humanity
Humanity begins at home.
The Layover
Olive saw the stocky young teenager just before he ran into her, bumping her shoulder and knocking her handbag to the ground. He slowed to look behind him, but he did not apologize or even look at her. Instead, he looked past her and he laughed at something behind her, a laugh that filled Olive with a sudden urge to knock him to the ground like he did her handbag. But he was running again, up the stairs of a waiting city bus.
By Cherilyn Rowley6 years ago in Families
Brownies and Tennis
LITTLE BLACK BOOK Rose is watching TV enjoying her dinner when she's interrupted by a knock at the door. Due to her husband passing, kids moving away she has not had company in over 15 years and becomes startled and hesitant. Against her judgement she goes to the door looking through the peephole. To her surprise it is Hannah, a 15 year old with two big red curly puffs, freckles, and a charm bracelet with "H" on it. Rose opens the door. "Hi I'm Hannah, your new neighbor. I was wondering if I could get my ball that went into your yard?" She's a tennis player for her highschool team. Rose responds with "Yea sure go get it" in a very monotone nonchalant way. Being the bright bubbly kid she is, Hannah smiles, says thank you and begins to retrieve the ball.
By Takila Wiley6 years ago in Families
Natural Mystic
On friday November 12th of 1999, a beautiful baby girl named Ubaida was born to Ahmed's family. She had beautiful big brown eyes, tight coils for hair. Dark brown skin that glows when the sun hits it, and shimmers like gold when her lovely mother massages it with shea butter. Her father, Assani, was a hard working accountant who earned a good living to take proper care of his family. While her mother, Sherika, worked as an elementary school teacher. The total combination of their household income was around $180,000 per year, which meant that they could afford to live comfortably even after having their newborn daughter. Sherika was born with a weak heart as a child, so got sick often and sometimes even bed ridden. When Ubaida was around five years old her mother was admitted to the hospital due to her heart and passed away. This was a devastating event for the newly formed Ahmed’s family, but was very hard on Assani. He had to start performing the duties that his late wife used to do, to keep some things that Ubaida knew as normal going on to reduce the effects on her death on their daughter.
By Ubaida Ahmed 6 years ago in Families
Two Gifts
TWO GIFTS By Jason Lambert-Lee “WHAT is happening?” I somewhat softly and characteristically exclaimed as I woke to my cell ringing. After flipping my body over to grab it, I could see two important things on the tiny preview screen on the top portion of my flip-phone. First, it was 3AM. “Ugh.” Second, it was Aunt Louise. “Oh, no.” I knew this wasn’t a surprising emergency for which I was randomly chosen to receive bad news. We don’t do that in my family. We try to avoid conversations that would draw criticism, and we DO NOT like to ask for help if avoidable. So, I did not answer. With no second call, I felt safe in my assumption of what it was about. There was a voicemail. I went back to sleep.
By Jason Lambert-Lee6 years ago in Families
Baby Alba
"Goo goo gah gah" "Goo goo gah gah gooooo." That sums up my understanding of Albert Einsteins Theory of Relativity. Just kidding. I will put aside the baby talk so we are all on the same page. For future reference I'm more of a "Ohhh aaa eeee oooo" baby. Goo goo gah gah is so last century.
By Anna Humphries6 years ago in Families
The Commuter
The elevated rail rocked and clicked its way north, towards downtown. It was just another loud, swaying commute. A commute Andre made at least twice daily for what seemed to be much of his life. He rode that same line for as long as he could remember. As a boy, with his mother, where she worked as a hotel housekeeper. As a teenager, to Middlestadt College Preparatory Academy, where the nation’s best medical professionals came from. Chicago’s best school, his mother found herself working two jobs to afford tuition. She had always underscored the value of higher education. She did not want Andre to have to stress and work long hours for minimum wage his entire life, like she did. As an adult, Andre rode the train to the same hotel his mother worked at, only as a valet on the late afternoon shift. They would always meet one another on the platform, Andre disembarking to finish the block and a half walk to the hotel, his mother, exhausted from a long day’s work, boarding for home. The young man was excelling in school and was on schedule to be his class’ valedictorian.
By Cameron Stevens6 years ago in Families
Inheritance
Dear Annette, Happy birthday! I can’t believe you’re 16 today! You’ve become such a kind, passionate, and perceptive human being. I couldn’t be more proud of you. That’s why I’m passing on this gift to you. It’s a family secret. Not even your father knows! I don’t really need it anymore, and you’ve more than earned it.
By Kaatje Leilani Jones6 years ago in Families
Unveiled
Everything is still dark. The constant drum of muffled chatter from the main hall continues on as usual. From time to time a ruffle of sheets can be heard. Machines beep. A cough. Heavy breathing. Moaning. And that smell, always that sanitized smell, like clean death. The hall grows louder. The door to the wing opens. Footsteps, heavy but calming, approach. SHING, the curtain one over to the right opens. There is a moment of silence.
By Geraldine MacDonald6 years ago in Families
A Derelict Stone Cottage
Anna had persuaded Sarah to come for a walk through the woods, up in the hills of Cumbria. Before heading deeper into the woods, they stood next to the bubbling stream, watching the little waterfalls, interrupting the flow of the water.
By Kaarina Vanderkamp6 years ago in Families
A Moleskine called Molly
The dust drifted in the air like snow flurries on a late fall day, harbingers of harsher times to come. John surveyed the attic that had served the dual purpose of storage and study in his parent’s house. One half jam-packed with boxes and the other held a desk, filing cabinet, bookshelves, and a well-used recliner. Accumulated layers of dirt proved how long it had been since anyone had sorted out this space. No matter how committed he had been to clean, something would always distract him. Time had caught up with John; and now there was no backing out. The auctioneer was arriving in two days. John promised his sister he would handle the clean-up of their childhood home. Preparing for the sale should be a piece of cake compared to the daily care Pam had taken of their Mother and Father. In fact, John had dumped everything on Pam’s shoulders as their parents had gotten older. Taking responsibility of this was the least he could do.
By Vickie Lynne Sargent-Kler6 years ago in Families
Little Black Book Adventure
There were several paths I took home from work. I would randomly choose each day which path I would walk so I wouldn't become too predictable. (There is lots of riff raff in my town.) One day I decided on the path that goes by the park. It was a chilly day so I zipped my coat and put on my hat and put my hands in my pocket. ( I had no gloves because I always tend to think I won't need them and then I leave them at home and regret it later.)
By Jessie Michelle6 years ago in Families
The Little Black Book
As Ruby was pondering and praying for divine help for her two beloved sons and her seven grandchildren. The oldest and his three children had already been to court for eviction not for non-payment of rent but for a small trash pile from necessary repairs.
By Melony Johnson6 years ago in Families
