The Science of Play: How to Build Playgrounds That Enhance Children’s Development
Social Competence at the Playground: Preschoolers During Recess.
Research Paper: The Benefit of Playgrounds for Children Aged 0-5
How Outdoor Playgrounds Affect Child Development
The Importance of Outdoor Play and Its Impact on Brain Development In Children
Question 1: Does the essay have a clear thesis that responds to question in assignment? Is the thesis statement in appropriate place (typically end of 1st paragraph)?
This essay does have a clear thesis that responds to the question in this assignment, “Though some aspects of the store’s design could simply be attributed to ease of logistics, it is plain to see that many design aspects mirror those suggested by Paco Underhill.” It is appropriately placed at the end of the first paragraph.
Question 2: Does the writer connect in at least three places to ideas from “The Science of Shopping”? Is that info properly cited and *not* plagiarized. If not, suggest places where writer might make those connections.
You connected three places in the store to the ideas from “The Science of Shopping”. You cited the information correctly, by putting the author’s name in parentheses at the end of the quote (it was confusing to me at first, because I was taught to put the period after the parentheses with the author’s name, but I’ve seen many other writers do it the way you did).
Question 3: Comment on the use of detail. Does the writer include plenty of specific observed detail? If not, suggest places and types of details that might be added.
I do think there could be some more detail in this essay. Some the details you did use seemed kind of general to me. For example, “Lowes also employs strategies similar to Underhill’s zone tactics by placing items mostly relating to home renovations at the rear of the store.” Maybe you could expand on that, describing specific items in the home renovation section. Or, “For the dusty, no nonsense carpenter they offer simple pricing labels and large signs and lettering to attract their attention.” Where in the store specifically did you see these labels, signs, and large lettering? Maybe, you could mention a specific customer, or staff member that you observed when you went to Lowe’s. I did like the analogy that you used in the second paragraph, comparing the customers moving about to bees in a hive, and mentioning the beeping forklift.
Question 4: Is the essay well-organized? Is information presented in a logical order? Are paragraphs focused and unified (one main idea per paragraph). If not, indicate places and ways organization could be improved.
This essay is well organized. The information is presented in a logical order. The first paragraph is a general introduction of the store, with the thesis statement. The second paragraph talks about the customers in. The third paragraph talks about how the store appeals to different kinds of customers. The fourth paragraph connects certain places in the store with information from “The Science of Shopping”. The last paragraph is a conclusion.
I recently read a rather fascinating article by Malcolm Gladwell called The Science of Shopping. It talks about the research of an anthropologist by the name of Paco Underhill, on how the American shopper functions in particular retailers. Now, I, myself, had to go out to a store of my choice and make some observations of my own. The store I chose was Lowe’s in Wareham, Massachusetts. Lowe’s is a large style hardware store handling building materials, tools, home improvement items, electrical, plumbing, lawn/garden, and seasonal items. It seemed kind of weird at first, going to a store, just taking notes on the customers, staff members, and items. I was scared I would look like a stalker of some sort. However, after walking around the store for a while, snapping photos, and jotting some things down on my clipboard I grew comfortable in the role and it wasn’t that bad. Plus, my family and I love going to Lowe’s, so it is always fun to go there. During the multiple visits and observations at the store I saw that the Lowe’s location appears to be inconsistent in terms of following Paco Underhill’s theories and recommendations.
As the article states, “The best stores all have an image—or what retailers like to call ‘point of view'”(Gladwell). This refers to the atmosphere that a store creates for its customers. Lowe’s tends to create an atmosphere similar to that of a home improvement warehouse crossed with bazaar or market. Upon entry the store appears to cry out to the shopper “come on in we have all the big building stuff you need to be your own contractor” but it also lets you know that it is going to tantalize you with the shiny items. It has extremely high ceilings, tall metal shelves for storage and standard displays to make items available for evaluation and purchase. There are forklifts roaming around with pallets of lumber and large items. It also has a lot of well lit, colorful and attractive displays, and what you could call “learning center” areas where shoppers are able examine the more stylish aspects of home improvement – flooring, carpeting, kitchen cabinetry, doors, etc. I guess you could say it is a warehouse you could buy products directly from. To my family and myself, Lowe’s seems to have a distinct scent to it. I believe that it is a combination of cleaning products, metal and wood, with a hint of oil. One part of the atmosphere that may be unintentional would be the birds! There are always birds flying in from the garden section and they can be seen and heard all around the store.
