From my work in progress: U.S. and Them--"An Earth Still Flat"

5/15/2011

Soldiers in Vietnam died on TV every night around dinner time--it was normal. I expected to see Vietnam the same way, every day for all my life: an adult show I had to sit through until my father left the room. The American way was in dire straights as far back as I could remember--and what I remembered was born, or at least bred in our pumpkin-colored cape in Bridgeport, CT. History was speeding toward its end by the time I snatched my first breath. It was just bad timing. Kennedys and Kings and Xs were getting shot for no reason at all. I was four years old in 1963. My deepest memories come from the screen of our Zenith: President Kennedy's head snapping back and then slumping forward, the First Lady crawling across the moving convertible--to save herself, or to get help--I always wondered which. The world was almost over. I had always known this. I knew it the way I was drawn to the smell of my mother's neck, the way I'd grown to turn toward the sound of my name--Patricia.

6 Comments

Christian Mitchell

7/20/2011 04:14:40 am

After reading this paragraph, I can almost close my eyes and see the things you have described! The things you saw, I was told about by my father and teachers. The feelings from this paragraph come out into the body of the reader, It is amazing. You describe the things that were going on in the world and that explains your wording, The world was almost over. Things weren't good, almost everything seemed bad. Important and influencial people were being murdered and the world was falling apart at the time. Although I had to read over this a few times to get the right meaning, the feelings flowed off the page into my body. You are an amazing writer.

7/20/2011 04:21:48 am

I did not mean to refer to you as the writer! I apologize I tried to take it off and re-type it with the correct grammer but I was speaking to the writer and got carried away!!

Linda Jacobs

11/2/2011 02:54:47 am

Your description of these experiences are so realistic to me. The way you've worded this excerpt it's unbelievable. Like Christian said above I can close my eyes and almost imagine myself being there. Watching Kennedy get shot, the way his head snapped or even the first lady crawl across the car. This book is going to be amazing, I myself am not much of a reader, but I believe that this is going to be a book that I'm not going to be able to put down.

Bobbi Nealy

12/5/2011 06:27:17 am

From your description, there’s a visual picture in my mind of the shooting of President Kennedy. While reading this I felt like I actually seen it with my own eyes. I can tell this was a dramatic event for you as a child, because a child doesn’t remember many events at such a young age. However, you still to this day carry the memory of this horrible event that will always be remembered in history. I feel just by reading this short passage you wrote, that the book would be an incredible piece to read. Also, just by the way you described this memory in the short passage, I can tell that you are a very talented writer.

Brooke Malpass

12/9/2011 12:54:28 pm

I think this is a very realistic and appropriate way for someone to read about the assassination of President Kennedy. The wording and descriptive events you wrote about jump right off the page and into the reader's visual mind. With all of the horrific events taking place at that time, there is no wonder why 'The End of the World' is a meaningful title choice. Because you experienced all the chaos going on during this time, the memories you have wrote about give the reader a greater insight to the killings. You're writing is very interesting and this will make a very informative and fascinating book.

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9/19/2012 04:50:36 am

Great post, thank you.

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From my work in progress: U.S. and Them--"An Earth Still Flat"

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