"The Price of Too Much Time" by Tom Bombadil

This week's pieces of the week feature our senior tutors, some of whom represent our very first HWC tutors. We wish them the best of luck in all that they do, and especially in their writing!

     Mrs. Ferguson always walked her cat down the street at 8:00 in the morning.  This was a commonly known fact that was not debated by the residents of Ponsly Square.  The little silver bell around her tabby’s neck would softly ring as the lady and her cat ambled down the street.  Often Mrs. Ferguson would stop to admire the different flowers that grew around her neighbor’s house’s white picket fences while her black cat would pull on the leash that connected the two.  Any neighbors that happened to be outside would stop and say hi, though wishing the strange old lady would continue walking.  None of the neighbors knew where Mrs. Ferguson walked to or why her cat needed to be taken outside every day.  Though all were curious, not one person asked the lady.  And so, each day, Mrs. Ferguson and her black tabby wandered from their creaky house at the end of the block, past all the cookie cutter suburban houses, into the vast forest behind the neighborhood.  

Les Chocolatemongers de 4th Period

Note: This exercise was inspired by this article in the New York Times' Dining and Wine Section.

York Peppermint Patties- Patrick Oh Brien

There’s a man with dark skin and a sharp jawline and he turns to you and asks in an accent as thick as his hair, “Would you like a kitten?” You’re sure that, had there been ‘r’s in the sentence, he would have rolled them right off a high cliff and into a ditch full of fresh, clean cotton and a crisp, sunshiney breeze. His voice washes over you in waves of ambience, filling up the hollow spaces of your soul with new snow and Beethoven.

"Green Places" by Tom Bombadil

Sandrine grew up green.  Now, this was not because she recycled or used solar panels, but because she was a plant.  A holly bush to be exact.  She had the most gorgeous, the plumpest, the reddest holly berries among all the other holly bushes.  “I am the best looking bush in my pot,” thought Sandrine.  The other holly bushes murmured enviously, “I wish I was that green” or “My holly berries can never compare to that sparkling.”  Sandrine made sure to groom and preen herself every night.  “After all,” she thought, “who knows who might buy me?” 

"Not Another Essay!" by Tom Bombadil

The teacher hands me the paper.  Oh no, not another essay I whisper under my breath.  The thought of typing and researching and commentary makes my head spin as I struggle to imagine the next two weeks.  Slowly I lower my eyes and read the prompt.  Okay, I can write this.  The topic is not that hard.  Actually, it is quite easy.  Yes, I can do this.  When I finally convince myself the essay is not as hard as I thought I move on and start planning. 

However, my planning is not outlining my essay and thinking through my plan.  The process is much more basic.

When I come home after school I put the essay to the side and do all my easier homework.   Finally, I finish my math and the horrible physics problem set.  I turn toward the prompt paper and stare at the white sheet for a moment.  Sheer terror occurs again as I cannot remember the confidence I had built up in class.  Ah, I put the thoughts in the far back of my mind, but as I drag them forward, the butterflies dissipate and I am ready to write.  I do not plan my essays, but as Colette from Casual Chance said, I “Sit down, and put down everything that comes into your heard and then you’re a writer.  But an author is one who can judge his own stuff’s worth, without pity, and destroy most of it.”  I start writing anything that comes into my head that seems to follow the prompt.  I stop writing as I remember I have to write a thesis.  Before I write the most important sentence of my paper, I look through my book which the prompt is based on and find my evidence.  One quote is found, and another and another.  I have three quotes and can base my thesis on that evidence.  There, a thesis written.  I move on and continue typing word after word on my computer. 

The keys clicking keeps me awake and the thought of finishing strengthens my resolve.  I put every thought that appears in my head on that paper because I need to fill up the required three to five page limit.  I know I can always delete and change my essay.  Suddenly, I stop in the middle of writing.  I have lost all thought and am completely blank.  I know I must put down everything in my head; I reread my paper and as I read, a new sentence forms in my head.  The rest of the essay flows smoothly.  I write assertion, evidence and commentary. The commentary is the hardest I discover because I must relate my analysis back to my evidence and thesis.  I persevere and as I finish the paper, a small smile finds a way on my mouth.  I am pleased I am finished.  

I know the hardest part has yet to occur.  I press save and then print.  The paper gets stuck in the printer.  After I struggle with my printer—why can they never work!—I look at what I printed.  Grabbing a red pen, I sit down at my desk and start reading.  Though I know I should read out loud, I forget and miss many mistakes. I judge my work, like Colette says, I “without pity, destroy most of it.” I look down and my essay is covered in red pen.  Well, time to fix my paper.  Walking back to my computer, I fish for the prompt which has seemed to have mixed in with the abundance of papers on the floor.  After finding the piece I need, I fix the essay on my computer.  I know my first edit was only grammar editing.  The next destruction of my paper is the hardest because the prompt and the commentary have to match the instructions and my thesis.  Glancing at my thesis I check that the sentence answers the question given by the teacher.  A success in my books is reprinting my paper without any annoying printer errors.  My red pen flies across the page less than before as I reread over the assignment. 

