It was mid august and Jerome was back from his work trip to Paris working on a scientific experiment cloning genes. The sun glazed our faces as we took our morning jogs through Clarenton Park.
"So how was your trip" I asked.
He took one big bite into the apple, slowed down and said "it was fine, I accomplished alot"
"That sounds exciting" I said with a smirk and continued jogging. Jerome and I have been engaged for about 6 months after the water fall proposal last December at the Chamberlain Hotel. A couple weeks later, I realized that I was losing a lot of weight and I'd wake up with coating of bad tastes in my mouth which I found very unusual. My body told me something was wrong so I finally went to the doctor. Do I have anything contagious? Will I die? Is there something wrong with the baby? Is it something I ate. Caught up in my thoughts, the doctor tapped my shoulders and brought me into his room. I layed down and watched as he poured the gel over my stomach and stared at the moving life on the screen. I was still in the first trimester so it was difficult to tell if anything was significantly wrong. Doctor Mann tookk my temperature and looked in my mouth. I had a knawing fever and he took out a cotton swab and I drenched my saliva on it.
Minutes later he came back and told me that I was HIV positive and that if I had the baby, it would also be HIV positive. I grabbed my purse, slipped my shoes on and left. With tears in my eyes I handed Jerome the engagement ring and walked away.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Journal #7
Getting off the bus, I dragged my husband Mark into the Car dealership. "Honey look at the small Honda to your right, it would be perfect for us" I said.
"We talked about this, cars cost alot of money and it needs alot of attention" he replied.
"I love cars and I am tired of taking the bus and watching my friends drive their new cars" I said.
" Cars need gas, gas is expensive and don't forget insurance. If there's a problem, you have to take it to the mechanics which cost even more money" Mark said.
"I understand that a car maybe a lot of responsibilty but I know we can handle it and we will grow to love it." I said in anguish
"I really don't a car, but I will think about it" He said.
**I couldn't think of a supermarket scene that wouldnt be the same as everyone else's so I used cars.
"We talked about this, cars cost alot of money and it needs alot of attention" he replied.
"I love cars and I am tired of taking the bus and watching my friends drive their new cars" I said.
" Cars need gas, gas is expensive and don't forget insurance. If there's a problem, you have to take it to the mechanics which cost even more money" Mark said.
"I understand that a car maybe a lot of responsibilty but I know we can handle it and we will grow to love it." I said in anguish
"I really don't a car, but I will think about it" He said.
**I couldn't think of a supermarket scene that wouldnt be the same as everyone else's so I used cars.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Journal #6
a)She prayed that one day god would take her life because it was hard to live.
b)Lucifer, her step dad continued to torture her with his words.
c)Suanna's sister died at birth.
d)The mother was helpless and stayed married to Lucifer
e)One afternoon, Suanna killed her parents and drank coffee over their dead body.
Her eyes could fill a stream and her heart bled as she layed on the floor as a fetus and rocked side to side as she prayed that one day god would take her into his heavens. Lucifer, her stepdad was always torturing her with his harmful words that made Suanna's life unbearable. Months before, her mother gave birth to an already dead baby and that left the household even more numb. The mother felt helpless but she continued to stay married to Lucifer even after he made her lose the baby. Eventually, one afternoon Suanna Killed her parents and drank coffee over their dead body.
b)Lucifer, her step dad continued to torture her with his words.
c)Suanna's sister died at birth.
d)The mother was helpless and stayed married to Lucifer
e)One afternoon, Suanna killed her parents and drank coffee over their dead body.
Her eyes could fill a stream and her heart bled as she layed on the floor as a fetus and rocked side to side as she prayed that one day god would take her into his heavens. Lucifer, her stepdad was always torturing her with his harmful words that made Suanna's life unbearable. Months before, her mother gave birth to an already dead baby and that left the household even more numb. The mother felt helpless but she continued to stay married to Lucifer even after he made her lose the baby. Eventually, one afternoon Suanna Killed her parents and drank coffee over their dead body.
