Parental Bonds

So growing up me and my father never really communicated. Mostly because when I went to him about my mother and brothers abuse he just brushed it off and forgot about it. So once both of those factors finally left my life I still couldn't forgive him for never being there for me. It wasn't until my Freshman year of high school that we finally started bonding as father and son. You see the thing was we had moved out of the house and into this little shack between Safeway and the school. Boy I was living large down there and things get better. No mother or bratty sisters wreaking World War 3 each day, No more walking to school or taking the bus, and whenever I wanted something it was just a short walk away. So just me and him living large with one exception. The place was a 3 room shack which meant that we both shared a bedroom and it drove me nuts. Since we spent a lot of time together like that we got to bond almost everyday. Someday's we would leave town to go see a movie or go to my favorite restaurant in town and pig out. Everyday I would come home and tell him how my day at school went. Everything seemed so hunky dory but he wasn't happy. He just wouldn't be happy living anywhere but our old home and I couldn't be happier living anywhere but our old home. Three wonderful years passed in that little shack and we were as thick as thieves. The sun began to shine on a life that had been midnight black for 13 years and I was soaking up every bit of it but it didn't matter a bit to my father. He had to have the old home back from my mother and one day finally managed to coax the deed off her hands. As fast as it had come into my life the little shack, the place I had come to call home, was leaving it as we packed up and headed for the old home again. I tried everything I could to try and cling to my new life at the little shack but my father would not be persuaded choosing his feelings over mine. So now once again I sit in this prison cell of a room with nightmarish memories for cellmates. Now for almost a full year we never bonded or spoke much to each other until Fridays game. We watched the boys basketball semi-Finals for state together with enough junk food to clog our arteries. Thing was my sisters were in the band and left to play at the game which left me and my father alone for the first time in what felt ages. Seeing what a beautiful day it was we hit the store for charcoal, all the meat we could fit in the cart, and a Puss in Boots DVD. I grilled succulent burgers, hot dogs, sausages, and steaks for four hours straight while watching the game with him. After our team lost we crashed on the couch and watched Puss in Boots. It was the first time we had bonded since we left the little shack. If only there were no daughters and it was just father and son maybe we could have had something. Instead he chooses this old home over me ignoring the bond we were building. Sometimes you just need to let things go so that new and better things can flourish in its space. I gave up his past mistakes that ruined my childhood so why couldn't he give up the house for me.

Stand-up Idol

Back during the beginning of time I considered myself a funny kind-of-guy. Well so did the people around, in-fact people always told me that someday I could totally become a stand-up comedian. At first I laughed it off but secretly I had always wanted to be able to do what they do. To stand in-front of thousands of people and make them laugh. There was just always something so strangely satisfying about that dream. Especially when I imagined myself walking on and off stage hearing the audience go mad with applause. Well for President's day family and I went to see the one and only, Gabriel Iglesias perform at the NAU campus in Flagstaff. Clearly it wasn't his biggest performance but he killed it all the same. Two other comedians also performed that night. A lot smaller than his usual entourage but funny none-the-less. It was a whole new show as Gabriel tried out new stories in his performance to see how they would hit off with his audience. Of course he was a humongous hit and even went on past his time on stage to perform some older stories.The epic part was that since they were old just about the entire house had heard them before and said them with him word for word. All in all it was an amazing night until when trying to leave we were trapped in the parking lot. Now coming to the high school with my head full of ideas and inspiration. I heard about a talent show that was going to take place soon and decided this could be my big chance to reach for the stars and touch them. Summoning every ounce of courage that I could muster I stalked up to the Drama director and signed up for an audition. When I lay awake at nights to this very day I wish I would have just walked away and let this one opportunity go. The thing was I couldn't tell a joke to save my life. Whenever I pull a funny its because I'm rolling with whatever situation I'm in. I'm like a situational comedian not a stand-up comedian, which is what I dream't to be. As the band finished their song I even conquered my stage fright for if just the briefest of moments to take that stage but as I sat down on the stool with mic in hand everything went wrong. I looked straight ahead into those bright lights and lost my concentration if only for an instant. That was all it took for all of my ideas to take flight leaving a very panic stricken Freshman without an act. Panicking I made the crucial mistake of looking down to first row and directly into the Drama directors eyes. Now she wasn't just giving me any observant judge look but a nasty stink eye as she stared me down which I found out later is kind of her thing. I could feel my body slowly turning to stone. I made a very weak attempt at a joke and eventually just stalked off stage. I walked up the steps to the exit feeling eternally shamed, taking a turn to the restrooms instead of leaving where I stood crying in frustration staring at my reflection sickened at what stared back. I felt as if I was in arms reach of the stars and blew it all in one audition. I sucked up my emotions and did my best to walk calmly back to the director and tell her I wouldn't be re-auditioning. As I walked home though it felt as if there was a massive weight off my chest and in its place an even bigger amount of shame. After that I was sucked into Drama somehow and now I'm storming the stage but with a whole new role. Sometimes we don't always get the part we want but the important thing is that we keep trying because you'll never know when you find yourself shining in a place you never imagined yourself in before.

