Following the reading of Paul Fleishman's, Seedfolks, students composed a vignette as an additional chapter to the novel. Students were asked to write a narrative similar to the writing style of Paul Fleishman. In the comments section of this blog post you will find students' vignettes. Even if you have not had the pleasure of reading Seedfolks, we gaurantee you will enjoy our writing.
Below you will find a brief synopsis of the novel, Seedfolks, as a prelude to the Seedfolks Vignettes created by sixth grade students.
A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers where no one seems to care. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise: To Curtis, who believes he can win back Lateesha's heart with a harvest of tomatoes; to Virgil's dad, who sees a fortune to be made from growing lettuce; and even to Maricela, sixteen and pregnant, wishing she were dead.
Thirteen very different voices -- old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted, and hopeful -- tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms a neighborhood.
Below you will find a brief synopsis of the novel, Seedfolks, as a prelude to the Seedfolks Vignettes created by sixth grade students.
A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers where no one seems to care. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise: To Curtis, who believes he can win back Lateesha's heart with a harvest of tomatoes; to Virgil's dad, who sees a fortune to be made from growing lettuce; and even to Maricela, sixteen and pregnant, wishing she were dead.
Thirteen very different voices -- old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted, and hopeful -- tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms a neighborhood.
25 comments:
ROYCE
Why does everyone judge me? I consider myself pretty nice person. I sleep in the abandon apartments since it’s the only place that seems safe within this chaotic place, or at least it was until I found the garden.
I have lived some bad days and some good days. Everyone in this city always judges me because I’m black and almost pure muscle. Never really knew my parents since I’m homeless. But at least I’m alive. I woke up one day with someone yelling at me about some tomatoes, I don’t know I was still half asleep when I woke up he yelled and threatens me, and it was like the whole entire block could hear him because everyone kept looking out their windows and just stared and gasped
“That’s the man stealing my food” one said and
“Let’s get him” another exclaimed.
This talk was very familiar to me because of how much trouble I have gotten into so much trouble within my lifetime. The man said his name was Curtis and he forgives me, but he didn’t like that I was stealing tomatoes from him. So we made a promise if I protect the garden at night he will allow me to take a tomato for the night. I agreed and right there, a friendship was made.
Today I was in the garden and everyone was whispering “wasn’t that the guy who stole the food from us” and “why he is here”, all these sounded familiar from last night. I started to weed and a man came up to me and said
“Welcome to the garden” he told me. I replied “Thanks?” I began to start working again and then a man in the straw hat came and said
“No you do it like this not like that”. I told him thanks and began to work. I looked around and it was like the plants were talking to, they whispered. I went to sleep n the back end of the garden as usual but this time it was different, like people were watching me. I hardly slept watching my back all night afraid someone would come out and scare the Jesus out of me and stab me with a pitch fork. Sounds like the every day on the block homeless man in Cleveland life. I woke up the next morning excited to be alive and the plants whispered to me;
“Your family now”. Now I know it sounds weird, and I’m not one of those people who believe in stuff like that but I actually did feel like family for a few minutes. Then it happened, bam a man had stole a ladies purse and threaten to kill her with a knife. I and two others ran, I grabbed a pitch fork and ran after him stabbing the pitch fork threw his shirt and into a nearby wall until the police arrived.
After my so called “heroic actions” we celebrated and everyone gave me food and blankets to sleep and it was really nice of them and I felt like family. The next day a man celebrated by having BBQ across the street and we all joined showing off all our plants and hard work that we have done to make our plants. I felt like family
Now I’ve been given plants for food at night and people where allowing me to sleep in their houses for the night and they would give my sleeping bags and food and heat. It was like living in a machined. It was nice of them to give me a place to stay and I told them thanks but they said “for anyone who watches over my plants, it’s a pretty good trade”. I liked this it made me feel like I had a purpose for once.
I met new friends in the garden my best friend from the garden was Amir. He was a pretty good friend and he was black and a quiet man like me. He grew eggplants. I thought it was kind of weird but he is a pretty nice guy. He invited me over for dinner I replied sure because I had no better things to do except for fight and work out and I’m pretty tired right now. As I approached his house he ran out the door and said he had to go. I don’t know what happened but I am determined to find out.
By: Zach
Mallory
I was woken up by a crash of lighting and a ringing sound. Was it my hamster? The house started to rattle like a motor, so I quickly grabbed my toy sword and traveled down the staircase two at a time. As soon as my foot hit that last step, I fell down into an army crawl. I crawled toward the ringing noise that I soon realized was just my phone. I quickly answered it,
“Hello?”
As soon as the voice hit my ear I knew it was my parents.
“Wait” I told them
Weren’t they in bed? I thought to myself
I quickly put down the phone and ran into their bedroom where I found a completely empty bed. I ran back the phone, and picked it up again.
“Hello?”
“Hi honey”
“WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?” I answered with a worried sound in my voice
“Sorry Hun but your uncle called and your aunt has had a heart attack, so I want you to come over here-ok”
“Out in that storm?” I asked her
“Yes sweetie” she replied
“Have you seen what it’s like out there?”
“Come” she told me
Of course I was very scared soon as there was a terrible storm out there and we live in Cleveland .So first to get ready I put some clothes on which includes; raincoat, rubber boots, and a hat. Then I grabbed my umbrella, the house keys, a flashlight, and my cell phone. Finally I set off, leaving the cold dark empty house to itself. At first I started to run, the rain felt like rocks hitting against my face and the thunder sounded like a herd of elephants was coming after me. The flashlight I had brought was quite dim but still a small path of light lit my way. I slowed down to a power walk I heard a noise to my left I jerked my flashlight toward the noise I stopped. In front of me was a large beautiful green garden. I paused for a moment to just admire this beautiful creation, at first I thought I was dreaming I never even thought of a garden in the city of Cleveland. So curious me I went up to the garden, it looked beautiful I thought to myself maybe I could plant some strawberries. My aunt loves strawberries and every summer time she and I would plant them.
“OH, NO”
I forgot I have to go see her. Then I heard my cell phone, it was my mom.
“Hello”
“Hi honey, where are you?” my mom asked with a worried sound to her voice
“Sorry, is aunty OK?”
“Where are you, we are going to come pick you” my mom said
“Why?” I asked
“Your aunty died at 5:00 am” my mom told me
She sounded like she was just going to break out in tears.
“I'm by that new garden down town Cleveland”
“Oh, we see you” she told me with a little relief sound in her voice
The Next Day...........