Journal #5
1st Perspective:
It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. The boiler in the basement wasn't working again so charles grabbed the old robe hanging on the closet door, grabbed his cane and headed for the basement. He groaned and mumbled something in hebrew as he approached the last step. He tried turning knobs and checking the water but the loud thump stratled him and he bumped his head on the pipes. He turned around, and he saw a shadow and heard another thump. He walked closer to the sound and saw three rats run from the boxes of old pictire frames and bike parts. As Charles began to walk upstairs, he heard his door open and shouted "Who's there, Who's that". Suddenly footsteps drew closer and Charles gripped the stair handle and lifted his cane in the air.
2nd Perspective:
It was in the middle of the recession and the American dream dwindled quickly for the Cuevas family. Jose Cuevas needed money desperately for his daughter whom cancer got a hold of. Chemotherapy cost them their house and the Van they've been living in isn't cutting it for all five of them. As the provider, he felt helpless and he had to change that or else his only daughter would die in six months. Jose waited until mid day and even though the weather was bleak, he still followed through. It was the smallest house on the block and he went in through the back gate. He slowly pushed the door open and stuck he head in and looked around. It seemed quiet so he stepped in. Walking towards the bedroom, he heard a loud thump comming from the basement, he walked over there and took out the baseball bat. He was willing to do whatever he could to get some money for his daughter. He got closer to the door and turned the door knob.
It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. The boiler in the basement wasn't working again so charles grabbed the old robe hanging on the closet door, grabbed his cane and headed for the basement. He groaned and mumbled something in hebrew as he approached the last step. He tried turning knobs and checking the water but the loud thump stratled him and he bumped his head on the pipes. He turned around, and he saw a shadow and heard another thump. He walked closer to the sound and saw three rats run from the boxes of old pictire frames and bike parts. As Charles began to walk upstairs, he heard his door open and shouted "Who's there, Who's that". Suddenly footsteps drew closer and Charles gripped the stair handle and lifted his cane in the air.
2nd Perspective:
It was in the middle of the recession and the American dream dwindled quickly for the Cuevas family. Jose Cuevas needed money desperately for his daughter whom cancer got a hold of. Chemotherapy cost them their house and the Van they've been living in isn't cutting it for all five of them. As the provider, he felt helpless and he had to change that or else his only daughter would die in six months. Jose waited until mid day and even though the weather was bleak, he still followed through. It was the smallest house on the block and he went in through the back gate. He slowly pushed the door open and stuck he head in and looked around. It seemed quiet so he stepped in. Walking towards the bedroom, he heard a loud thump comming from the basement, he walked over there and took out the baseball bat. He was willing to do whatever he could to get some money for his daughter. He got closer to the door and turned the door knob.
Journal #4
Walking on Broadway, seconds before I approached the intersection of 59th street and Lexington, I quickly pushed my back against the wall as two cars collided right before my eyes. Still pressed against the bricks, I saw the airbags in the two taxis come alive and the sounds of ambulance sirens drew closer. It happened so quickly, my heart and my mind was still in shock but I ran over to the cars shoved my stethoscope in my ear and dialed 911.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Journal #3 (Backwards Plotting)
“Aww, Sofia… I‘m sorry for your loss… I know that he’s going to be missed a lot… He was such a great man!” Over and over again friends and family members kept coming up to me giving me their condolences. Everyone thinks they really knew my father, “the perfect man!” To the world, he played a role people adored. The single father raising his daughter after his wife abandoned them, working two jobs, and always helping out everybody in the neighbor. But only I knew who Victor Morales really was.
As I walked down the aisle getting closer to the casket; the tension grew stronger and stronger as I got closer his body. “Sofiaaaaa (sing song voice) come here baby” Victor had said. “Yes daddy?” Sofia had said. “Daddy doesn’t feel well honey” Victor said as he began to undress her. “Daddy why are you taking my clothes off? It’s not bath time….” Sofia said. “I know honey, but daddy needs to feel better.”
