Creative Works… 207 We Know Them by Clarajane Gregory
This is the story of the same young person that all of us know. Their name is familiar and passes lips frequently. They are loved by most, bring laughter with them, carry a bright smile and great wit. They make friends with whomever they please, generally whomever they find to be in the vicinity. Knowledgeable about the world and seemingly full of spirit, they breeze through life. You know them just as well as I do on the surface and within. They live every day with the same expectations and attempts at perfecting their life. But like all people, they suffer from faults. Their fault: life is painfully dull. It is early on a Thursday morning. The youth in question is preparing for their day. They dread the boring lectures of school and the meaningless chitter-chatter of their fellow youths. In the kitchen, the smooth tiles’ coldness dully cuts through their thin socks, making the morning even more tragic. The kettle bubbles and a musical tone pierces the morning silence, in which many are still sleeping. In no movement of haste, they move to the kettle, and with a potholder of dull red in hand, they pour steaming water into a cup. The water slides easily into the mug and splashes lightly over the awaiting tea bag, producing a splendid gurgling sound. The bag rises to the top and the brown tea leaks from it into the surrounding water, revealing the remnants of the prior motion. They leave the kitchen to pack. In the room adjacent, a backpack of nothing in particular is placed on the table. Hefty textbooks are slid easily into the bag, followed by overstuffed notebooks containing