I wanted to go to that garden so I grabbed a shovel, some strawberry seeds, and a watering can.
“Mom” I shouted
“Yes”
“Can I go play?” I asked
“Be safe”
“OK”
So I set of, when I got there, the only person that was a blacked hair little girl checking on her plants. I started to plant, but then she stopped me in Vietnamese. That was awesome because I have never met anyone that speaks my language. She showed me where I could plant, so I started my very own memory garden.
Dezmond By: Kayla Skiver
When you’re as poor as I am, you’ll do anything to stay alive. Even if that means stealing food from a community garden. That’s just what I found myself doing today.
I’m a 17 year old boy with white blonde hair, blue eyes and enough money to buy a week’s worth of Happy Meals from McDonalds. I came to Cleveland when my parents got in an accident and had to live with my aunt, who was way too nice for me to take her money for another year. So I moved out, and that’s when my trouble began.
When I had lived with my parents in Michigan, I had no friends. Well, except one. As I stared at the tasty vegetables from across the street, I found myself thinking about my only friend.
Her name was Kira. When my parents were still alive we were next door neighbors. Her dad had a garden with snap peas in it. Kira’s family called them “pea pods”. Near summer vacation, Kira would come into school and hold her hand out to me and say, “Look what I’ve got!” As I would carefully peel off the shell, Kira would chomp them down in one greedy gulp.
I cherished our friendship and all our memories we shared. Then one day, my parents got hit by a drunk driver when they were walking home from a date. I was 14 years old. I was forced to move to Cleveland with an aunt. When I turned 16, I moved out and began stealing from stores. One day, I saw Kira shopping at a grocery store, for some reason, when I was stealing some food and money. When she noticed me, she outstretched her hand and said, “Dezmond.” The look she gave me pierced me like a knife and accused me of stealing and told me it was wrong. But I knew that already!
This community garden reminded me of her, but I wondered why I had recalled all of this. Just in the middle of the flashback my mind had said “Hey! Wait a minute!” and I had snapped back to reality. Insanely, I thought about going to the store and buying some snap pea seed packets and planting them here. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and focused on the bright red beacon of the beefsteak tomatoes in front of me.
I set a brisk pace up to the garden, hands in the pockets of my black hoodie and hood up. For a few seconds, I pretended to look at the tomatoes, admire them, and then I snatched one up and shoved it in my sweatshirt pocket.
Immediately, a huge black-skinned teenager came out of the corn behind the tomatoes wielding a pitchfork. I sprinted back to my cardboard box home on a nearby street, clutching the tomato to my chest.
When I reached the refrigerator-sized mass of cardboard, I knew I was safe. I crawled into it and bit in to the juicy tomato. My first bite was the worst bite of food I’d ever had though because I experienced real guilt for the first time. Not just stole-a-cookie-from-the-cookie-jar-as- a- kid guilt but real guilt.
The next day I decided to do something about it. The owner of the tomatoes was leaning over the plants, inspecting damage and muttering things. It didn’t look like much damage, so I left him alone. I realized something just then. I realized I had to do something about the garden. I had to shower it in snap peas.
So, using the last of my only money I’d had for three years, I bought a very small trellis, a trowel and a few seed packets of “pea pods”.
To be continued...
Dezmond Continued...
I headed out to the garden the next morning and planted every single seed, covered them up with dirt, made sure the birds couldn’t see it and watered my little “podlings”.
The months went by. Seed turned to sprouts. Sprouts turned to small vines that climbed the small trellis. The small vines got leaves. Small, leafy vines got buds. Buds turned to little pale yellow flowers. And flowers, finally, turned to pea pods.
I treasured the little plants. I didn’t eat a single one until they got overgrown, then I shared them with a woman named Leona, the teenager who chased me away named Royce and the guy who grew the tomatoes named Curtis. I apologized to him and he even gave me some of his tomatoes in return. Leona gave me some tips on how to grow the snap peas better. She also asked me if I had anywhere to go. I told her about Kira. Leona suggested I go find Kira, tell her I was sorry and go live with her.
The next day, I found myself searching phonebooks, looking all around Cleveland, peeking in stores, going to the bus stop, looking in the high schools where I should technically be right now. Then I found her in the store I stole from. I raced to the garden, got permission from someone who grew flowers to pick some, and rushed myself to the store, taking a bag of pea pods with me.
“Kira!” I called, raising my hands and showing her the gifts I was going to give her.
“Dezzy!” She called, giving me the nick name she made up years ago.
Everyone knew I hated the nick name, but I would let her call me it just this once.
“Um…I’m sorry…for that one day a year ago.” I held up the flowers and pea pods.
Kira didn’t forgive me for the gifts or even joining the community garden and growing the pea pods. She forgave me for admitting my faults, “I forgive you.”
“Um… So what are you doing in Cleveland?” I asked.
“My parents let me move out a year ago. I knew you had an aunt that lived here.” She answered.
“Oh.”
“Let’s go home.” Kira suggested.
I knew exactly what she meant. I took her hand in mine and we walked all the way to her house slowly, taking in the beautiful paintbrush sunset.
José
America is not how I thought it was. In Mexico we all knew each other, we all were friends and we helped each other and celebrated with each other. Here in America life is hard. People do not talk to you, nobody is kind. The world is grey and cold.
I lived in Mexico most of my life. Grass does not grow there. We did not prosper there. That is why we dreamed of America. We heard stories of the great opportunity and prosperous land. So with my family I escaped across the border as a young boy. Life here is different from what I heard. I learned English very fast. My family could not find work. We were farmers, here there was nothing to farm. At a young age my family was killed. They were walking home from the vegetable store when they were caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting. I always wish we could have grown our vegetables like in Mexico. Then they would not have been there. They would not have died. After that I did not know what to do with my life, I just did work and bought food. I never talked to anybody, I have been so lonely. I have had no job for a long time. I work with a contractor for very little money now. He hired me because he knew he would not pay me as much. I surprised them just from speaking English, but I did not talk to them much anyways. People did not understand me.
I kept the opal necklace. It was a family heirloom my mother had gotten from a trader in Mexico. It was the last memory of my old life. Sometimes I held it when I was thinking about my family.
I was on my way to the hardware store, walking by myself. I looked to my left at the brick walls to escape from peoples glances when I passed by the garden. I stopped and stared at the beautiful green and yellow and red and purple. The vines and plants , flowers and vegetables growing in an alley. A black man and woman were working together on a lot of large tomatoes. Many people were together, talking and planting and working. A man with a white beard noticed me standing there. I thought he was going to attack me for coming near that garden so I started to walk away.
