A FURRY FRIEND

William Shu

The antiquated train hooted and hollered ferociously, almost as if something ominous were about to happen. My innards felt nice and toasty, yet my outward, plastic components sensed the chilly atmosphere. As my owner, John, with his crinkly old eyes and furrowing eyebrows, rested me down on the table, I started to recount the adventures that I continuously commit to memory. With humble beginnings in a Dorito factory, sitting in a train, I reminisced on the good old days. We took a comfy and plush seat near the window, yet the only problem with it was that we were riding economy class. I’ve been on enough airplanes to know of the harrowing horrors that can emerge out of nowhere around here, such as coffee mug hurlers and raucous children. Sigh, thank goodness it seems anything but of the sort. Crinkling announcing my arrival, the settings I suddenly found myself in were a bit too obsolete for my taste. The wooden chairs were rickety, boards had been devoured by termites, and numerous pieces of trash were strewn around like the devastation after a hurricane.

Woof! Eager to make his entrance as well, I peeked through the slim gap between the chairs in front of me to catch a glimpse of this newcomer. There’s yellow, oh my, yes, an abundance of yellow. Might it be some bars of gold, a future fellow inanimate friend? Long and large, too colossal to associate with anymore. A musty aroma and stenches of fresh meat? Eh, an extremely ostracized societal individual who reeks? Or perhaps-

My philosophical inquiries were abruptly interrupted by a big, moist nose sticking itself through the exact same gap. The metaphorical heart I had pumped ferociously and sweat trickled down. Trying to remain calm, I instead found myself spontaneously panicking as if I had no control whatsoever over it.

The size difference between us was one factor, of course, but there was also a psychological side to it. The excessive panting of the canine, coupled with the cynophobia I had (if it even was possible for what humans regard as an inanimate object) made this the worst possible scenario for me. My owner didn’t notice, though, and I determined that it was either due to his lack of concern for me, which wasn’t likely because chip bags are widely regarded as a man’s best friend, or because he sympathized with the terrifying dog in front of my poor, plastic flesh. Almost as if reading my thoughts of weakness, the beastly monster snapped his teeth. I instinctively jumped back, but could not move. In slow motion, it approached, with smelly breath coming directly from the mouth that digested victims like me first, followed up with horrific grrs, making my spine shiver as if I was in the Arctic. The ferocious tongue elongated itself, bending like a gymnast. Saliva beads dribbled down onto my abode, and the Golden Retriever persistently swiped toward my maroon Dorito exterior.

Then, the unfathomable occurred: John socialized with the enemy. His hand, which used to be exclusive to me, patted the top of the dog’s, a clear sign of the bribery the dog was enacting upon my owner. Extremely despicable! Although I did my best to try and remain placid, my heart was bursting at the seams in a sea of sadness. Now swiveling the rotund facial features it putridly possessed, it turned its attention back to me. Clearly recognizing his brawn with lack of intellect were no match for my wits, the canine threatened my very existence by barring its pearly white teeth. I didn’t need to speak dog to comprehend that the strategy for coercing me into submission. I normally would have fought back for my life, since it was on the line, but in this case, I tensed up my body and cowered in a defensive position, panic-stricken about what was about to happen.

He stretched out his mouth to a height of a thousand miles to devour me and grabbed a hold of me. I screamed out in terror to no avail. At that moment, my life flashed before my eyes. Maybe I truly am not worthy of being a Dorito. Oh, maybe, just, maybe, I wish I could contract to the size of an atom. And yet, in all my thoughts of death, I never once thought of survival, which is exactly what happened. The dog dropped me, and I fell and opened up my eyes to the same crinkly, old, and amicable eyes of John, except now on a Golden Retriever. It struck me: even though my interpretation of him was as a beast, he didn’t mean much harm at all. My worst nightmare just instantaneously turned into the opposite of what I pictured him to be! As relief swept all over me like a wave, I chuckled as the happiest being on Earth.

The outsized petrification I had upon seeing the canine shrunk as I learned to confront it one-on-one. It may have been bigger, yes. It also was a whole heck of a lot scarier, but I had never truly experienced my newfound courage within. My confidence shot through the roof as I smiled, never forgetting my near-death encounter. As John and I descended from the exit of the pits of the dungeon train, my feet successfully fought off the urge to run away and stayed put, finally appreciating the unexpected lessons of facing my fears and not always being stuck in a negative paradigm about others. I never would have thought in a million years that they would come from the dog that threatened to reduce me to dust! Yes, the train hoot sound and seemingly calm atmosphere of our economy class seat was both ironic and ominous, but it was also a positive sign of the growth I had experienced throughout this exhilarating journey.

A Letter To My Younger Self

Milan Rofougaran

Dear Milan,

You hadn’t kicked a ball for over a year. Your coach’s suggestions you refused to hear. You signed up for tryouts without any fear. You thought nothing could disrupt your perfect sphere. Chirping birds and butterflies filled the sky. You were a rocket ship ready to fly. The grass was green as if dipped in dye. You set your goals extremely high. Later in your room, you cried alone. You had lost your rhythm and your tone. How much you had lost you had not known. The holes in your skills were not fully sewn. My advice to you is to give yourself grace. Patience and practice will lead to a far better place. Don’t let your ego leave a trace, Or else your mind will be filled with disgrace.

Sincerely, Milan

Vocabulary Blaster

Joey Zhou

I look up, wincing slightly as the sunlight bounces off the building directly into my eyes. The surface of it, made of stainless steel, reflects the sun’s rays like mirrors. I observe the handiwork put into this great structure, each piece of material fitting together perfectly in unison. Standing far away, some parts of the building curve in, while others go out, but overall, it towers over everyone and everything in sight. A column of stairs would lead up to the main lobby, and the audience would enter through doors to their seats. Today, however, the spotlight will be on my orchestra…and me.

Through a side door, I check out the past photos of those who had performed here in Los Angeles. The backstage always reflects the pitch dark, but quite a bit of light shines. Some of my friends start filing in as well, along with the rest of the orchestra. The few lively and fun days are also very tiring. For the past few days, all of us have practiced hard in Pasadena. I live far away from there, so the clock reads 10:30 PM by the time orchestra practice ends, and we get home. After everyone unpacks, the conductors go over the order of the concert today.

A couple of hours later, everyone begins getting ready for the real concert. Many of us watch the two televisions that survey the stage and audience. A lot of parents start to get comfortable in their seats, while others just enter through double doors. The concert hall darkens and Honor Orchestra One musicians file onto the stage for their first song. That group consists of high school kids, so I am not there just yet. Honor Orchestra Two, which happens to include me, lines up at the door to make a quick change on stage for the next song, “Radetzky March.”

The familiar shape of the cello rests against my shoulder once again as I sit down next to my stand partner. The conductor introduces the piece as we get comfortable in our seats. She smiles with a confident aura surrounding her. The entire orchestra raises their bows in harmony as she lifts both her hands. The ready signal, and–begin! Even though the beginning of the song sounds deceptively serene at first, the instruments start out with simple quarter notes. The audience looks quite surprised as we break into an upbeat performance. I almost laugh. Throughout the entire performance, my mind continuously runs over the notes, my left hand flying down the strings in synchronization with my bow hand. Occasionally, I almost slip as I change from arco, playing with the bow, to pizzicato, plucking the string.

The thundering sound of clapping echoes throughout the entire room as we bow for the biggest audience I have ever had. All the songs flash by in a rush. Time flies by just like a breezy wind on a summer day.

I stand under the moonlight next to the stainless glass-made building, waiting for my mom. The curves of the building are waves, the smooth curves visible under everything. Nothing can beat the smooth, polished stage of the concert hall with the smell of fresh plywood waving through the air. One by one, my friends go on their way back home, all separating in different directions. The pieces of music, the high notes of the violin, the accompaniment of the cello, the low beat of the bass, the flowing notes of the two piano players, and the humming strings of the harp are music: melodic, life, and poetry.

