Prompt 20

by Kristi on November 11, 2023




Number generator said 20… and it’s a back to school memory! I guess we are close to that time frame…? I need to find a better, more timely weekly prompt.

How about you? What are your back-to-school memories? Tell us about one. Your memory can be your own, or one from watching your child go to school, or a story inspired by a memory, or anything back-to-school-y. Either way, make us smell the must of the chalk or the acridity of teen spirit.

https://sandiegomomma.com/2008/09/02/promptuesday-20-memory-description/

Okay, ten minutes…

Krysta and I kneeled down under her bedroom window on the second floor of her house, slightly opening the blinds with two fingers so we could spy on Jose, her neighbor’s hot friend, who was skateboarding outside on the sidewalk. Behind us, clothes were strewn all over her bed as we were trying on “first day” outfits. Our first day of Freshman year started next week and we were trying to get the courage to wander outside and start up a conversation because they were in the grade above us.

Jose clutched a red solo cup in his hand, as he swayed back and forth on the board. He went up and down over the dip of the driveway repetitively, practicing some kind of trick. He casually chatted with his friend who was sitting on the red brick wall that lined his driveway. We leaned forward, tilting our ears to the screen to try and hear the conversation but as we did, his eyes flicked over in our direction. We ducked down again.

Did he know we were watching? Krysta and I locked eyes and tried not to laugh out loud so they wouldn’t hear us. We waited a few seconds while listening to the action outside. We straightened up again and opened up the blinds wider to peer through the opening and caught Jose looking over at us.

Crash… “Oh, shit!”

We burst into howls of laughter, slamming the window shut and collapsing on the floor.

Jose had fallen, his orange juice spilling all over the driveway. We sat up a few minutes later but the driveway was empty. The red solo cup was all that was left, spinning in circles. It stayed there for at least a week.

They never talked to us once that first week of school. I think all we got was a cool chin nod once or twice when we would run into them outside before Krysta’s neighbor moved away a few months later.


Comments on this entry are closed.

Previous post:

Next post: