Little Red in the Mall

• The purpose of this piece is to use all our learned skills combined and demonstrate a modernized fairytale.

• This piece is intended for audiences between the age of 12 and 16.

It was a warm summer day, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping and little red had shopping to do. She had recently passed her G2 test and couldn’t wait to take her red new convertible for a spin. It was perfect because it matched her red hair and she loved everything red.

Little Red called her friend Kristen immediately and told her to meet up at the mall for a refreshing ice-cap and extensive shopping for the spring fling dance. Just last week she saw the perfect dress and when she called yesterday the sales lady said it was the last one left and it was her size. Time was of the essence. They arranged to meet in front of forever 21 at noon and Little Red was off to the city.

She was driving happily and singing along with the radio when she got a flat tire. She pulled over to the side of the road and got out to check out the damage done. It was extensive; she did not know how to change a flat tire. Frustrated at her misfortune she took out her cell phone and began dialing the number for CAA when an acquaintance of hers pulled over to see if she could help. Katie lived 2 doors down from Little Red and they had spoken to each other once or twice but had no longstanding ties.

While waiting for CAA Little Red explained to Katie that she was headed to the mall to buy the perfect red dress for the spring fling dance. Katie, who had always been jealous of Little Red and her red hair, decided she wanted the red dress and would do anything to get it before Little Red. So Katie took off immediately and left little red alone, waiting for the CAA truck to rescue her.

About half an hour later the CAA truck showed up, changed Little Reds tire and once again all was right with the world, at least as far as Little Red was concerned. Meanwhile at the mall Katie found the store Little Red was talking about and was searching vigorously for the dress. Luckily Kristen showed up at the store and was also looking for the dress. Once Katie noticed, she took Kristen in to the changing room and locked her there.

Little Red was having a hard time finding parking at this mall seeing as it was a Saturday. Finally, she managed to find a spot and safely parks her car. She hurried to the store to see if the dress was still there and found Kristen locked in the changing room and Katie searching for the red dress. Little Red immediately let her friend out of the changing room and scanned the store for her dress. Good thing her eyes are well trained to notice red and she found the dress before Katie. She rushed to the check out counter and bought the dress in the nick of time. Phew, another shopping disaster avoided.

Crying to Confucius

• The purpose of this piece is to illustrate a conversation with a well known person.
  
• This piece is intended for audiences between 17-25
  

(Adela starts to sprint as she see him walking towards her)

C:(as he is approaching) By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

(Adela throws herself at him as he closes the gap between them)

C:There there child, it'll be ok. I'm sure worst things have happened in the world.

A: No NO NO NOO. I can't believed he dumped me!

C: (with a worried look on his face) There shall be others just like him. You must learn to take rejection a lot better than this if you plan on living in the real world. Now, where shall we sit? It is a very big park...

A: (pointing to a bench near by) There , that's fine. I need some of your wisdom right about now.

C:( as he scratches his head) Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

A:( with a shocked tone) are you saying I'm flawed ?!?!

C:(chuckling) I am saying that it is better to be so. Don't you see that it is our imperfections that make us who we are. If that boy could not see that , then HE is the one mistaken.

A: That makes sense I guess. But he was just so nice !

C: How nice could he have been if he is making you cry in such a way?

A: ( with a hint of a simle) Your right. Maybe He isnt who i thought he was...

C: as often the case is with people.

A: How did you get to be so wise, master Confucius??

C: It took a lot of life experience for me to get to where i am today. I too was a foolish young child at one point.

A:( laughing) Ha ha, I guess that means that I'm not a lost cause after all ?

C:It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

Starbucks with the King

• The purpose of this conversation is to explore a different character with a different personality expressed in their speech.
• This dialogue is intended for audiences between 18-50
  

Adela enters the coffee shop holding a drenched umbrella in he hand. She spots Elvis Presley sitting in the corner table with a late in his hand and waves maniacally.

A: Hey! Sorry I'm late!

E: (with an easy, friendly smile) Its OK dollface, I hope you don’t mind I already sat down.

A: It's raining cats and dogs outside, it took me a while to get an umbrella and then i had to run here and…well I hope you haven’t been waiting for too long.

E: It doesn’t matter dollface, your sure worth waiting for.

A: (with a big smile, then looking down at the table) Thanks! I really did try to get here on time, It isn't usually like me to be late, I ...

E :( looking uneasy at the apologetic face) erg, How bout I get you something to drink? You don’t look to dry but a good drink is always good for ya.

A: Yes please, that would be nice. I usually get a strawberries and cream frappuccino, with whipped cream.

E: coming right up!

(Elvis heads to the front counter and buys the frappuccino. He then returns to the table and pushes it towards Adela)

A: Thanks, your really sweet.