Eighth Grade

“YES, I’M SURE”

Dylan Brigulio

The SS officer beckoned us up to the front of our Synagogue

He stared at us for a moment

“Are you sure that you’re one hundred percent Jewish?”

Jewish

To them it meant the problem that needed to be solved

The cargo that needed to be transported

The prisoners that needed to be kept in check

The inferior race that needed to be destroyed

I’m not sure why they asked my sister and me that question

Perhaps we didn’t look like the Jews the Nazis had propagandized

Perhaps they found family records that pointed otherwise

It didn’t matter

“Yes, I’m sure”

At the time I didn’t know what was in store for me, or my family

Though I did know that the Nazi’s had hurt my people

Had driven some of my people, people like my brother, to hurt themselves

But what I did know, is that I would never be a part of their regime

I knew where I belonged

Jewish

To me it meant the family that I loved

The religion that I loved

The God that I loved

The community that I loved

So when I answered the SS officer

It was not about how much I hated the Nazis

And their tyranny

And their inhumane ways

It was about how much I loved my people

And how I knew that I would persevere through whatever the nazis threw at me

With my people by my side

Lily Liu

A GEOMETRIC GALENTINE’S DAY

Lily Liu

Searching for perfect symmetry, we are a reflection of each other. I am convex , you concave, together our volumes form a whole. So even though our hearts were like parallel lines, Cupid’s arrow was a transversal that pierced both of us But if our hearts were like lines that are skew— Well, I simply can’t imagine life without you.

Since our lives have intersected, I have never been happier, Without you, I just didn’t feel right, But like complementary angles, we complement each other.

You are the answer to all my equations, With you, I need no further explanations. You are the whipped cream to my 3.14159, Sweet and simply divine. Our love does not need to be proved like a theorem, It’s a postulate, accepted without any proof. Like a line, it extends forever for you.

And Cupid showed me his coordinate graph of love, So I know our love is true ‘Cause I saw the coordinates (me, you).

(Plus, you look good from any angle, But you’re not a-cute angle, ‘Cause you’re hotter than 90 degrees.)

You are my perpendicular bisector when I feel like life isn’t right or equal. It’s simple, our love story needs no sequel. Being my Valentine will make me whole. I love you from the base to the vertex of my soul!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

METAL MONSTER Skylar Taketa

Rollercoaster. Regret floods my body as the safety bar clicks into its locked position. The coaster creaks and the wheels slowly come to life. The sweet, addictive smell of sugar and treats floats about and seeps into my nose. Rays from the relentless sun burn my skin, streaking sweat down my face and body. My seat jostles as the steel mountain approaches, taunting me with its incline. Finally, I tip backward as the coaster train lurches upward. My stomach churns, threatening to bring up the contents of my breakfast as the train jerkily ascends the hill. The wind smacks my face and whips my hair, blowing it forcefully into my mouth and eyes. At the summit, the coaster car stills, and I quickly clench my eyes shut, stars blossoming behind my eyelids.

Rollercoaster. Gravity seizes control. My stomach drops as the world tips forward. My eyes fly open and water from the blast of air bombarding my face. Riders throw their arms up freely as their laughs and screams fill the air. The coaster’s speed increases, my breathing chokes, and I am mashed further into the hard seat. My throat burns, but I cannot stop screaming. Hair flies everywhere. My head bangs like a pinball against the sides of the padded safety bar. Adrenaline courses through my veins and my flushed face stretches into a smile. Swerving to the right, I am slammed to the side, and a haunting loop appears in my vision.

Rollercoaster. My world flips upside down and the riders’ screams become the piercing shrieks of banshees. The blood in my veins is on fire as the car dips forward and spirals downward. As the ground speeds toward me, I brace for impact. The force pulls back my head and restricts my movement. We twist and turn, spinning through the air as we dip and twirl with the rhythm of the tracks. The coaster dances atop the tracks. I shift my gaze upward toward the pillowy clouds, entranced by their ethereal beauty. Suddenly, I am yanked downward. We spin, whirling around on the tracks. The rollercoaster ceaselessly roars through a labyrinth of metal. Finally, we screech to a stop, my whole body launching forward. I exhale a shaky breath and the car slowly creeps toward the exit.

