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Personal Narrative SamplesKayak Tip-OverCold waves lap at my back.? The wind roars.? The capsized kayak bobs crazily like a runner’s short ponytail.? My arms and legs tingle with the thought of an underwater creature dragging me down into the watery depths.“This is just like T.V.,” I think as I anticipate a shark jumping out from the water and eating us.? I shiver involuntarily.“Help!” I cry, small-voiced.Earlier, that day had started out like any old vacation.? The weather was warm, and there was a pleasant breeze licking at the waves in the lagoon.? My mom’s book club invited my brother, sister, mom, and me, along with two other families, to a beach house.? The house was on a tranquil lagoon with rippling water.? No one else was in the water that day.? The house had kayaks, body boards, and a paddle boat!? Perfect for us kids!? All was going well until the two boys got bored.The boys were evidently going to go crazy if they didn’t do something soon.? They had been lying in the sun for too long, and they were swiftly accumulating girly tans.? Suddenly, Josh had a marvelous idea!? Why didn’t they let one floaty go drifting downstream and then go chasing it in the paddle boat?!? The idea was perfect.? There was only one catch: the pleasant breeze that had been blowing gently was now a gushing whirlwind of energy, and the floaty was rapidly growing smaller and smaller, with the boys close in tow.“Tino!? Joshua!”? Madison, Ana, and I screamed and yelled, but it was to no avail.“JOSHUA BURCH!? COME BACK HERE!”? Madison hollered.? Our mothers came up behind us.“Looks like they’re going to need a rescue team,” Madison’s mom said.? We looked at her for a second, and then jumped into action.? Ana manned the one-person kayak while Madison and I took the two-seater. We pushed off, soldiers on a mission!Ana reached Tino and Josh before Madison and I did.? The situation was worse than we had thought.? Tino and Josh were flailing about in the water.? In trying to reach the floaty, they had fallen out of the paddle boat.? Ana had tied the kayak and paddle boat together, hoping to give it a tow because the current was too strong to paddle the boat back.? The boys were still in the water, unable to get in the boat.? Ana, realizing her plan wasn’t working, untied the kayak.? Finally, Josh managed to get in the paddle boat, leaving Tino to fend for himself.Meanwhile, Madison and I struggled with our kayak.? We had moved away from the others and into the middle of the lagoon.? Seeing Tino swimming towards us, we made room for him on board.? He reached us and heaved himself on.? I threw my weight on the opposite end so we wouldn’t capsize.? Madison and Tino sat with their legs dangling, resting.? I knew they shouldn’t do that, but before I could warn them, we tipped over, and we all went spilling into the lagoon!The cold water hit me like a wall.? I surfaced, sputtering water.? I prayed to God, thanking Him that we had life jackets.? My first concern was that we had to right the kayak.? Unfortunately, this was easier said than done.? After our fifth try, the kayak reluctantly flipped over with a loud squelching sound.? I felt as if we should get a gold medal for that!? All I wanted to do was get out of there, but the lagoon wasn’t finished with us.? Our paddles had floated away!? Luckily, Ana, the hero of the day, brought the paddles to us.? Thank you, Ana!During that time, Ophie, Josh and Madison’s mom, arrived to help.? She joined Josh on the paddle boat, relieved Tino from us, and took him to shore.? Madison and I managed to arrive at the shore safely without any more tip-overs.? Hip, hip, hooray!? I watched Ana battle her way home and thought it would have gone much differently if she hadn’t been there.? I looked back at my friends, then at the water, and I knew this wouldn’t keep us out of the water.? No way!The whole experience helped me learn that you have to be calm in scary situations even if you aren’t calm at heart.? Things look much worse when you’re scared, so sometimes you just need to pause, take a deep breath, and I promise things will look much brighter!? My advice to kids like me would be to listen to your parents when they insist upon wearing life jackets.? Those jackets really do live up to their name.? They can save lives.? They helped save mine!Red-Head RiotCrazy things happen in this world, that’s for sure. Yet, it would definitely be crazy if there was someone who decided to make your life horrible on purpose. Someone who wanted to eat up your heart, spit it up on a plate, and force you to eat it again. Would it?really?be that insane though? What if I told you I knew that person? Better yet, that I was her victim? Meet Tana, the freckled redhead no one wants to annoy, the girl who’s hair matches her temper. Additionally, my former bully.It all started with me