“How is it going sir?” I looked back and stared at him. “I saw you looking at the garden over h-”
“I am very sorry sir, I want no trouble.” I said, scared, wondering what he was going to do.
“Oh no, my name is Sam, this is a community garden, everybody is welcome! I thought you looked interested in it and I thought I would let you know.” I began to smile. I was relieved and excited. The garden reminded me of my childhood in Mexico with all of the colors, plants and the people working together. He told me his name was Sam, and that I should come and plant. I decided I would plant in this beautiful garden. I bought a packet of chili pepper seeds and came back. As I stood at this new lot of dirt I remembered helping my father grow these same plants. I thought about the warm air and friends in Mexico. One tear fell to the ground under me.
Continued..
I kept to myself at first. Every day I came back. I loved coming there. Sam saw me working there one day. He told me he was glad to see me there and he talked to me for a long time. He was my first friend I have had for a very long time. After I started talking to him, people started talking to me. I helped people with their planting because I knew so much about it from my childhood. People started to like me and see me as a friend. I started to smile more. I learned that these friends of mine did not talk to people because it is hard to live in this place, and there are many bad people that will hurt you if you let your guard down. People believed the stereotypes about foreigners like me until they met me. In the garden though, we were all a family. We were all friends that helped each other. We laughed with each other, and smiled together.
Everyday as I came back my peppers grew bigger and redder. People started to know my name, and even people who didn’t know me began to compliment my peppers. One day a Latino man walked towards me and complimented my peppers.
“Those peppers are very nice!” He said. “I have been selling baby cabbage to an uptown restaurant for a while, I bet you they would love some of these.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean that I could sell these for you and give you the profit, a small chunk of it for myself of course.” I did not even think about what he said. My father was a farmer in Mexico and that was what he did, I wanted to remember him.
“Yes sir, I would like to do that.”
“Great! Bring your good ones in a basket to me each couple of days and the next time I see you I will give you the profit. By the way, what is your name?”
“Jose᷉”
A long time went by as I began to sell all of my peppers. I grew to know everybody and love coming there. I met a woman there and we talked every day. She was great and I told her all about myself as she told me stories of her life in Guatemala. That was my first time feeling love without great sadness and it felt very nice. One day as I was finishing my harvest and beginning to leave the garden behind, Sam came to me and told me that we were having a harvest party.
“Stay and attend. We would all love to see you here.”
“Thank you sir, but I must get home.”
“Please, stay awhile.” He said. I felt very happy that he wanted me to stay so much and I thought about Sheela and all of the friends I found there. I realized that I truly loved this garden, and that it saved my life in a way.
“Okay sir, I will stay here.” I replied.
“You know you really have a family here.”
That day I buried the opal necklace under my chili peppers.
By Kane Sweet
Amber
The blaring of a giant car horn was overpowering as BANG! The semi hit us! The giant mass of steel rammed into us and flipped over our tiny car. “Momma, Daddy! Help me! I’m stuck!” But there was no reply to my plea for help as my world went black.
Standing there watching the people in the garden work, I had another flash back from the last moments that I was with my parents. While I gazed hungrily at every different variety of food in the garden I wished again for about the millionth time that my momma was here to make her delicious strawberry jam and to save me from the cruel orphanage that I have to stay at until someone adopts me. I began the long hike back to the orphanage before I got caught for leaving.
I came back to the community garden the next day with a wild idea. I crept slowly over to the worn path that led through the garden hoping no one would see me. I guess that you can’t hide in plain daylight because before I took two steps a pregnant teenager called out to me.
“Hey, whatcha doing creeping around like that?’
I didn’t answer I just stood there petrified of answering back.
“Did ya hear me? Or don’tcha you talk?”
I couldn’t answer her so I continued walking, but this time I didn’t creep around because I didn’t want to run into anyone again. I chose a very small plot near the back and found an old rusted shovel to try and till the soil with. I worked for over an hour making the soil perfect for planting in and rushed back to the orphanage as fast as I could fearing that I would be caught. The next day it rained so I couldn’t visit the garden or try to find a way to get seeds to plant.
As soon as the rain stopped I went into town.
“Hey! Get back here!”
I tore off with the strawberry seeds I stole from the local gardener and ran into the garden to plant them before I got caught. I did not have a clue how to plant all of the tiny little seeds and I didn’t know what half the words on the packet meant so I took a wild guess at how to plant them. The teen that called out to me the other day saw me struggling with planting my precious strawberry seeds and came over to help.
“Do you need some help?”
I still did not reply. I couldn’t risk it. I haven’t talked to anyone in four years why start now?
“Please answer me; you know you can trust me.” She said.
“How?” I cannot believe that I even spoke one word to this complete stranger but I needed someone to talk to and I was lonely.
“How what?”
“Do- I- Know?” I could not get the words out so it sounded like I was stammering.
“You can trust me because I know the feeling of not wanting to live. You just want to disappear and not talk to anyone.” I was so happy someone finally understood me that I couldn’t stop talking even if it was a stammer.
“H-how’d y-you know?”
“Ever since I’ve been pregnant no one wanted anything to do with me and I just wanted them to kill me so I didn’t have to live with it. Do you need some help?” I couldn’t say anymore so I just nodded. I finally learned what the pregnant teens name was. Her name was Maricela. Maricela helped me to plant my strawberries and to harvest them when they were ready and I taught her to make strawberry jam.
“I’ve got to go now.”
“Why?” Maricela asked.
“I have to go to the orphanage.” I said with disgust.
“Why do you go there?” Somebody in the garden asks me.
“My parents died.”
I ran all the way back to the orphanage fighting back tears from the memory that is resurfacing. As soon as I walk in the door to the orphanage the mean lady who runs it stopped me.
“Hey, get outta here! You don’t belong here! Someone adopted you!”
“Who?”
“Dunno somebody from that silly garden over there.”
I rushed back to the garden to stay there until someone tells me that they adopted me. As dusk was falling I sat on a rock to watch the sky change colors when someone snuck up behind me.
“Hey sissy whatcha doin out here you’re supposed to be at home.”
“What?”
“Didn’t they tell you? My mom adopted you. You are now my adopted sister.”
Four Weeks Later
“Amber hurry or you won’t be able to see Lily!” I am super excited to see my little sister today but the question I always ask myself is if everyone died tomorrow would I have to go back to the orphanage?
