I decided to finally take the plunge.
No, I am not married or having a baby, don't worry, calm down Ma ;) I decided to shake things up a bit and take an online writing course, to maybe help me harness my elusive creative minx. Well, I am only 2 classes in and I already feel a bit of a shift. You see Icess Fernandez our talented and charming instructor said something that struck me last week as we discussed the art of creating characters. She said " I don't believe in writers block, you simply are not listening to what your characters are trying to tell you. If you listen intently and honestly, you will always be able to write their story." Ok my mind has officially been blown!
So, everyone, I now present to you my first creative short story that my characters told me to write for you!
Give it a whirl and let me know what you think! ENJOY!
My Hard Knocked Life
You see I
have a bit of a problem, I like to sing show tunes when I get nervous, you know
to calm myself down. It all started when
I was 10 years old and I had just gone to the theatre to see the Broadway show
Annie with my Grandfather. It was my
birthday and as you all know, both my parents were killed unexpectedly in a
tragic car crash the year before.
Grandpa was determined to make this birthday extra special. To add to the excitement, Annie had red curly
short hair just like me, my new found hero even looked like me; it was going to
be the perfect night. I remember sitting
in the crowded theatre, snuggled close to my Grandpa just spilling over with
anticipation. Finally, the house lights
lowered, a hush fell over the crowd and my evening of glamour and excitement
began.
As I sat mesmerized by the costumes,
makeup and music, a strange thing happened, I felt myself being drawn into the
story, Annie`s story unfolding before me.
She too had a ‘hard knox’ life, just like me, she had obstacles,
tragedies, and no parents either. But
through it all, she picked herself up and kept going, like only she knew
how. I was so in awe and envious of how
brave, spunky, determined and talented she was.
“Gosh I wish I could be just like that”, I whispered under my
breath. Next thing I knew I was singing
along with Annie believing that if she can overcome such loss, then so can
I. What is the saying, the show must go
on, well my hard knox life sure did.
I always found school so difficult
on both an academic and personal level.
Being that my Grandfather was on a fixed income, the latest and greatest
styles and gadgets were never a possibility for me. My Grandpa did the best he could, but he wasn't equipped to deal with a teenage girl, let alone one as introverted as
me. He could never understand why I couldn't just snap out of it. He would have moved heaven and earth for me,
but this journey was mine and mine alone. We learned to make do.
I have
always been a shy kid and after my parents died it only got worse. I wasn't the kind of girl boys asked
out. No, I was the scrawny, geeky,
wallflower, theatre nerd who sat by herself just dreaming and getting lost in
my own thoughts of a different, better life.
But that was ok, I had Annie.
I made it to my senior year in high
school relatively unscathed, other than being the social outcast that is. As I loaded my books in my locker after
finishing my third period algebra class, there he was, David Walsh, the dreamy,
tall, muscular, blonde captain of the soccer team. I was smitten. Even though David never knew I existed, I
would get lost in my fantasies of him and me laughing, holding hands every time
he would walk by my locker. In my dreams
and fantasies, I was somebody, I got noticed.
The homecoming dance was coming up
and for the first time I wanted to go. I
had been saving up all of my babysitting money so I could buy a new pretty dress. Finally my dreams were going to come
true. I was walking down the hall
towards my locker and as I walked by the gym entrance, there he was, David
Walsh, all sweaty from soccer practice, laughing and talking with his team
mates. I couldn't keep my eyes off of
him; I almost walked right into my locker door.
I quickly composed myself and opened my locker trying to look
casual. It was there and then that I
decided that my ‘hard knox’ life was going to change. I was finally going to matter. I slowly closed my locker. My heart was beating a hundred miles an hour,
my hands were sweaty, I was so nervous. As
I looked down at my shoes trying to compose myself, I spontaneously started to
hum, ‘Its A Hard Knox Life’ from Annie.
This song has always meant so much to me, it has always been my refuge,
a place to retreat and feel safe. I
slowly, turned and began walking to my dream, David Walsh.
As I approached the gym doors, I must have been in full
falsetto. David and his teammates
stopped what they were doing and all turned to look at me. This was really going to happen. I was going to talk to David Walsh and we
were going to live happily ever after, at least that is what I had hoped. When I tried to open my mouth to say hello,
all that would come out was ‘Hard Knox Life’ in full volume. David just stared at me in confusion and
looked around at his buddies and began to laugh and point at me and my one
woman show. I was paralyzed in fear and
could not stop singing. The more I sang
the louder their laughter rung in my ears.
I was mortified and finally turned and ran away, tears streaming.
I ran to the only room I felt safe and could hide in, the
music room. Once inside, I collapsed to
the floor in the far corner of the room and just wept with my head in my
hands. I just wanted the floor to open
up and swallow me whole, anything to escape my humiliation. Suddenly, a faint, cracking, pubescent male
voice came out of the shadows, “Are you ok?”
Startled, I look up and wiped my tears from my eyes with the back of my
sleeve. “Who’s there?” I whisper. “It's me Peter, Peter Baker, we take third period
algebra together.” He says timidly. I
swallow back my tears and reply, “Sorry I’m not really myself right now”. “Can I help?” he replied “Yeah can you give
me the mathematical equation for how to disappear” I say with a sarcastic
tone. “No” Peter replies, “But I got a
jolly rancher, do you like apple?” A
slight laugh comes out of my mouth, “Sure, apple sounds good”. Peter walks over and hands me the jolly
rancher. We both sit in silence, each
gently sucking on this sweet but tart candy.
That is the day my life changed forever.
Peter and I have been married for almost 13 years now. He loves and accepts me just as I am, quirks and
all. He actually finds my daydreaming
and love of show tunes endearing and charming.
So what does all this have to do with why we have all gathered here
today to honour and pay our respects to Arnold Baxter, my noble, faithful,
funny and loving Grandfather. Well, he
was the one who taught me my love of theatre, how even if life can and will
knock you down, that you have to get back up and never give up. I know I used to think that Annie was my
hero, the one I would look to for help and guidance when I felt I just couldn't go on. But, as I got older and became an
adult I realized that it was my Grandfather that was and will always be my true
hero. He was my true example of strength
and perseverance. I miss and love you
Grandpa, but know that no matter what my ‘hard knox’ life throws at me, I can
handle and conquer it, you taught me that.
Even though your final curtain has dropped, my show will go on, I have
plenty of acts left in me, and I am still waiting on my own standing ovation.
Thank you for reading, I hope that you enjoyed it!
Love Always Dina xxoo