E: (smiling, proud of himself) what can I say.

A: So how did the show go last night? I man I heard some good things and I saw your manager today walking down the street but that man gives me the creeps !

E: It was a good show darling but don’t criticize what you don’t understand. You never walked in that man’s shoes giving you no right to call him creepy.

A: I'm sorry I didn’t mean it in an offensive way... I...

E :( fidgeting with his coffee) it’s fine darling, I wish you could have been there to see the show last night.

A: Yea, I wish I could move the way you do! I can’t even compare. How do you dance so well?

E: Some people tap their feet, some people snap their fingers, and some people sway back and forth. I just sorta do ‘em all together, I guess.

A: (excitedly) hey, do you think maybe you could teach me a few moves?

E: Sure thing dollface. Finish up that coffee and let’s boogie on outta here.

(Adela gathers her stuff and follows Elvis as he leaves the building)

He Can't See Me Like This

• This monologue is intended for audiences between 18- 35
• The purpose of this monologue is to explore the importance people put on looks.
  

Nails check. Shirt, check. Shoes, double check. Hair, yup, check. This is perfect. I spent all morning getting ready for this afternoon and for once, everything seems as if it’s going to work out.

OH GREAT.

I spoke too soon. AGAIN.

The rain started pouring like cats and dogs. That's just great. I guess someone up there wants to punish me for thinking I had everything planned out. Just when I think that for once things were going to go my way, someone up there does something just to spite me.

THANKS!
THANKS A LOT!!

I need to find shelter because if I stay in this rain, not only my hair but clothes and shoes will get ruined. I guess Ill just wait under the roof of this little store until the rain stops. I have no other way of getting home without ruining everything.

I finally landed a date with Jared Weber, and of course things were never meant to go right for me. If the rain doesn't stop anytime soon I'm going to be late. And of course that's nothing new. I know I'm gong to be late and he’s going to get tired of waiting for me and he’s going to leave and he’s going to hate me for the rest of his life and there goes our chance of getting married on an exotic island and having 3 beautiful children and ...

Deep breath.

I need to relax and take a deep breath or else I will hyperventilate. Pull yourself together Marge. Let’s see what we can do to get out of the rain in time. I could call a taxi, but that would mean I would have to spend the rest of my money and maybe even money I don’t have. So scratch that. No taxi. How about the bus? Yes that’s reasonable, except the nearest bus stop is 5 minutes from here and even then; it doesn’t have a little bus shelter so I would get ruined. Oh god, he can’t see me like this. He would run away screaming!

The little coffee shop where I’m supposed to meet him is about 20 minutes away; maybe I can make it without looking like a complete witch by the end. Or maybe not.

What do I do, what do I do …

Okay Marge, spinning around in circles isn’t going to get you anywhere. But oh! Maybe this little store behind me sells umbrellas?

Reality

• This piece is intended for audiences between 20-80
• the purpose of this monologue is to explore the point of view of a character different from ourselves.

The music is almost too loud to hear myself think. I like the distraction. I need the distraction. Looking at the carousel spinning in circles reminds me of when I was younger. More carefree and genuinely happy. What happens to us ?

The bright colors are giving me a headache and spinning around in my head along with the images of my cheating wife. And now the rain, prickling my skin like a thousand needles. Anything to distract me. Anything to keep me here a little longer.

I look around me and ironically, behind me, a happy couple is holding hands and smiling. I wish I could tell them the truth about happiness. Betrayal. Companionship. Liars. That’s what everyone is. You cant trust anyone. But they are too young and naïve to know what I am saying. Who would believe a random stranger on the streets.

I think I’m losing it.

I need to get out of here because this isn’t distracting me anymore. Too many happy , oblivious people are making me sick. The more I see them , the more I think of her. Who I was and who she turned me into.

I’m a mess.

I despise myself.

Oh I despise myself so much. She didn’t deserve me but now what ? I need to think of the consequences before I make a move. Before I take another step I need to think of what could happen. I need to weigh my options. I need to stop and think before I take another step because my feet have taken me back to the scene of the crime and his car is still parked outside. And my heart is beating.Beating.BEATING.

Thump.thump.thump.

Thump,thump,thump.

Thumpthumpthump

THUPTHUMPTHUMP.

I can’t stop it and I don’t want it. I see red and I’m not sure what to do except for make a list. A list of things I should do, can do and shouldn’t do. Let’s see, I could kill him. I still have the scissors in my hand that I grabbed before I left. I could barge in there , look at him and stab him. But is it really him I should stab ? No. Her. I would stab her. Over and over again. Make her feel the pain I am feeling now. Do to her what she has been doing to me for 8 years. Take away her life like she took mine.

STOP!

What am I doing?

