WordShare

WordShare is a student service learning project created by Nannette Crane-Post for her Composition students. Students dedicate ten hours a semester to read to the residents of local nursing homes and are responsible for scheduling these meetings with the activities directors. At the end of the semester, students must write a response paper in which they discuss their experience.

Anna Jackson and Miss Betty at Canyon Springs Nursing Home

Nannette’s Creative Writing Class: Student Submission

THE ROOM and SOPHIE ROSE
circa 1950s by Martha France Cannon

“ Come dance with me, sweet girl.”  My great aunt’s soft voice with her dignified southern accent beckons me.  “Let us sway to the melody. We will gently close our eyelids, not to tight, just enough to lose our balance.  We will let the music enter and touch the spirit and the heart.  If the rhythm creates a smile that will be so very splendid.  If burning tears fill your eyes, so amazing that will be.  Marvelously this means music has aroused a sleeping memory and your heart is weeping. Sadness or happiness, these feelings only you will know.  Yes, yes sweet child come dance with me.  My eyes can so longer see, but my toes are tapping to this melodic beat.”

Taking her soft and delicate hands into my own we twirl and whirl around the parlor room.  Her stylishly sheer ankle length dress flows and floats with our movements.  The denim overalls I am wearing and my canvas shoes represent the tomboy that I am.

Girlish giggles echo cheerfully and I snigger at my clumsiness.  Criticism, frustration, disappointment. These words I never hear. Not ever spoken from her expertly outlined scarlet lips.

The music ends.  Laughing-we curtsy quite magnificently.  I turn her in the direction of the French sofa that is upholstered with thick velvet material the color of cream with rose designs.  Red roses of course, it could not be otherwise.

I walk over to the impressive antique gramophone and skillfully lift the spinner arm off the record.  I turn to face her with a smile that will remain forever unseen.  Sadly, liken the bright sun-ray shining through the stained, rose-design, window pane.  Her blurred green eyes see an opaque world, causing her to have only reminiscences of lace curtains catching the beam that form the patterns that become shadows on a Persian rug, aged with the passing of time as is this lovely lady in her distinctive room.

“ Child, come here to me.”  Aunt Sophia motions to me.  The many rings on her  slender fingers sparkling with the movement .  “Hand me the hairbrush.  Sit down in front of me.  Have you become beautiful?  These ole eyes cannot see.  Have you pride and confidence?  You are a mysterious young girl now, but time will march on and one day the mirror will show you all grown up.  A woman of substance you must become, but remember a charming smile with secret eyes are like a huge bank account.  Furtive.”

Is she teasing? I truly do not know.  Heck, I don’t even know what  furtive means.  Just another word she knows I will have to look up in the dictionary .

I put another record on the player and we listen with pleasure.  Aunt Sophie Rose sits very dignified and regal, her eighty-three years to be cherished.  I on the floor at her knees.  She brushes my long auburn hair with a silver hairbrush, then reaches up to her white hair, that is piled in youthful disarray, even now still scattered with faded specks of her once Irish red tresses, and unties a pale green satin ribbon.  She pulls my thick, naturally curly hair together at the nape of my neck and ties the ribbon with a perfect bow.

She waves me toward the floor length parlor mirror.  Gold bangles on her arms clanging.

I look at my image.  I am thirteen years old today.  Am I ready to leave my childhood frolics behind me?  I think not just yet, but this shiny ribbon flowing gracefully onto my shoulders seems pleasing to me.  I like it.

I turn to face this delightful woman that I so adore.

“Yes, my wonderfully eccentric great-Aunt Sophie Rose.  Like you, I am beautiful.”

No Good Deed Goes Unnoticed

No Good Deed Goes Unnoticed
by David Lusher

This past fall semester, I have been privileged to have been able to share classrooms with the amazing individuals in each of my courses. Though I have made the acquaintance of many, the stories I want to tell today are about two specific individuals, one a student and one a teacher, who have stood out to me from the rest.

Most people who have stories told of them have done a great deed of courage or have accomplished a task which seemed to be impossible: in this story that is not the case. A few weeks back I had been absent from my Sociology class. Your grade in this class is very heavily based on the notes you take. The next class, which I was in attendance, I proceeded to copy a fellow student’s notes. A few minutes into the class, another classmate entered and noticed me copying the notes. Immediately she said “Wait! Stop copying those!” My first reaction was one of confusion – why should I stop? I needed these. Still I said nothing and did as she had ordered. After she took her seat and unloaded her class materials, she proceeded to slip a few papers out of her binder. Contained in this slender stack of papers, were all the notes from that previous class I had missed – but that is not all. The worksheets completed in the class were there as well and with the correct answers marked so I would have all the material needed to review for our next test. If that was not enough already, she had run out of paper while making me the copies and a had to make a run to the store to replenish her supply – all for a random guy in one of her classes. We had no personal relationship previous to that instance and still do not know each other on a personal level. I did not ask for her to make the copies for me. She simply saw a need and filled it. This student is Sarah Williams.

This was not the only case in which she has done similar acts. I do not know the current status of her grades, her financial situation, or much of anything about her really, but here is what I do know: Sarah has qualities extending far beyond those of being a good student and she has a wealth which many who dwell in mansions will never possess.

I was also very blessed to hear stories of those who did acts of good deeds for a small extra credit assignment in another of my classes. I very much admire and respect this teacher for choosing such an assignment to encourage the students to participate in actions which bless others. Yes the students had a little extra motivation behind their actions, but stepped in to help others none the less. The teacher, on the other hand, not only gave to her students, but through them she was responsible for changing a lady’s tire, donating clothes and furniture to those less fortunate, and a list of other deeds. She did not gain a single thing for this other than the joy on her face, and in her heart, when the students stood in front of the class to tell of their deeds. This teacher, I am very proud to mention, is Amanda Bass.

Sarah and Amanda have made me stop and think about what more I can do to contribute to the ever present void of those willing to go out of their way to help others. My hope is that, at this time of the year especially, their stories will inspire you to join the cause of filling the needs of others. And to those of you who have already rose to the challenge, keep it up! There is always a need to be met, it’s just a matter of having the eyes to see it.

Hope all had a wonderful break, a very Merry Christmas, and a happy New Years! Don’t forget to stay classy NPCC!