Julia
I was born in Bochum Germany but never saw its sky for my mother and father brought me to America at the age of 1 week. My parents moved to America because of a huge tornado that ripped through the city we lived in and destroyed everything in its path, my mother and father had relatives in America so they decided to move, they also wanted to get away from the terrible memory. About 5 years later I started school but soon dropped out because of bullies, they told me I was weird because when I said words that start w like word they would make fun of me because I would say it with a v sound like vord. I have been home schooled since.
The day was warm and sunny the sky was a bright blue, I was taking my usual route on my way home from the store but this time I was stopped by a man that I soon came to know as Sam. He saw I was carrying groceries and asked if I wanted to take home some carrots. I told him I would but quite softly for I disliked talking to people. So he walked me around a corner and as we rounded that corner I turned my head to see a beautiful sight a garden. The garden had about 15 people in it; the garden was very colorful with all sorts of greens, reds, purples, and oranges, it looked like a painting. I had seen gardens before but this one was special because it reminded me of when my father was alive. He would always grow carrots and tomatoes and other veggies in his own garden and it would be colorful like the garden I was in. Sam’s voice brought me back to reality he was telling me that it was a community garden. I asked him if I could plant something and if he would help me. After he told I could and he would help me if I met him in the morning we got into a conversation about gardening he was explaining how to care for the plants then the subject changed to caring for the community and how the garden was a part of it. I was starting to feel more comfortable talking to people after the conversation was over he lead me to his tiny garden and gave me carrots. When I got home and gave my mother the carrots she asked where I got them. I told her someone gave them to me, and then quickly walked away not wanting to be interrogated.
to be continued in next post.....
Julia continued.......
Thinking of the garden reminded me of my Father. About 2 years ago my Father was on his way to work and was hit head on by another driver, the other driver was drunk. The thing that made me angry was the one who caused the crash lived but my Father died. Everything changed after he died. My mother used to dance with me and my brown hair would swing in the wind then she would dance with father. Now she never dances she just looks around gloomily.
The next morning I met Sam in the garden. We worked all day removing the trash and breaking large clumps of dirt, next we planted the tiny seeds of carrots and tomatoes. Once they were planted we watered them and put a fence up and then I left. On they way home I couldn’t help being happy because it made me think my dad would look down on me and being proud. All That week I went to the garden whenever I had the chance. A couple days later I was starting to see some shoots.
About a week later I decided to show my mother my sprouts, when we arrived I showed mom my plants; she looked at the plants and smiled. I told her to meet some people while I cared for the plants. When I had finished I saw that Mom was talking and laughing. It was the first time I had seen her talking and laughing since dad died. I was proud that my mother was starting to communicate again. Once she finished her conversation we left.
That night my mom told me in the future she would like to come with me to the garden. I smiled to myself; my mother was back to the real world no more grief stricken faces, only my happy mother. I couldn’t help feeling that the garden had changed me to, it made me see that talking to people is not that bad and that night I made a decision that changed my life I was going back to school.
At first being at school was hard it took a while for everyone to get used to me. But after they accepted me I enjoyed school I had quite a few friends. Even though I have school every day I have managed to go to the garden and I have learned to cherish each day.
Katieq
Mae
By: Eryn Schroer
I stood in front of the garden it reminded me of my father, because my father’s shirts had different colors on them. (That is way I like going to the garden).Mae though.
Then one day I was walking with my dog (banana) and we saw a girl in the garden she looked my age and I’m sixteen but she was bigger than me she look as if she was pregnant.
But a minute or two after Banana and I walked over there and asked what she was growing.
She said. “We are growing radishes!”
Then I said “Are they good?”
“I spouse they should be good”
“Oh ok” I replied.
“I was looking at the gardened the other day and I was thinking what should grow?”
“Well you could grow a kind of strawberry or something like that!”
“Maybe I should they could be good. Thanks!”
“You’re welcome” Maricela said. “Oh yeah my name is Maricela”
“Ok thanks my name is Mae”
“Well hi Mae nice to meet you”
“Nice to meet you too” Mae smiled.
After that Mae rushed to the nearest store and bought strawberry seeds. Then she went home to see if she had any tool the start her garden but she didn’t have any so she put the seeds down and went back to the store.
“Hey your back” said the store Clerk.
“Yeah I forgot some garden tool do you know where they are?”
“Yup! Follow me I’ll show you what kind of tools?”
“I need gardening tool so I can start my garden today”
“What kind of seeds are you growing?”
“Well let’s see I’m growing strawberries.”
“Oh do you need the seeds?”
“Oh no thank you I got some!”
So the store manger took Mae and got her tools. Then after that she went back to her house and got the seeds and went back to the garden and started planting.
“Oh Lordly” said a little old woman. “That is going to take forever you little girl should not be doing a garden”
“Well why not?” I questioned.
“Well because you are too small and you have years to live when I only have a couple more years till I go!”
“Well I’m still going to the garden and you can’t stop me!”
The lady didn’t say anything else she just walked away.
After the lady left Mae started to dig and put the seeds in the little holes.
“There I’m done” Mae said in a tired voice.
“You’re not done yet” said a man with a deep voice.
“What do you mean “I’m not done!” asked Mae?
“Well you have to water it and take care of your plants you have to water it every day and you have to let it have a lot of sun!” said the man.
“I didn’t mean that I was all done I meant that I was done with planting the seeds”
“Oh okay, then carry on now and have a good day!” Said the man in an surprised voice.
“thank you and thank for the advise about the planting stuff” Mae said in a sweet voice.
“Oh yeah you have a nice day to!”
“Thank you!” The man said in a kind voice.
A couple of days has past after I saw that man. But, I see that man a lot we say hi every time we see each other he asks me how my strawberries are doing, and I say good then I ask him how his plants are doing, then he say good. Then we start talking about how’s life and where we came from and how’s are plants are doing stuff!
“So where were you from Mae?”
“I’m from Canada” Mae answered “Where were you from?”
“Me I don’t know my mother gave me away when I was a baby” The man said sadly.
“You never told me your name yet but you know my name so what is your name?”
“My name is Brandon”
“Well hi Brandon nice finely know your name how old are you?
“18 how old are you?”
“17”
“Oh so we are only a year apart when’s you birthday?”
“April when’s yours?”
“May” answered Brandon.
To be continued on next post!!!
“Oh, we are not that far apart. Eh!” Mae said surprised.
“Yeah were not that far apart,” Brandon was thinking.