moving to my fifth preschool. Every preschool in the past had a bully, waiting for me like a spider on its web. This next school would be my last shot. Thankfully, it seemed perfect. Here, I met a boy who grew to be one of my first friends. For once I thought this school would be bully free after being stuck with bullies in the past. Yet soon enough, I was spotted by Tana. Targeted. Done for. Toast. Apparently, she had a bit of her eye on my new friend and became jealous of my bond. She then decided I was an ugly, dumb, and stupid girl who he was prohibited from even?looking?at. She must’ve threatened him because I never heard a word from him again.Summer came and went, and I was finally enrolled into a new school for elementary. Crossing my fingers as I entered, I wished upon a million stars that no soul would try to bully me this year. I walked in, happy and excited to see other students from preschool were here, but no Tana. I did a silent, little happy dance, and came in to see a glorious classroom.The room was perfect! It was a large space full of light and a rainbow squared carpet, a small side of the room with a drama center and building blocks, a cozy little library area, a load of art supplies and… Tana. There she was, acting all innocent in front of her parents. Then she?waved?at me. Out of all things, she actually smiled. Well, I take that back. It was more of a?“I’m going to take all this loveliness and turn it into torture,”?look. Yeah, like an?“I hate you”?smile you see on TV when the villain shows up to destroy the hero or victim. Oh, my. This was going to be a long kindergarten.Soon after two months she came to school with a Magic-Eight Ball at recess. She had everyone sit in a circle if they wanted to try. Of course I wanted to, but something told me I shouldn’t. I did anyways, and soon my turn came.“Will I ever be a princess?” I asked stubbornly with hopeful fireflies in my eyes. Tana held in a laugh that for sure would blow up into coughs if she hadn’t held it.“No, next,” she said through a ridiculous face that was a mix between a snorting pig and a cat hunting a mouse. She hadn’t even bothered to shake the ball. After all, the person who went before me got “yes” as her answer. Hmm, strange.A year had passed, and first grade was coming up. Tana turned out be in a different class. Friends were made last year, and soon my mind put away the memories of drama at the pace of a cheetah racing the wind. I walked through the halls, smiling and laughing as friends chit-chatted away. Yet the slightest glimpse of Tana looking at me weirdly reminded myself of an erie barricade between us. I began poking around my fogged memory, attempting to wipe it clear. It started making sense. I had been clueless the whole time, letting her smugly hammer up my life at school. That’s when it hit me. I was the only one who could change it. The days would go on, and soon the next stage of school would come.As I walked down the grassy, waterfront slope to P.E, I marvelled at the fact that I was in second grade, the vast field a model of my mind. My mind swirled from the number of friends I made last year, and how it felt like I knew practically everyone. Everyone was so nice to me, and I wondered why others said it was normal for them. Could it have been the fact I was bullied to a point where anything else was considered nice?“All right, guys. Today partners are required,” said Mr. Dutra. I listened halfway, but I was swept off my feet by my good friend, Mia.Mia was the type of person who you can’t help being friends with. She had frizzy, brown hair that jumped with every step; soft, chocolate skin; and round, almond eyes that glittered with their own spirit, giving her a spark. She was a generous and caring person as well.Once all our activity was complete, we sat down to listen to Mr. Dutra on how we did. Of course, soon enough, Tana arrived to bomb our giggles and smiles. I got awfully quiet when she scooted towards Mia, glaring at me in the way fire flickers and hisses.“…she’s so…you shouldn’t…why were you partners with…UGH Mia!” is all I heard as her grim lips shot bullet messages to her brain.I silently slid away from the painful scene, excusing myself to leave. My smile dropped, my trust failed. My eyes narrowed as I ran up the slope to class. This time I?perfectly?understood what she meant. I wouldn’t let it happen again. Next time, I’d change it fully.After that day, I decided it wasn’t worth listening to someone say something was wrong with me. I was fine how I was, and no one could ever tell me otherwise. I learned that even though some people may try to affect your self opinions, what they think doesn’t matter. By third grade, I had moved on, and so had Tana. Though it’s over, I remain grateful for it’s final lesson. Don’t ever let people change you.AnnDo you have a friend who loves you? Well, I did. Her name was Ann. She