Class of...- A Short Story

I'm linking this post up to Thirsty for Comments Thursday. This week (July 7, 2011) I am the featured blog. Thank you for choosing me and for visiting!

Today's story came from another of the StoryaDay writing prompts.

Here is the prompt:

Altered Reality

This is a staple of Sci-Fi and speculative fiction: you’re watching people in Forties garb but discover you’re on a space station populated by aliens who only know humans through one random Bogart movie they’ve intercepted….

But it happens in real life too: a woman thinks she’s in a happy marriage only to come home to empty closets and a note on the kitchen table; you think you’re reading a standard love story only to discover a twist at the end…

Write a story with an element of altered reality.

Image found on Google Images

And now for the story:

Class of….

Mildred came home from work and found another one of her daughter’s writing assignments on the kitchen table. An “A,” she thought. Wonderful. Melissa is such a good girl and an excellent student. I can’t wait to see her graduate in just a few short months. Mildred was a single mother, working hard to support herself and her daughter. She had to trust Melissa to come home from school and do the right thing. Mildred was proud that she could do that without worry.

Each day Mildred left for work before Melissa woke, and she returned home after Melissa was at her own job. By the time Melissa got home from work Mildred was long sleeping, preparing for another early shift at the bakery. Ever since Melissa was 10-years-old, Mildred had snuck out the door long before Melissa’s alarm went off. Melissa got herself out of bed, got dressed, ate breakfast, and headed out the door for school the moment the clock struck 8:00. Now that Melissa was a senior in high school, Mildred felt no guilt about the arrangement. A woman had to do what a woman had to do in order to support herself and her daughter. Besides, Melissa was almost a grown-up herself.

As the weeks went by, Mildred continued to see Melissa’s graded school work on the kitchen table, just where it had been since Melissa was in 4^th grade. Mildred was able to keep up with Melissa by passing notes back and forth on the dining room table. The white board calendar hanging next to the table kept their schedules straight. Mildred smiled when she saw, “Graduation- 5 PM” on next Thursday’s box.

On Thursday morning Mildred left a note for Melissa,

My precious little girl,

Although you are not a little girl anymore, I can’t help but remember you as my tiny person I was meant to take care of. You know, I didn’t even get a chance to go to my own high school graduation. By the time my classmates walked across that stage you were already four months old. I had dropped out of school because life was just too difficult for me as a mother and a student. I am SO, SO proud of you.

I will see you tonight at your graduation ceremony. I have to work until 4:30 but you know I’ll be there on time to see you receive your diploma.

I love you,

Mom

Melissa read the note when she woke in the morning. She took it and slipped it in her pocket, then walked out the door. Tears ran down Melissa’s face.

At 5:00 sharp Mildred slid into an empty seat in the crowded stadium. The school fight song played over the loud speakers, and the graduating class of 2011 filed in. Mildred looked closely, but she couldn’t see Melissa. With over 500 students graduating they all looked like tiny ants marching across the blanket at a picnic. Finally, all of them were where they belonged, and they all took a seat.

The valedictorian rose to begin his speech, and Mildred lost herself in hearing his encouraging words. These WERE great days to rejoice. A new life was about to begin for these 18-year-olds. A new brand of responsibility was coming their way. This was something Mildred understood. She said a silent prayer for her daughter and looked around, still trying to find Melissa among the crowd.

The speeches finally ended, and names began to be called. With so many students, it seemed like it was going to take forever. Forty minutes passed, and the announcer at last got to the “W”s. Mildred perked up, waiting to hear her daughter’s name. “Wilson, Anna G…., Woodman, Gregory H..., Woodyatt, Jason C.”

What? Mildred thought. I didn’t hear Woodrow, Melissa A. How did I miss hearing my baby’s name being called? I don’t see her on stage, either. I missed my daughter’s high school graduation. How can that be?