I don’t need a list. The last thing I need is a list. I need to think clearly. I need to turn around. I need to go home. My real home. I need to buy a plane ticket to Arizona and be around the people that love me.

Expectations

• The purpose of this peice is to write a monologue from the prespective of the character
• This monologue is intended for audiences between the ages of 10 - 17
  

She has big eyes. Real big eyes. Like the kind you see on those bugs on cartoons. And she blinks fast. Real fast. And her head is big. Or maybe it’s just her hair that's big. I can’t tell the difference.

She put me here and people have been coming in and out looking at me. I don't feel any different from any other baby, except for maybe a little stuffier at the moment. This suit. It’s not one of my favorites.

She keeps talking a lot but I can’t really distinguish between the words. Everyone keeps saying "waappy wawaween" as if I'm supposed to know what that means. I wish I was in on the secret. Instead I just stare back.

What does she want me to do ? I can barely move in this thing but she looks at me as if she’s expecting me to do something. Should I stick my tongue out ? It’s about the only thing I can move right now anyway. Should I dance ? I like to dance but not in this. I look like a leprechaun.

I need to find a way outta this thing.

This shouldn’t be too hard. Maybe if I cry, she’ll come change me.

Let’s give it a shot.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH”

This Is It.

• The purpose of this piece is to practice writing momologues.
• This is directed toward audiences between the ages of 17-20
  

This is it. I know it's the beginning of the end and if I don't tell him now I never will. But how can I? I am so ashamed; I wish I could have just listened to my conscience. Now I'm not sure I even have a conscience anymore. Would a guy with a conscience even do what I did?

URGH! This is so frustrating. It's a speech I practiced countless times in my head but can never make myself say it out loud. What would happen if I did? I have to think about my future, my school, my career, what would happen to me? What would happen to Dan and me...though I know the answer to that last question. He would probably push me off this hill. Yeah, that’s what I would do if I was him. After everything he has done for me , I had the nerve to go and do what I did. Even this camping trip was his idea. Taking me out to celebrate my acceptance to Yale, when he doesn’t know what I had to do to get it. Just like old times he said, just like old times when we would come here to get away from the city. From the people we hated. From the people who now have turned me into who I am. I ask myself over and over how I could let this happen but there is no use. In a moment everything can change. In a moment of frustration, jealousy and anger, I changed my best friend’s life. AND HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IT ! There is no use in asking why or how anymore. What I did is done and there is no way I can go back. I took those pictures and even though I wasn’t the one that photoshopped them , I was still the one that gave them to Brad and Jewels and everyone we hated. It was suppose to be a joke, a small prank. Of course I wasn’t too sure what they were going to do with the pictures but I didn’t think they would go that far. And to be fair, Dan abandoned me for football. It absorbed him and all his time, just like guilt is doing to me now. Lisa stuck around him for long enough anyway. We all knew she deserved better.

Here I go again. I can’t even stop my mind from thinking what it does anymore. Dan, my best friend. The perfect guy. Dan. Me in the background all the time, wanting what he had. Now I have it and of course now that I have it , it’s not what I want anymore. I want the old me. The humble me. The one that wasn’t tired of being a footnote in someone else’s story. They sent the pictures to the dean, and all hell broke loose. Yale never even explained why Dan was rejected form the school. They just sent I’m the rejection notice and that was that. Now I have his spot at Yale and once I tell him what I did, I’m not sure what will happen to me.

This is it. I know it's the beginning of the end and if I don't tell him now I never will. I wish I could hold this moment. The perfect moment. Right after the sun has set and I can feel the cool chill in the air and around my body. The sky plunging into a never ending darkness. Reminds me of what’s about to happen to my life.

I have practiced the speech in my head countless times.

Deep breath.

I can do this.

“Hey Dan?’

Sun Burn Gets the Best of Teen

• The purpose of this piece is to warn people about the dangers of not using sun screen.
• The audience is anyone between 18-100.

Ermela Pearson is struggling to cope with her irritated skin since she came back from a vacation in Cuba.

"I warned her. I warned her 20 times every day to wear sun screen but nooooo. She thought she was smarter I guess and decided not to. This is what she gets for it." Said her concerned mother about the condition of her daughter’s sunburned skin.

Ermela seems to have left for Cuba for a week, and now that she has returned, she is red like a lobster. Experts say that the best bet for bad sunburn is "after sunburn cream". This is supposed to sooth her skin and allows it to heal so that the irritation is no longer present. However when we spoke to Ermela earlier this morning, she denied the fact that she did not wear sunscreen.

“I put on 30SPF sunscreen every day before I went to the beach and I still got sunburned!! I have lost faith in all sorts of creams! I am not going to try anything, Ill just let my skin heal on its own."

