.

JOE: I know!!! (Looking at the toaster oven on the other side of the kitchen)

NARRATOR: Joe knew that a toasted sandwich is much better than a cold one. Joe places the pieces of bread into the toaster and set it to medium for a nice warm crisp. Cutting up slices of the chicken to toss in the microwave for a little would be the next step.

JOE: I cannot wait to devour this beauty.

NARRATOR: He then delicately placed the warmed chicken on top of the salami and cheese, and then a layer of lettuce, finished off with some mustard.

JOE: Something is still missing… (He gazes up with a concentrated look on his face)

NARRATOR: Joe was in a deep ponder and new something else was needed, but couldn’t quite but his finger on it.

JOE: Chips! No true sandwich is complete without a topping of nacho Doritos inside.

NARRATOR: With that he brought his sandwich to the big comfy black couch and turned on the basketball playoff game. As he took the first bite he was able to let go of the troubles of his day. The dilemma had been solved and he had created the most delicious sandwich ever!

Wild Card: Burning House

This assignment is my burning house project. For this project we needed to select at least ten items that we would grab on our way out. The items are not necessarily the most valuable items, but are items that are significant to me and symbolize who I am.

Name: Zack Fulks

Age: 15

Location: Walnut Creek, California

Occupation: Student, Athlete, Family Member

Website: cusati97.blogspot.com

List:

• White vans- my favorite pair of shoes that I wear everyday
• Green moose- my stuffed animal from when I was a baby
• White hat- my grandfather’s hat from air force who has passed away
• Picture frame- my favorite picture of my other passed away grandpa and I
• Inhaler- I have asthma so during a fire this will be important
• Wallet- has my money, id card, and permit
• Red beats- so I can listen to some good music in high quality
• Keys- allow me to get into my other house and drive away
• Backpack- has my school stuff, allow me to stay on track
• Jersey- symbolizes my love for sports, and how I wont let it go
• Koda (dog)- the best dog in the whole wide world
• Blue and white blanket- softest blanket ever from my sister, named tuckee.

Wild Card: That Place

 This assignment started as a short four minute writing assignment based on the type of music that we were listening to. The idea was to see how different music influenced our thinking. I took my favorite short write out of eight, and turned it into a story with both conflict and resolution. What I like most about this piece of writing is how I was able to keep almost exactly what I started with, and add to it without changing the idea of it. 

That Place

            It was a warm summer night in San Diego. Tony was on his way home from work to grab his girlfriend and take her out to dinner for their three year anniversary. Tony had a special night planned, and if all went well, he would leave dinner with a fiancé.

            Three years ago to the day, Tony walked out of the coffee shop delirious of his surroundings and bumped into Lauren. His coffee went all over the two of them, and this was sure to be the start of a very bad day. When they both looked up, they made eye contact that would not let go. Tony asked how he could make it up to the beautiful girl that he wished to continue conversation wish. A simple purchase of her coffee, and an hour spent talking in the shop kindled what seemed to be such a strong flame.

            “I love you so much” Tony said as he reached his hand across the table to grab hers. The dinner arrived and the wonderful aroma of the succulent filet mignon being placed in front of the two.

            “Tony, I love you too but we need to talk, I need to explain where I stand.” Lauren replied.

            In his eyes, you could see Tony’s pain and worry grow as he began to think the worst. Lauren proceeded to explain how she had no longer maintained the same feelings in which she had before, and found herself falling for another man. Tony’s heart was an anchor, and seemed to sink deeper and deeper into his chest. He asked who, and pleaded to know what this new guy had that he didn’t, but no answer was given that he wanted to hear. In no time his voice had escalated from the sweet tone, to a loud yell. Tony and Lauren, forgetting about their presence in an elegant restaurant, began to scream back and forth at each other as if the explanation would come from the pain in the other person.

Knowing that his love of his live was no longer going to be in his life, he pulled the ring box out of his pocket and set it on the table. Lauren’s eyes and face dropped in an unknown mix of emotion; she had realized just how much pain she had caused him. Tony walked away, tears running down his face. He knew he needed to get away, and he knew it needed to be fast.

Tony bought the first ticket he could find to the Bahamas, and flew down. Although his heart was still broken, he felt that being in this new place, it allowed him to heal. The first time was the most important and influential.

