Taste Testing

 I bring the polka-dotted Dixie cup close to my mouth, getting a ponderous gust of the tangy zest from the lemon juice. I pull away viscously second guessing myself. I look into the innocent, cloudy cup of yellow. The appearance calmed me reminding me of a summer day in the back yard gazing into my mother flower patch full of daffodils. Reassured I perch my kisser on the edge of the cup. Slowly I tilt the insubstantial, papery cupful to my distressed lips. The cutting extract infiltrates my mouth. My face becomes heavily folded with wrinkles, my eyes squint tightly as my eyelashes tickle just below my eyebrow. I'm paralyzed from the vicious smack of tang. I'm impaired from nothing other than a little lemon juice. It settles to the bottom of my mouth, finding the courage I squint my eyes tight again, clench my fist and commit to engulf the acidic lemony potion. As it left my mouth and funneled through my esophagus into my stomach it gives me a kick as though I am six months pregnant. I wait anxiously with the pungent after taste of lemon. I slouch back in my chair and take a sigh of relief. My nervous system can stand down. The battle is over.

A Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

I roll out of bed this morning dreading the day ahead of me. As I stumble my way to the shower the corner of the door wedges its self between my two last toes causing them to instantly curl as I hop around foolishly droning in pain. Realizing I was already behind schedule I hastily limped to the bathroom for my shower. I quickly rinse my lifeless, short brown hair of the flower-scented shampoo. As I race to my bedroom I scan the floor for clothing since I haven’t done laundry in weeks. I snatch a plain purple t-shirt off the side of the hamper and wiggle myself into a pair of oversized, washed denim jeans. I hurry to the living room to find Ally dressed and playing with her dolls. My husband knows me all too well. I’m always running late. I place Ally into her car seat and buckle her tightly. I speed out of the driveway and of course I hit a red light. As I impatiently wait for the light to change I reassured myself how terrible this day would be. Ally is getting her ears pierced. I carelessly halt into the first parking spot available. I unbuckled Ally and toss her on my hip. Taking a quick glance to my watch, I increase my speed. Were ten minutes late. As we make our way through the automatic doors at the mall entrance a rush of air blows the hairs on the back of my neck giving me every right to imagine the worst that would come of this. We enter Claire’s. I can tell they’ve been expecting us as a gust of cleaning chemicals greets us at the front desk. They congenial employees guide us to the piercing station. They trace two black dots on where the earring will be placed. I begin to feel anxious. Only I knew how this would end. Ally didn’t know what was about to happen all she knew was that there would be a savory lollipop after it all and that’s all she cared about.  Next thing I know they piercing gun snaps and her eyes grow large and glossy like the lollipop she had saved on the counter for afterwards. Tears plunge down her cheeks and her screams echo in the mall. I snatch the lollipop and shove it in her mouth dashing out of the mall as fast as possible. We make it to the car I buckle Ally in and get into the drivers seat. Still cries in the back round I let out a deep sigh of relief. I am so glad that’s over with.

All About Me

Kari-Grace Pym. What a unique names some may say. She would say “Who wants a name everyone has trouble pronouncing?” All through her child hood she was made fun of for the funny ways teachers pronounced her name.  Some nicknames just never get old. So she just sticks with Kari. During the week her peers would tell you that if you ever need to find her, the gym is the place to go. If she’s not there she’s probably dead.  She dedicates most of her hours outside of school playing for the Princess Margaret basketball, volleyball, and soccer teams. When she has some free time to sit down, forget it she’s right back up again. Her mother would tell you that she never stops she always has to be doing something. Some would describe her as driven, involved, and competitive. On the weekends if not at a tournament you’d most likely find her with her family. She appreciates the time spent when they all have the opportunity to be together. Volunteering holds a big place in her heart. When she has free time she absolutely adores exploring the tropics, and filling her life with adventure on humanitarian trips experiencing another life and serving others. Kari has a busy life style but it’s what shapes her bubbly and exciting personality.

The Horrendous Hallways

     “ I was never the girl who walked down the center of the hallway snapping people out of her way.” But now that I’m in grade 12 I feel I’m in charge. I have the power to bark at the slow pokes, the couples that just don’t want to get a room, and those who feel like they can act as road block in the middle of hall to have a conversation. The break in between classes is like an obstacle coarse, and the students are my obstacles. I have to weave through them without causing a collision. Sometimes there are bundles of students that park themselves right in the middle of the hall for a social gathering causing a traffic jam. Consequently I must squeeze myself between the lockers and the adolescents, pressing my face upon the germ infested locker flattening my cheek and my breath is slowly taken away. Finally through the pushing and shoving I burst out the other side nearly losing my step, continuing on my mission down the hall. The hallway should be like a highway; the slow traffic keeps to the right, giving me the opportunity to accelerate with urgency to my final destination while making a few pit stops to the cafeteria and my locker.