买生日礼物 SHOPPING FOR A BIRTHDAY GIFT SKIT

刘芊芊 Lily Liu and 洛根 Logan Steelberg

刘芊芊，你会去朱莉娅的生日会吗？

Liu Qianqian, will you go to Julia’s birthday party? 我会去，但是我不知道她生日会的地点在哪儿？

I will go, but I don’t know where her birthday will be. 她的生日会在电影院的旁边。

Her birthday will be next to the movie theater. 好。洛根，你想送朱丽娅什么礼物？

Okay. Logan, what would you like to give Julia?

一顶古驰帽子怎么样？

How about a Gucci hat?

我觉得古驰帽子太贵了。

I think Gucci hats are too expensive. 真的吗？一顶帽子多少钱？

Really? How much is a hat?

一顶古驰帽子一百二十块钱。

One hundred and twenty yuan for a Gucci hat. 我的天啊！一个书包呢？

Oh my god! What about a backpack?

我觉得送书包没意思。

I don’t think it’s interesting to send a backpack.

一张礼品券，好不好？

A gift card, okay?

我觉得礼品券太无聊了！

I think gift cards are too boring!

算了！你说呢？

Forget it! What do you say?

一件衣服、一盒巧克力 或者一支笔都不错。

A piece of clothing, a box of chocolates, or a pen are all good.

好，我想想，我们去商场买礼物吧！

Okay, let me think about it. Let’s go to the mall to buy gifts!

太好了！

Great!

假期邀请 VACATION INVITATION SKIT

江天赐 Mateo Senizergues and 瑞德 Reed McCardle

你好！ Hello!

你好！ Hello!

我叫江天赐。

My name is Jiang Tianci.

我叫瑞德。

My name is Reed.

你去过巴黎吗？

Have you ever gone to Paris?

我没去过巴黎。

I have not.

下个星期二，你有空吗？

Are you free next Tuesday?

有。 Yes.

我们星期二坐飞机去巴黎，好不好？

Okay, would you like to go to Paris with me on Tuesday?

好啊。我非常喜欢巴黎！

Of course! I love Paris.！

你喜欢在巴黎做什么？

What would you like to do in Paris?

我喜欢在巴黎吃很多法国的面包和牛油。

I’d like to eat lots of French bread and butter in Paris.

好，你的手机号码是多少？

Great, what is your cell phone number?

我的手机号码是 (949) 640-1410 。

My cell phone number is (949) 640-1410.

好棒，再见!

Awesome, goodbye!

拜拜！

Bye!

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Mr. Kevin Burke Founder of Dog Republic 20281 Riverside Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

Dear Mr. Burke:

I am Samantha Powell, 13 years old, and would like to apply to be a dog walker at your company. I have extensive knowledge of dogs, can take care of them well, and would love to spend time walking dogs around Newport Beach. Please consider me for this job at Dog Republic, as I have all the qualifications to become a dog walker.

To begin, I have owned dogs for nine years and have sufficient experience. I currently own one Black Labrador and have had another in the past. I cared for, fed, and walked both every day. I take my dog for hour-long walks through parks and new exciting places. I occasionally walk my neighbor’s dog around the neighborhood. I allow them to socialize without receiving any injuries from other dogs when they are playing. I have enough proficiency to qualify for this job at Dog Republic. I can apply my abundant experience in walking and caring for dogs to your company.

Moreover, I know how to handle out-of-control and social dogs. My dog can be very outgoing, and other dogs may have an automatic instinct to socialize with each other. I have learned to handle these situations by bringing treats along or picking a densely populated route. Also, I know the basic rules for walking dogs, such as holding the leash tightly in case of intense tugging, or rewarding the dogs with treats every once in a while. I enjoy spending time with my dog, so it would be an honor to take care of many more dogs. Overall, my great expertise in handling dogs would aid your program significantly.

If you hired me, I would assist your company and flawlessly fit into the dog walking position. I have many years of experience with dogs and would adequately care for them. Please reach me at 23powells@harborday.org. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Samantha Powell