Tony gazed out to an endless horizon. With no city lights, bustling cars, or worries of plans, he was able to be at one with himself and this place. Resting on the beach, with his back up against a coconut tree, Tony watched the falling sun begin to touch the ocean. In an instant the sky was filled with a beautiful mix of pink, orange, and yellow all being reflected off the sea like a mirror. This was where Tony figured out that he would be able to move on and love again.

Revision: The two stood face to face

This assignment was originally an in class writing assignment where we had to start our story with, "The two stood face to face" and end with, "and then there was one." I then revised this story by adding on roughly 200 words and correcting any grammar issues I found. When I added the 200 words, I was able to create a much happier and enjoyable ending.

The two stood face to face

            The two stood face to face, separated only by the thing caged fence. Two different species were brought together by one deep and lasting eye contact that seemed to be held for a lifetime. Jake gazed at the small baby dog in its kennel. From that moment, Jake knew he had gained a life friend, and memories to never forget. At the young age of seven, a puppy was all he wanted, and he had found one.

            “This one mommy” Jake shouted at his mother who was at the other end of the pet shop. That day was the start of a new friendship, the gain of a new family member, and someone who would love Jake just as much as he loved him. After a week, the dog was finally named Rufus. Jake and Rufus grew closer than imagined or expected. Jake was tailed everywhere he went in or out of the house, with a wet nose often bumping into the back of his leg. He would slip Rufus all the snacks he wanted, which only strengthened the bond between them. Jake would also sneak Rufus all his unwanted vegetables of off his plate when his parents weren’t looking.

              At 10, Jake began to change and so did Rufus, they grew up, got bigger, but were still just as playful at heart. As Jake continued to get older, he began to spend less time at home and more at sport practices, friend’s houses, and once he was 14, girls were introduced into the mix. Rufus was left at home, lucky to have the parents home with him for even half of the day. Rufus would lay by the front door, just waiting for Jakes return so he could have his companion at his side again. Even though Jake was spending more time away, they remained best friends. Rufus was someone that was always there for Jake. Whenever he was sad or needed to tell his secrets, Rufus’ head was on his lap ready to listen. More time passed and Rufus and Jake got older. Jake seemed to disappear, and at 18, they only had so much time left, and they didn’t seem to take advantage. When Jake moved out for college, the two best friends were separated, and then there was one, left behind at home.

Rufus would pace back and forth in the house for days on end, just waiting for Jake to return, but he didn't. Rufus, now 11 years old, lost his playfulness, lost his excitement for dinner time, and most important lost his best friend. Each day now consisted of him lying on the couch for hours, only moving to get food or water. That was until one day he heard a familiar car pull into the drive way, followed by a scent he could never forget. The crisp winter air outside forced Jake to run to the door, decorated with a reef for Christmas. As he pushed open the door, his dog, his companion, his best friend was there to greet him with a wet nose and a sloppy kiss, just as Rufus had done everyday before Jake left for college. Jake grabbed Rufus’ head and pulled him back just a little, and then locked into a deep and lasting eye contact as the two stood face to face.

Memoir: My first new Friend

This genre of writing is memoir style, and the original assignment was the vignette. By writing this story as a vignette, it pushed me to try and be more descriptive than usual. I enjoyed this assignment because it allowed me to remember a moment that I had not thought about for such a long time. 

My first new Friend

           

I walk into the Walnut Knolls pool with my two toy Power Rangers clutched in my tiny hands. Following behind me is my dad and my sister Miranda sporting her pink and white water wings (she isn't the best of swimmers). Across the glistening clear pool, underneath the overhang of the bathroom and changing rooms, protected from the scorching sun, was a little boy he appeared to be my age.

            I run towards that kid, not to hang out, but because the ground is burning like hot coals underneath my feet, and I want to get over to the cool shaded cement.  I sit down and dip my toes beneath the waving water and sigh in relief for the extreme comfort it has brought me.

            “My favorite Power Ranger is the red one.” I hear come from behind me. I turn around to notice that the boy is walking to sit down right next to me and penetrate his toes into the water just as I did. Looking back at my hands, I notice that in between my left hand, gripped tightly is the red Power Ranger. “Here, you can play with it if you’d like.”

            Both our parents took notice to our quick engagement in activity together, and sought out to find who was responsible for the kid. The parents talked about us kids, the neighborhood and much more that is unknown. During this, I continued to sit on the edge of the pool with my new friend and play Power Rangers as we submerged the action figure toys in and out of the water, making the sounds we felt were most likely to be made during an epic battle between the Rangers and the water.