Mildred fiddled with her purse for a few minutes, ignoring the rest of the names being called. Embarrassed, thinking she must have fallen asleep for just a few brief seconds (at absolutely the worst moment in time), Mildred decided to leave the ceremony a little early. She was going to head back stage and ask if there was anyone taking pictures for the school. Maybe she could get a copy of Melissa walking across the stage so she could say she didn’t completely miss the event.

As Mildred reached the last step, she saw a young adult standing in the wings. She had tears running down her face and was holding her graduation cap in her hand. The young lady was staring at her classmates as they all moved their tassels from the right side to the left, signaling that they were now high school graduates. “Congratulations Marshall High School Class of 2011!” As the school principal said his last words, the class through their caps high in the air and cheered. The girl dropped to her knees and began to sob.

Mildred went to comfort the girl but stopped short. “Melissa?” she asked. “What are you doing out here. What… what’s happening? Why aren’t you out there celebrating with the rest of your classmates?” Mildred couldn’t believe her daughter had been here under the bleachers the whole time. Her Melissa had missed her own graduation as well. Mildred wondered if the fault was hers for not being available to drive Melissa to the ceremony.

“Let me ask this again. What’s wrong, Melissa? Why are you hiding here under the bleachers instead of accepting your diploma up on stage?”

“Mama, I’m…. I’m not graduating. The papers on the table were from last year.” Melissa fell into her mother’s arms. She finally got the courage to finish telling her mother why she wasn’t graduating. With a big sigh, Melissa started again. “Mama, I haven’t been going to school. I’ve been working full time in order to earn some money.”

“Melissa, what in the WORLD do you need money for?” Mildred was furious. She worked night and day to provide for her and Melissa. No, it wasn’t the most ideal situation, but it paid the bills. Mildred had hoped Melissa would be smart enough to stay home with her and attend the community college down the road. That way Melissa wouldn’t have to work constantly the way she did herself. Mildred had spent her life trying to give Melissa the life she deserved.

“Oh, Mama, please don’t be mad… I’m pregnant. I’m going to have a baby.”

Mildred was the one who needed arms to hold her now. After everything she had done to try to break the cycle, it hadn’t been enough. Melissa was going to follow in Mildred’s footsteps, and Mildred knew there was nothing she could say.

Knowing there was nothing she could do to change this situation, Mildred dried her eyes and straightened her aching back. She put her arm around her daughter and sighed. “Let’s go home, M. We’ll figure this all out there.”

Summer Reading with Your Tween

I wrote a guest post for Paula over at the Tween & Me. The article is about summer reading suggestions for your tween children. I was happy about my writing, but I am REALLY impressed by what Paula has done with it. She has a real gift for presentation.

I had given Paula my guest post, and she asked if she could add some links. Of course I agreed, because I can always use all the help I can get. When I saw the post today I almost couldn't believe that was my writing. I LOVE what Paula has done to spice it up.

Please visit The Tween & Me and tell Paula how great her blog looks. She has fantastic information about living life with a tween, including this recent discussion about tweens and energy drinks. I hope you spend some time over there and enjoy her blog!

Tell Us Something Good- May 31

My something good this week: School's out for summer!

I have NEVER been so excited for school to be out for the summer. I think I'm more giddy than the kids are, to be honest. This school year has been rough in many ways, and the last quarter was especially crazy. I'm glad to be able to wash our hands of this year and look back only for the good parts.

I am really looking forward to playing games with the girls, do some summer reading with them, and to just watch them be kids. I think that's the part the I start missing the most by the end of the school year. I just want the girls to be kids and not worry about homework, tests, and projects. About the last month of the school year I, as a parent, start slipping on responsibility. I know, that's terrible- even worse that I'm a teacher myself! I've never made it a secret, though, that I think homework is overrated and over assigned.

So, even though we still have a bedtime at night, I'm letting the girls sleep as late as they want to in the morning right now. I'm amazed at how long they are sleeping. They are averaging 12 hours a night. I think they are wearing themselves out during the day. Running, riding their bikes, exploring the neighborhood, being KIDS. I love this part of the year.