was a very close friend of mine. She was almost like family to me. Ann was very kind, and she had bright blue eyes and curly gray hair. I loved her very much.She invited me to go swimming every summer. We had a lot of fun all those summers. But she could not get in the water most of the time because she was sick. Sometimes my sisters would come swimming, too. But it was better with just Ann and me because I just wanted to spend time with her.Ann always listened to me when I had a problem. She was always there for me when I needed help on homework or had problems at school. Sometimes she would let me come in her house, and she would give me something to eat. Most of the time it would be an orange and a soft drink.Last summer that all changed. Ann was diagnosed with cancer. Two weeks after Ann was diagnosed with cancer, she died. Her funeral was not too long after that. My mom did not let me go to the visitation at the funeral home or to the funeral ceremony.My heart broke. Ann was no longer there with me. Now, it’s been a year since Ann’s death, but I still dream about her. Now it’s hard without her. My whole life has changed without Ann, and I really miss her. I know that everywhere I go there will always be a spot in my heart for Ann!The Great Escape“Emma’s gone!” I yelled at my mom. ?“She just isn’t there!” I searched the floor frantically to find her. Just a minute ago I was feeding her in the bathroom and the second time I checked on her, she was gone. Since Emma is a gecko and is as wee as a mouse, she could be in any tiny place or crevice. I could feel my face getting hot. She could be?anywhere!I rushed to my mom, sister, and brother. “I just checked on Emma and sh-sh-she’s not there!” I stammered. We all hurried to the bathroom and peered into the vacant cage. I was definitely right; she was nowhere to be seen. Right away we took action.My mom and sister scurried downstairs to get flashlights while my brother and I hunted for Emma. It was getting darkish outside so the flashlights helped out a ton. We searched in every nook and cranny possible:? under our bunk bed, beneath the messy dresser, in our crowded closet, and even in my brother’s bright orange room.?She couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air,?I thought;?it just wouldn’t be possible.?During the rest of the time we looked, the flashlights were spotlights putting the attention on the main person, only this time they couldn’t find that main person.**************A week passed. It seemed like just yesterday when I got Emma. I could remember when I first held her. Her skin as smooth as baby skin and her needle sharp nails pinpricking my hand. Now she was gone. My very first gecko, gone.That night my mom read my sister and me the story?Mustard?by Jessel Miller. “A miracle happens every day!” she finished dreamily. My sister stood up to go to the bathroom. Suddenly she exclaimed, “I found her; I found Emma!”? Sure enough, there she was crawling out from behind the toilet, making little clickety-clackety sounds on the tile floor. I was overjoyed! It was as if she was ready to come home. I caught her and put her back in her little habitat. Then I fell asleep contented.Ever since Emma escaped I now watch her much more carefully. She even has a small cage in which I feed her so there is no way she can escape. I have learned that everything needs a little adventure now and then, whether it’s me or my gecko.Giving LifeIt was a hot summer day. My dad and I were getting ready to go out for a ride on the boat with my friend Katie and the dog. That’s when the phone call came, the call that made that bright, beautiful day a cold, dark, gloomy one.I had just put on my suit, shorts, and tank top, and packed my bag with sunscreen and everything else I would need for the day. I ran into my parents’ room to find Dad. When I saw him on the phone, he was crying. I’d never seen my dad cry before. My heart sank. What possibly could have happened?“Max, I’m so sorry,” I heard him say. That’s when it hit me. I knew that Suzie had died.Max has been my dad’s best friend for years. Suzie, his daughter, had a rare disease that mainly affected her body. Her brain was OK. She knew what was going on; she knew that she had problems and was different than other kids. Once she told her dad that she wished she could die and be born in a different body. Yet although she couldn’t live a normal life, she was still happy.When Suzie and I were little, we spent quite a bit of time together. As we grew up, we grew apart. She lived in New York, and I lived in the Midwest. When Suzie was ten she had to live in a hospital in Virginia. About eight months before she died, Max gave us her number at the hospital and we talked at least twice a week until the end. Suzie was always so excited to talk to us and wanted to know every detail about my life. She wanted to know everything I did