            When my dad called me to leave, I got my toy back and I walked over to the gate. Shouting behind me, the little kid yelled, “My name is Ben!” Knowing I had just made a new friend I reply, “Mine is Zack!”            

Wild Card: One Syllable

This in-class assignment was given to my partner Jake and me. We were supposed to create a story only using one syllable words. This story was fun and expanded more and more as we wrote. I enjoyed how this assignment because it challenged us as writers to expand ourselves out of our comfort zone.

           The blue whale dove deep down in to the dark sea. It had just came up for a breath when it saw a boat. This had a big and sharp spear gun. A man stood and scanned the sea for prey, in whale form. The whale turned back up, swam real fast, and aimed for the man with the spear gun. The whale jumped in to the air, and let out a loud moan. It came down with a thud, and smashed the man and his gun with great force. The boat cracked in two, 'cause of the blue whale's weight. A bright sun hue stream pushed the wreck in the sea.     "Jack, don't pee in the bath tub, I told you to stop that last time!" yelled Ma.     "It won't stop Ma, I just like to play with my toys. I don't mind my pee," said Jack.     Jack got sent to his room 'cause of his bad traits. Jack will not pee in the bath tub for a third time.

Wild Card: Why I am not a Musician

This poem was originally the "why I am not" poem assignment. I Chose to post this piece of work because I enjoy the reality of it, and the slight humor that is incorporated. As a writer, it shows my ability to write poems of this sort, and I am very happy with the final piece.

Why I am not a Musician

I am a musician

HAHA no I am not.

My fingers do not bend

to play a guitar,

they do not glide,

to play a piano

they do not bang,

to play the drums.

I envy my sister,

“You are a waste of talent Miranda,

why don’t you even perform?

You could at least play for the family.”

“But Zack,

I do not think I am good,

or even okay.

You do not understand,

what it is like to have people

watching just you.

They watch your team.”

This is true,

my hands move,

to make a catch

my legs cut,

to get away from a defender,

because I am an athlete.

Collaborative: Minna

The original story was read to us out loud, and it was our job to re-create it in a different perspective. This is a collaborative piece because I worked on it with my partner Jake. This was very fun to do and was a good exercise to do in order to play with perspective. If I could revise this exercise again, I would probably add a bit more detail.

     I was only four when mommy went away and never came back. I missed her, but me and papa were still together. I liked to play in the yard while he worked. Sometimes the lady next door watched me when papa had to leave.     Papa did a lot for me, made breakfast, cleaned, and even fixed my doll when it needed it. Because I was lonely, Papa found me a little kitty-cat to keep me company. On Sundays, he would take me to church, and even sometimes a to Sunday school picnic. He would say, "Your mommy would of." Each night he made me pray, and if I forgot, he made sure I did it the next morning.     Once I was able to go to school, he would take me when he could, and even stayed with me once. Papa didn't feel comfortable though, and never came back again.     My papa got sick when I was only six, he never told me, but I could tell by his cough. I would sing to my doll when he wasn't with me, which he often wasn't anymore. At night, he didn't give me no more kisses. He said, "I was a big girl now." I missed his kisses.     Randomly, families kept stopping by, talked to me, but always left. Things stayed the same at the house until one day. I walked away with mt new blue parasol, and what I found to be my new parents. I never saw my Papa again, I didn't even get to wave goodbye. 

1st Person: Cat story

This assignment is my 1st person narrative, and was originally the dog story. We needed to take some object and take that objects personality and write from its perspective. For this piece, I wanted my reader to be able to guess and understand which animal I was writing as, without having to read what it was. 

The Red Dot- Cat Story

            I guess I enjoy living in this new place… plenty of places for me to scratch and climb on. It’s much better than that small and cold caged place. The only thing I could hear there was the loud screams of other cats, begging for a chance to be released and set free like their related large cats in the wild. I stayed relaxed with my little ball of yarn that hardly amused me, until I got taken home by this little human and two bigger ones.

            The new place is spacious, full of furniture and curtains which I love to tear down. The humans give me jingly toys which I try to act like amuse me for their good sake, but when they leave the room I simply push them aside till they return.

            “Good job kitty” they baby talk to me whenever I perform whatever circus act they wish me to do. I comply with a slight lick of the paw and scurry away to do something in which they will say, “Bad kitty.”

            One day when I was laying down, this red dot flashed across me and quickly gained my full attention. The humans snickered and giggled watching me chase this dot. I knew that it would be the death of me if I were unable to catch it. I cut, jumped, spun, and ran down the long empty hallways and furniture filled living room. Right as I believed I was on its tail, just like that it was gone, and I mean gone. I know it’s hard to believe but I swear to you it happened.

            A few weeks later it caught my attention again, this time I had experience and played it cool. I made sure it would come close to me so I could pounce on it from there. BAM! I had it underneath my paws, and was anticipating looking at my prize. As I opened my paws, I became full of disappointment because it was gone. I don’t know how it is possible for something to be underneath my paws at one moment and gone at the next. At this moment I looked up at my humans and notice this small silver object in their hand, and when they pressed a button on it, the dot appeared. I had discovered my new target.

            They proceeded to hide it after each time they brought it out to play but I had confidence in myself to find its hiding place. I followed them to their room, and without them knowing my plan, they allowed me to watch where they placed it. Next to the bed, behind the picture frame on the dresser is where it is placed. That night was when my attack would take place.

            I snuck in; walking softly and swiftly making sure I don’t awake the humans in the bed. My major obstacle was getting onto the dresser without knocking any of the valuables down. There it was, my precious prize in my reach, waiting for me to grab it. I walked up, and bit it tight between my teeth, prancing away happy as could be.

            My mission was complete and I never had to worry about that stupid dot taunting again. I lived happily ever after, and my humans never found their precious toy. 

Wild Card: The Other Side

I chose this poem of mine because it is simply one of my favorite pieces of work. This poem's original assignment was the picture poem. I had to choose a photo and write a poem about it. I like what this poem symbolizes and what it means to any athlete that has faced a very tough loss.

The Other Side

Pain in their eyes,

no longer open

only one thing on their mind

Defeat.

Their legs are weak,

no longer standing

only one thing on their mind

Defeat.

The crowd walks out.

no longer cheering

only one thing on their mind

Defeat.

Fell short by one

no longer time

only one thing on their mind

Defeat.

Jumping, yelling, and smiling,

the other side is cheering

only one thing on their mind

Victory.

Short: Appointment with Love

This assignment was to write our own ending to the story by S.I. Kishor. We were unaware of the actual ending, and had to write what we felt was going to happen. I chose this as my short writing because even though it is a continuation of another piece of work, it itself is a sort story on its own. I like this piece because it shows a different reality and my creativity to create a story or ending off of another one.

