All made carrot cake for family and neighbor, made salt clay
Individual reading
Remains of the Day
Writing from middle, rough draft, for co-op:
Chapter one
My hands grappled with the air, as if they had a mind of their own.
My feet waved helplessly and my face stayed frozen in the position it
had been in before I had started to fall. "Are you okay?" A voice behind
me said, before I crashed down onto the ice. For the third time. In 5
minuets.
A hand appeared in
front of my face, and I stared at, not sure what to think. " Country, do
you need some help?" Came Ally's half exasperated, half amused voice.
"Oh. Um sure." I said, taking her hand, " thanks." " your trying to
run," Ally said. " glide. Your supposed to look graceful, not like you
just swallowed a toad." " sorry." I said. "Oh you'll do better next
time, I'm sure." She said, smiling at me." Let's just try again."
***
" so how was ice skating hon?" Mom asked as she stirred the soup for diner.
I cleared my throat." Um I'm getting better." I said adding to myself " though I started really bad."
" great, just what I
wanted to hear!" She said, in that cheerful tone that always made me
angry because I couldn't stay calm like her.
"But mom, do you think I could quit now? I mean Ally's gotten bossy
again, and the teacher says if I'm not having fun, I should stop." I
paused for effect. " and mom, I'm not having fun. "
Mom sighed. "You don't
have to keep it up if you don't want to. But I'd like you to try it for
three more weeks. See if it turns out you like it after all." I felt my
eyes pop out. " thats six more lessons!" " I know hon, but I paid $70
for them. Please don't give up now!" How could I stay firm when mom was
talking to me in that worn out way? "Fine" I said, though I thought I
would regret it.
***
That night, as I lay on my bed staring up at my ceiling, I couldn't
help thinking about how silly I must have looked when I fell. I imagined
myself, feet kicking and arms waving. I couldn't help laughing aloud.
Until I heard moms voice behind me saying "what's so funny?" And my
laughter died. "Nothing" I mumbled. "What are you doing in my room? I
thought you said it was to messy for you."
"I came in to tell
you to clean up," mom said brushing her hand over the dresser and
sending down spirals of dust. "That includes dusting, vacuuming and
washing your windows."
I sighed, and swung my feet into a sitting position. "Why?" I asked. "It doesn't make any difference to you, does it?"
"After you're
finished cleaning your room, I want you to change over the laundry." Mom
said, ignoring my question, "and I want you to sweep the kitchen
floor."
I stared at her. Why was she talking to me in that bossy, firm way? She never had been like that before.
I slowly stood up,
and picked up a random magazine from the floor. Mom left the room saying
"and I want it done before six thirty." I waited for her to be out of
my room before looking at my watch. It was five thirteen. That gave me
an hour or so to clean. I began stacking newspapers and magazines that
were strewn about my floor into a pile. That done, I shoved them under
my bed with the rest of the junk that was under there.
When I was
finished with everything mom told me to do, I threw myself back onto my
bed and put my favourite disc into my radio.
But just then mom came in and asked if I had finished my chores.
'What chores?'I thought. But out loud I just said "yes.""Good." She
said, and I watched her as she left my room.
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