Paco Underhill calls the area inside the door, about five to fifteen steps in, the Decompression Zone, and warns retail clients to never put anything valuable in that area (Gladwell). Well, Lowe’s didn’t seem to heed that warning, as they cut right to the chase of displaying a lot of valuable items before you could even get into the store. They put seasonal items not only in the Decompression Zone area (which also happens to be the area where the shopping carts are), but even outside the entry doors.I saw not just lawn chairs, plants, tiki torches and mulch but also Weber gas grills and large lawn tractors – fairly big ticket, expensive items. Clearly this is equipment meant for summertime and perhaps the idea is to make it clear to shoppers that they can buy all they need for fun in the sun without needing to enter the store.
Upon entry, on the left side, immediately is customer service, along with standard year round items. At the very front and at left of the store are all of the checkout registers, the tool section, the paint station, and aisles with hardware and house electronics (middle), and building materials, such as roofing, drywall, lumber, etc (far left). About three quarters of the way in, or what Paco calls Zone 4 (Gladwell), is the appliance area for kitchens and laundry rooms, along with doors, and flooring. At the far right corner of the store, next to appliances, is the plumbing and electrical section. So, the majority of Lowe’s is set up on the left of the entry doors.
Paco Underhill has a theory known as the Invariant Right, which states that shoppers instinctively turn right (Gladwell). The majority of shoppers that I saw walk through the door seemed to contradict this theory. I stood by the entrance for a period of time and observed the customers coming into Lowe’s and did some math. More than half (60%) of the shoppers I observed turned left upon entering the store and clearing the Decompression Zone. The other 40% of shoppers went straight (13%) through toward the back of the store or turned right or diagonally right (27%). I believe that the reason for the predominant left turns is that, with the outside lawn and garden area taken out of the equation, the majority of the store (lumber, building materials, electrical, hardware, tools) is setup to the left of the main entry which forces shoppers to turn left or go straight if they are interested in anything other than lawn & garden or seasonal items. That said, Lowe’s does appear to take the Invariant Right theory to heart by setting up big ticket seasonal items (more lawn tractors, Weber grills, patio gazebos and furniture) diagonally to the right upon entry. Directly behind big ticket seasonal items are expensive outdoor power tools – generators, chainsaws, weed whackers, leaf blowers, power washers – all the engines you could possibly desire. So anybody with a penchant for power tools (many of the guys and gals into the “do it yourself” scene) and who was wandering in without a strong desire to go immediately for item they wanted could find themselves in the midst of “engine heaven” if they strayed a little to the right.
During my observations of entering customers I saw that their attire could give a big clue as to which way they were going. Men or women dressed in denim or Dickies and t-shirts – perhaps with work boots – were almost always a sure bet to head left. When following some of them they invariably ended up in the lumber/building materials section or sometimes electrical. This appeared to stand solidly during my weekday observations. These folks were heading for the more “no nonsense” area where the lumber is piled high on racks, rolls of cabling are on spools, sheetrock are stacked, and bags of concrete are lined up. The majority of the flatbeds, hand trucks, and forklifts hang out here. It is louder. It is dustier. It is made for the people who are really getting their hands dirty. Somebody coming in wearing shorts, sandals, t-shirt or golf shirt was far more likely to go straight in (appliance land – refrigerators, washers, dryers, ranges) or venture off to the right diagonal or far right for lawn and garden shopping. One older lady went directly to the paint section – still to the left, NOT the invariant right!!
At some of the aisles on the left/main side of the store, you find some interactive demos of some house electronics. For example, I noticed a little boy, about age six or seven, at the demo for Nest products, such as their learning thermostat, and their security camera. The products themselves were displayed at the front of the aisle, and below it, was a touchscreen. The kid played around with the screen, and pulled up an information video on the security system. He stood, mesmerized, by the video playing. He probably learned a thing or two from his Lowe’s trip, that day. Moments later his mom kind of dragged him away. “No, we don’t need one,” she said.