Appointment with Love by S.I. Kishor

Six minutes to six, said the great round clock over the information booth in Grand Central Station. The tall young Army lieutenant who had just come from the direction of the tracks lifted his sunburned face, and his eyes narrowed to note the exact time. His heart was pounding with a beat that shocked him because he could not control it. In six minutes, he would see the woman who had filled such a special place in his life for the past 13 months, the woman he had never seen, yet whose written words had been with him and sustained him unfailingly.He placed himself as close as he could to the information booth, just beyond the ring of people besieging the clerks...Lieutenant Blandford remembered one night in particular, the worst of the fighting, when his plane had been caught in the midst of a pack of Zeros. He had seen the grinning face of one of the enemy pilots.In one of his letters, he had confessed to her that he often felt fear, and only a few days before this battle, he had received her answer: "Of course you fear...all brave men do. Didn't King David know fear? That's why he wrote the 23rd Psalm. Next time you doubt yourself, I want you to hear my voice reciting to you: 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me.'" And he had remembered; he had heard her imagined voice, and it had renewed his strength and skill.Now he was going to hear her real voice. Four minutes to six. His face grew sharp.Under the immense, starred roof, people were walking fast, like threads of color being woven into a gray web. A girl passed close to him, and Lieutenant Blandford started. She was wearing a red flower in her suit lapel, but it was a crimson sweet pea, not the little red rose they had agreed upon. Besides, this girl was too young, about 18, whereas Hollis Meynell had frankly told him she was 30. "Well, what of it?" he had answered. "I'm 32." He was 29.His mind went back to that book—the book the Lord Himself must have put into his hands out of the hundreds of Army library books sent to the Florida training camp. Of Human Bondage, it was; and throughout the book were notes in a woman's writing. He had always hated that writing-in habit, but these remarks were different. He had never believed that a woman could see into a man's heart so tenderly, so understandingly. Her name was on the bookplate: Hollis Meynell. He had got hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address. He had written, she had answered. Next day he had been shipped out, but they had gone on writing.For 13 months, she had faithfully replied, and more than replied. When his letters did not arrive she wrote anyway, and now he believed he loved her, and she loved him.But she had refused all his pleas to send him her photograph. That seemed rather bad, of course. But she had explained: "If your feeling for me has any reality, any honest basis, what I look like won't matter. Suppose I'm beautiful. I'd always be haunted by the feeling that you had been taking a chance on just that, and that kind of love would disgust me. Suppose I'm plain (and you must admit that this is more likely). Then I'd always fear that you were going on writing to me only because you were lonely and had no one else. No, don't ask for my picture. When you come to New York, you shall see me and then you shall make your decision. Remember, both of us are free to stop or to go on after that—whichever we choose..."One minute to six—he pulled hard on a cigarette.Then Lieutenant Blandford's heart leaped higher than his plane had ever done.A young woman was coming toward him. Her figure was long and slim; her blond hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears. Her eyes were blue as flowers, her lips and chin had a gentle firmness. In her pale green suit, she was like springtime come alive.He started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was wearing no rose, and as he moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips."Going my way, soldier?" she murmured.Uncontrollably, he made one step closer to her. Then he saw Hollis Meynell.She was standing almost directly behind the girl, a woman well past 40, her graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump; her thick-ankled feet were thrust into low-heeled shoes. But she wore a red rose in the rumpled lapel of her brown coat.The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away.Blandford felt as though he were being split in two, so keen was his desire to follow the girl, yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld his own; and there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible; he could see that now. Her gray eyes had a warm, kindly twinkle.Lieutenant Blandford did not hesitate. His fingers gripped the small worn, blue leather copy of Of Human Bondage, which was to identify him to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even rarer than love—a friendship for which he had been and must ever be grateful.He squared his broad shoulders, saluted and held the book out toward the woman, although even while he spoke he felt shocked by the bitterness of his disappointment."I'm Lieutenant John Blandford, and you—you are Miss Meynell. I'm so glad you could meet me. May...may I take you to dinner?"The woman's face broadened in a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is all about, son," she answered. "That young lady in the green suit—the one who just went by - begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said that if you asked me to go out with you, I should tell you that she's waiting for you in that big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of a test. I've got two boys with Uncle Sam myself, so I didn't mind to oblige you."

My Alternate Ending

     Bradford approached Helen Taylor nervous in the heart, unsure how the next few moments would play out. Helen said, "I know I'm not what you expected to see, and I'm sorry for the lies. I saw the way you looked at the girl of spring time. Go chase her down."

     "I didn't come all this way for a girl who I don't know, and to leave the one who helped me through the war. I accept who you are, and I have already fallen in love with you, regardless of looks," Bradford replied.
     The two walked out of Grand Central, ready to spend the day together. From a distance, one could see the Lieutenant grabbing her hand.

Descriptive: Ode to Shoelaces

           This poem I chose as my descriptive writing because of the way I describe the shoelaces. I not only describe the way they look, but also get descriptive with what they do during the day. I use words to describe appearing, but also to stimulate mental pictures of what is going on. This assignment was originally and remains the ode poetry assignment where we had to chose an object and write about it.

Ode to shoelaces

A shoelace,                                       He fulfills its

string                                                 purpose

laced through                                    and hugs your

your precious                                    shoe

shoes.                                               throughout

It wasn’t always                                the day

that way.                                           only letting go

The shoelace                                    when you want.

used to be

too difficult,

it was for the big kids.

You had

velcro.

Quick and easy.

But now you

are older

and need

the shoelace.

The velcro to

you has now

been passed down

for laces.

The small part

of such

an important

thing.

Shining white,

pulled taunt,

and put together

in a bow.

It bounces

to the

beat of your walk.                                      

A shoelace                                   

locks your foot                            

in your shoe                                                                                                                                                                                             

like a chin strap                           

does for a helmet.                         

It is happy                                 

to do                                            

it’s job.                  

Poem: Papa

This piece of writing is one of my poems, which was the assignment of an elegy. I wrote this poem to my passed away grandfather. With this piece I hoped to just allow myself to let out my emotion through a poem and allow that to become a beautiful poem. I enjoy this piece because it shows my serious side and also my emotional side.