Memory Monday- May 30

It's Memory Monday! This is a chance to share a picture, a video, or some other memory. Here is mine this week:

This is my wonderful husband, Daniel. A couple of years ago we went to the shooting range with my in-laws when we were up visiting for Christmas. Such a pleasant Christmas activity for a family to share, right? I had actually been waiting to go for some time. I thought handling a gun and being around others shooting responsibly would relieve my fear of guns a bit. That didn't happen.

On this day I watched my family all shoot at the targets, but I couldn't quite bring myself to try it. I finally picked up a hand gun, under the instruction of my husband, pulled the trigger, carefully set the gun down on the table, and walked away. I won't be shooting a gun again. There was an experience that I don't care to repeat.

I share this picture of my husband shooting, though, because it was an interesting memory. This moment in time represents my husband's family all sharing an activity together that required a huge amount of trust and letting go of my own control issues. Since my father-in-law is very familiar with guns and enjoys them, I had to let him take the lead. Letting someone else be in control for awhile was difficult for me, but I made it through the day. We won't be going back to the shooting range, though. Not on Christmas- or any other day for that matter.

Book Review/ Giveaway: Water for Elephants

This giveaway is now closed. Please enjoy the review. I hope you will read "Water for Elephants" and enjoy it as much as I did. And the winner is..... Belinda! Belinda said...

I liked "The Puppy Who Refused To Die" on FB and posted on the wall.

I'm joining Mrs. Readalot's Monthly Bloggy Book Club at Great Fun 4 Kids. This month's choice was "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. Click on the button above to find more great reviews and to find out the book choice for next month!

I must admit that I picked up “Water for Elephants” reluctantly. Usually if a book is getting as much attention as this one did, I don’t care for it. I like a book that flows easily and allows me to get lost in the story. To be honest, I don’t want to think a whole lot while I’m reading. I just want to enjoy. To my surprise, “Water for Elephants” was exactly the type of book I was looking for!

“Water for Elephants” tells the story of Jacob Jankowski, a young man who is filled with grief due to the loss of his parents. Not knowing what to do with his life, Jacob runs away from veterinarian school and finds himself with nowhere to go. Jacob hops on a train and starts his adventure.

I was excited by this character’s name and instantly felt a connection. My mom’s maiden name is Jankowski, and it doesn’t seem like that is a very popular surname. It was easy for me to imagine that Jacob was a long lost relative of mine and I was sitting next to him listening to him reminisce.

Though the main story takes place when Jacob was young, he is telling it from the vantage point of his older self. The parts of the book that take place in Jacob’s nursing home are heartbreaking. Again, being able to imagine the character as my own family, I wanted to go save Jacob, but I knew the story wouldn’t be the same.

I would highly recommend “Water for Elephants” to anyone who enjoys a good story with relatable characters. I can imagine you sitting out on the patio with a glass of iced tea, losing track of time as you become absorbed into the tale of Jacob and his life with the circus. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

Giveaway: I am giving away my copy of "Water for Elephants" to one reader who wants to read the book. PLEASE NOTE: This is a USED copy, and it is well-loved. Please do not think you will be getting a new or near-new copy of this book.

U.S. entries only, please. This giveaway will be open through Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at 8:00 PM Arizona time. Winner will be chosen using Random.org and will have 48 hours to accept prize from the time I email. If the winner does not respond, a second number will be picked using the same method.

There are several ways to win. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email in each so I can contact you if you win. There are five ways to enter. Enter once or all five times. It's up to you!

Entry #1: Tell me what appeals to you about "Water for Elephants." In other words, WHY do you want to read this book?

Entry #2: Follow my blog, Karen's Healthy Lifestyle, via Google Friend Connect. See the left side bar to follow. If you are already a follower, just be sure to leave a comment saying so!

Entry #3: "Like" Karen's Healthy Lifestyle on Facebook- see left side bar for link. If you already do this, just leave me a comment letting me know!

Entry #4: Read the first chapter of "The Puppy Who Refused to Die" and come back here to tell me your experience with animal rescue.