Experts say that not applying anything to sooth the burned skin could be dangerous. "It could lead to troubles with sleeping and the pealing of the skin making it all blotchy." says Dr. Symons, a skin specialist at St. Michael’s hospital.

The Weather Becoming an Issue With Youth

• This piece is intended for audiences between the ages of 18 - 25
• The purpose of this piece is to vent on the weather in Toronto =(
  

Teens all over Toronto have felt the harsh effects of the unpredictable climate change this year, especially local youth Adela Paparisto who has had to cancel many plans due to the weather.

Just a few hours ago, Adela was at home preparing for a great night out with her friends. She took a shower, got dressed and waited for her friends to pick her up. Instead of getting picked up however, she received a phone call. A phone call with terrible news. her friends were calling to cancel their plans due to the weather.

The weather in Toronto is being unpredictable to say the least. So far, three different news stations have had three different predictions for the next week.
" We don't know what to believe anymore. It's like we look at a station , make plans accordingly and then the weather changes and our plans have to be canceled ! I cant deal with this anymore!" says local teen Adela Paparisto.

" Shes taking it really hard. this is the third time this month that we had to cancel on her because of this weather. We can't help it. It's too cold" says one of Adela's friends.

"the weather today will be cloudy with 60 % of rain" said the local weather station today , but can we believe them ?

Ipod Fails Once Again

• The purpose of this piece is to vent on the lack of entertainment that my ipod provides me with.
• This is intended for anyone willing/forced to read =)
  

On a bus ride to her volunteer job today, Adela's Ipod ran out of battery once again. This is the third time that she had forgotten to charge it and was left stranded with nothing to keep her busy on a long, lonely ride.

The young teenager hopped on the bus at 3:15 pm, as soon as school was out. She opened her backpack and reached for the well known music device, the ipod, in hopes of entertaining herself on her long ride to Sheppard and Kennedy.
" I held it in my hand, and it just wouldn't start ! I had my headphones on too so i felt soo silly ! I had to put them back in my bag and go through the trouble of rolling them up again. This thing is soo unreliable." Vented the youth.

Indeed, this device has shown a great lack of co-operation with the young teen. Adela's mother was willing to testify that she had seen the ipod "charging" the night before, " Yes, poor girl. She relies on it so much and time after time , though it says the battery is fully charged, it gives up on her. It's a shame really, she spent her first paycheck ever on that." Her mother sounded rightfully concerned for her daughters lack of entertainment.

"It's her own fault she spent money on that piece of cr.. , well you know. Anyway, she takes that thing everywhere, I'm surprised it's still alive." Informs Adela's older sister. Of course Adela failed to mention her extensive use of the product but none the less this remains a tragic story. It is unbelievable how products have become so necessary in our lives. Going from place to place, the long distance that has to be traveled in such a large city, has made it impossible to pass the time without a good book or a music device.

All we can do is hope that these devices don't die on us and leave us hanging.

Tissues Irritate Sick Teens Nose

• The purpose of this is to help teens and all audiences relate to something that might have happened to them all.
• This piece is intended for all audiences who have ever been sick with a stuffy nose.
  

It has been almost a week that local teenager, Adela has been suffering from a cold and her nose is becoming irritated. Today, she is looking for a solution to her problems before this irritation gets any worse.

She had been curled up in her bed for days with no signs of recuperation. Her stuffy nose had escalated to a point where she could barely breathe. She brought the box of tissues upstairs beside her bed and next to them a little trash can. The rest is history.

As the pile of used tissues accumulated in her little trash can, her nose became more and more irritated. The tissues were slowly sucking the moisture from her nose making it dry and red.

" I started calling her Rudolf because of it ! This doesn't usually happen to her though , and her colds don't last this long so I'm not sure what she will do about her nose. " commented Adela's older sister with a lack of concern.

"This could be bad. I mean real bad. I have to fix this today because it feels like my nose is about to fall off. It's still stuffy but every time a tissue touches it , it burns !!!" said Adela as she broke in tears. This reporter has not seen anything like this before. Her nose is creased and blood red. She must be going through some terrible times.

Experts say that the best solution for this type of problem is moisturized tissues that do not irritate the skin. Dr.Madeup says, " It is durable, moisturized and will take care of your nose, it dose not roughly wipe your nose but instead blankets it. this is definitely the best tissues you could buy. You can go wrong with AdPack tissues. "

Lets hope her nose cant recover from this traumatizing experience.

Every Sunday

• This piece is intended for all audiences who are able to read.
• The purpose of this piece is to analyze someone based on what we can see on the surface and make assumptions about their personality.
  

Spinning around and around in circles. Feet swinging around, free from the laws of gravity. He stopped once his brother called his name and jumped off the chair. He slowly walked over to the lane, grabbed his favorite "shiny" bowling ball and confidently threw it on the lane. He stood there watching it for a few seconds and turned around with a victorious smile after the ball had demolished all the pins.