“So, I guess I will see you later’” Mae said in a sweet voice.
“Yeah see you later.”
“Bye”
“Bye,”
Then a very large man named James was walking by and said “hello how are you today?”
“I’m good how are you today?”
“I’m good what are you growing in your garden?”
“I’m growing strawberries!”
“Oh sounds good!”
“What are you growing in your garden?”
“A lot of different stuff!”
“Oh, okay well have a good day sir.” Mae said politely
“You to, by the way my name is James”
“Nice to meet you James my name is Mae.” Mae told James
“Nice to meet you too Mae bye now”
“Bye!” Mae smiled
Man that man is very nice but he is quite large for his age well I don’t know how old he is so I don’t know! Well today is a new day I am ready to have a new start another day seeing Brandon. Mae had a little smile on her face as if she is in love with Brandon or something.
Another day in the garden another day seeing Brandon another day smelling the smells another day being alive and another day missing my mother it’s been 6years since I lost her. Okay act cool Brandon coming breath, breath Mae breath.
“Hey Brandon was up?” Mae said cheerfully.
“Hey” Brandon looked sad
“What’s wrong are you ok?” Mae asked
“No, no I’m not ok all of my plants are gone!”
“What do you mean? “Your plants are gone?”
“Someone took them and my lot is all trashed!!” Brandon said in a anger voice. “have you seen your plants yet?”
“No, no I haven’t not yet”
“Well you better go cheek right now”
“Well I was on my way do you want to come with?”
“Ok let’s hurry”
“See nothing happened to my plants!”
“Yeah not yet someday there are going to be that day!”
“Well we just have to wait till that day comes”
Why does he think something is going to happen to my strawberries? Is he going to do something to my plants? Nah he will never do that to my plants unless he is like that but is not like that he is kind and thoughtful and my best friend Well, he is my only friend here and I don’t get to see my friends in Canada so he is my only friend!
Three days later my plants were gone and I never saw Brandon ever again!
Folco
Life is like fine played song. Like flows on and on, but both life and music can be changed for better or for worse. For me, my life is a mix of both. Once I lived in the city of Madrid, I there had a small music shop and a timple. A timple is a small guitar used in Spanish music. The timple was not what an average person would call special, but to me it was a cherished piece. It had been handed down generation to generation, father to son.
One day I took a train ride to the country with my timple to see my family, as I did each month. Once I had been on the train for a while, I heard some yelling in the back of the train car. Then a deafening bang and all was black. I remembered no more. I could still walk and talk, but I remembered nothing of my family, or friends. I did remember my timple. I looked and looked through the wreckage, but all I could find was the top part of my precious timple. Still I kept this small portion with me as I journeyed.
I wandered the world. Slowly some of the memories came back. The ones that I really treasured were lost. I decided to move on to somewhere new and make new memories to replace the ones that had vanished. I sold my music shop. Then using the little money I got from the store, I set off for America.
Now I am here in the flawed part of Cleveland. Once a store owner, I am now an employee at a hardware store. The only thing that I possess from my far flung life in Spain was the fragment from my old timple and the new one I bought with some extra money that I had made working overtime.
One spring evening I was driving home from work when I caught a glance of green in the old vacant lot. Now green is not a hard color to come by in the city, but that green I saw was a living green. And to me it is rare and precious. So I pulled up next to the lot to investigate. The sight that met my eyes surprised me beyond words. There were people in the vacant lot. The lot was not vacant anymore, it was not even a lot anymore, and it was a garden lush and flourishing. As I stepped out of my car I felt an urge to be part of this wonderful thing.
So I walked over to the thriving garden. I saw a patch of land that was bare. At first I thought about planting seeds in that patch of land, but then an idea struck me. I walked over to a woman who had planted a patch of golden rod and was sitting in a chair enjoying the splendor. I asked her if I could borrow her chair. She answered in a strange southern accent,
“Of course, dear.”
So I took her chair and I set it on the cleared ground. Then I went back to my truck and I grabbed my new timple. I sat in the chair and I started to play. This drew the attention of many people. Pretty soon people were clapping and dancing and the more I played, the more the people clapped and danced. I played the rest of the day, and the rest of the day, people stayed and listened until the light began to fade and the sun went down. When I drove home,
I felt as if a large hole in me had filled. The next day, when I went to the garden I brought the piece of my old timple. I got to the garden, I strode to my spot and there I dug a little hole, and in the hole I placed the piece of my only link to the past. I filled the hole up. I had planted music in the garden.
By: Eli
Pablo
I’ve always been the one child that always messed things up. I’m from Torreon Mexico. Since I was 6 my parents have always yelled at each other threatens each other with a divorce and my brother is always throwing it in my face that he was a straight A student and I’m not. My family and I moved to United States of America when Earthquakes were constantly hitting Mexico. We knew there were earthquakes in America but not as many. I’m 15 now but life’s not as good as I hoped it would be in America in school I’m always getting called alien, imigrent, and more nasty names I missed the bus one mourning so I had to walk as I was walking to school I saw a small little garden with many people working in it I thought it was great so many colors orange, green, red, purple and many more. When it was time to go I walked home and stopped to watch the garden a man approached I hurry and said sorry sir I’ll leave he grabbed my shoulder what’s your name stranger I said Pablo what’s your Sam so you like the garden he said I said yeah I do so many colors its beautiful. Would ya like to plant something Sam said I looked at him like he was kidding I said are you kidding yes ok go get a plant I came back with strawberries. I planted them Balaam all done I said to Sam. I got to go I said Bye said Sam see ya tomorrow. Everyday I went to the garden one day I came home and my parents said where have you been I said I was growing strawberries oh yeah said my dad lets go look at these strawberries I lead my parents to the garden and I said see look he looked at everyone and looked at strawberries he said wow son so many people working together in one place my parents were happy and so was I.
By Dakota Atwell
Pablo
I’ve always been the one child that always messed things up. I’m from Torreon Mexico. Since I was 6 my parents have always yelled at each other threatens each other with a divorce and my brother is always throwing it in my face that he was a straight A student and I’m not. My family and I moved to United States of America when Earthquakes were constantly hitting Mexico. We knew there were earthquakes in America but not as many. I’m 15 now but life’s not as good as I hoped it would be in America in school I’m always getting called alien, imigrent, and more nasty names I missed the bus one mourning so I had to walk as I was walking to school I saw a small little garden with many people working in it I thought it was great so many colors orange, green, red, purple and many more. When it was time to go I walked home and stopped to watch the garden a man approached I hurry and said sorry sir I’ll leave he grabbed my shoulder what’s your name stranger I said Pablo what’s your Sam so you like the garden he said I said yeah I do so many colors its beautiful. Would ya like to plant something Sam said I looked at him like he was kidding I said are you kidding yes ok go get a plant I came back with strawberries. I planted them Balaam all done I said to Sam. I got to go I said Bye said Sam see ya tomorrow. Everyday I went to the garden one day I came home and my parents said where have you been I said I was growing strawberries oh yeah said my dad lets go look at these strawberries I lead my parents to the garden and I said see look he looked at everyone and looked at strawberries he said wow son so many people working together in one place my parents were happy and so was I.