Tie Breaker

Me and Dwayne have been friends since as long as I can remember. From the beginning of Freshman year it became a little inside joke to try and outdo the other. However things really got competitive in Audio/Visual class. Every day was a new challenge to try and outdo the other. As this went on each year the classes started getting involved in their own little spin off competitions. Before you knew it every class we started this in knew about our rivalry and some even joined in outside of Audio/Visual class. This is where things got rather coincidental though because whatever score I got so did Dwayne. For instance, we always chose tests to be the deciding factor on who was smarter than the other but whenever we revealed our scores it would ALWAYS be a tie. I could miss 15 questions and he would still tie with me, this actually happened once. As of recently we have gotten Mr. Strong's son involved in our little rivalry but that's a different story. Our rivalry carried out of Audio/Visual and into any class we shared. From Economics to Math but every outcome was the same; a tie. So the other day we were chilling in government realizing how awesome Mr. Stevens was taking notes blah blah. Then suddenly it was test day, I was so sure that I was going to crush Dwayne this time. Cramming isn't always bad right before a test and in most cases it saves me. How could I study on a beautiful day like the one before. So test is passed out and I immediately begin flying through it. Dwayne finished first of course with me following close after. I knew every answer on the test and for short answers and the essay I made sure to write down every little detail, even some that weren't in the notes. A few days later tests were being passed back and my gosh I had my fingers and toes crossed praying that I finally beat him. So he strolls over to the storage closet and brings out to big jugs of apple juice. Strange but you know whatever my test score is more important. Dwayne gets his first and I'm dying to know what he got but he refuses to tell me. I get my next and pull my best poker face as I'm walking back to my seat. 100/100 a flawless score, what are the odds that Dwayne scored a 100 to. Mr. Stevens announces that out of the class only two people scored perfect scores and that's who the apple juice was for. He called Dwayne up first and then me. I shook my fist at him and he just put on his best coy smile. I'll never be able to beat this evil genius but that isn't going to keep me from trying. I have to admit though ever since I started my competition to see who's smarter with him my grades have skyrocketed from what they used to be years ago.

Final Bow

February 3, the day I acted in my final high school performance. Ever since joining Drama I strived to give 200% going every extra mile for my troupe. Even going as far as to shave my beautiful head in the same of acting. I tried out for every play getting whatever part that I could reach. Even if that meant working behind stage as a techie. I always wanted to be a part of the major production, being able to say that I was there when it happened. When I first joined Drama I told myself that someday I would be a lead in a play but honestly I didn't believe it. Auditioning for 12 Angry Jurors I aimed low dreading the lead parts especially for a three act play. People kept telling me that I fit the lead part of Juror 3 really well so deciding why not i'll present my goods to the judges and see what they think. After screaming in the judges faces they asked me if I was really up for a lead part especially in a three act play. I looked at them straight faced and said "I'd like to give it my best shot". Up until now I had only ever been involved with one act plays. What a mind blowing surprise when I was given one of the leads, Juror 3. After that I attended every rehearsal trying to perfect my part. This lead was going to be my big final bow, the big performance to leave a lasting legacy in the minds of my audience before I went on to the next stage in life. I wouldn't "kill" my role until my final performance and we owned that play. People were shaking my hands telling me what an amazing actor I was. I didn't know how to react to such amazing critiques so I just smiled and waved. I was supremely proud though because I had achieved my goal that I set during Junior year and left a lasting legacy in the minds of my audience. I also want to be remembered not for just the main stage performing but the backstage acts as well. All the efforts and events I put into my troupe trying to reach every goal that was set before me. The countless hours spent with fellow actors trying to make ends meet. During the cast party as we broke down the set each cast member was given a marker and asked to sign the back of the actual set itself. Seniors were asked to leave pearls of wisdom for future generations of actors. I still remember asking the then current actors about Drama and why I should join. After being in Drama for such a short time and learning all I can I had a speech prepared for the same pep talk I was given to influence me to join Drama. In short what I wrote on the set is that "There is no such thing as small parts only small actors." and "Drama requires an unimaginable amount of dedication and conviction to not only your part but your troupe."

The Superbowl

February 5, Superbowl Sunday, the one day in the year when me and my family get together to watch football. It seemed like any other Superbowl everyone was picking sides. On the drive over, my entire family was claiming the Patriots would win without a doubt. So trying to stay neutral as possible I didn't decide until the game started. Deciding to take a risk I sided with the Giants. Honestly, I didn't care about either team I just showed up for the buffet everyone brought together. With a full plate and a Pepsi I sat down to watch the game. From the beginning you could tell the Patriots were not doing as good as they could have been as the Giants took the lead with a touchdown. Second quarter came though and the Patriots got serious, bowling through the Giants and scoring a touchdown. The game sort of went on like that with me being the one man crowd cheering for the Giants amongst Patriot fans. At half time my fathers friends finally showed up who were Giants fans. I felt as though the cavalry had finally shown itself. Everyone sat on the edge of their sat staring at the massive flatscreen. When it came down to it the Giants won the Superbowl. Ha as it turns out the one person to go against the mainstream opinion was the one to be right.