Papa

Its been almost five years

since the last time

I saw you,

spoke to you,

said my last goodbye.

We were so close

both with a love for cowboys,

I miss the time we had together,

I hate only seeing you in memories,

I wish I had more time with you.

But I know now we are always together

Your cowboy boots,

button up shirt,

and your favorite guitar

rocking back and forth in your chair

playing your music for us to enjoy

You were the smartest

and always made us practice our math

taught us our left and rights

and our right and wrongs

much more than I could have asked for.

I want just one more lesson.

I just want to take this opportunity

to say I love you.

Humorous: The Crackhead Man

         This assignment was to take an original fairy tale and revise it with a new modern day twist. I took The Gingerbread Man, and made the main character a crackhead, and his struggles through rehab and relapse. This piece shows how I am able to incorporate humor into a story, and shows my funny side.

Once upon a time, there was a old mother and father that lived in the city. One day the parents realized that they needed to help their lost son. He was a worthless crackhead going nowhere in life. They gave him pamphlets and website links on many rehab centers, and even offered to pay! Once they got him in, they thought their problems and worries were gone forever.

After a few months inside, the parents believed their son had made it through and was ready to start a new life. So proud and happy, they went to pick him up and take him home. At his first smell of fresh open air, he was destined for a downfall. He sprinted from their warm embrace and headed towards the city yelling, “Don’t try and change me, I know what I need!”

The old parents hopped in their car and headed after him shouting, “ Stop! Stop! You  mustn’t fall back into the crack life.” Without losing a stride in his step, he retaliated by yelling, “ Chase, Chase as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the Crackhead Man.”

While running down the streets, he sped past his rehab director who yelled, “ What are you doing Crackhead Man? You have done so well, don’t go back i can help you.” The Crackhead Man replied, “ Chase, Chase as fast as you can. You can’t catch me I'm the Crackhead Man!”

So, the old parents were now joined by the rehab director in a helpless effort to chase down the ever so fast Crackhead Man.  As he continued sprinting down the street towards his favorite drugged out city, he past his older brother. The brother shouted at him, “ What are you doing? You mustn’t go back to the crack life, i thought you had done so well my brother. I wish to help you if only you stop!” again, without losing a stride in his step, he shouted back, “ Chase, Chase as fast as you can. You can't catch me i'm the Crackhead Man!”

With his brother, his parents and his rehab director tailing him, the Crackhead Man ran past his favorite Aunt on the outskirts of the city. In an effort to end this madness, she yelled out, “ Stop, Stop! You are out of control my dearest nephew, go back to your family where you belong. You mustn’t fall back into the crack life!” Without looking back, he replied, “ Chase, Chase as fast as you can. You can't catch me i'm the Crackhead Man!”

Now in the cities darkest alley ways with his favorite Aunt, older brother, old parents, and his rehab director still behind, he came to a dead end and needed a way out. “ If i don’t get out, they will easily catch me!” A sleazy old crack addict appeared from the dark, offering his help without any catch. The old crackman said, “ Here take some of this, it will surely give you what you need to get over that wall and be on your way to even more luscious crack, i’m here to help.”

After taking getting his fix of that much missed drug, the Crackhead Man was on his way again. Getting over that wall became easy, and allowed him to ditch his followers and embrace his old life that he felt he must life so badly. Reentered into this crazy city, he got a hold of more drugs than he needed, and this will be his downfall. The Crackhead Man’s heart and body was no longer used to the intake at such high quantities and couldn’t handle another dose.

Unaware of this fact, he prepared himself for another fix, which ended up being his last one ever. As he felt his heart stop, he thought about his family and his rehab director, and how all they wanted to do was to help try and prevent this tragic ending. The Crackhead Man wished he had stopped and let them catch him, but knows it is too late. This time he yells, “ Chase, Chase as fast as I can. I can’t catch them, they have given up on me.”

He lets out his last breath, and is left in the dark alleyway to be found and discarded of by the cities workers. His family however, no longer worrying or caring about their loved one, lives happily ever after.

3rd Person: Zack and the Super Team

The genre of this children story is fictitious, which makes this story able to be far fetched and able to fit just what my child liked. This assignment was the children story for our little buddy at Murwood. This piece shows my creativity as a writer and how I am capable of creating a whole story from minimal facts. If I had time to revise again and had more space I would have added more detail to the whole game, instead of skipping to the ninth inning.