I took some time to observe the staff at Lowe’s. All of them had blue and red vests over their shirts, similar to one that a construction worker would wear. They looked pretty happy based on the smiles on their faces and were definitely courteous when approached. In really paying attention, I noticed they seemed to range in age from teenager to senior citizen. There are definitely male workers who look as old as my grandfather and he’s seventy. Luckily when I went to make my first observations, my dad happened to have two empty propane tanks to exchange so I would see some live staff interaction. We went in, took the immediate left, and went to customer service. “How do we do the propane tank exchange?” he asked.
“We can get that set and paid for right here, no problem,” the young girl behind the counter answered cheerfully. She proceeded to process the order, hand us our receipt and direct us to the outside area to wait for the tank exchange. “Just head to the exit and right to the right of the door is the tank cage. Someone will meet you there in a minute.” And she was right, within a minute or so another staff member came out to unlock the metal tank cabinet to make the exchange. To me he looked about 25, he quietly switched out the tanks for us and bid us “good day.” That went well, I thought to myself and jotted notes down quickly.
The following day I returned to my retail anthropologist position hoping to collect more data. I followed a couple that looked to be in their mid-40’s to the appliance section. They had their teenage son with them, he looked like he was my age. The wife had a print out in her hand and was talking to her husband in a firm voice. “I already did the research, and this is the best one,” she said, pointing to the paper in her hand. “It’s a Frigidaire, it’s black like the stove and it will fit in the space we have. It even has an ice maker option.” He just looked at it and then looked at her. As they arrived at the refrigerator section, she looked at her partner and said, “Okay, we’re here. Go get the guy.”
The man in his tan pants and white t-shirt just stopped and looked at her. “What? You did all the research, you go get him and tell him which one you want.”
“Um, no, I really don’t want to.That’s your department. I’m just going to go see if I can find it in here. Go ahead. Go get him, we’ll be over here.” And then she just rushed off with her son into the heap of refrigerators. The funny part is that her husband shrugged did a little laugh and went get the guy. I didn’t want to follow too closely but a bit later the family and the Lowe’s “guy”, as she called him,emerged from the refrigerator row and went to a register to pay for the appliance. The mom was happy with a big smile on her face and as I walked away I heard her say, “Oh, wow that’s great…free delivery and free take away. I love Lowe’s.” She clearly illustrates Gladwell’s idea that “Women are still the shoppers in America, and the real money is to be made by making retail styles more female-friendly, not less”(Gladwell).
Overall, I think my observations prove that Lowe’s does not necessarily follow Underhill’s ideal store set up. It clearly has an unmistakable Lowe’s atmosphere and its employees fit well within that. Even though Lowe’s may not heed the Decompression Zone rules and make full use of the Invariant Right theory, it is a great place to shop and I enjoy it!!
Works Cited
Gladwell, Malcolm. “The Science of Shopping.” The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 1996, pp. 66–75.
I read the article “The Maker’s Eye” by Donald Murray prior to revising my memoir. It was interesting to read a writer’s view of his take on the revision process. I learned liked his idea of the the 7 elements: subject, audience, form/genre, structure, development, dimension, tone/voice. It fascinated me because I am in a school district where writing is a HUGE focus so the only one I’d never talked about in school is dimension (our was the 6 Traits Program.) With school writing, some of the 7 elements are decided for you by your teacher like audience, structure, genre, so you are focusing many times on only some of those in your writing and rewriting.
I think it’s really hard to revise a piece that you worked hours on and you think it’s really good, but I like how he explains the overall idea of revision. ”Writers of such drafts must be their own best enemy. They must accept the criticism of others and be suspicious of it; they must accept the praise of others and be even more suspicious of it. They cannot depend on others. They must detach themselves from their own page so they can apply both their caring and their craft to their own work.” (Murray)
I was taught early on to read aloud to hear how my work sounds, but I’ve not done the very specific line by line, word by word revising he Murray talks about. “I often read aloud, calling on my ear’s experience with language. Does this sound right-or this? I read and listen and revise, back and forth from eye to page to ear to page.” (Murray) Another item I am trying to use in revising is the idea of sentence variety and balance. I understand it in theory but applying it to a draft us difficult. As I am trying to revise for this, I will always fall back on the read aloud strategy.
Based on the reviews I received, I will try to create a better image of home while also emphasizing it as a “sanctuary.” It’s so obvious to me that this story is about home and its importance to me and important to my growth that I forgot that I need to try to show that part.
