A girl sits cross-legged on the floor surrounded by a disarray of crumpled papers, dirty tea mugs, and discarded socks. She absentmindedly bites her lip in concentration as she scribbles furiously on a yellow legal pad, breaking her focus only to run her fingers through her unkempt hair. She then turns and scowls at the laptop screen filled with important deadlines, lengthy application forms, and impending grown-up responsibilities. With loathing in her eyes she slams the lid shut and stares at the still largely unfinished to-do list. She stomps over to the bookshelf and heaves a mountain of heavy textbooks into her arms before slumping to the ground and responsibly resuming her task.
Several hours later, she suddenly sits up straight as the sound of the bedroom door down the hallway finally closing for the night reaches her ears. Throwing off the blanket draped Indian style around her shoulders she scampers to the door and, after furtively looking both ways, her footie-pajama clad figure disappears around the corner.
Two brown eyes twinkling with mischief peer into the dimly lit kitchen. Methodically, the girl opens cupboard after cupboard searching for some elusive hidden object. With a look of fierce determination she hoists herself up onto the counter, as to more effectively search the last and most lofty cabinet. She rifles through the contents of the shelves and emerges with a triumphant smirk and large bag of candy labeled "off limits until Halloween!"
She waltzes triumphantly back to her room, forbidden loot in hand, snickering gleefully at the two oblivious people asleep behind the other door. After kicking the now long forgotten clutter of schoolwork out of her way, she stashes her hoard behind her pillow, pops a Disney movie into the DVD player, and lovingly arranges her stuffed animals so they can also view the featured presentation. With a sock monkey under the crook of one arm and a pile of candy under the other she snuggles down to watch the film, her eyes welling up with tears of contentment and nostalgia as the familiar story of Lady and the Tramp begins to unfold on the screen. Slowly she begins to drift off, a very childlike seventeen-year-old fast asleep in a nest of illicit empty candy wrappers.
That was gorgeous, Sonia, and it was so, unquestionably, you. The imagery was astounding, and the contrast you create in your character is perfection; I'm smiling as I type this. I have yet to meet a writer with a more inherent, unique voice than that which you possess. I'm right there with you; I don't think I'm ready for the future, and want to hold on to my childhood for as long as possible. This post also made me want to see Lady and the Tramp. I've only ever seen the second one, Scamp's Adventure. I know, it's a travesty. I had a messed up childhood: my parents got us The Lion King 2, Lady and the Tramp 2, and The Little Mermaid 2, and I watched all of them years before I saw the first ones. Good stuff. Just thought I'd share.
ReplyDeleteThis piece made me laugh! I think it's because I can completely relate, and I can totally see you in this picture. Growing up is something we are forced to do, especially through the last couple years of high school, but it is something that doesn't always force itself upon our hearts. I know that while we all have the responsibilities of an adult, we are still children at heart, and personally, I intend to stay that way. Lady and The Tramp is probably one of my favorite movies even to this day, and I plan on singing along to it for the rest of my life.
ReplyDeleteGreat writing Sonia! You definitely captured the moment well with your eloquence and descriptive terminology!
This is SO you! I have had the privilege of seeing both your responsible and grown up side, but also the mischievous and child like side. You did an incredible job of putting two contrasting sides of yourself into one scenario. I loved this so much! Awesome writing :)
ReplyDeleteWHAAAAAAAAA!!!!! lololololol I love this firstly because it's the epitome of you, and secondly because you described yourself complexly without making you're qualities necessarily opposites. I mean I guess you could say that your child-like need for candy and movies contrasts with your responsibility for completing homework and becoming an adult but I like to see the story accentuating both your mischievousness and your high capability to get stuff done. Well, regardless of what you had in mind, you obviously are able to depict yourself in a complex manner. There's certainly no stock character that falls under a description of you so I applaud your work! Always entertaining
ReplyDeleteThe twinkle in the mischievous brown eyes is far and away the most apt description of you in this whole little story, Miss Sonia! The illicit candy wrappers and the Disney classics unfolding in front of you reminds me so much of childhood, and the nostalgic yet mischievous atmosphere it brought to your story made it very distinct. I agree with Madison, your literary voice is very distinguished, there is no part of your description that seems forced or out of place. The stress over the college applications and unfinished to-do lists is fitting for our current time in life, and I appreciated the break from that pressure with your inclusion of a love of candy and Lady and the Tramp. The two sides of yourself are presented perfectly, and I totally want to go buy a pair of footie pajamas now.
ReplyDeleteHa! Love this. The last line is my fav. 15/15
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOSH SONIA YOU MADE ME FEEL THE FEEEEEELS. I can't even describe how happy and sad this made me simultaneously. I wish we could go back to kindergarten when all that mattered was that we were besties and we could discuss your family sock monkey tradition. Not gonna lie, this made me tear up a little. Our mutual love of Peter Pan has never felt more apt than right now. This is just so absolutely YOU that I can't even. I just cannot even.
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