Radical!
A while ago, I promised that I would write some stories about when I was young. Now, instead, I've come across a story I wrote when I was young, which really speaks for itself.
When I was in grade 4, I wrote a "novel" as part of a school assignment. I was reading a lot of "Sweet Valley High" at the time, and I think you can really see its influence in my work. If you need a more contemporary reference, my writing also evokes "Teen Girl Squad," by Strongbad.
A little background - the year is 1988, the main character is a 16-year-old girl named Naomi Gibson, and she has a boyfriend named Chris Wild. It's the end of the school year, and Naomi and her friends are celebrating when tragedy strikes! It's a real nail-biter.
Here are some excerpts:
"Naomi! Wake up!"
It was my mother, calling me for shcool.
"Naomi! Get yourself downstairs!"
"Coming, coming!" I yelled back. It was Monday morning. (Blech!) At 7:30 AM, it was amazing that my mother was up!
I guess I should tell you something about myself. I am not all that pretty, but I must admit, I am quite pretty. My hair is long, brown, and wavy. I love my hair. Also, my eyes are blue. Actually, I am quite tall. 5 foot 6 inches exactly. I am 16 years old and in grade 11. It is the last week of school and I am very excited. I have a real cute boyfriend, Chris Wild. He's 17 but still in grade 11.
"Naomi!"
I hustled into my hot-pink tank-top and shorts and burned downstairs. My cereal was on the table.
"Darn it! I forgot my hot-pink flamingo earrings upstairs!"
I started to get up.
"Don't you dare!" said Mom. "You keep eating and I'll get them!"
Brring! Brring! It was the phone!
"Coming!"
"Hello?"
"Hi Naomi!"
"Oh, hi Debbie! What do you want?"
"Oh, just to say that I'm coming to get you in half an hour."
"In the Corvette?"
"Yup!"
"Radical!"
. . . .
Brrring! Friday morning! The first thing I thought of was my boyfriend Chris. (sigh) I hopped out of bed.
"Today is the last day of school!" I thought.
I put on a blue high-cut tank top and mini-skirt. I did my hair up in a french braid. Also, I put on some dangly blue earrings and light blue eyeshadow. I looked okay!
. . . .
I grabbed my bag and ran outside. Debbie had a light-pink shirt and mini-skirt on.
"Hi!" she exclaimed.
"Hi!" I said. "After we pass, how about going with Chris and Ronnie to the movies, then going somewhere else to celebrate?" I suggested.
"Okay!" she replied.
. . . .
When we got to class, Mrs. Reesor went to the front of the room and said, "Okay, class, we are going to give out report cards now."
An excited little buzz went through the classroom.
"Also, I want to say that if you do not pass, it does not mean you are dumb, only that you don't learn as fast as others and you need a bit more work in some subjects."
. . . .
There's so much more. I am deeply ashamed, and extremely amused, all at once.
When I was in grade 4, I wrote a "novel" as part of a school assignment. I was reading a lot of "Sweet Valley High" at the time, and I think you can really see its influence in my work. If you need a more contemporary reference, my writing also evokes "Teen Girl Squad," by Strongbad.
A little background - the year is 1988, the main character is a 16-year-old girl named Naomi Gibson, and she has a boyfriend named Chris Wild. It's the end of the school year, and Naomi and her friends are celebrating when tragedy strikes! It's a real nail-biter.
Here are some excerpts:
"Naomi! Wake up!"
It was my mother, calling me for shcool.
"Naomi! Get yourself downstairs!"
"Coming, coming!" I yelled back. It was Monday morning. (Blech!) At 7:30 AM, it was amazing that my mother was up!
I guess I should tell you something about myself. I am not all that pretty, but I must admit, I am quite pretty. My hair is long, brown, and wavy. I love my hair. Also, my eyes are blue. Actually, I am quite tall. 5 foot 6 inches exactly. I am 16 years old and in grade 11. It is the last week of school and I am very excited. I have a real cute boyfriend, Chris Wild. He's 17 but still in grade 11.
"Naomi!"
I hustled into my hot-pink tank-top and shorts and burned downstairs. My cereal was on the table.
"Darn it! I forgot my hot-pink flamingo earrings upstairs!"
I started to get up.
"Don't you dare!" said Mom. "You keep eating and I'll get them!"
Brring! Brring! It was the phone!
"Coming!"
"Hello?"
"Hi Naomi!"
"Oh, hi Debbie! What do you want?"
"Oh, just to say that I'm coming to get you in half an hour."
"In the Corvette?"
"Yup!"
"Radical!"
. . . .
Brrring! Friday morning! The first thing I thought of was my boyfriend Chris. (sigh) I hopped out of bed.
"Today is the last day of school!" I thought.
I put on a blue high-cut tank top and mini-skirt. I did my hair up in a french braid. Also, I put on some dangly blue earrings and light blue eyeshadow. I looked okay!
. . . .
I grabbed my bag and ran outside. Debbie had a light-pink shirt and mini-skirt on.
"Hi!" she exclaimed.
"Hi!" I said. "After we pass, how about going with Chris and Ronnie to the movies, then going somewhere else to celebrate?" I suggested.
"Okay!" she replied.
. . . .
When we got to class, Mrs. Reesor went to the front of the room and said, "Okay, class, we are going to give out report cards now."
An excited little buzz went through the classroom.
"Also, I want to say that if you do not pass, it does not mean you are dumb, only that you don't learn as fast as others and you need a bit more work in some subjects."
. . . .
There's so much more. I am deeply ashamed, and extremely amused, all at once.
6 Comments:
At 10:50 AM, Anonymous said…
That's totally awesome, radical to the max! Ahh.. the '80s. You write a lot better than I did in Grade 4. I think I have a picture of you in Grade 4, too.
At 2:28 PM, Anonymous said…
I'm not sure that I know what a high cut tank top is... but I'm sure it was really cool!
At 5:33 PM, Jaimie said…
Based on the illustrations that accompany the story, I guess that a "high cut tank top" is either a tank top of sorts that has a high collar, or a tank top that shows one's belly.
Either way, the pictures are hott.
At 9:59 PM, Anonymous said…
I had a high cut tank top in 1988, and it was a sleeveless shirt with a high collar, almost a mock turtleneck, no belly showing because the shirt was long enough to wear over one's hips and put on a nice wide pastel-coloured vinyl belt at the waist, over the shirt. Top it off with stirrup pants or a stretchy skirt, and you're ready for a night on the town! Oh, and don't forget to wear your jelly shoes.
At 9:34 AM, Anonymous said…
Hey there, thanks for stopping by my humble abode (Monkey Mind)! :) I've enjoyed reading yours, I'm adding it to Bloglines. :) Happy Saturday.
At 12:10 PM, Anonymous said…
Jaimie, when is the next glimpse from your story going to be posted? I can't wait to read the next installation...lol
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