Open Wide: The Stories

The Crisis that has Changed our Lives Forever

 
I blame the quarantine
For my messed-up routine
And the missing memories of me being sixteen.
But this was something no one could’ve foreseen.
 
Everyday is the same mixture of boring activities.
My diet just gets worse
And I continue to lose my creativity.
Being stuck in the house seems like a curse.
 
But I do feel this time has allowed for great family bonding,
Like having conversations where everyone is actually responding.
We play board games, watch TV, and go on walks around the neighborhood,
And surprisingly only have a few fights from being misunderstood.
 
Having school online and having the opportunity to sleep in seemed like great fun,
Until I realized it had become a hardship for everyone.
It is obvious that technology can be very irritating,
The annoyance of communicating with teachers can be permeating.
 
I do understand the importance of staying home, however,
As these precautions protect the brave people on the front lines in their endeavors.
While it is frustrating to give up the luxury of leaving our homes when it was optimal,
This ensures life will resume as normal as it can, as soon as possible.
 
Once this is over, I think we’ll understand
How much we took for granted when we still had command.
From now on, I hope we learn to appreciate the present
And look back on our days with happiness and content.

 

–Sophia Freedman, Age 16, Clarksburg, WV

Who Counts?

Covid-19 has affected everyone’s life so much more than we can understand because we are all going stir crazy, but how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected my life is not the same as everyone else’s! Honestly, my life has barely changed, I have more time to ride my horse than I ever did during school. While everyone is stuck inside I have been going outside more than I have in awhile. I h ave been  helping my sister and I sometimes work with her at the large animal vet clinic. While everyone else is parting their life from doing things that they still can or getting out and doing yard work, I have been living my life to the fullest (or as much as I can) I couldn’t every imagine being cooped up into a house all day.

Our sad society

What is really sad about this whole Covid-19 pandemic is that people are dying, but the only people we care about are the more popular people.

For example- Tom Hanks has been infected by Covid-19 and it is terribly sad to hear, but what people don’t know is, that a 90 year old woman whom might have been the sweetest, kindest and loving 90 year old woman you could ever meet, she might even have on coming grandchildren that she might never get to meet, even if she has grandchildren, those grandchildren might not be that old and don’t want to go the rest of there live no knowing there grandma as much as they hoped too.

The worst thing is, is you would never know about that women, but everyone knows that guy named Tom Hank. It’s sad how our society is based on popularity! And not about the small things like that 90 year old woman.

–Cole Ramsussen, English 9

The Spaces Between

May is a liminal month, stuck in the dewy interstices: buds and blossoms, winter jacket and shorts.

Beaming pride and grave concerns. I turned in my seniors’ grades yesterday.

Creative writing classes are more intimate than most college classes, especially my nonfiction workshops where young writers reveal themselves on the page in autobiographical writing. They write of their families, who are fish mongers or immigrants from South Korea. They chronicle their struggles with depression, drugs, fear of coming out to parents, or recovering from traumatic experiences. They share their knowledge of things like beekeeping, skateboarding, comic-book history, otaku, marching bands, touring with their own bands, and traveling on the cheap. They chronicle their work as line cooks, security guards, cashiers, bus drivers, servers, Lyft drivers, and paralegals. They are my entrée into current slang, fashion trends, music, movies, comicons, even video games and the occult. One semester I had five “out” witches in my workshop.

I’ve always said my student-writers’ fiction is the finger on the pulse of culture. Over a decade ago, coming-out stories were common. For a while, there were at least a few best-friend-coming-out-and-coming-onto-you stories each semester. Vampire stories went on way too long, mutating into werewolf stories, then zombies. Fantasy is still hip, not that they’d describe it as such.

Dystopic stories had been waning lately. But now . . .

Fiction. Nonfiction. The space between.

This year, my seniors are stuck. Quarantine is loosening, but the pandemic persists.

Now that they finally have a moment to look away from their computer screens, it may be hard to absorb that their efforts educating themselves have been worth it, especially if a different job is not immediately forthcoming.

Here’s the touchstone I hand back:

Education matters. Education transcends.

Congratulations, Writers!

Congratulations, Class of 2020.

Keep Writing.

–KLB

Senior Year. Cancelled.

