Thursday, July 28, 2016

Diary of a Struggling Student Entry Two



July 28, 2016

Dear Diary,

I am having so much fun!!!  But, the wait is killing me.

We left very early in the morning because dad wanted to get everything set up before supper.  We drove three hours to get to Baxter State Park.  It took us another 30 minutes to get to Sandy Stream where we set up camp.  This year my dad got a lean-to for my mom.  That is like a room where one side of the wall is missing.  Mom did not want to sleep on the ground and did not want to be in a leaky tent if it rained.  So Dad and Mom have the lean-to and the rest of us have a tent.

The tent is great.  It actually has two rooms.  We put a lot of the supplies in the first room and the sleeping bags in the other.  There are no places to go and buy anything around here.  We had to bring it all in with us.
 
We have a campfire every night and that is one of the best parts of camping.  We all sit around the fire and each person has one night where they have to tell a ghost story.  Mom and Dad did the first two nights and then it was my turn. 
 
I waited for everyone to get ready, that means go to the outhouse and get whatever you want to munch on because if you leave the fire, the storyteller does not stop.  I hate to miss any part of the story.  I make sure I have everything I need to eat and drink. 
 
Here is the story I told.  I am really good at telling stories.  I am not good at writing though.  In school, we have to write about what we did or sometimes stuff we don’t know anything about.  I always get mine back and it is never good news.  I wish we could choose to write or tell stories.  Wouldn’t that be a great class!  I would sign up for two!  I think this is where I would be told I am “off topic.”

Well now here is the story I told:

It all started when I went to get some water from the stream to cook supper.  I accidentally dropped the pan into the stream and it started to float away.  I took off my shoes and jumped in to get the pan.  The stream started to run faster and faster.  The pan was just beyond my reach when I fell and started to go downstream.  I went to scream for help but got a mouthful of water.  I could also feel something pulling on my leg.  I thought it was a branch but it was getting tighter and tighter.  I was moving very fast now and thought I was never going to get out.  I saw a branch hanging over the water and grabbed at it.  I had it for a brief second and then it broke off and I was on my way again!  There was definitely a hand on my leg.  I could not turn around to see what it was but I could feel the fingers or something like fingers.  I knew I was in serious trouble.  Then, as quickly as it started, the water slowed down again.  I quickly looked to see what was on my leg.  There was nothing there.  I got up and got out of the water.  I looked down at my leg and could definitely see the red marks where something was holding on to me.  I heard a noise in the bushes near the edge of the water but when I looked nothing was there.  I could see the bushes were still moving.  At least they looked like they were moving.

I had to walk back to our campsite and then explain how I lost a perfectly good pan in the water.  I figured I would walk back up along the stream until I came to the path that goes to our campsite.  I started walking back up the stream. Not so easy without shoes! I didn’t think it would be far because I wasn’t in the water that long.  I walked for about 15 minutes and still I did not come to the path.  Nothing looked familiar either.  I continued to walk on and then I heard a noise behind me.  I turned and this time even though there was nothing there, the bushes were moving.  I ran to the bushes and tried to see what was making them move.  I figured it would be some kind of animal like a squirrel or bird.  There was nothing there.  I mean nothing.  No tracks, no animal, no sound, nothing!

I started to walk further up the stream and I still could not see the path.  I knew I hadn’t gone that far and it wasn’t that late but I could not find the path and it was getting dark.  You do not want to be in the woods in the dark with no tools or supplies.  I knew that mom and dad were going to be wondering where I went.  I was surprised they were not out looking for me or calling my name.  I decided to try yelling to them.  I called as loud as I could, “DAD”. 
 
At the exact same time a hand went over my mouth and cut off the yell.  I heard a voice say, “Do not yell again or you will die!”

This is where my mother said, “That is enough.  You need to tell a different story.  This is too scary.  Nobody will sleep tonight!”
  
“I was just getting to the good part!”  I said.  “It is supposed to be scary.  It is a ghost story.”  I looked at my dad to see if he would help me. 
 
He said, “Why don’t we stop here for tonight and your mother and I will talk about it.  Tomorrow night you can either continue or tell a different story depending on what we decide.” 
 
I still haven’t heard from them and the campfire is only about 4 hours away.  I hate waiting…

Monday, July 25, 2016

Diary of a Struggling Student Entry One



July 25, 2016

Dear Diary,

Never thought I would be writing in a diary but I had to tell someone what happened.
My dad took me to the store today to get some camping supplies.  I love camping and we are going for a whole week.  I can’t take my games with me but I really don’t care.  I am good at camping.  I can set up the tent, make a fire, cook breakfast, and play in the woods.  I learned all that stuff from my dad.  What he teaches me I can do.  This brings me back to why I am writing this.  I keep being told I don’t stay on topic when I write.  I guess they are right.

I have trouble in school.  At least that is what my grades say.  My teachers tell me that I am fine but I know that is not true.  They keep giving me extra classes and special teachers to help me.  They all say the same thing over and over and I get the same grades every year.  I heard them say I have trouble with comprehension.  I guess I do because I don’t know what that means.  If they tested me on camping skills, I would not be what they call “struggling.”  I wonder how good they would be at comprehension if they had to explain how to build a fire with wet wood or set up a tent in the dark?  I bet my dad could be a special teacher and give them classes on comprehension.  Sorry, off topic again.

So, here is what happened today.  I am all excited for camping and can’t wait to leave.  I walk into the store and a great big signs say “Back To School Sale.”  Why would anyone do that in July?  We go to school in mid Aug and get out in late May.  That gives us two months of freedom.  Now they have to ruin it by reminding us that we will soon be back in school.  Are kids the only ones that know we don’t need those supplies?  This is like announcing you are going to the dentist to have a tooth drilled and filled a month before you have to go.  A law should be passed to not allow school to be mentioned during June or July!  They say I can’t read but I can read those signs!!! 
 
The worst part was my dad says we will have to come back and get the supplies I need for school after we get back from camping.  UGH!  Getting camping supplies is so much fun and now it is ruined with the thought of having to come back and go “school supply” shopping.  Maybe it will rain and flood so we can’t come back.  Maybe a bear will keep us prisoner and not let us leave the tent.  Maybe… My dad is calling and I have to go pack my backpack.  The same one that will be used later to lug books back and forth to school.  Useless material.  When you camp, you only take what is essential in your pack.  Maybe a law should be passed that only essential material can be carried in a school backpack.   Gotta go.  That was the second call from dad.