Every time daddy would say this I would close my eyes to get through it and win the lollipop he would always promise me. But this time it really hurt and daddy made me position myself like a dog on his bed. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” “Oh dear I am so sorry that you’re taking his death so hard; he was such a great man” said my neighbor as she hugged me and rubbed my back. Little did she know that I was screaming at the memory of the pain that I had felt, not his death.
I got home and my answering machine flashed a bright red light reminding me that I had two missed calls and messages. I figured that it would be more pathetic condolences from family members I've never even met. However, I listened anyway and a man by the name of Rodriguez wanted to meet with me to discuss Victor's will. He mentions that considering I am his only beneficiary, I had to come and sign some papers. Already dressed and his office not being too far I went over right away to get it over with. When I arrived, his secretary apologized for Victor's death; I nodded and walked into Mr. Rodriguez's office. "My condolences, your father was a good man" he said. I told him I was in a rush and he told me that Victor left the house for me and everything that was in his bank account. I signed the papers and left.
After talking to the lawyer, I started to walk around the neighborhood and without noticing it there was the house that has haunted me all of my life. In that house I would pray for someone to rescue me, I would pray for my mother to be like a hero I’d wish that he’d stop touching me however my wish never came true. The day I left my house I said to myself that I’d never come back to this house. In an attempt to calm my nerves I decided to smoke a cigarette. I wanted to enter the house but the traumatic memories rushed back into my mind and stopped me from entering. All I wanted was to make the house disappear. I threw the cigarette on the “Welcome” mat outside of the front door. Smoke then came from the mat and then ignited a fire. I lighted another match and threw it on the mat. Little by little the house was burning. As it disappeared, so did my memories.
As I walked down the aisle getting closer to the casket; the tension grew stronger and stronger as I got closer his body. “Sofiaaaaa (sing song voice) come here baby” Victor had said. “Yes daddy?” Sofia had said. “Daddy doesn’t feel well honey” Victor said as he began to undress her. “Daddy why are you taking my clothes off? It’s not bath time….” Sofia said. “I know honey, but daddy needs to feel better.”
Every time daddy would say this I would close my eyes to get through it and win the lollipop he would always promise me. But this time it really hurt and daddy made me position myself like a dog on his bed. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” “Oh dear I am so sorry that you’re taking his death so hard; he was such a great man” said my neighbor as she hugged me and rubbed my back. Little did she know that I was screaming at the memory of the pain that I had felt, not his death.
I got home and my answering machine flashed a bright red light reminding me that I had two missed calls and messages. I figured that it would be more pathetic condolences from family members I've never even met. However, I listened anyway and a man by the name of Rodriguez wanted to meet with me to discuss Victor's will. He mentions that considering I am his only beneficiary, I had to come and sign some papers. Already dressed and his office not being too far I went over right away to get it over with. When I arrived, his secretary apologized for Victor's death; I nodded and walked into Mr. Rodriguez's office. "My condolences, your father was a good man" he said. I told him I was in a rush and he told me that Victor left the house for me and everything that was in his bank account. I signed the papers and left.
After talking to the lawyer, I started to walk around the neighborhood and without noticing it there was the house that has haunted me all of my life. In that house I would pray for someone to rescue me, I would pray for my mother to be like a hero I’d wish that he’d stop touching me however my wish never came true. The day I left my house I said to myself that I’d never come back to this house. In an attempt to calm my nerves I decided to smoke a cigarette. I wanted to enter the house but the traumatic memories rushed back into my mind and stopped me from entering. All I wanted was to make the house disappear. I threw the cigarette on the “Welcome” mat outside of the front door. Smoke then came from the mat and then ignited a fire. I lighted another match and threw it on the mat. Little by little the house was burning. As it disappeared, so did my memories.
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