By Dakota Atwell
Charlie
At this point these times are hard for me with my mother is dead and all. My Dad barely took care of me when I was 5 I had to take care of me and my 2 other brothers. I am a 37 year old man living well with a wife and 2 children, but I’m not happy with what I did 15 years ago I heard from my too old friends back when I was a person who needed money to buy food for me to live. So I heard that there was a woman in Chicago that makes a lot of money and at that time I needed the money and it sounded like a good idea. So I searched her site on Google and found the location where she is at and I took my gun and my jacket and went to her location the next day. I woke up the next morning and thought what do I want for breakfast and then I’m like I don’t have anything to eat. I did not want to do the job that my friends wanted me to do so I did but I am not proud of what I am about to do, I went to her store and said “give me all the money or die” I kicked her in the face against the wall she started to cry, and then she passed out. I opened the cash register and took all the money and left got in the car and the cops came. I was scared out of my mind I went to my house and cried in my pillow for what I did. 15 years later I have a wife and 2 kids and we are living the good life I was walking on the street and saw the garden and it brought back memories of the 15 years of my bad life when I was walking I saw that same garden.
I went to the local garden center and bought some watermelon seeds to plant in the garden, I also went to home depot and got and tiller and tilled the dirt I always wanted to grow watermelons with my mother but I never got the chance to before she passed away. That is why I changed that is my only way to remember her.
I go in the garden and see sae young the woman I robbed
She exclaimed
“do I know you”
and “I said no with a frightening voice”
I replied
“why do I look like someone you know”
She replied
“yes you look like the guy a guy who hurt me”
I sighed
“well that stinks that is what you think of me”
She also sighed
“don’t take offence to that just it brought back bad memories”
Sae young helped me plant my watermelons it took me multiple trips, when I did not show up for my watermelons Sae young watered and fertilized them for me she helped me through all my troubles. I worked and worked when there was a sprout of the watermelon I was so excited I “screamed” all the gardeners looked in fear this one guy had a pitch fork and jumped up and ran past me like a security guard. I was scared for my life at first than I thought he was going to attack me but Sae young told me he was getting paid by another gardener.
He was a really nice guy when you got to know him he liked all the stuff that I like girls, but he told me he has had one he liked cookies, and video games we came to be best friends we talk every day I go to the garden. The next 30 days I worked hard on the garden everyday then it happened my watermelon plants starts growing its watermelons. Then my dad came to the garden and says sorry for treating me like dirt and not talking to me. I said
“It’s okay we got over it and we became close.”
Then my dad drops the bomb and replies
“Your mother died in a car accident and the reason I’m the way I am is because of the car accident, that is why I am disabled and that’s why I walk on crutches for almost my whole life. I started to cry and fell to the ground on my knees.
BY:KYLE
Elijah
I used to be talkative around my friends, but since the death of my mother my life has changed forever. Although it has been two years since her death and the parents that had adopted me have given me everything I need but, I can’t fill the loneliness in my heart for my mother.
My adopted parents found an apartment in downtown Cleveland, Ohio and after school I saw this weird thing the people there called a “garden” it was full of veggies. A man walked up to me he had a grey beard and he had glasses I asked him.
“What does a garden do?”
He responded “It can help plants grow from a small seed to a full grown plant.” He had said “It was a neighborhood garden and I could plant something if I wanted to.”
I ran straight to the store and looked for some apple seeds because they were my real Mom’s favorite fruit. I had brought them back to the garden and there I saw a different man wearing a straw hat. I thought he was foreign because he didn’t talk to me, he gestured for the seeds so I gave them to him.
He showed me how to plant the apple seeds first to make a hole in the ground. Next put the seeds in the hole and pack dirt back on top of the seeds. After that water and then I ran home because it was getting dark. I thought I just met a new friend a brand new friend after my mom died. I thought it was a miracle.
I ran back to the garden after school that very next day and it turned out that my apples were still small. The man with the grey beard came over to me and told me “It takes time and over that time your apples will grow to big, red and round.”
I had told him “Thanks then asked him what his name was.”
He responded “Its Sam.”
I told him “Mine’s Elijah.” Then walked home on my way I had bumped into the man in the straw hat and asked for his name but he answered in a foreign language which had answered if he was foreign or not.
I ran home because I needed to get some sleep as I opened the door I saw a mysterious man walk to the local garden and start eating the vegetables. By:Gabe
Ali
Normally when I wake up I hear gunshots but this morning it was different. There was a lot of people talking and laughing. Then I remembered that someone started a garden in the lot right next to my apartment complex, but could the talking and laughing come from a silly garden? So I decided to go into the hallway and a woman named Ana immediately came up to me and started going on and on about the garden and how I should join and all that stuff. But it got me thinking about starting a spot in the garden. So I decided to go to the garden to check it out. I got to say it is pretty nice so nice I decided to grow peaches some and sell them as fruit cups. The next time I went down there a guy named Gonzalo offered me some of his Sweet peppers and might I say they are pretty sweet. When I went home that night I decided to think about the garden. I like the garden because I get to interact with other people. Sometimes when I see family’s interacting it gets me upset, because when I was 21. I was smuggled over the Mexican border in to the USA by an American man, but no one else from my family made over the border alive they were all killed. I never tell anyone that I made a pact with myself. It is still very hard to think about. The next day at the garden I caught some guy named Curtis trying to steal my peaches I said to him
“What do you think you are doing are you trying to steal my peaches”
He said “no it’s not what it looks like I’m just taking a peak”
“Then why is there a half eaten peach in your hand”
“Oh look at that I didn’t even know that was there”
“Yeah right stop stealing my fruit”.
Sometimes people really frustrate me like that jerk Curtis earlier today.
Phone ringing
“Hello”
“Hi is this Ali”
“Yes this is him may I ask why you are calling”
“This concerns your wife Angela”
“Oh that’s hard to believe because she is no longer with us”
“Actually yes she is”
“What are you talking about?”