His dark hair was cropped short which meant he was either too lazy to take care of it or thought it looked good. He was wearing a fit black t-shirt and his white sweater was hanging on the chair. His also fit jeans made him look sharp but a little too dressy for the bowling alley.

"Andrew ! Good job man..." His name was Andrew. He seemed cocky when he walked back to the chair but maybe he was just proud. He didn't seem to mind when people were beating his score or even doing better than him. He started spinning again , looking around as if he was bored. He looked quite bored which was odd seeing as he came to bowl every Sunday. 4pm until 6 pm. Why would he come to bowl every Sunday for 2 years if he would get bored?

"Andrew, you never lose your touch" The old man complimented him. He must have been Andrews grandfather. As his grandfather went up for his turn, Andrew watched carefully. When his grandfather turned around, he smiled and encouraged him to go on. As he finished his turn, Andrew gave his grandfather props, complimented him and smiled.

It was clear why he came to bowl every Sunday.

Angel

• This is intended for audiences between 14 and 18
• The purpose of this piece is to remember what we were like when we were young.

She was moving back and forth on the balls of her feet and from far away, it seemed as if she was dancing. Her baby blue eyes sparkled in the dark bowling alley and her blond hair-almost white- was practically glowing in the dark. She was around 5 years old but with her petite figure she could have passed for 4. She looked so careless and free running around with her friends and screaming when the kid who was "it" would come close to her. The blue dress that matched her eyes made it obvious that she was dressed for a special occasion.

Angel was the birthday girl, and even though she wasn't getting all the attention, she seemed content. She didn't mind the fact that her friends were running around and not paying much attention to her. She was quite timid and preferred to follow rather than lead. as the parents to herd the kids towards their lanes, Angel walked fast, almost tripping over her over sized bowling shoes. She wasn't very clingy to her parents but knew the rules. As they showed the kids how to bowl , Angel was attentive and engaged.

She grabbed the first ball and tottered over to the lane. She thought about it for a minute and then let the ball fall from her hands, towards the pins at the end of the alley. She turned around smiling , waiting for everyone to applaud but everyone was busy doing something else. She smiled to herself, walked to the lane and picked up the bowling bowl once more.

Lonely no More

• This piece is intended for audiences between the age of 17 to 25
• The purpose of this piece is to observe and look into someone elses life, making conclusions about our observations.

The bouquet of flowers in his hand was a dead giveaway. He had an unmistakable bounce in his step and a goofy smile across his face. Lucas was oblivious to his surroundings and seemed to be thinking of something better, someone better. Someone admirable, beautiful and someone he loved. He was genuinely happy and seemed as though nothing else around him mattered. Not the talks of recession, of people losing their jobs or of the crime rate going up. Lucas had no care in the world and was completely free of worries.

His attire was casual but it was easy to tell he had put a lot of effort into it. He looked sharp and he knew it. His black polo and fitted jeans looked just right on him. His dark rimmed glasses framed his face so well and gave him a sophisticated look. He demonstrated confidence with every step and every one around him was staring. Not only glancing over, but full on staring. He was handsome, but today more so than usual. His dark hair accentuated his glimmering green eyes and his bright smile.

One of his roses fell behind as he was turning the corner but no one bothered to pick it up. Lucas didn't notice and it wouldn't have affected him if he did anyway. He was too busy thinking about her.

Collage of People

Intended for audiences between 13 and 18
The purpose of this piece is to observe someone and form a story or make conclusions based on what is seen on the outside from a third person point of view.

Taylor is sitting rigidly on the edge of her chair, concentrated. She is looking down at her work , eyebrows furrowed like she is trying to figure something out. There is a book in front of her an it is written in french. The girl next to her seems to be talking as if she is explaining something to Taylor. Taylor smiles timidly then starts to write the answer in her book. She is being tutored after school at Cosburn middle school and doesn't seem to sad about it. She seems eager to learn and willing to listen. Her positive attitude radiates from her and makes her look intelligent.

She looks very timid and her black shirt makes her look very thin , almost fragile. She is about 4 feet tall and very slender. Her skin tight jeans reach her ankles and give the illusion that she is a little taller. Te pink scarf tied loosely around her neck, gives her outfit an extra umphand adds character to it. A big clip on the right side of her short hair is attempting to hold back her bangs but they still seem to cover one of her eyes. She is wearing funky purple rimmed glasses which imply that she likes to be a little different. the glasses give her a lot of personality.


She is furiously writing away at her book as if she is Einstein who just figured out how to solve a math problem. She looks up once she is done and the helping friend beside her smiles as if proud to have taught something to little Taylor.


