Of Mice and Men: Continued

          Slim and George sat down at the bar. Slim put a hand on George's shoulder and stated, "Like I said, George, sometimes a guy's gotta."
          "I knew I had to do it. I tried to fight it tooth and nail, but in the back a my mind, I knew it needed to be done. I was shaking in my boots and almost got cold feet, but I did it anyways." George put his empty glass down on the polished counter.
          "What's done is done, George. You tried your best. I think it's time that the both of us turn over a new leaf. Why not do it together?" George's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.
          "What on earth do you mean, Slim? I don't have anywhere to go and not a cent to my name." Optimism flowed from Slim's reply, but he spoke gently as not to startle George.
          "Listen here, George. Your past with Lennie, that's just water under the bridge. You and me, we already have the tools of the trade. We work for a year, scrape up a little pocket change, and we could be running our own ranch. At this point, either you sink or you swim. I'll help you swim George. We'll just start by keeping our heads above water, laying low at the ranch for a little while. Don't even worry about Curley either, he doesn't have a bone to pick with you now that the big guy's gone. If he even tries to pick a fight, he's in hot water because I won't stand for it anymore. All bets are off in that case. We'll just pack our things and go after I show him a thing or two. We can find somewhere else to work. Just a small stake and we can be running our own ranch. I heard the land's dirt cheap up in Oregon! We may have to work our fingers to the bone, but it'll be worth it. No one else calling the shots, it's about time that it's our turn. There's no time like the present. So how about it, George?"

Grade 12: Bitter Freedom

 
            It looms in the impending darkness. A thought so polluted with expectations that it is hidden in closets below skeletons. The word itself makes thousands of grade twelve students everywhere shudder: Graduation. Their final day of certainty is commemorated with a ceremony and a diploma, at last releasing the students into the unknown. An “arrangement in degrees, levels, or ranks,” seemingly defies the goal of equality which echoes throughout society, but is the very definition of graduation. The newly crowned “Grads” envelop themselves in the laborious preparation, but how can one prepare for the unfamiliar and unexpected? For seventeen years these adolescents have had their lives planned out, their future set. School became simply a mandatory routine. However, after their final ten months of high school dissolve into the past, there is no longer a required path for them to follow. School has taught these graduates many things, but has it taught them how to live? University professors are not accommodating to a lack of preparedness with test re-writes and study sessions. Using the Pythagorean Theorem will not help pay rent. The timeline of World War 2 will be of no benefit during a pharmaceutical job interview. School teaches one how to be a student. Once these routine stricken young adults are released from the safety pen that is high school, the future is solely up to them.

One Might Think Her Name is Dana...

          One might think her name is Dana, but no one is quite sure. There are only three things one needs to know about her: she is always tired, she is always hungry, and her hair is ridiculous. Sure, one might think that these are typical teenage qualities. However, these traits remain unknown to the rest of the world. Like a chameleon, she masks her flaws with the aid of naps, snacks, and a 400 degree curling iron. Ten hours of sleep may be enough rest for an average 17 year old girl, but not Dana. Only a minimum of twelve hours is enough to quench Dana's need for sleep. Otherwise, her eyes flutter during her last period English class and she can no longer resist the urge to yawn. Throughout her exhilarating class of English, not only are her eyes attempting to close against her will, but a Bear's growl occasionally escapes from her stomach. Hunger has set in. Without a morsel of food within her grasp, Dana quickly transforms. She becomes irritable, her fatigue worsens, and there is a chance of her fainting. As a preventative measure, her bag is always well equipped with food. Dana also prepares herself for a long day by fabricating her hair to look socially acceptable. It is a tedious task, but she never denies a challenge. With a full night's sleep behind her, perfectly polished hair, and a granola bar in her hand, Dana is ready to take on the world.