I let the paper sit on my desk.  I do not look at the prompt nor my typed words.  Allowing for that wait period keeps me sane because I am not obsessing over proper English, following the prompt, or perfect grammar.  I can relax and let the assignment hang in the back of my head.  Finally, I read over the essay again.  This time, I feel like an author; however, I know my work is not down.  Colette would be disappointed if I stopped before I finished.  After I print a new copy, I sit down with my pen and I look for spelling, misplaced modifiers, dangling sentence, and anything my English teacher would not approve of in a paper. 

Suddenly, I see a whole section of commentary that make no sense.  I sprint to my computer and delete, delete, delete.  I sit thinking for a while before inspiration strikes like lightening in my mind.  As I type the smile returns.  This is the way the evidence fits the thesis.  I reprint and reread one more time. The essay looks good, but I ask my mother to read through, just in case I missed something, before I turn the paper into my teacher.  She reads and I follow her suggestions. 

This has not taken me one day, but many days, broken up by school and periods of no inspiration.  When the assignment is due; however, I am finished and turn in the paper with a smile.  No matter my grade, I am happy with the result. 

I am not only a writer, but have evolved into an author.  I see my mistakes and fix them.  My work is not perfect even if I receive an A on the essay.  I know I can always improve.  However, I most always remember, the only way to improve is to look at my work without pity and destroy most of the paper. 

The next day, I receive a prompt for a new book.  This time, I am ready.   

"The Greatest Invention" by Tom Bombadil

I was once asked, “What do you think is the greatest invention ever created?”  My first thoughts were iPods, computers, and cell phones.  Those are all amazing life-changing inventions, but then I was told to stop, take a step back, and truly think.  I could live without my computer; there is paper.  I could survive without my iPod.  I could easily communicate without a cell phone; there are house phones and a postal system. 

            My friend who asked me this question told me to go home and think.  Just think until I thought of something I could not live without.  As I lay in bed that night, one thought swirled around my brain, preventing me from drifting off into oblivion.  What is one thing that is so amazing I could not survive or would be devastating to be without?  What is that greatest invention?

            Finally, I drifted off to sleep while having the weirdest dream. 

            “All of the items have arrived, Ms. -----,” a tiny robotic voice squeaked.  -----glanced down at the little white cubic robot, and patted its head.

            “Thank you, Sandrine.  I will be there momentarily to start the show.” This was the biggest show to date.  -----stood up from her vanity, straightened her little black dress and confidently walked toward the stage for another show of “What is the Greatest Invention?”  She stepped onstage to thunderous applause and blinding white lights.  “Welcome!  Welcome to another amazing episode of “What is the Greatest Invention?”  I am your host, -----.  Now, let’s see these inventions!”  Suddenly, fifteen items were rolled onto the stage.  “We are going to start with the first item.”  With a flourish, Sarah pulled off the black cloth that covered the large, oddly shaped invention.  “A car!  Is this the greatest invention?  Are there any naysayers?”

            “Ay.  What about a horse?  A horse can easily replace a car.  They are more fuel-efficient, though slower,” a voice rang out.  ----- nodded thoughtfully and moved onto the next item.  That was how the show worked.  The host would remove the cover from each item and if there was an alternative for the item, then the invention was not the winner.           

            “The next item is…a supermarket.”  ----- lifted up the mini model of a supermarket, complete with robotic people and mini cars. 

            “People used to scavenge.  Shopping is not a necessity.  Food can be found elsewhere.” 

            “The next item is a tissue,” ------ called out while lifting up a tissue from a podium, as the man who contradicted the supermarket as the greatest invention sat down, much to the audience’s dismay.  They clearly thought supermarkets were irreplaceable.  However, without fail a woman mentioned handkerchiefs and the tissue was placed back on its podium.  ----- asked the crowd, “What about email?” 

            “Back in the day, we wrote real letters with stationary.  None of this silly instant messaging thing.”  The audience turned its collective head and glared at the old woman until she sat down

            “Next, I have up here a bicycle!” 

            “Bah.  We can just walk!” 

            “What about an oven?”

            “I use a fire-pit.  It saves electricity and power.”

            “A pen?”

            “Pencil”

            “A plane?  This is one important invention that revolutionized war and trade!”

            “Ships are just as usable.”

            All the items were rejected one after another.  Sometimes ----- could only hold up the item, or a model, before the item was rejected.  This was one of the most ruthless shows.  ----- was nervous because there were only two items left on stage.  “There are two items left on stage.  If one of these is not the greatest invention, then the show will be back next week.  However, if one of these is the greatest, then the show will shift topics to the greatest type of shoe.  Now, let us see these two items.”  With that said, ----- whipped off the covers with a flourish.  As the covers fell, the crowd gasped.  There was a refrigerator which was quickly booed because people could easily use cold boxes.  The other item was—

            I awoke with a gasp.  I knew what the greatest invention ever invented was.  The invention was so obvious I was surprised I never thought of this item like that.  It is so common and always there that I take this item for granted.  What would I do without it?  The whole world could potentially collapse.  Well, maybe. 

            I called my friend, not caring my clock was flashing 3:10am.  I knew the answer.  “The greatest item is a chair!”  I almost shouted my answer due to my elation, but barely held back.  The answer was so easy.  Without chairs, where would I sit comfortably or write stories and read books.  How would I travel in cars or learn in schools?  This simple invention revolutionized the world but is never remembered.  Chairs exist all over from full luxurious thrones to hard painful rocks. 

            I will always remember the chair as the greatest invention, not because it is flashy or unique, but because without a chair, my feet would hurt from standing all day.