My House – My Home Field Advantage
Friendship – that intangible noun. I hated that language arts lesson in second grade. “Let’s try to make a list of the nouns you can’t touch.” Oh, Mrs. Ricci, if you only knew how true that is for me. I can’t touch it, I can’t find it, and I don’t get it- I’m only seven! Where’s my written list of directions for this task? How do I get a real friend who accepts me as is? What lesson did I miss? Why does this friend thing just come naturally to these other kids?
As an Aspie, or person with Asperger’s, you spend a lot of time worrying about the social stuff that other people don’t have to. People who meet me for this first time now are shocked by my diagnosis since I’m viewed as the straight A, social, kind, interactive, funny, well-spoken and well-mannered kid. And, yeah, I am, now, but I wasn’t always. The Aspie road is as wide and diverse as the diagnosis, but the only place I ever wanted my road to lead was to friendship and acceptance. That road, for me, starts at home, everybody there gets me.
My home, despite it sounding cliché, really is where ever my family is. My mom, dad and sisters are my safety net. I can bounce any ideas off of them and get great feedback, support and the occasional, “Um, no – that really isn’t a good idea.” I appreciate their understanding, but when I was younger I relied on it. It is hard being little and being misinterpreted by other kids all the time. Not knowing what to say or when to say it. I didn’t even like school from kindergarten to fifth grade because I was working so hard to process my surroundings and school work that I had no energy left for the social stuff. As I said, as an Aspie, social norms don’t come naturally and even when you learn about them it’s still an effort to use them correctly in school. And as a young kid, school makes up the most social part of your life. Kids are nice to you because the teachers say they should be, but they aren’t actually your friends. It was awful sometimes. I couldn’t wait to get home and decompress from it all. The social pressure would just peel off me as I walked into the kitchen after school. I would drop my bag, push the day to the back of my mind and enter home mode. The interesting thing is that in home mode I WAS able to be talkative and interactive because my environment was peaceful and I had control over it so it wasn’t a stressor. The problem was that if you didn’t make friends at school, who did you have that you could invite over to your house? I was at my best at home and I knew it, but who would come over? As I have gotten older, I have sort of just caught up in the social pieces of life. Every one said it would happen and here I am. I do have a friend group at school, but are they going to be regular life friends too, the ones that want to come to your house? Seemed like it was time to find out. Since one of our favorite lunch topics is football, I had a plan.
At the end of every NFL football season, my family has a party during the Super Bowl at my house. After the 2017 season, I decided it would be fun to have some people over outside of my family join us. I was ready for that. My home is a safe place to me, I feel grounded and at ease with myself there. So, I went ahead and invited some guys I knew from my school, Old Colony Regional Vocational—Khalil, Christian, Liam, and Jacob—to the Super Bowl party. Khalil, Liam, and Christian were classmates of mine in electronics shop, so I see them for over half of the year. Plus, Khalil and I have known each other since fourth grade, when he moved into the Old Rochester School system. Jacob, from machine shop, I met at lunch at one point, and talked football with him. Then, come junior year, when we were in the same English and chemistry class, we really hit it off. A friend group at a social event that I was hosting at home was a risky proposition for me and my family could feel it.
“All those guys are coming here? Here – to our house- for the Super Bowl party?” I could see the hint of worry on my mom’s face when she spoke. Even now- she remembers little Ryan and those first years of school when I had to focus on other things and true friends just weren’t there. Other kids did NOT understand me, so I was too much work.
“Don’t worry, mom, I’ve got this. Our house is awesome, plus, you’ll love them, really. Let’s make the menu. Fish chowder, of course. That’s traditional.” Despite my assurances to her, I get it. No matter how I’ve grown, and changed, I’m still her little boy who struggled at the early ages with the “social” stuff. But, still, I was feeling hopeful. My mom always says home should be your happy place and it is and it’s my comfort zone too.
Come Super Bowl Sunday, I was getting pretty nervous, myself. I was helping the rest of the family set up, moving tables around, mopping the floor, peeling potatoes for the chowder, etc. Throughout the entirety of the day, my main thought was, This has got to be just right. Can’t screw this up. However, the little voice in the back of my mind was saying, “Don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine.” I knew it was going to be fun, anyway. On my birthday, a month before, we had just mounted a forty-eight inch television on the wall in my family room, with sharp 1080p picture quality, and moved in the comfy, brown leather couch that was originally in our living room.