Entry #5: "Like" The Puppy Who Refused to Die on Facebook and leave him a note to say hello! Don't forget to come back here and leave a comment that you've done this.

Good luck on the giveaway, and happy reading!

Book Review: Horton Hatches the Egg

I'm linking this post up to Read My Review. Enjoy!

I'm linking up with Mrs. Readalot for her bloggy book club. Please click the button above to find more great book reviews and to discover next month's book choice!

This month's book club choice was "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. The book grabbed my attention well before I even got to the first page. After the title page, there was a quote. From all of the possible sources, this quote came from Dr. Seuss. What in the world did Dr. Seuss, known for his children's stories, have do to with a book about a circus? I just had to find out!

"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant...

An elephant's faithful- one hundred per cent!"

- From "Horton Hatches the Egg

Of course, now I had to read TWO books- first "Water for Elephants," then "Horton Hatches the Egg." In "Horton," he is asked by the bird Mayzie to sit on her egg. She wants to go play, go on vacation. Horton, being the nice elephant he is, agrees and sits on her egg. Horton is eventually taken to the circus just because he is the nice guy who sticks to his word.

What does this have to do with "Water for Elephants?" Well, because "an elephant's faithful one hundred per cent". You're going to have to read "Water for Elephants" to find out what that means. (If you want a chance to win the book, see my "Water for Elephants" review and giveaway post.) I did, however, find "Horton Hatches the Egg" so you can listen to it here:

When a Soldier Comes Home

I got this in the form of an email, and it asks us to pass it along. I am doing so here, so you can all see it. Please do give returning soldiers some extra consideration. Unless we've been there, we can't judge. On that same note, let's remember that we ALL have things we are fighting through. Give each other some space to not be perfect.

WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME This email is being circulated around the world - please keep it going When a soldier comes home, he finds it hard.... ...to listen to his son whine about being bored. .....to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes. to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work. ....to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night's sleep. ...to be silent when people pray to God for a new car. .....to control his panic when his wife tells him he needs to drive slower. ...to be compassionate when a businessman expresses a fear of flying. .....to keep from laughing when anxious parents say they're afraid to send their kids off to summer camp. .....to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather. .....to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee being cold. .....to remain calm when his daughter complains about having to walk the dog. ......to be civil to people who complain about their jobs. ......to just walk away when someone says they only get two weeks of vacation a year. .....to be forgiving when someone says how hard it is to have a new baby in the house. The only thing harder than being a Soldier... Is loving one. I was asked to pass this on and I will gladly do so, Will you???

Memorial Day- Some Gave All

This Memorial Day, as you are enjoying your BBQ and your extra day off work, please take just a moment to remember why we set this day aside as a national holiday. Take a moment to think about the freedoms we have because brave young men and woman have fought for our country. As we remember our fallen heroes, please take a moment to say thank you to those who are still fighting.

Happy Memorial Day!

Sunday Surf- May 29

Each Sunday we take a few moments to list some of our favorite posts and blogs we've discovered throughout the week. Click on the button above to find more great Sunday Surfers. Enjoy reading some of the blog posts I enjoyed most this week!

Be Good To Yourself Therapy- All of us need to take time out to care for ourselves. Here are some great ideas

I'm Not Raising Children- I love this idea that we are raising adults. Here's a great list of the traits we hope to instill in our children

The Other Woman- This mother is already thinking about the woman her son is going to marry.

The Raven and The Hawk- episode 3- The third installment of Diana's book at A Novel Experiment

And the favorite that I've posted this week: Wicked World- The story of an incredibly brave woman during the holocaust

Signs of Depression

For the past couple of days I have been battling the frustration, anger, and possible depression that goes along with a long-term illness. I can't tell you how bored I am, yet any amount of activity continues to prove to be too much for me. I decided that it was important to know the signs of serious depression so I know when to worry. I thought you might like to know, too.

