Walking Through Generations

• Anne Chow, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2014

It’s an ordinary day with no surprise. I walked out of my house, like usual, and started off my day being engulfed in this hopeless society. This world gets worse each day.

The walk to my bus stop is my favourite adventure in the morning, as I get to observe and make assumptions of each person’s story. I noticed a tall and slim man grasping onto the arms of an old lady. He had a pale complexion, which emphasized his green veins running from his neck to his hollow cheeks. His teary eyes and cracked lips made him look ill.

“Mum, I promise you I won’t ever touch drugs again.” He smirked.

As I walked further down the road I noticed a young girl wearing the same uniform as I am. Her tie was hanging lose, her shirt was crinkled with stains and the rims of her skirt was ripped. She leaned against a brick wall while inhaling the burning contents of the cigarette. Her eyes were outlined with thick eyeliner smoked with a dark purple eye shadow. Her ruffled hair was coloured with streaks of red and blonde, which made her look unpleasing to stare at.

“Hey! Quit staring!”

Her piercing eyes stared at me like eagles. I shifted my gaze and continued my walk. The smell of the fumes lingering in the air burns me.

As I saw the bus in the distance I hurried my pace, because time does not wait for us.

“Just made it fella.” The bus driver said, smiling like he never did before.

I strolled down the aisle of the bus and I felt a hundred pair of eyes glaring into my soul. I ignored and maintained a serious face as I walked towards a seat. I sat and plugged my earphones in as soon as possible, so I could avoid the awkwardness in the bus.

“Who is she?”
“I don’t know, but her skirt is so damn long”
“I know right! She’s like a freaken nun!”

Really, do they not understand the term ‘whisper? Like teens say everyday, ‘Their skirts are higher than their grades.’

It’s the last class for today and I’m already feeling exhausted from the criticism. The pathetic and ignorant behavior of the students towards their respected elders is an absolute embarrassment to themselves. Their discriminating, rebellious and arrogant conduct makes teenagers a bunch of obnoxious idiots in this society. This appalling attitude questions me, “What happened to my generation? What will the future look like?”

Finally, it’s the walk again. As I walked down the street I noticed an old lady, the one I saw earlier, crying on the doorsteps of her home with coins and bills scattered along the pathway of her home.

“Oh God, why is my son like this? Why? Why?!”

Today is an ordinary day with no surprise. This world doesn’t change, but the people change.