This week we want to feature a great piece by 5th grader Lyana from Vienna, VA.
We think this talented young writer has great originality and a real knack for storytelling! See for yourself!
Deal With It
Chapter 1
September 1, 2011
Hi. My name is Will. This is the first time that I’m writing in this journal, and probably the last because writing in journals is for girls. But my Mom wants to know what’s going on in my head. So today was like any other day in my boring apartment. I was sitting at home watching reruns of Sponge Bob when suddenly I heard a knock at the door. I didn’t bother to get up because I enjoyed that comfy couch. Then, I heard the knock again. Knock. Knock. So I got up and opened the door. And there standing in the doorway was Mrs. Stevener. She’s my annoying neighbor. My Mom always tells me to be nice to her, but it’s SO HARD (for a lot of reasons). #1: She’s like a thousand years old (or at least 80 but that’s old to me) #2: She’s always asking me to buy her cereal (I never do it.) Anyway. She was in the doorway, and she asked me, “Dearie. Be a nice boy and buy me some Cheerios.” I opened my mouth and thought ‘Maybe she keeps on asking me to do something for her because I respond to her.’ So I shut the door in her face and went on to watch Sponge Bob.
Once my Mom came home, she made us frozen dinners…like always. As we were eating I could hear Mrs. Stevener doing her pilates in the other room. I asked my Mom if we could move into a better apartment with better walls where you can’t hear your annoying neighbor doing her PILATES! Sadly, my Mom said, “No! We don’t have enough money to afford a better place to live”. I was very disappointed because I think a 25 year old should live in a nicer place away from his mother, but I guess..that’s never going to happen to me.
I’m off to bed. Good night.
Chapter Two
September 3, 2011
I didn’t write on September 2 because I had nothing to write about. All I was doing was the same thing that I did on September 1. Today I thought about not having any money so I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to make money. First I was a barber.
(Cartoon here: Me: “How do you like your new hair cut?” Patron is bald. Patron: “Aaaah. Oh My!”)
That didn’t work out so well. Then I was a therapist.
(Cartoon here: Patient: “Then she was like you are so ugly….” Therapist: “Uh huh. Uh huh. So how do you FEEL about that??”)
That reminds me. I learned a good joke from my time at being a therapist.
How many therapists to change a light bulb?
Just one. But it has to WANT to change.
Anyway, the therapist thing didn’t work because I guess you are not suppose to ask the person how they FEEL about that! Hey! I was curious!
I tried a lot more jobs but I’m too embarrassed to tell you what happened. All the jobs I tried happened in one day because after a few minutes, I gave up anyway and went to a different job. After a while, I gave up on finding a job … period. Just when I thought I was never ever going to be rich, I saw someone was giving out lottery tickets. The prize was $100,000,000. I checked my wallet for some money and I had just enough cash for one lottery ticket! I scratched it with a penny. I scratched and scratched and just as I was wiping the stuff off, I saw five fives in a row. I’m not much of a gambler so I asked the man, “What happens now?” He opened his mouth and yelled, “Son! You won the LOTTERY!” I did??? Are you sure??? Then, I remember fainting. That was kinda embarrassing. I ran home and told my Mom how proud I was to win the lottery.
Chapter 3
September 4, 2011
Today is the day I’m getting my own house not next to an annoying neighbor without my Mom telling me what to do. I packed up my things and drove to the good part of New York. My Mom actually drove me, but I like to say that I did. As I was going into my new apartment, I looked behind me and saw my Mom crying. I waved goodbye and told her I’d visit her soon. The bell boy walked me to my room and said, “Here’s your apartment”. I walked in and saw a mini fridge, a water bed, a 100 ft flat screen TV with an Xbox, and a massage chair. It was amazing! I dropped my bags and jumped into the water bed, turned on the TV, and had a few snacks from the mini fridge. All I could think was, ‘Wow! I am soooo glad I won that lottery.’
Chapter 4
September 5, 2011
Surprisingly I fell asleep in the massage chair instead of the water bed. But let’s face it, that massage chair was cozy. I spent a few hours watching NEW episodes of Sponge Bob and then I heard a knock at the door. ‘Déjà vu’ I thought to myself. I got up and opened the door. ‘Please don’t be Mrs. Stevener. Please don’t be Mrs. Stevener. Please don’t be Mrs. Stevener”. There in the shiny white doorway was a casual looking man in baggy shorts and a I Heart NYC T-shirt. “Hello”, said the man in a deep voice, “My name is Nate. I live in apartment 252 right next to yours. And your name is??” I’m Will. “Nice to meet you, Will. Well, if you need anything, just call me.” I told him ‘thanks’ and I went on to Sponge Bob. Then, I met my neighbors in my lobby. They all seem so nice. So far I love this place!