The teacher then indicates that t is time to wrap it up and Taylor closes her books. She is beaming and looks as if she has accomplished something. She packs up her binder and puts in order in her yellow bag. She looks organized and ready to take on anything ahead of her.

Oralb's Diary

Dear Diary,

I have entered a great depression. It's not just today; its been a little while now and I just cant push these feelings away. They eat away at me every morning and night as I head to work, every minute before I go to sleep and every afternoon as I prepare for a fresh round of gossip from my neighbors. I can't help but feel that I am meant for something greater as I sit here day by day and listen to Soni ( short for Sonicare) tell us what she saw when we were sleeping. I doubt any of what she says is true but to be honest I don't care much about the bosses and most -if not all- her gossip is about them.


"Did you guys see the little one flush her lunch in the toilet this morning ? She went from bulimic to anorexic ! Not only does she throw up every day but she also stopped eating !!! How do these girls do that to themselves, Gosh, look at them ruin their lives."
" how do you know?? What makes you so smart , I mean for all you know that's healthy for them ... not the not eating part but the throwing up part " Braun says to her as i listen.
" Looky here mister, I now my owner Billy doesn't throw up after every meal so that CAN'T be normal. Besides , i listen to The older woman who they call mom and that dad guy and they are worried about her ! Don't you care Oby ?" That's what they call me. Oby, short for Oralb. Since I'm the newest one around, Soni thinks its cute, but I think it's annoying.
"Oby, do you notice a difference in her ... I mean she IS your boss."
" Well I wouldn't know, she's my first boss." I said drowsily. I'm always tired these days and I can never seem to get enough sleep. I hear Brauns faint voice in the background telling her to leave the kid ( he's referring to me I suppose) alone. I turned around as I usually do and got ready for a nap but again couldn't help that feeling of depression.


I hate my job and soon my boss Cindy would come in and wake me up. I hate my job. I should try to get some sleep before I have to head out again.

Oralb



Dear Diary,

A different day approaches but I can only expect the same routine. I have been here only for a year now but I still refrain from socializing with the others. I'm not antisocial or anything, I just don't have much to say I guess. Sometimes I wish I could talk to somebody; tell them how I'm feeling. I would tell them about my dreams and how this is nothing like what I expected it to be. My job is horrible. No one else seems to mind it so I am constantly wondering if there is something wrong with me. Was I made the wrong way ? What's wrong with me? Everyone seems to enjoy their job , after all it is what we are built for, but every time Cindy picks me up , I get this feeling of pending doom. I wonder if maybe that's how Cindy feels. Maybe that's why I'm so down all the time.


Cindy isn't the happiest of the bosses from what I've noticed, but could she really be as depressed as I am ? Soni talks a lot but I've never heard her talk about one of us not liking it around here. I've heard stories about traveling and moving around and i see how excited Braun gets when she tells these stories, yet none of that seems to cheer me up. This can't be my future. I cant be stuck here listening to Cynical Braun and Airhead Soni. I wish I could quit, but I know there is no way out. The only time that we are replaced is when we are of no use anymore. Once our hair gets thinner and out of shape, then the bosses replace us , but then what ? Can I wait that long ? It's only been one year since Cindy unwrapped my packaging and I entered this depression. I remember waiting in the office of the woman in white. Waiting for her to put me in the hands of an eager , younger boss. When she finally did , I was filled with excitement. At first, the first few weeks, I was happy and nothing seemed as horrible as it does now, but once Cindy started throwing up I couldn't handle my job anymore. I hate my job. I wish I could quit.

Oralb

Dear Diary,

Something please put me out of my misery ! Today, I had to work 4 times. Cindys pink machinery grabbed hold of me for the fourth time a few minutes ago and now I'm all wet and left with an acid-y after taste. I'm not sure what she was trying to do but she used me along with another substance after every time she threw up. Soni said she read the label and that it was called baking soda but i just don't understand why. Have I not been doing a good job ? She thrust me into her compartment and to work i went. rubbing my hair along the white blocks and letting the pieces of stuff get tangled in it. When she added the "baking soda" I felt horrible. Not only was it smelly but it made her mouth taste disgusting, a lot worst than usual. Then came the liquid which usually makes it all better and i can relax. She then threw water into the compartment and i knew it was a sign that she was finished. This usually happens two times a day but lately it has become more. I Cannot handle this. After the last time, i decided that i NEEDED to talk to Braun , seeing as he was the oldest. Maybe he would know what I was feeling.


Of course he wasn't much help. I asked him to describe his job and he said that it was fine, no extra substances poured in except for the minty one which makes our hair softer, and that's about it. I hinted that I hated the smelly acids and the funny texture and that's when Braun sounded surprised. Dad, the oldest of the four was, Brauns owner so he had been working the longest but he looked shocked. " what do u mean acid-y ? "
" well I don't know, " I said, " between the blocks and around the compartment, its not food, its more then that. The food even is...strange to me"
"Oh, poor kid, maybe its all the throwing up shes been doing. Maybe Soni's right and it IS bad for them, and even for you. I guess you'll never know what your job is really supposed to be like."
"well how do YOU feel after work?" i asked timidly.
"hmm, fulfilled."
And I stopped there. That is exactly what I have been missing. I want to feel fulfilled and that is not how Ii feel after work. Not like Braun or Soni or all the other stories that I have heard. I am not fulfilled and something has got to change.
I have a plan Diary, and if it works, next time I will be writing to you from a different place.

Oralb


Dear Diary !

YOU WONT BELIEVE WHERE I AM !! I pulled it off ! You should have seen me diary, so clever and confident and now I'm freeeeeee ! I just couldn't take it anymore and today i mad e a decision to leave. I had planned my escape for a few days but nothing had happened because Soni and Braun would NOT help me.
" You have no way of knowing that it is better out there ! You can't just go and hope! You have to know where that things goes !" Soni screeched, but I didn't care. I was going to make it out of there with or without their help. At first , i though of jumping into the round bowl of liquid beside the sink where we reside. That seemed too dangerous though and i didn't know how much liquid I could take. then it hit me. I could make my way over to the pile of stuff beside the bowl ! All of us have seen Dad take that and replace it every week so why not? I decided that i would go and take a chance, get myself out of this hell !
"Look kid, I don't know much about the outside, but this sounds crazy. I have seen many just like us be thrown into that pile after they have been rendered useless. Is that where you want to go ? "Braun advised me , but I still didn't care. I am on my way to greatness! ANYTHING is better then being back there.


So I escaped. As Cindy's pink device picked me up once again, the liquid in her block compartment was flowing out. I went to work with my hair but half way through, she had to rinse the compartment and that's when i wiggled out of her hand and right into the pile of stuff beside the sink. i heard Cindy curse as i was sliding in with the paper and things which i had never seen before, " OH NO , damn it, there goes my toothbrush !"


Now I am on my way Diary. On my way to a better place, a new place. I have been traveling all day and have not yet seen day light, but I'm sure when i do i will be somewhere better. I haven't felt this happy and excited in a very VERY long time. I am thrilled and my bristles are standing higher in excitement. This is it Diary. this is my calling.

Oral-B
The Toothbrush

Alcoholics Anonymous Much ?

I don't know if in general I would judge others this much but since this assignment requires me to, I have no other choice. I was having a horrible day today and this conversation is about the only thing that went right. I left school early due to a pounding headache and i stumbled upon gold. I was on the bus on my way home right around 12 and my head was hurting too much to put my headphones on. The last thing on my mind was eavesdropping but it was very quiet on the bus and these women were pretty loud.


Woman: So do u wan to hit up a bar today , he he
Girl: MOM ! It's not even happy hour yet !


Is it just me or is this not what a typical mother daughter should be arguing about ? When I go home, the first thing my mother asks me is " how was school" not " what are we doing tonight?" Their conversation boggled my my mind! The girl went on to say how she "totally wasn't expecting" to see her m other the bar last night and that next time they should ask her before they bring anyone home. the mother should ask the daughter.


As i got off the bus, i lost the source of conversation but went on pondering. since when did mothers go from providing us with nutrition to providing us with alcohol ? The girl in the conversation was around 18 seeing as she had a job but was not yet legal age. If our mothers become our friends, then who will become our mothers ? How is it that someone loses all responsibility over their own child? What would it take for a mother to realize what she has done to her daughter ?


It baffled me to see such an exchange between mother and daughter. To be honest it also scared me a little. Partying with my mom ( regardless of how cool she is) has never really been at the top of my to do list. Maybe she was a young mom , but then why have a daughter who you will corrupt. I would not bring a child into this world unless i planned to raise them well. I'm not trying to judge but it is hard not to. A mother who can only think about alcohol and partying and a daughter who is stuck in between. Am i crazy or is this totally wrong ?

I Should Have Know because the Horoscope Told Me.

Lady1: I get on the bus today and realize that i left my umbrella in my locker. What kind of dumb luck do i have ?
Lady2: Yea? Well that must suck.
Lady1: I should have known too, you know, I read the horoscope this morning ans BAM just like it said. I would be flustered and forget important details. An umbrella is an important detail.

I had my music earphones on, but the music turned off. On my way back from my volunteer job yesterday I heard a lot of long conversations; this being one of them. Two women sitting across from each other on the subway went on and on in pointless conversation and then i heard this little part which mad me think. Do we really believe in our horoscopes ? Astrology is amazing and i would love to think that i am a kindhearted loyal person because I'm a cancer but come on!! Those things we read in the papers every morning aren't even original let alone true.

Most people's knowledge pf astrology is through "Sun Sign" astrology which is the type that we read in the newspapers where astrologers pretend to tell people what their day is going to be like based on their zodiac sign. Do we really think that newspapers hire journalists, editors, publishers, oh and don't forget the astrologers?! Really? Horoscopes are great entertainment for people because it tells them what hey want to hear. Most of the time however they are so vague that the reader can't even understand what the horoscope is saying. I'm not completely cynical and i do read my horoscope once in a while, but i don't go as far as following it religiously like this woman. She went as far as to blame herself for a human gesture (forgetfulness) seeing as her horoscope warned her. I'm sure that's exactly what her horoscope meant.

It's not a GONG it's a BONG

The second day of eavesdropping and this thing does not seem to be getting any easier. I started to make the extra efforts today trying and searching for good conversations around me, but no luck. On the bus this morning it was either just small exchange of words or conversations that i could not fully hear do to the noise of the huge crowds. I decided to go out for lunch , maybe i would get lucky , and boy did i get lucky.


As i am sitting at subways ( the restaurant), waiting for two of my friends to finish buying their lunch, two little boys walk in. This was strange because i don't usually see anyone except for E.Y.C.I. students in the area around lunch time. But here they were, two little boys walking into subways and smiling from ear to ear, who could not have been older than 11. 11 years old at most. They the proceeded with their conversations about drugs.
boy1- Did you see them ?
boy2- Yea i see them all the time at the skate park ... getting high .. he he he
boy1- ha ha so do u think you could just go in front of the cops and smoke weed without them being able to do anything?
boy2- i don't think so .. i mean i don't know .. its not like you can just go in front of the station with your gong and start smoking.
boy1- yea your right. Oh, and its a bong by the way. Not gong. Bong.
boy2- Oh, OK.


My friend and I were both staring at each other wide eyed in amazement. Did i mention they could not have been older than 11 ? And even that is pushing it. These rugrats were in line waiting to buy their sandwiches and were talking about drugs. 11 !!!! The conversation continued on and they did not fail to mention drugs such as heroine and cocaine. WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO? I felt so strange looking at these perfectly normal looking boys talking about drugs as if they know everything. When i was 11 the only thing i knew was barbies and spelling homework. Today's culture has boys as young as 11 in environments where people around them are doing drugs and acting as if it is perfectly normal. I'm not sure what to think about this. What have we done ? As teenager we don't realize who we are influencing and honestly even if we did we wouldn't care. Parents are also to blame because they do not monitor where their kids are hanging and what the people around them are doing. When i was 10, I wasn't even allowed to go to my friends house without my older sister walking me there. The only place i could walk alone to was school. There and back. And even then i wasn't alone. Its ridiculous how much freedom parents are giving to their children at such a young age.



As we walked outside, my friend and I were speechless. We didn't discuss what we heard but we were both thinking the same thing.

Old People Like Soup ?

As funny as it may sound, it seems as though it is a lot harder to eavesdrop on someone when you are actually trying than it is when you are not. I have to go out of my way to try and overhear peoples conversations on the bus seeing as i am use to listening to my i-pod and don't usually listen to other people. Other peoples voices annoy me when I'm trying too concentrate on my own thoughts.


My favorite conversation that i have heard so far was this morning , as i was waiting for the morning bus. The bus is usually packed at this time and the line up HUGE so i was lucky to hear anything at all. I stealthily turned off my music when i noticed that two girls in front of me were having a conversation and i listened carefully. It wasn't very interesting but it was pretty silly. one of the girls was dominant in the conversation , talking most of the time as the other listened carefully and nodded at the appropriate times. The one that was talking continuously started of by talking about her job. I guess it was her job because that's what i heard when i turned off my headphones. She was describing to her quieter friend how an old lady had offered her cough droplets because she sounded sick and then ordered soup. She then went on to make the observation that "old people seem to love soup. Only they order it allll theee tiimeee... I mean we run out of stalk all the time. they just love it. Its weird how all old people just love soup."

I thought about 2 things as i was writing down their conversation: 1) Personally, I think that was a pretty bold statement. My grandmother (who in my opinion is not that old but others may think otherwise) hates soup. what does that make her ?? What about me ? I adore soup but I'm most definitely not old. i don't appreciate her saying that ONLY old people order soup because i order soup all the time when i go to a restaurant. Of course I'm assuming she works at a restaurant since i didn't hear the conversation from the beginning. 2) hearing them talk about soup made me super hungry. Writing about it right now is making me even hungrier. So I'm going to go make myself some soup even though I am not an old lady.

I hope next time i get the privilege of hearing a more intelligent conversation =)