I blame the quarantine for my senior year ending, graduation getting cancelled, and an unknowingness of what’s to come next. I blame the quarantine for the anxieties, the paranoia, and panic surrounding everyday life as we take on the world one day at a time. I blame the media for causing an uproar throughout the world though I believe my governor is holding the state down and safe to the best of her abilities. I do not understand why I cannot find toilet paper, paper towels, and common household items as I have been following CDC guidelines my entire life.

“Am I the only one not in a panic?” I question myself quite often because I feel nothing. I feel the anxieties of others but not my own.

I worry for the health of my mother the most. I worry for the healthcare workers who risk their lives everyday because that’s what they “signed up” for. I worry for all the essential workers who put themselves on the line so I can get my groceries, my prescriptions, and order take out on the days I’m too tired from “quarantining” to cook.

I think about exercising often; I think about what it will be like to teach my first spin class when we all return to our new normal. I think about returning to my waitressing job; will people actually respect food service workers as a part of our new normal? How will people respect one another during our new normal? Will we say “excuse me” as we pass by one another in the grocery store? Will children return to the worries of children instead of adults? I blame the quarantine for the change we never knew we needed.

–Jenna Cipriano, Rhode Island College Student

Plants

“I blame the quarantine.” I sighed while cracking open a cold one.

It was a rainy day on a Sunday, which is ironic since my plants died because I lost all motivation in taking care of them. The first day I got them they were delicate little things. Over time, their beautiful petals started to blossom, varying from orange marigolds to yellow daffodils. As my flowers died so did my feelings, I felt nothing.

Mom and Dad’s way of checking up on me was shooting me a quick “how are you honey?” text every now and then. Still appreciated the effort though.

My girlfriend left me and took our dog, that one hurt like hell. Poor Beverley is forced to live with the Wicked Witch of the West and her new boyfriend.

The only good thing that came out of this break up is the apartment. Although it does get lonely sometimes and considering my only type of comfort is dead, I am forced to be alone with my thoughts. Maybe this is what I needed, was some alone time. Time to collect my thoughts and make room for some change. This whole virus has made me rethink all my life choices. I know it’s sad to use a virus outbreak as an excuse to change, but at least it knocked some sense into me. People are dying and I’m over here, flesh and blood, with a heartbeat, complaining about my girlfriend that cheated on me and taking my dog.

The more I thought about it the more regret I felt. The more I went outside the faster reality had hit me that this is serious, and people are dying. That I needed to text my mom and dad that I loved them and that I hoped they’re doing okay.

When am I ever going to be able to see them again? What about grandma or grandpa?

My heart instantly sank into my stomach and I attempted to sit up straight on the couch. Looking over at my dying plants I shook my head and forced myself to get up while looking out my window.

It’s sunny today, which is a sign I need to buy some new plants.

–Nadia Xavier, Rhode Island College creative-writing student

Valley Girl of the Dead

I totally blame this quarantine for messing up my life. I mean seriously, all the healthy people crammed into one place while the hordes of sick people are outside shielded by just a wall of concrete? Yeah, if only I could roll my eyes at the genius at the guy who came up with that idea. Such a great idea, except they forgot about the people who got bitten already.

Now all my friends are totally zombies. I guess it’s a good thing my daddy is in the military, because not only did I have a super cute rifle that I decorated myself, but the military guys took me in, and some of the guys are totally hot.

I just like, don’t get why they got so mad I flaked on training to give some of my fellow cadet girls makeovers. Like, it’s not my fault the clothes they give us are hideous! What was I supposed to do? Not cut up my uniform to actually look cute? As if!

That Colonel Whatever is totally unhinged if he thinks I’m gonna quit finding stuff to accessorize my boring bed with. Who wouldn’t use their boot laces and bullets to make some decorations? It’s like my fairy lights at home, except without the light up part.

I think the worst thing has got to be the signal here! I get some of the cell towers or whatever might be down, but like, I can’t even access Insta! How will everyone know I’m totally kicking butt while looking cute in the army now? Plus it’s totally lame I can’t text the couple of friends that didn’t get slobbered on by those wanna-be zombies.

Oh, and if anyone asks, I totally don’t have my phone. If Colonel Whats-His-Face found out he’d blow up majorly.

Ugh, I’m so over this whole zombie outbreak.