Now, it’s around 5:00 pm, just an hour before the big game. My family from down the street had already shown up. My older sister, my brother in-law, and my adorable baby niece soon followed. My dad had already put the finishing touches on the creamy chowder, and was pulling the barbecued chicken wings out of the oven. The hickory smoked smell of the wings filled the kitchen and wafted throughout the house. I heard my mom’s nervous laugh as she and my aunt were setting up the salad on the table by the sliding doors. My grandmother was playing with the baby, and chatting with my sisters and my brother in-law. “I need a pen and paper,” my Uncle John stated. “I forgot that I have to make the squares chart for the game. Got to have that!” So far, so good! I thought to myself.
Then, I heard the knock on the door. I froze for a second, thinking, Oh boy, who arrived first? It was Khalil, the hood on his Old Colony hoodie up over his big hair, as he towered over everyone else in the house at 6 foot 5 inches tall! We all exchanged hellos, and I showed him to the family room. We talked a little bit, telling a joke here and there, and snacked on some Cool Ranch Doritos. Ten minutes later, I went out into my living room, and saw another set of headlights. It was Jacob, in his truck. Khalil and I stepped outside to show him where to park. He got out of the truck, we both greeted him, and started back inside. There was still some snow on the ground, and I slipped and fell as we were walking through the front yard. I looked ridiculous, but the three of us had a good laugh about it, together. We went into the living room, chatted some more, looked at a few memes on Jacob’s phone, and watched some of the pregame. My dad walked in, and said, “All right, guys, food’s up. If everyone could just wash their hands before digging in, that would be great. Just want to avoid cross-contamination.” This is standard protocol, as members of my family and I have severe food allergies, and my friends understood fully- another success!
As we were grabbing our grub, I saw the door open once again. It was Christian and Liam, along with Christian’s parents. They were checking out my family, making sure it was safe to drop him off at our house. That made sense since they hadn’t met me or my parents prior to that moment. I thought- well, mom’s a teacher so we should pass inspection! Hands were shaken, small talk was made and phone numbers were exchanged. We quickly received parental approval and off they went. “Food is ready, Christian, we were just making plates. Could you just wash your hands, please?”
“No problem. I’m starved,” Christian quickly replied heading for the kitchen sink. Moments later he was in the food line at the counter with the guys dishing up my dad’s famously delicious food. We carefully carried our heaping plates to the family room and got situated in front of the television, lined up like dominoes across the couch. Just a squished row of Old Colony guys ready to watch the game of the season, here, at my house.
The next few minutes are a blur… national anthem, coin toss, kick off… the hoots and cheers of my whole family and my friends seemed like it filled the whole house. I was pumped! I paused a minute and looked around the family room and realized I had achieved what I’d hoped for. There they were, my group of friends who came because they WANTED to – each of us accepting the other as is, and having a blast. Food, football, and friendship. And what better time to pull this off than during my favorite sporting event, in the best place I know, home.
The main principles that are covered in The Science of Shopping are:
Question 1:
“This box with red walls that I painted myself and a blue carpet I’ve had for my whole life” gives me a decent image of what your room looks like. “I’d come downstairs to him making breakfast for my sister my mom and him, he’d be cooking eggs and singing along to the best of his capability” makes me imagine the kitchen during your happy times. “I’m afraid ill wake up my sister or worse my mom because that triggers a full on investigation by the Federal Bureau of Mom” is a good comparison of your mom at her worst. “Its always question after question its never a conversation and it just stresses me out because every question I ask summons 2 more its like cutting the head off a hydra”, is a great analogy, as well. I see the hydra in my head. I think it would be helpful to have conversation/direct quotes in every paragraph, because it makes the piece come alive. *Maybe without getting too personal, you could include a time you felt investigated as a conversation.
Question 2:
Main message- His home does not feel like home anymore, due to the effects of the divorce his parents are getting. “Their divorce is their problem and they need to work it out the stress of their divorce shouldn’t bounce back on me and that’s what it feels like and that’s why my house isn’t my home anymore.” This line is the essence of the entire memoir. I find myself wondering if your parents understand how this is making you feel?
Question 3:
I followed your memoir fine. It seemed like you used comparison as a structure. As far as time frame goes, it seems like you go back and forth between past and present, but that makes sense because of the comparison structure. I think it flowed well. It might be helpful to start a new paragraph after the line, “Every time I come here its like im being who my mom wants me to be”, because the piece afterward is powerful enough to stand alone.
