Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: CLUMSY (04/11/19)
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TITLE: Klutzy Freak | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom
04/17/19 -
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Just then, her brother Camden bounded into the kitchen. “Told ya. Being a klutz isn’t a legal absence.” Grabbing his stomach, he laughed. “Cuz if it was, you’d never go!”
“Mom!” Grace tried to kick him, but missed, and fell on her butt. Camden laughed harder. Grace started to cry, but the tears stung the scrapes on her face. “Ow, my face hurts.”
“It’s killing me,” said Camden.
Grace clenched her fists. “Mooooooooommmmmm!”
“Camden James, stop. She’s had a rough weekend.”
Knowing this would egg Camden on, Grace groaned.
“First, she trips at the softball game. Over a painted line!”
The way he pounced on Mom’s words reminded her of a cat playing with a mouse. Camden even looked like a cat, and she felt like the poor beat-up mouse. “Shut up!”
Mom shook her head. “Both of you, hush!”
Camden didn’t hush. “But, Mom, seriously, she blew the win. Everyone’s gonna rag on her. I’m just toughening her up. Like a favor.”
“Some favor.” Grace was relieved when Mom finally kicked him out of the room.
Again, Mom reached down and pulled her daughter off the floor. “A team wins as a team and loses as a team. No one blames you.”
Grace shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”
Mom gently removed the hair that was sticking to Grace’s scabs. “I know you feel like it’s your fault, but everyone makes mistakes.”
Sighing, Grace shrugged. “It’s not just the game. I can’t even ride a bike without crashing. I can’t do anything right. Sports? Nope. Band? Nuh-uh. Everyone got into chorus ‘cept me." She pointed to her face and the scrapes on her arms and legs. “And this road rash doesn’t help. I hate my red hair and freckles. I’m a freak. A klutzy freak.”
Mom hugged her daughter. “You’re super smart.”
“That’s only ‘cause you’re comparing me to Camden.”
Mom smiled. “See, you have a sense of humor too.”
Grace shrugged again. “But that stuff doesn’t count.”
Mom hugged Grace. “Maybe not now, but it will. I remember feeling the same way. You come by it honestly. I was a bigger klutz than you.”
Grace raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Really. And I hated my red hair and freckles too. I remember having this same talk with Grandma.”
“What’d she say?”
Grace was surprised to see Mom crinkle her nose. “She told me I’d grow out of it. She even compared me to Lucille Ball.”
“That old TV show?”
Mom nodded. “Yep. She told me people loved her red hair, and she used make-up to cover her freckles. Later, though, I found out Lucy wasn’t a natural redhead, and her clumsiness on TV was just an act.”
“So Grandma didn’t get it either. Grown-ups never do.”
Mom cupped her hand under Grace’s chin. “You have talents that make you super special.”
Grace snorted. “Beside tripping over a painted line?”
Mom laughed. “You have to admit not just anyone can manage that.”
Rolling her eyes, Grace crossed her arms. “Yeah, I’ll probably win MVP.”
Gently moving her chin so Grace had to look up, Mom said, “If there was an award for being empathetic, you’d win that for sure. You have a way with the elderly and the developmentally disabled. Not many ten-year-old girls spend their spare time volunteering.”
“But that’s not a talent. Is it?”
“You tell me.”
Shrugging, Grace thought about it. The ladies at the nursing home seemed to be genuinely interested in her and her activities. And Jennifer, who was in the Special Ed room and on the team, had hugged her after the game. She never made a mean comment.
Grace nibbled her lip. “Maybe. Jennifer and my lil ole ladies really seem to appreciate me.” She glanced at the clock. “Guess I better go. If I’m late, Mrs. Smith won’t let me volunteer during my free period.”
After kissing Mom, she tripped over her feet and ended on the floor again. “Since I get my klutziness from you, when everyone asks me what happened, can I just say that it’s your fault?”
Pulling her up, Mom laughed. “No, they’ll have me arrested for child abuse!”
Grinning, Grace said, “Cool, can I say that it’s Camden’s fault then?”
Mom kissed her once more and said, “School!”
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And everyone needs encouragement from Mom. Good writing. Thumbs up.
I could relate to the character in this piece. The dialogue is spot on.
A well deserved EC award.
I could relate to the character in this piece. The dialogue is spot on.
A well deserved EC award winner