A Writer’s Life: Flexibility
“Hi, Dr. Pan” I waved at my English teacher, hoping to not regret it in the next five minutes. Greeting teachers was really a hit or miss; either they wanted to start an awkward conversation or it was just a simple hi and bye.
“Hello, Brittany” greeted Dr. Pan. I patiently stood there, waiting to be released from the awkwardness that is talking to your teacher in the hallways. The trashcan visible over her shoulder was of particular interest. The heat of the day was reacting badly with the rejected lunches, judging by the amount of flies hanging around. “You know, if you ever want to talk… I’m here for you,” she continued.
“Oh, thank you…” I tried to pretend like I knew exactly what I did wrong; teachers are to …show more content…
I thought about the prompt for the rest of class but couldn’t find anything that I personally wanted to write about myself. And so, after class, I approached Dr. Pan and asked if I could write a fictional piece. She said yes, and this was where the confusion began.
Given complete freedom, my mind was swirling with possibilities that would result in the most angst ridden piece of paper that I had ever been responsible for. The protagonist was an Asian girl who had a deadbeat father that couldn’t let go, a cheating absentee mother and a terrible school life. Somewhere between giving me the okay and reading my paper, Dr. Pan had forgotten that I would be writing a fictional piece. Needless to say, she was a tad concerned. I wish I could have been there for the parent teacher night that both of my parents attended.
I enjoyed writing at the time. I wanted to make up fantastical stories that were interesting to me because real life was too boring. After this incident, Dr. Pan cracked down on fictional writing. No more would the sad Asian girl sit alone under a tree and contemplate her life. Now, Brittany Won would have to explain the history of her name, the consequences of childhood ending, how gender norms affected her growth and any other awkward, boring topics her teacher could come up with. I hated
“Hi, Dr. Pan” I waved at my English teacher, hoping to not regret it in the next five minutes. Greeting teachers was really a hit or miss; either they wanted to start an awkward conversation or it was just a simple hi and bye.
“Hello, Brittany” greeted Dr. Pan. I patiently stood there, waiting to be released from the awkwardness that is talking to your teacher in the hallways. The trashcan visible over her shoulder was of particular interest. The heat of the day was reacting badly with the rejected lunches, judging by the amount of flies hanging around. “You know, if you ever want to talk… I’m here for you,” she continued.
“Oh, thank you…” I tried to pretend like I knew exactly what I did wrong; teachers are to …show more content…
I thought about the prompt for the rest of class but couldn’t find anything that I personally wanted to write about myself. And so, after class, I approached Dr. Pan and asked if I could write a fictional piece. She said yes, and this was where the confusion began.
Given complete freedom, my mind was swirling with possibilities that would result in the most angst ridden piece of paper that I had ever been responsible for. The protagonist was an Asian girl who had a deadbeat father that couldn’t let go, a cheating absentee mother and a terrible school life. Somewhere between giving me the okay and reading my paper, Dr. Pan had forgotten that I would be writing a fictional piece. Needless to say, she was a tad concerned. I wish I could have been there for the parent teacher night that both of my parents attended.
I enjoyed writing at the time. I wanted to make up fantastical stories that were interesting to me because real life was too boring. After this incident, Dr. Pan cracked down on fictional writing. No more would the sad Asian girl sit alone under a tree and contemplate her life. Now, Brittany Won would have to explain the history of her name, the consequences of childhood ending, how gender norms affected her growth and any other awkward, boring topics her teacher could come up with. I hated