Question 4:
I think you have great voice in the conversation and dialogue aspects of the memoir. It just seems really authentic and real especially in those parts with direct quotes.
I think it hits on the relatable theme that adults should keep their problems among themselves, and home should feel like home.
Friendship – that intangible noun. I hated that language arts lesson in second grade. “Let’s try to make a list of the nouns you can’t touch.” Oh, Mrs. Ricci, if you only knew how true that is for me. I can’t touch it, I can’t find it, and I don’t get it- I’m only 7! Where’s my written list of directions for this task? How do I get a real friend who accepts me as is? What lesson did I miss? Why does this friend thing just come naturally to these other kids?
As an Aspie, or person with Asperger’s, you spend a lot of time worrying about the social stuff that other people don’t have to. People who meet me for this first time now are shocked by my diagnosis since I’m viewed as the straight A, social, kind, interactive, funny, well-spoken and well-mannered kid. And, yeah, I am, now, but I wasn’t always. The Aspie road is as wide and diverse as the diagnosis, but the only place I ever wanted my road to lead was to friendship and acceptance.
At the end of every NFL football season, my family has a party during the Super Bowl, either at my house, or my aunt’s house. After the 2017 season, I decided it would be fun to have some people over outside of my family join us. I was ready for that. My home is a safe place to me, I feel grounded and at ease with myself there. So, I went ahead and invited some guys I knew from my school, Old Colony Regional Vocational—Khalil, Christian, Liam, and Jacob—to the Super Bowl party. Khalil, Liam, and Christian were classmates of mine in electronics shop, so I see them for over half of the year. Plus, Khalil and I have known each other since fourth grade, when he moved into the Old Rochester School system. Jacob, from machine shop, I met at lunch at one point, and talked football with him. Then, come junior year, when we were in the same English and chemistry class, we really hit it off. A friend group at a social event that I was hosting was a risky proposition for me and my family could feel it.
“All those guys are coming here? Here – to our house- for the Super Bowl party?” I could see the hint of worry on my mom’s face when she spoke. Even now- she remembers little Ryan and those first years of school when I had to focus on other things and true friends just weren’t there. Other kids did NOT understand me, so I was too much work.
“Don’t worry, mom, I’ve got this. Our house is awesome, plus, you’ll love them, really. Let’s make the menu. Fish chowder, of course. That’s traditional.” Despite my assurances to her, I get it. No matter how I’ve grown, and changed, I’m still her little boy who struggled at the early ages with the “social” stuff. But, still, I was feeling hopeful. My mom always says home should be your happy place and it is and it’s my comfort zone too.
Come Super Bowl Sunday, I was getting pretty nervous, myself. I was helping the rest of the family set up, moving tables around, mopping the floor, peeling potatoes for the chowder, etc. Throughout the entirety of the day, my main thought was, This has got to be just right. Can’t screw this up. However, the little voice in the back of my mind was saying, “Don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine.” I knew it was going to be fun, anyway. On my birthday, a month before, we had just mounted a forty-eight inch television on the wall in my family room, and moved in the leather couch that was originally in our living room.
Now, it’s around 5:00 pm, just an hour before the big game. My family from down the street had already shown up. My older sister, my brother in-law, and my little baby niece soon followed. My dad had already put the finishing touches on the chowder, and was pulling the barbecued chicken wings out of the oven, and talking to my uncle, while my mom and aunt were setting up the salad on the table by the sliding doors. My grandmother was playing with the baby, and chatting with both of my sisters and my brother in-law.
Then, I heard the knock on the door. I froze for a second, thinking, Oh boy, who arrived first? It was Khalil, the hood on his Old Colony hoodie up over his big hair, as he towered over everyone else in the house at 6 foot 5 inches tall! We all exchanged hellos, and I showed him to the family room. We talked a little bit, telling a joke here and there, and snacked on some Cool Ranch Doritos. Ten minutes later, I went out into my living room, and saw another set of headlights. It was Jacob, in his truck. Khalil and I stepped outside to show him where to park. He got out of the truck, we both greeted him, and started back inside. There was still some snow on the ground, and I slipped and fell as we were walking through the front yard. I looked ridiculous, but the three of us had a good laugh about it, together. We went into the living room, chatted some more, looked at a few memes on Jacob’s phone, and watched some of the pregame. My dad walked in, and said, “All right, guys, food’s up. If everyone could just wash their hands before digging in, that would be great. Just want to avoid cross-contamination.” This is standard protocol, as my family and myself have severe food allergies, and my friends understood fully- another success!