–Caroline Connole Sutherland, Rhode Island College Writing 100, Professor Hardmon’s Class

Opportunity

I blame the quarantine for this situation we were thrown into on Friday, March 13, 2020. Students were sent home from school not knowing how long it would be until they could return. Any plans that we had were cancelled as everyone’s only duty was social distancing. Shelves of stores were like barren wastelands, completely rummaged through because everyone was rushing to prepare. Prepare for what? No one knew. Only time would tell. My initial reaction was not a great one. I was angry that my DECA trip to Nashville was cancelled, angry that I might not have a softball season, angry that I would not be able to see any of my friends for the longest time. As I blended into the quarantine life, I came to a realization. I could not change the situation, but I could change how I reacted to it. It diminished many opportunities, but there was a potential for it to bring me even more. 

Opportunities to take a break. 

Opportunities to catch up on my sleep. 

Opportunities to eat healthier. 

Opportunities to accomplish everything I had been wanting to do but had no time for. 

Opportunities to become closer with my family. 

Opportunities to reshape my schedule. 

Opportunities to set a precedent for what my life will be like when everything becomes normal again. 

Opportunities that I never would have had if it weren’t for this exact circumstance. I realized that the quarantine could have more positive effects for me than negative ones, it all depended on how I would decide to view it and how I would decide to act upon it. I blame the quarantine for opening my mind to a new way of thinking, and allowing me to look for opportunity in what had seemed like the worst of situations.

–Kaitlyn Pristawa, sophomore at Burrillville High School. “I wanted to share both my good and bad experiences with the quarantine.”

Waiting

My head hurts
I am unmotivated and distressed. 
How could the world do this to us?
How could God do this to us? 
Questions swirl through my brain.
I think of what will be canceled next.
My head hurts 
 
I start to accept,
Take a deep breath. 
This isn’t the end,
Even though it really is
I think of the firsts and lasts I have missed so far
And I get sad again. 
 
Megan.
Kait.
Bella. 
And Sam.
Never met face to face but suddenly I understand
I understand I am not alone.
Here are these girls stuck at home 
Waiting at their windows for a chance to meet face to face
To start the next chapter if our lives.
College. 
I have hope again. 
 
We are connected by not only a screen 
We are connected by the heart
Yearning for the same things in life
Hearts breaking for the same cancellations 
Our world seems like it’s falling apart 
 
But here we are
 
Together yet apart
 
Never met face to face
But connected by the heart 
 

–Sierra Madden , Senior at Burrillville High School, Age 18

Music Window

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Although my neighborhood is multi-Latinx, on May 5th it’s usually alive with the smoky scent of grilled meat and the sounds of Mexican conjunto norteño music that reminds me of the Slovenian polkas my dad used to play.

My dad always loved polka music, and in his younger years, when polka was hot in the Midwest (yup, I said polka was hot), he sang with a few bands. Later, at about my age, he took up the drums, for what I believe were two reasons: he couldn’t find anyone to sing with, and he wanted to save his musician friend, Al, from alcoholism. Only one of these aims was successful.

He had his own band almost until he died. He used to play in the local park for the 4th of July celebrations. Mexican immigrant families populated many of the same neighborhood that had been the settling areas of Polish immigrants like his family decades earlier, and on Independence Day, both populations came out with their families. I’ve often thought how much these two populations have in common, Catholicism, immigration patterns, work ethic, and folk music. Watching his neighborhood change was not unproblematic for my Dad, who felt less and less relevant as he got older.  Still, he loved it when he saw his Mexican neighbors nodded their heads in time to his polkas. This inevitably led to him commenting, “You know, I took Spanish in high school,” reaching for a connection to the changing world around him.

I don’t hear music in my neighborhood today even though more cars whizzed past Tyke and me on our morning walk than have in weeks. But it’s early on a Tuesday morning. Maybe tonight some celebration will trill from my neighbors’ backyards. I’ll nod my head in time, drink a beer, and be thankful for my neighbors, for music, and for celebration.

Enjoy some music today, including a links to Conjunto Norteno La Aurora, Peace for the Ages, an inter-generational collaboration between Stages Theatre (where my sister, Sandy Boren-Barrett is artistic director!! Hey, Sam!) and Alive & Kickin, Brave Combo, and the Linlithgow Male Rugby Club Voice Choir.

–KLB