Story Prompts:
- Rescued child
- Aging clown
- First day of school
- If only what was said could be taken back
Story 1 by Rich Colon
Dennis had a hard life from birth to his first day of school. He was known as a rescued child, found among a group of kids who were stolen from the remote villages. The full extent of the abuses he endured is still unknown.
Now what would his life be like? Up until being rescued, Dennis had no formal education and didn't even know how to read or write. The only book he ever saw, scared him because it had pictures of an aging clown that seemed to look evil, as though it would eat little children. These were the images of his continual nightmares. When he closes his eyes he can see the blood, the small arms and legs, and then the teeth marks.
That is when he would wake up screaming, every time.
But that was over 50 years ago, and during that time he had told them everything over and over again. Every little horrifying detail, he re-lived it as though he was right there, with no escape from the torture.
Yet during the few fleeting moments of clarity, he wonders if only what was said could be taken back. Because as Dennis paces back and forth in his tiny prison cell, he looks into the mirror and all he sees is the aging clown smiling back at him.
Story 2 by Dave Gregory
Try and think back, if you can, I think almost everybody found the first day of school traumatic. I certainly did and I remember it all too well.
I was pretty good when Mom left me – alone – with a whole bunch of screaming kids – alone – some were crying, some were yelling, some were hitting, throwing things, banging on the table and one very tall smiling lady was working to calm things down – the teacher – Miss Donovan.
This was “Little Bo Peep” Daycare – this was my new home – I was being punished while Mom & Dad went to work – they didn’t love me anymore; I was sure of it.
If only what I had said could be taken back. It wasn’t even something I knew about, I just heard someone say it when they got mad – and so when I got mad, I said it – There had been a long silence – I felt like I was part of a circus – an old aging clown that nobody laughed at anymore.
I thought it was a joke – I knew what most of the words meant, but probably not all of them – and I was in trouble. I was lectured and told that I was wrong to say it & if I ever said it again – well that was left for my imagination. I was sent to my room without supper and this morning I was dumped off here at “Bo Peeps.”
Miss Donovan got reinforcements when two Aids came – Elinore & Betty – they separated us into groups & slowly this calmed down. We were read a story, we were allowed to play gently with toys – some girl tried to hug me all day – one kid punched me in the arm – I smashed him over the head with a red truck – we both got “time outs” – we had gram crackers & a juice box – we had to lie down and pretend to take a nap – on and on it went until – something wonderful happened – Mom showed up and rescued her only child –
I told her all that went on & she asked if I’d like to come back to “Bo Peeps” tomorrow –
I said it would be OK, I guess – especially if we had chocolate pudding for dessert after dinner. And we did.
Story 3 by Rosanne Hoagland
I had to give up my place in the show. My body was starting to work against me and failing. My show tricks no longer worked as the arthritis in my fingers caused my hands to shake. I am having a hard time with my face, putting on my clown face paint. It was hard being an aging clown, after a while it just gets creepy. Days pass and no one knows what to say to you. Conversations get awkward and silence is like a canyon, with sound going everywhere. Advice and lessons are accepted with a nod of the head but ignored once you walk away.
Looking in the mirror I ask myself, “How did I get here? Where did it all go?” Sitting in this home, that is not mine. Their kindness made me feel like a kid on the first day of school when I made my first friend. Signing wishing, wanting those days, but then again – NO. That is when I was abandoned by my parents and rescued by a pair of clowns. Literally!! There were no formal adoptions in those days, children were abandoned and found a lot in those days. Especially in the deep countryside and rural areas. So, I was found and taken in by a family of circus clowns. I was never abused, just the opposite, they loved me with all their hearts. Fed me, clothed and schooled me along with their own children. Yes schooled!! These people, my people, were not as stupid and uneducated as other people, townies, thought. In each town we went to we had to be tested to meet certain educational standards, and us kids did better than the locals. Many school officials said we were the smartest circus kids they had ever met.
That was decades ago and here I am alone and left behind. Too old by their standards to carry on, I am only in my sixties, but so be it. I could have saved them, but they would not listen, and now they left me behind. Oh Well, so be it, their time is coming soon when they will be no more. They are losing money left and right. I tried to tell them what they needed to do to save the circus, but they did not listen and told me that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Then said some terrible things that cannot be taken back. Now they are on their own.
Oh Well, I had a phone call to make, and this very kind family let me use theirs. I made a mental note to make sure they are taken care of. I called my friend, who is also my lawyer.
“Hello Joe,” I paused for a moment listening to his voicemail message, knowing he will answer once he heard my voice. I listened to his questions and concerns. “No, I was abandoned on the side of the road outside Atlanta, Georgia.
Is there someone you know local that can come and get me.’” I sighed, “I have all my stuff, not there was much. They just left me behind in my tent at the fairgrounds. I don’t know how I never heard them.”
I listened to his concerns, but I had no answers. “We’ll figure it out, but right now I need to take care of this family. They have been taking care of me for the last three weeks. They won’t take money directly from me but look into the mortgage on the place and pay it off, make sure they get the deed. Yes, thank you.”
I hung up the phone and went to the porch to wait. He will be long gone by the time they find out about how he paid them back. It was early evening when a truck and a limo pulled up to the house, and Joe got out of the truck. I have the best friend in the world. They loaded up all his things and got into the limo. Thinking to myself it will be nice to get home to a warm bath, good food and a comfy bed. I was, I AM the smartest of all of them. I knew how to save and invest my money. The others should have listened. Oh Well!
NOTE:
Using the same 4 prompts, different stories were generated by these writers. Now, what would you write given these same prompts? Give it a try yourself!