It was May 15th, 2013, and it was Zack’s 7th birthday! He woke up excited as ever shouting, “YAY! It is my birthday!!” Zack could not wait to begin his day, but he had no idea what was in store for him. That day was also the day of the Super MLB championship. One of his favorite teams, The Giants, was the expected team to win.

Zack sat down to watch Spongebob when all of a sudden a broadcast interruption took over the T.V. saying, “Katniss, the Giants’ center fielder was out of the game due to injury and would not be able to participate in tonights game.”

“Mom,” shouted Zack. “Come look what the T.V. is saying! How will the Giants ever win without her?”

“I’m sure they will be able to do just fine, Zack,” his mother replied. At that moment there was a knock knock knock on the door, and their heads whipped around wondering who could be at their house at this time of the day. His mother got up and opened the door slightly asking, “Who are you?”

“I am here for your son,” the tall man in the suit said as he stepped into the house, “and his skills in baseball.”

Zack jumped out of his seat and approached the man who had caught his full attention. Hesitantly Zack asked, “Are you really here for me, mister?”

“Yes, I am Zack. I would like you to join the Giants in their championship game tonight in place of Katniss, your added strength at bat will really give us a strong chance.”

“I would love to play mister, let me just grab all my stuff and I will be ready!” Zack replied, almost shaking with excitement. He ran and grabbed his favorite bat, glove and cleats and was headed out the door.

The Championship game was held at Mount Rushmore, and the stadium looked just like AT&T Park. Zack was amazed as he stepped onto the field looking up at the lights, the stands, and each base. He could not believe that he was going to get his chance in the big league. After meeting some of the super-star-studded players including Optimus Prime, Wolverine, and the Hulk, he began to warm up for the game.

In what seemed like no time at all, the game began. Zack in the outfield was a brick wall and had not let a single ball go past him for the first 8 innings, however; not every ball was hit to him. The Tigers were a well-rounded team scoring a run each inning, and capitalizing on each open opportunity. The Giants had not been as effective and only scored here and there off errors by the Tigers. Zack had gone 3 for 3 with two singles and one double, hitting in 2 runs. He by far was the best performer on his team, but he could not do it alone.

The ninth inning started with a score of 8 to 5 with the lead in favor of the Tigers. The first batter was up, and nailed one deep into center field, but Zack was there to make an incredible catch over the fence to keep a home run from leaving the park.The following batter grounded out to first, leaving just one more out for the Giants to make. An intense battle between the pitcher and batter had now been established and seemed to never end. Finally, the ball bounced off the bat, flying high and deep over left-center. The ball appeared to float forever, but as it came crashing down Zack made a snow cone diving catch to end the inning.

The crowd roared as he stood up revealing the ball in his glove. The Giants had one last chance to win this game and it would come down to the line. The Giants first batter was thrown out at first after a simple hit down the third base line. Wolverine was up next and hit a smashing single through the gap landing their first base runner. Hulk was now at bat, and launched a ball deep against the wall allowing him and Wolverine to advance to second and third.

Zack overwhelmed with his unique experience shouted, “Rally, rally, the pitcher’s name is Sally!”

When the crowd heard this chant, they all followed his lead and joined in the simple rhyme. The next batter popped out to left field and gave the Giants two outs while still being down three runs. Optimus Prime was up to bat, and as the powerhouse hitter on the team, they quickly walked him to first base. The bases were now loaded with two outs and the young star Zack was at the plate.

After making contact on the first pitch, his bat broke, and the ball sailed foul. Without any extra bats in the dugout, he needed to think of something quick. Zack had just learned about dinosaurs at school, and he knew they had once roamed in these areas. He sprinted to the dugout and found an old shovel and began digging. 10 minutes passed, and the hole in the ground was deep, but there was no sign of bones. All of a sudden, there was a tink, Zack’s smile grew from ear to ear.

“I have found a T-rex rib, and it is the same size as my bat!” Zack exclaimed as he pulled it out of the ground, and lifting it to the crowd.

He stepped back in the box, and the game started again. The next pitch was perfect and swinging hard with the bone, Zack ripped the ball out of the park and began rounding the bases. Wolverine scored, the Hulk scored, Optimus Prime scored, and then Zack crossed making the final score 9 to 8. The Giants won the championship and it was all because of Zack and the Super Team.