Chapter 1

What I did on my summer vacation.
10thGrade AP English - Karmen Marquez.

Each year, as the fall term starts, students return to school, and are faced with this essay. It is well known that the teachers who present this assignment are not so much interested in the content of the essay, but to judge the writing skills of the student. As an AP English student, I believe that your time would be better served in reading what other students have submitted, to ensure that education plans reflect that the needs of the other students are properly addressed. To briefly sum things up, I will just provide highlights.

1. I went to Lodi, California, to visit my sister and her wife.

2. I spent time with them and my other sister, enjoying many summertime activities that included going to parks, baseball games and shopping at quaint antique and thrift stores. However, my mini-golf skills did not improve, in spite of my attempts to do so.

3. I ate too much at too many great dining establishments.

4. I saw a wonderful wildlife program on bats.

5. I secretly learned how to drive a stick -shift.

6. I fell in love.

Should you require additional details or specifics, please let me know.

Karmen printed her essay off and slipped it into the protective sleeve in one of her notebooks. This was her second year as an advanced placement (AP) student in Mr. Sawyer’s class. She liked him because he had a great sense of humor, but also a strong dedication to the students in the school. Last year, she had earned a grade of “A” for the year.

The subject of item #6 was a young man, Scott Brookfield, who was two years older than she was. He was now a senior in his own school, while she was a sophomore. Neither had anticipated the romance, but as they spent time together, feelings grew and deepened.

Karmen recalled how her heart was nearly crushed, watching the ground under the plane receding as it took off from Sacramento, to bring her back to Tempe. Tears trickled down her cheeks as her sister whispered, “If it’s meant to be, the two of you will make it work.” All she could do was nod her head, and clutch the teddy bear that Scott had given her in the airport lobby as she was getting ready to return home.

Thankfully, they both had phone plans with unlimited data. They called, texted or video conferenced on a daily basis. Her phone wallpaper was a picture of the two of them at one of his baseball games.

Gently touching the special necklace that Scott had given her, she walked down the hall to the kitchen.

Sylvia Marquez watched her youngest daughter come to the table for dinner. Her husband, Hector, and her other daughter, Felicia, were already seated. She had noticed that for the last few weeks, Karmen had been subdued, not the usually boisterous person who always had a smile on her face and a silly joke to tell. Now, the smiles were less frequent, unless Scott was the topic of conversation.

With a sigh, she recalled how it was for her when she first met and fell in love with Hector, so many years ago. Based on her memories and experiences, she was aware of how strongly Karmen felt for the boy. She just hoped that if things didn’t work out, Karmen wouldn’t be devastated. At her age, emotions ran strong and were often amplified by ‘teen angst’ or overly dramatic reactions.

Too many young people were quick to think of romance in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ proportions. But they often forgot that the romance between those star-crossed lovers took place in under a week’s time and everyone ended up dead.

“Anything new from Scott today?”

Karmen smiled at her parents. “No. We’ll talk later when he gets off work. But he told me last night that this Saturday he’s driving a load of items to a food bank in Stockton.”

The young man had started working at the IGA with his mother, as a stocker, a delivery driver for the food bank items (in his truck), and as a ‘shopping cart rodeo clown’. This last job was his humorous spin on being the person who every hour or so went out to the parking lot and collected all the shopping carts to bring back inside. Fewer than half the carts were ever placed in the areas designated in the parking lot for cart returns, so Scott had to cross the area pushing a long row of carts ahead of him. Tiresome work, but it kept him fit.

“Your mother and I have been talking,” Hector said, his baritone voice rumbling. Karmen and Felicia looked over at their father. For a man in his late 40s, he was still handsome, with dark hair just starting to gray at the sides. He wasn’t slender, but had a solid frame and stood at an even six feet tall. “You said that you wished that your fellow could come and visit here. Something about Homecoming?”

“Si, papa. It’s the second weekend in October.”

Sylvia smirked at her husband. Their daughter had no idea that her parents had been in contact with Greg and Margaret Brookfield. Working together, they had obtained airline tickets to have Scott fly out to Tempe. It was decided that Scott would break the news to Karmen

“Well,” he continued, “if he does visit, I suppose we can pitch a tent in the yard for him to sleep in. I will just install a deadbolt on your door.” In reality, Scott would end up sleeping in a pull-out sofa in the family room. “We don’t want anyone getting ideas.”

Karmen looked down at her plate and blushed. Even though the two of them had done nothing more than hug and kiss, she had many ‘ideas’ for other activities that she would like to experience with Scott.

Later that evening, high pitched squeals of joy rang through the house. Once the phone call ended, Karmen raced to where her parents were seated on a sofa, watching TV and flung herself upon them. “Thankyou-thankyou-thankyou!” she sobbed as happy tears flowed.

“We’re putting a great deal of trust in the two of you,” Hector commented.

“I know, papa.”

“Good!” Sylvia giggled. “Because we can still go to Walmart and get one of those bubble tents on fall clearance if we have to!”

The end of the school day bell had sounded and Scott was headed out to the student parking lot where his truck waited. He had about 30 minutes before he was supposed to clock in at the IGA. A few nights ago, his parents had surprised him with the news that they had been working with Karmen’s parents to have him fly out to Tempe in a few weeks for her high school Homecoming Weekend.

Since that night, the smile on his face was constant, as he recalled sharing the news of his being able to fly out to visit. At the dinner table, his parents had informed him of how they had worked with Karmen’s parents, obtaining the tickets and how his girlfriend was unaware of this development. They all laughed as he jumped up and let out an excited ‘whoop’ at the idea of seeing the girl he loved so soon.