GAP creative writers share mini memoirs

This spring, Global Arts Plus Creative Writing students will publish their work in each issue of the Community Reporter between March and June. Their work will range from long-form articles to bite-sized memoirs to poems and stories. They are so excited to share their stories with you.

This month, GAP Creative Writing students were challenged to write a memoir in under 250 words, having to pack lots of detail and feelings into limited space. Here are five of their stories. ~ Olivia Wilsson, Global Arts Plus English Language Arts Teacher.

“Sweaty Hands”

I sat next to him in our afterschool program, stealing glances at him.

“Can we…uhh…hold hands?” I asked softly. He nodded, flustered. Under the table, his hand waited for mine. I grasped his hand gently, awkwardly. I could feel his incredibly soft hand. I turned my attention back to Dungeons and Dragons. As we packed up to leave, he turned to me.

“Your hand was really sweaty.”

“Umm…sorry,” I responded, thinking of everything bad. Oh, god, what if he didn’t like it? 

He shook his head, “No, it’s okay.”

Before he left, I gave him a hug. “Love you,” I whispered.

Because of that day, he now means the world to me.

-Augie, 7th grade

“Megabus” 

Before we moved back to Minnesota, my mom, my brother, and I used to take the Megabus to Minnesota from Gary, Indiana for birthdays and holidays. I’ve always brought a teddy bear with my bedcover cause if you know me I’m going to sleep. It was just me, my mom and brother, and I don’t know if it still does this, but the bus stopped at gas stations and fast food places like McDonald’s so we had food to eat on the long ride back to Gary, Indiana. I always got 8 piece nuggets, small fries, and a small shake. Then from the gas station we’d all get candy and chips, when we got back on the bus the bathroom always stunk, so we tried to hold it but it never worked. I remember how we used to always play I Spy, but I saw grass and things that looked like farms, so the main color we saw was green. In other people’s eyes, this memory might seem stupid, but I remember it the most because I was spending time with family. It was really fun, not knowing that as I got older, family time would go away. I loved spending time with my family when I was younger. Now look at us. Mom works so much I barely see her, and my brother doesn’t care to come out of his room anymore. The family time is gone.  

-Hayz, 8th grade

“Seasick”

The summer before sixth grade, I went to California, and went on a boat in the middle of the ocean. There wasn’t any land you could see, and the waves were really high, and made the boat tilt a lot. I didn’t exactly know what the boat was supposed to be for, or even why I was on it in the first place. Along with the boat tilting, and the confusion of why I was there, every other person on the boat was sick. It took about 1-2 hours, and I couldn’t wait to get off. I used to have a small fear of the ocean, and because of this I absolutely hate it. I only like the shore and the beach now.

-Oliver, 7th grade

“No Puppies!”

We were moving into our new house and wanted to get a dog. But one rule was in place: NO puppies. I asked to go see a litter of pit bulls from an online ad. My mom said yes, but reminded me we wouldn’t get them. So Jett and I went to go look.

“EEEEEEE,” I said straight away when we entered. Puppies were in little play-pens, I looked over each one and picked one up with a brown spot & white body who the workers called Uno. I fell in love within seconds. 

At home, Jett told my mom about the puppy. She still said no, saying they were too much responsibility compared to an older dog. But she finally decided to go look. When she came back, our hearts were tied to the little pup. We opened the website and Uno was the only pup left from the litter. The workers agreed they could hold her for us for the 2 weeks we needed to prepare. From then we waited for the day of the pup’s arrival. Now Uno is Rocky, and she is ours forever.

-Sylvia, 7th grade

“Pool Day”

Laughter, yelling, splashing, “MARCO” “POLO!” I spot my 12 year old brother front-flipping into the pool. I envied him. As I quickly separated from my mother and waddled towards the pool, I made a small SPLASH. Thumps, snaps, I could feel the chemical water tickling into my ear then suddenly another bigger SPLASH. I feel a hand similar to a grown-up’s hand, at least 10x bigger than mine. It grabs my tiny arm, harshly pulling me out. The sounds of laughter, yelling and splashing start to sneak back into my hearing. As my small feet innocently swing in the water, I look up noticing my three year old hand being held by my furious mother.

-Abby, 7th grade