I’d see them every Sunday morning as they drove into the church parking lot. He’d drop her off by the front door, and then she’d wait for him as he went to park the car, greeting whoever was at the front door with a sweet smile and warm hug. Then as he’d lumber up to the entryway, he would reach out his long arms for a giant, heart-warming embrace.
It was the Monday of Finals Week last quarter, and I had just about had enough. I sat in the empty break-room at work, trying to keep my sobs from bursting out, worrying and stressing out about how I was going to get everything done. It wasn’t like I had been dawdling – an emergency baby-sitting opportunity had cropped up on Friday night, and I had worked the entire weekend as well. Combined with the stress of studying for finals, I had already not been in the best of moods that morning.
Fear: A Silver Lining.
“The only thing we have to fear, is but fear itself...”
President Franklin Roosevelt said this on March 4, 1933. The reason why is because of the financial problems with the whole nation during the Great Depression. During those sad times, many died in the inside before their physical body deteriorated.
A FEW weeks later Hanna, Nicky and Kari were sitting at Red’s Inn, which was owned by Fredrick Quinn, a man about in his late forties. Everyone called him either Red or Mr. Red.
They were all sipping milkshakes; Kari’s was a vanilla, Nicky’s coffee and Hanna’s was a chocolate. As they sipped their shakes, Red came up to them and asked, “So guys; how do you like your shakes?”
They all gave thumbs up and suddenly, they all fell off their chairs and landed on the floor.
“Ouch!”
“Owe!”
“Gaah!”
“Brain Freeze?” Red asked, grinning. The girls nodded.
FOR THE next few weeks, Hanna practiced harder and harder. While the team was on a break from practice, Hanna started making friends with the other girls—all except Kari. The girl acted like she didn’t have any friends and it made Hanna feel sorry for her.
This is based on a true story. I wrote this story for a friend of mine last year who plays soccer in college. She wanted to be 11 years old in this story because that's her number. She was also 11 when bother her parents were still alive. My friend's Dad passed away from cancer when she was 12 and her Mom from the same disease when she was 18. This story is dedicated to her Mom, a well known and loved woman. She was also a Mother figure in my life, I have to admit myself. I hope you enjoy Hanna and her story of soccer as my friend did herself. -J. Glen Pollard
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Notes: I have been working on this for about two months. It's been a journey, and still I am not satisfied with this final draft. But I still feel like I should post this. I am asking that if you comment, to please, please give your most honest feedback. It may hurt, but it will build. I need advice on grammar, content, and mainly how to write more powerful short stories. I've put my heart and my soul into this story, and I have prayed and prayed on how to write this, because some parts were just - so - hard.
Ohhh, I've missed all you AP'ers! Here's a series of poems i've been working on, as always, nothing special!
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1. Understanding
Giver of all wisdom,
I don’t understand
Maker of my heart
I can’t seem to feel
Creator of all joy
Why can’t I feel it?
I think I am off
I think I am weird
I think I am different
I think I am wrong
Yes, Lord, I sin
Yes, Lord, I’m human
Yes, Lord, I wallow
Yes, Lord, I’m wrong
1. Eternity
If I’m to live forever
I should pray that you will, too
Because, dear God, I wouldn’t want to live
Without, my darling, you
2. It Was a Bad Day
Maybe all these big girl dreams aren’t for me after all
Maybe I wasn’t born to go to college and get married
Maybe I wasn’t made for the usual course
Maybe I was born with wild eyes
Maybe I was born for the road.