“She is still alive she wasn’t killed during the border incident it just appeared that way”.
I didn’t know what to say. I was so happy I went to the garden and told everyone about this. Then a man named Wendell said how you are going to contact her. That’s true I thought how will I contact Angela Does she know I’m alive. I had so many questions but I didn’t know where to start. While I was thinking to myself a fat man named James came up and started yelling at me for stealing his potato. Then I saw Curtis eating a nice juicy potato, so I said “James I didn’t steal your potato it was Curtis he is eating it right now” so James went over there and said what are you doing that is my potato. When I went home from the garden I got another phone call. The man on the phone said I could meet my wife at the garden. I was really nervous that night. As I approached the garden, I had many thoughts going through my mind. Then I saw a shadow
“Honey is that you”.
Taya
When you have a lot on your plate, and for your own Ant not feeding you, you start thinking no one cares. You think that you’re a nobody, because, I, Taya Plot, think I’m a nobody.
As I sit in the living room, of my Ant’s Apartment, I think what would happen if my parents didn’t die, I think of where I would be now, where would I be in life, would I have a job? Would I have my own house? But instead I’m living my worst nightmare. Living in my Ant’s Apartment, she doesn’t feed me, she doesn’t care for me, she does nothing, and I’m Scared of her.
One Night I was in my room. When I hear the front door slam, I get up from my so called ‘Bed’ and walk in the front room, there in the kitchen was my aunt, I ask what’s wrong because you don’t just walk in the house, slamming the door behind you. But all she said was “Nothing!” but I wanted to know, I ask a second time, the nicest way I could, but right after I ask, I felt this sharp pain in my cheek. She Slapped me.
After that day I never asked again, because just that one slap scared me.
Today my Ant wasn’t home, so I went for a walk, I was walking down Adam street, when I see people all over in the back of a building, I looked closer, and sall them planting all different kinds of plants, I decided to walk over and just see what kind of plants there is. When I got to the Building, there was a sign it said in curvy letter’s Cleveland Community Garden. I walked in the backyard; there were Young children, old Parents, Grandma’s, and Grandpa’s. Then I saw one Girl my Age. Maybe I could make at least one friend. I walked up to the Mysterious Girl
“Hi” I said trying to sound nice.
She turned around. Our eyes both went huge I couldn’t believe my eyes, and by the looks of it she couldn’t either.
“Tay!!!” Nikki yelled. We both had the biggest smile on our faces
“Nikki!!!” I yelled back, she pulled me in a hug, we stayed like that for at least three minutes
“What are you doing here?” She asked. I haven’t seen her in years, maybe I can trust her.
“I live with my ant.” I answered, thinking of my parents, hoping she doesn’t ask.
“What happened to your parents?” She asked, and there it is, the terrifying question.
“Um. Well they um, passed away when I was fifteen…” I answered quietly, so quiet she barley heard me.
“Aw Taya I am so sorry. I didn’t know. I wish I was there.” She said
“It’s okay.” I said
“How’s it living with your aunt?” Nikki asked making a funny face. I laughed
“Great! Um she’s the best…” I answered
“Taya I know you, you not telling the truth, what’s happening with your ant?” She asked being completely serious.
“Well my…” Right then and there I told her what happened from day one.
”Taya you can live with me, I got two bedrooms, and you’re my best friend, so it would work out.”
“Thanks Nikki. It means a lot” I said feeling happy. I haven’t been happy in a long time.
“Welcome. Now maybe if you plant, plants you might feel better.” Nikki Suggested. How would planting , make you feel better? But I’ll try it anyway. I grabbed Watermelon seeds, and took a Hand shovel. I went over to a place where there was sun, and had great soil. I started digging, when I got the watermelon seed in the whole, and watered it, I actually felt good, I forgot every worrying thought.
“Do you feel better?” Nikki asked, having a questioning look.
“Yeah I do, feel better.” I answered, looking back at Nikki who had a big smile.
“Great! Come on let’s get going, and you can tell your ant that your, moving out tomorrow. But for now let’s get you, settle in my house.” Nikki said running to her car.
From that day forward, I felt like people cared, and that I Am Someone, Someone who people Care for.
Kelly
Lateesha
I’m a girl from lower parts of Mexico and moved to Cleveland because the source of food down in that area was getting very scarce, so I moved into Cleveland to start a better life.
Nock, nock, nock. I heard coming from the door of the apartment, I had no idea who it could be probably just the land lord. When I opened the door it was Curtis. I did not say a word for a while the I said “What are you doing here?”
“I came to give you these tomatoes.” He said with a smile
“Well thanks.”I replied with a bit of an attitude
“Are you happy I put all that time into them just for you.” Curtis answered hopefully
“You could say that.”
“I can see you’re not ready.”
“I am I just don’t know if you have changed.”
“I have if I haven’t I would never have done of any of this.” He replied with a bit of nervous smile
I paused for a moment then the next thing I know Curtis leaned forward I could not stop it so I leaned in and kissed him.
“So I will take it that you are ready to get back together.”
“Yeah” I said with a chuckle then Curtis and I walked out of the apartment to go plant more tomatoes seeds.”
Two weeks LATER.
Well Curtis and I have taking off pretty well the next day I choose to go for another walk when I saw Curtis handing a bundle of flowers to a pregnant women in the garden.
NEMO!!!! Caitlyn
Esteban
By: Logan
Back home in Puerto Rico, Dad and I would run through the meadows until we hit my Dad’s garden. It was full of many plants like fruit, vegetables, and flowers. My favorite plants were strawberries that were in top right corner on the square shaped garden. I would pick a strawberry for my Dad and I, and a little basket for home.
“Wow, what just happened”
“You’re in the garden; the weird Puerto Rican kid hit you with a shovel really hard on the back of the head; accidently by digging. Are you ok?”
“I’m fine?”
“Yeah sorry, and your strawberries are growing at a great pace, I wish my Lima beans would do the same.”
“Should I start the stand; the roads are quite busy today?”
Kim always worked hard with what she did; the stand will turn out great. There is always one person who delays my work ethic. It’s that creepy old woman upstairs that is rocking in her rocking chair staring at us like a hawk.
Sam’s idea contests have done us well. Kim and I got an idea from another person’s idea we are going to make a sign and that says trail side garden. The other gardeners can sell their fruits and vegetables can give them to us and we sell them for them they actually gain money because we sell them for a good price, for Cleveland Ohio.