Chapter 5
September 7, 2011
I met a lot of new people on September 6. I met Nate, Ally, Martha, John, and Nick. The first person I hung out with was Ally. We went to get some lunch. I paid for it. We took a taxi home. I paid for that too. Before we got home while we were in the taxi, she saw some sun glasses that she wanted to get, and she asked nicely for me to pay for them. She was very nice so I did.
Next I hung out with Martha. She was nice too. We went to the movies. I bought us the tickets and the popcorn. When we arrived home, she told me that she needed help buying a few groceries because she misplaced her wallet. I offered her some cash.
Then, I hung out with John and Nick. This time, we stayed at my house and watched American Idol. (I love that show). I offered them some dinner, but they didn’t like what I had in my fridge so I bought them dinner instead.
When I went out to dinner with Nate, he offered to pay. We took a cab home, and he paid for that too. I told him, ‘thanks’ and we watched the American Idol auditions. I’m sitting in my comfy massage and writing in this journal. I’m liking this journal thing. One day, I’m going to forget what happened when I was younger. This journal will help remind me so I can remember. Good night.
Chapter 6
September 8, 2011
Today I woke up in the water bed. My neighbor woke me up by knocking on my door. I opened it to find Ally yelling, “Will, I need your help. Can you pay for these super cool shoes I saw in the window of my favorite store”. Sure. Here’s $50. “Oh sorry”, she apologized, “they’re actually $100”. OK. Here you go. “You’re my best friend”, said Ally. Really? “Sure”, said Ally. I went back to sleep only to be awakened a few minutes later by a knock on the door. This time, it was Martha. “Will, I need a favor?” Uh…OK. What is it? “Can you give me some money to go to a concert with Nick?” Uh sure. Here. After she left, I saw Nate staring at me like I was crazy. What?? I shut the door.
Chapter 7
September 9, 2011
The next day I went to go get some breakfast in the lobby. I sat down, eating my pancakes when Nate sits at my table.
Me: Uh, Nate. Wutz up?
Nate: I don’t want to talk about that.
Me: What’s wrong?
Nate: You know.
Me: What’s wrong?
Nate: They’re using you.
Me: Who is?
Nate: All of your supposedly friends.
Me: They ARE my friends.
Nate: No. They’re not. They’re just your friends cuz you have a lot of money. Me: That isn’t true!
Nate: Yes it is! Can’t you see the shoes? The concert? They have their own money. Why can’t they pay for it. Because….
Me: Because WHAT??
(Nate interrupted) Nate: I’m out of here.
Back in my room, I heard a knock on the door.
Me (in a sad voice): Oh. Hi John.
John: Hey, dude, what’s wrong?
Me: You know Nate?
John: Yah.
Me: Well, he told me this crazy idea, that you guys are using me.
John: Oh…cool. Can I borrow a few bucks? I need to pay for a trip to Maine.
Me: Thanks for listening to me. (Now that I think about it…maybe Nate was right. I’ve got a good idea. I’m going to test out a theory here.)
Me: Hey, John. I’m all out of cash. Want to go swimming instead?
John: No thanks.
He leaves.
Me: (Well that can’t be good).
I’m going to check if the next person who knocks on my door does that.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Me: Hey Ally.
Ally: Will, I have a favor to ask you.
Me (thinking): OK. Here it comes.
Ally: Can I have some money for an outfit to go with my new shoes?
Me: Sorry, Ally, but I’m all out.
Ally: Oh OK, well do you want to go get a bit to eat?
Me: (hopeful) Sure.
Ally: Do you have money? I was hoping you could pay.
Me: (Ugh) No. I can’t. Remember. I’m all out.
Ally: Well, then maybe we’ll go another time.
Me: (Ouch)
She leaves.
Nate was right. Maybe I had it better when I didn’t have as much money. Some people don’t have any money at all. So, maybe I had all I needed and wanted all along. And, I had a great family and great friends. People that don’t just like me because I have a lot of money. They like me because I’m me, because … hey, what’s not to like? You don’t need money to have a good life. I should have none. I’m going to apologize to Nate.
Me: Listen, Nate. I’m sorry. You were right about all my ‘friends’ and how they were using me. I should have listened to you.
Nate: It’s OK. I should have said it nicer. I guess it was kinda overwhelming to hear. Now what are you going to do with your money?
Me: I’m going to give it to people that need it more than me.
So I did. I gave it to the people in Africa. They really appreciated it. They even wrote to me a really nice letter. Anyway. I moved out of my nice, beautiful, glowing, fabulous apartment and into an apartment right next to my Mom. So I can’t HEAR Mrs. Stevener next door, but she still knocks on my door.
I became a producer since I like TV so much
Chapter 8
October 2011
I woke up to a knock at the door. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Mrs. S: Deary, will you please go buy me some Frosted Flakes?
Me: Sure, Mrs. Stevener.
I go get them and deliver them to her door.
Mrs. S: Thank you. You sure are a nice…..
She didn’t finish her thought.
Mrs. S: Oh deary. You forgot to get the milk.
Me: Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh
Oh well. I guess I am just going to have to deal with it.
THE END
