Chuck Norris (Falling for The Mowhawk Boy)

I was standing in the lunch line at school and the girl behind me's breath smelled a little bit like a sheep. When I got to the cookies, she took the last two for her and her friend before I could get one. Besides that, I had just taken an Algebra 1 test that I felt I was going to fail.

I surely wasn't having the best of days.

When I got to my table, the seat my friends usually reserved for me had been taken by somebody else. As I glanced around in exasperation for another place to sit, I realized that the only seat left was by The Mowhawk Boy, John.

I didn't want to sit by myself, because I knew if I did, I would look conspicuous. I didn't like drawing attention to myself for no reason. So I sat down next to John.

When I came in, John was having a conversation with his two friends, Aaron and another boy named John. They didn't seem to mind my presence, so I listened to them.

When the subject of the president came up, The Mowhawk Boy John looked strait at me and said, "Bush is Satan." I'm not quite sure why, but that struck me as being very funny. I laughed really hard.

The next day, The Mowhawk Boy John and I were in the lunch line together, and he asked me if I knew who Chuck Norris was.

"Oh, yeah," I said, "Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his stunning good looks and skills as a ninja. But when the devil had his back turned, Chuck Norris gave him a roundhouse kick to the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, chuckled at this. Chuck Norris and the devil now play poker every second Wednesday of the month."

John smiled and turned to the other John. "Hey, John," said John, "she knows who Chuck Norris is."

John printed out "The Top 30 Facts about Chuck Norris" from the website and read them out loud to us at lunch. He found more the next day. John likes Chuck Norris.

I continiued to sit with John, John, and Aaron for the rest of that week. On Friday, John and I were walking out of the cafeteria together. John leaned over to me and said, "People are going to think that we're going out."

I suppose I found it odd because he didn't really say anything else. He said something else on a different subject, and then we both left for our fourth block classes.

Or perhaps I found it odd because I was thinking the same thing, and it didn't bother me at all.

Good People

I sat behind Grama in the SUV that belonged to my aunt as the rain poured on the window. My grandparents sat in the front seats, talking with eachother.

As I sat there with my face in the window, I began thinking about what wonderful people I knew, what wonderful people I was related to. My hardworking grandfather and my beautiful grandmother, who sat right in front of me as fantastic, kind, honest people.

My mother is my inspiration for seeing beauty and kindness even when life seems hopeless and cold. I know how to hold on to all that matters because of her. She is a selfless, spirited person.

And Dad... the only things that I really know are the things that he taught me. It is not by lack of vocabulary so much as lack of human words able to describe him that I do not write more. He is my rock.

People wish to be a great many things, but I wish to be like them.