I got the following list off the Mayo Clinic website. If you see these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, please contact a medical professional so you can get the help you deserve:

Depression symptoms include:

• Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
• Irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities
• Reduced sex drive
• Insomnia or excessive sleeping
• Changes in appetite — depression often causes decreased appetite and weight loss, but in some people it causes increased cravings for food and weight gain
• Agitation or restlessness — for example, pacing, hand-wringing or an inability to sit still
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Indecisiveness, distractibility and decreased concentration
• Fatigue, tiredness and loss of energy — even small tasks may seem to require a lot of effort
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself when things aren't going right
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

Six Word Saturday- May 28- late again!

School's out for summer- Job Hunting

I have to tell you- I am REALLY excited about school being out this year. I think I may even be MORE excited than my girls are- really! This school year was exhausting, first with me student teaching, then we had some changes in administration, I started subbing, and finally I missed the last quarter of the year when I got shingles. My husband has been FANTASTIC about getting home from work in time to pick up the girls from school, but the scheduling has been extremely tight, and I have felt out of control. At least with the girls home we are able to be a little more flexible with when Daniel has to be home- so he can relax a bit.

We have some big choices to make over the summer, though we are pretty sure we know what our decision is going to be. Our daughters have been going to charter schools for the past three years. We recently noticed that the level of education in the charter schools is not much better than what they were getting in the local, public elementary schools. Unfortunately, once the schools get too big, they all become the same. It is hard to maintain the level of individualization they were once able to offer. So, for several reasons we will most likely be pulling our kids over to the public school which is about a half mile from our house. It sure would be nice to not have to drive all over town to pick them up at the end of a long day.

I'm also working on finding a teaching job. I can't let this degree go to waste now that I've earned it. There are a few more jobs being posted now than there were a couple of weeks ago. I was starting to panic at how few there were. There's still not as many as I would like to see, but considering I'm still not positive I'm ready to work, I guess I can't complain. The idea of working is attractive, but if I don't get a job I can spend more time healing if I need to. I have a sneaking suspicion I need to, so I'm not freaking out about not getting called for interviews- yet.

Wicked World

I got the following as an email, and I couldn't just let it sit. So, I decided to post it here. The email asked for it to be passed along, so I figured this would be okay with the author, whoever he or she may be. I don't usually get into politics, but this goes so much deeper than that. I hope you read this story and think about the wonderful thing Irena Sendler did for so many people. I hope it inspires you do make a difference in your world. This is true story, checked by snopes.com.

The world hasn't just become wicked...it' s always been wicked. The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving.


Irena Sendler

There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena.

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist.

She had an 'ulterior motive'.

She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews (being German).

Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids).

She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto.

The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants.

She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely.

Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard.

After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family.

Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize.

She was not selected.
President Obama won one year before becoming President for his work as a community organizer for ACORN

and
Al Gore won also--- for a slide show on Global Warming.

63 years later




In MEMORIAM - 63 YEARS LATER

Please read the little cartoon carefully, it's powerful.

Then read the comments at the end.

I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message.

I hope you'll consider doing the same..

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended.

This e-mail is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated!

Now, more than ever, with Iraq , Iran , and others, claiming the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth'.

It's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again.

*We don't always have to make BIG changes to influence the world around us. What can YOU do to make a difference today. Bloggers, please feel free to pass this story along in your own blogs.*

5 Question Friday- May 27

1. Do you apologize to your kids? I do apologize to my kids. When I am wrong, I admit it. I think it models the type of behavior I expect from them.

2. What color are your nails right now? I don't wear nail polish, so my nails are natural.

3. When you were growing up, how difficult was it for you to stay home from school sick? (As in, did you have to vomit or just say "I don't feel good".) I was they type of kid who WANTED to go to school, so when I needed to stay home I just told my parents. For the most part, they had to MAKE me stay home when I was sick.

4. When is the last time you bought a new comforter for your bed? I think it's been about a year or so. My other comforter was ruined when I tried to wash it.

5. Favorite website(s)? I like Facebook and The Blog Frog.