I got home and I found my parents weeping in their room on the bed. I asked what had happened; they said my grandma passed away. It happened around three o’clock. She had had a heart attack and was getting very old.
Our shop was going great other than the fact that we had no name for it. I realized once that we got a name for it we got better business. The people that came around casually must have spread the word.
Kim and I were making good money with our stand that finally got a name for it, approximately ten dollars each.
Yesterday my friend Gonzalo stopped by at my house; he was wondering if he could join me and Kim’s trail side garden store. Kim and I decided why not Gonzalo is a good gardener and a good friend. That’s one thing I realized gardening doesn’t have to include any friends, it can be independent too.
I wake up every morning and rush to the window to see who is in the garden, for some reason it’s Kim and I think it’s because she has really early school time she has to be there around seven thirty-five and my school time is around ten, weird.
Ever sense the garden has had some refurnishing done a lot more business has been made at our shop, it looks more proficient I assume. The garden has a nice greenhouse and the gardeners use it for only some plants. Cleveland has improved since the garden started.
I realized that Kim has been down more around me, I had asked her and she said that she was moving, out of state. I started to get down more and more, I cried for the glimpse second that she said that she is moving. Ganzalo, Kim and I were like a trio and we would never bear to see anyone in trouble without doing something. It was like Goofy, Mickey and Daffy duck and goofy was leaving. There is going to have to be some major changes around here if Kim was out of the picture, she was a full time worker at the shop and now Gonzalo is going to have to take Kim’s spot. He has school from eight to three and I have school from seven to two. We’re going to have to have some adults work for us.
It came faster than I expected Kim was gone within a few days and we started writing letters to each other. I knew these few beginning days with Kim were hard but I grew through it. Everything for the garden has changed.
A new member has come to the garden and he was about my age and now he fit in for Kim in the long run thing turned out pretty good.
Samoa Gracie
Life in America is hard especially when your German and from Germany. I was born in Munich Germany on a farm. My father grew turnips and sold them to his friends. I used to have many friends back home but when I was 20 years old they sent me to live in America. I had already learned English in school. They said it would be a better place to live and that they would come to visit. They never did visit me here in Cleveland over the past 7 years. I didn’t like the city and missed the nice cities and country type areas at home. I want to talk to someone but I have no friends to talk to. My friends from Germany don’t even remember me or my phone number. I colored my hair brown from my original blonde. I tried to take a walk every day to help me memorize the city and possibly stumble upon some friends.
One day, when I was walking I stumbled upon a garden. It was separated somehow into a few sections. I saw pumpkins and tomatoes and someone’s little baby lettuce. And for the first time in seven years I smiled and laughed. Everyone was helping one another no matter the language barriers or culture. Then a little Asian girl came with water and turned into the garden to her small patch of lima beans. I walked over to a man in the garden and said “can I join the garden too?”
“Don’t worry! This garden is for everyone. Of course you can join the garden. No need to ask. I’ll clear you a spot while you get some seeds. I’m Sam by the way.”
“Thank you Sam. I’m Samoa by the way.” I said. I then ran off to go get seeds. The corner store had many seeds but one stood out. It was the Turnip seeds. They reminded me of my father. I got several packets and a shovel. When I got back to the garden, Sam was standing there by a new patch of dirt. I raked it up in rows with the shovel and plopped the seeds in. Sam let me borrow is watering can and I watered my turnips. In a few weeks they were ready to be picked. I shared them with my new friends and everyone around. Sam gave me a pumpkin. Everyone was trading their crops that day and cheering and playing music. Everyone was friends with everyone in the garden. I finally got someone to talk to and some friends.
Zhou Wan
By: Matthew Groulx
I do not know why everyone ignores me. I know the language they speak, yet they reject my presence. I feel as if the birds of sadness are nesting in my hair. As I was walking down the sidewalk my sister Yang, still young of age, ran towards these people in the gates.
I and my sister Yin ran after her. We were too slow and we found her talking to this one man I later find out that he is Sam. Then he pointed to this green house and store, all in one and he gestured to his plants. Saying something like,
“You can buy the plants from the store over there.”
I tried to respond nicely.
“Sir, we need no help now, okay?” he nodded and went back to his American pumpkin plants.
I turned around and, of course Yang was off towards the store that the man pointed to. This time with Yin! Tired of running after Yang the first time I jogged as fast as I could towards the store. Just as I was about to open the door and get my sisters out of there they came out with a little packet of seeds.
The showed me the seeds and on the packet it said, Prunus Mume. Then I started to understand it, my sisters were trying to recreate our small tree garden from China! For once I started to help them with their plans. We went to the garden and picked a spot that had the most saturated ground and planted the seeds. After we were done planting I looked at our neighbors, on our left was an Asian woman and on our right was the stranger my sisters talked to, Sam.
We have been working on our trees for weeks now. They are just starting to sprout. Luckily I have been becoming a better friend with Sam. He and some others know of our departure date back to china in a week. That is the reason why we have not been taking care of our trees. I now feel bad having to leave the garden but I know that it will still remain a part of my memory.
“Well, why aren’t yall takin care of ya tree thingys?” Sam said to me breaking my concentration.
“You know Sam; we have to go back to China.”
“Yeah I got that part down it’s the trees I’m wonderin bout.”
“I’m going to let them die in peace, there too expensive for me to give away.”
“I here ya, well I better go back to my babies.”
Half way through the last week everyone from the garden started coming to our apartment and giving us gifts and sometimes a share of their crop. We got a hot chili pepper from this one guy. We agreed on saving it for our uncle Quean. The next day the strangest thing happened. When I opened the door to go check and see how the garden was looking I found a note on our porch. It read “you can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying above you, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.” It sounded awfully familiar, just then my uncle Quean stepped into view. I immediately knew this whole thing was a setup for me to see my uncle Quean again. Probably because I haven’t seen him in 5 years! We rejoiced by having a semi-traditional gathering of us four. Of course, we gave him the hot chili pepper and he ate it in one bite with no facial expressions what so ever.
Today I thought was the most terrible day of my life. Today I had to go back to China. I will never forget Sam and the others I have befriended. There was one thing that surprised me more than anything though. Walking to the car I saw Yang run to Sam and point to our trees. Later I found out she gave our trees to him, the most common yet expensive trees in China to a stranger. That was so mature yet so amazing to see a young one at 7 years of age to be so mature. Yet I am still glad we get to go back to our garden in China, I hope.
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