and everything I ate. In a way, she lived through me.After we found out about her death, we made our plans to go to New York for the funeral. When she was alive, I sent her a Beanie Baby and she sent one back to me. I had bought her another one but never had the chance to send it to her, so I took it to put in her casket.Her funeral was very different than any funeral I’d ever been to. After they lowered her casket, each one of us put a shovelful of dirt over her. I remember crying so hard, I felt weak. My cheeks burned from the tears. My whole body was shaking as I picked up the shovel, but I’m glad I did it.When Suzie and I first started calling one another, I thought it would be more of a burden on me, but I was completely wrong. I learned so much from her. She gave me more than I could ever give to her. I will never forget her or the talks we had. I now know that I must never take anything for granted, especially my health and the gift of life.The Racist WarehouseIt was a beautiful August morning. The sun was brightly shining on my sunglasses while my mother drove the U-haul truck to a warehouse in Santa Ana, California. As my mother drove down the streets of Santa Ana, I looked out the window and began to realize that the mixture of people was no longer a mixture; there was only white.When we arrived at the warehouse, I had to peel my arm off the side of the hot door like a burnt sausage off a skillet. There were not many cars in the parking lot, and I could see the heat waves. As we walked up the boiling pavement, it felt like we were walking through a scorching desert. When we walked into the warehouse, there was a variety of electronic appliances to choose from, and about three-fourths of them were white (of course).About every 15 minutes, a salesperson followed us around and asked if we needed help, as if we were lost or ex-cons. My mother really dislikes it when salespersons constantly ask if we need help; she feels if she needs their help, she’ll ask for it. Finally, after about two and a half boring hours of looking for any scratches or marks on the dryers and refrigerators that might fit best in our new apartment, my mother picked a dryer and refrigerator that were just right. She then let the salesperson know, and he replied with a smile, “All right, you can pick up your items in the back in about five minutes.” My mother said, “Thank you,” in a nice, friendly voice and walked across the scorched pavement to drive the truck to the back.When we got to the back, there were about three open spaces for picking up appliances. My mother chose the first parking spot she saw, which was by a white family’s car. Then she showed the employees the receipt for the appliances she had just bought. They said, “All right, we’ll be with you in just a minute.” While I waited for my mother, I looked over and smiled at the white lady in the next car, but instead of smiling back like a nice young woman, she frowned at me like I had something hanging from my nose. At first I thought, “Well, maybe she is having a bad day.” Then a few minutes later the people working at the warehouse started to look at my mother and me in a mean way. Then I figured that maybe something was on my face, but when I looked in the mirror, I saw nothing. At the time, I had only spent nine years and some months on this planet. I didn’t know racism was still around; I thought that situation had died along with Dr. King.Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen. We sat there watching people get their appliances and leave. We seemed invisible to them. As I sat in the car, burning up and listening to one of the most boring radio stations my mother could possibly like, I was thinking, “We’d better leave or else I’ll go ballistic!” After 30 minutes had passed, my mother got frustrated and politely asked to have our items loaded. Five more minutes passed, and she asked again with an attitude. They replied, “We’ll be with you in a minute, ma’am.” I could tell she was beginning to get upset because she started to get that “don’t bother me” look. Five minutes later they finally packed our appliances on the truck.When we left the warehouse, I described to my mother what the other people were doing. She explained, “They were racist. They didn’t like us because we have different skin color.”That was my first encounter with racism. It was just a small slice of reality—that everyone isn’t going to be as nice as you, your friends, and your family might be; and that just because you look nice and politely smile at others, it doesn’t mean that others will treat you the same. This situation made me feel very out of place and confused. I didn’t expect those people to react as they did. We are all civilized, intelligent, caring, peaceful people . . . or at least that is what I had believed. ................
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