As we were grabbing our grub, I saw the door open once again. It was Christian and Liam, along with Christian’s parents. They were checking out my family, making sure it was safe to drop him off at our house. That made sense since they hadn’t met me or my parents prior to that moment. I thought- well, mom’s a teacher so we should pass inspection! Hands were shaken, small talk was made and phone numbers were exchanged. We quickly received parental approval and off they went. “Food is ready, Christian, we were just making plates. Could you just wash your hands, please?”
“No problem. I’m starved,” Christian quickly replied heading for the kitchen sink. Moments later he was in the food line at the counter with the guys dishing up my dad’s famously delicious food. We carefully carried our heaping plates to the family room and got situated in front of the television, lined up like dominoes across the couch. Just a squished row of Old Colony guys ready to watch the game of the season.
The next few minutes are a blur… national anthem, coin toss, kick off… the hoots and cheers of my whole family and my friends seemed like it filled the whole house. I was pumped! I paused a minute and looked around the family room and realized I had achieved what I’d hoped for. There they were, my group of friends – each of us accepting the other as is, and having a blast. Food, football and friendship and what better time to pull this off than during my favorite sporting event, the Super Bowl?
“I see trees of green…(What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong)”, not many red roses, but a few dog walkers, cranberry bogs, and the occasional deer, here in the wonderful world of Rochester, Massachusetts. I’m not a Rochester native, as I grew up in the seaside town of Mattapoisett, but after moving here my freshman year, Rochester is my true home. Rochester, a rural town, gives a natural feel to life. When I step outside, I feel the fresh country air, walk through our moss-infused green grass, and take the time to appreciate the space around me. Stately, old pines and oak trees dot my yard and line my street. As I walk thoughtfully down Clapp Road and Nathaniel’s Way, I listen to the chirping of various robins, cardinals and bluebirds, neighbors’ vehicles slowly passing by, and hear tunes from a radio every once in a while. I smell freshly mowed lawns in front of large colonial style houses. I often see little kids playing in their yards, the occasional teenager shooting hoops, and my favorite is when the deer peek their brown heads through the bushes along the side of the road. I easily connect with family here, as I have an aunt, uncle, and grandmother who live just ten houses down from where my house sits on its quiet corner.
When I take my daily run with my dogs in the cranberry bogs, across from my house, I prepare myself for a natural adventure. I may have to hop over hardened bear droppings, spot deer tracks, or run through a swarming, black cloud of tiny midge bugs. Each time I run there I remember accidentally scaring away a huge great heron, hearing it flap it’s massive feathered wings about five feet away from me and then feeling the rush of air it made. The scarlet bogs are an attractive path for my two very friendly dogs, both Bichon-Shih-Tzu mixes: Honey, white, and Teddy, black and white. I enjoy taking them out for “bog runs”, as they happily strut alongside me as I run down the paths around the large rectangular patches of berries, with their little tongues hanging out when we go back home. Because they are small, we have to be wary of the broad-winged hawks hovering about, their white, brown and black feathers stiffly spread out, like the wings on a plane, as they patrol the area. Regardless of the hawk threat, we still run each day, often running home to a family cookout; the tantalizing sound of burgers and hot dogs, or chicken and steak sizzling on the gas grill, and then eating on the deck, overlooking our little piece of country life.
Work for Forced From Home Yet Never Free of It
The theme of Forced From Home Yet Never Free of It is the trauma of fleeing her Korean home in such a scary fashion made the author carry the memory of that home in her mind for years to come. She is surprised that even as an adult, the memories barge into her current day life.
Sharp Details:
“WITH each year, my childhood house grows bigger in my mind, each nook and corridor casting a longer shadow.” (This quote became a sharp image after reading the whole piece.)
“With her long brown hair in a loose bun and a pair of oversize sunglasses, she looked like a movie star as she kissed me once before waving me off into a chauffeured car.”
“Upon returning from our grandparents’, we would find the gate positioned at a completely different angle, or the garden lit up like Christmas, with brilliant lanterns hanging from the tree.”