Memoirs

Room 10  students have been writing a Memoir - about an event / time in their life. A good memoir needs a 'hook' at the beginning - one that will make the reader want to read on. Here are some of the 'hooks' written: 

My heart was beating at a million beats per second. “BANG” I heard the gun shot. The pig ran I thought he had missed, and then all of a sudden the pig did a big forward flip and that’s when I knew it was dead.

 We jumped in the truck and zoomed down to the pig, we leapt out and stuck it just in case it was faking its own death. We gutted it threw the guts in the bush and the pig on the back of the truck and had our victory drink.                     David.

Where is she going? Why is she leaving me?                                                        

 I cried as my Mum left through the gate and waved good-bye as she drove away.  It was my first day at Paronui kindergarten and I was already feeling nervous.                                                                                                                      
 I cried and cried until I had no more tears. Mrs Blackmore, one of the kindergarten teachers tried to calm me down and took me outside to play and interact with the other children. I looked around and saw everyone having so much fun.                                                                             Iva

“Come on Dad faster” I yelled

 “Ok,” he replied as he pushed down the throttle vroom we zoomed off like we were in a V8 motor boat race.

 “ahhh” I yelled as Dad drove straight into the other boats wake water splashed up on my face, the biscuit flipped I knew I was off because I was practically upside down. The water was so cold I was turning  blue.                        Jack

“I hate you,” I yelled at three other kids. Their eyes opened wide like a big huge hole.

Then suddenly I started to swear at them. “Beep you” I screamed. Bad words started flying out of my mouth. I heard footsteps behind me but that didn’t worry me. My bad words were still coming out. I felt a tap on my shoulder it was a teacher my heart dropped and those three other kids started to laugh at me. I wished I hadn’t done that I thought to myself.

She took me in my class room and she put me on the naughty mat let me tell you something sitting on the naughty mat isn’t cool. About fifteen minutes later I was allowed off the naughty but i had to draw with the teacher there were other kids drawing too. I was looking out the window and watching all the other kids play I learnt that swearing isn’t cool “I wish I was outside playing” the teacher turned on the radio it was my favourite song Hey Baby. Everybody was singing and dancing so I joined in. we had building blocks pretending we were singers. I stopped singing because I saw those three boys walking through the door. I couldn't help myself, I poked the tongue at them so they poked it back at me.

 The teacher said “that’s enough” I just ignored her. She yelled “stop it” and she put me and the three other kids on the naughty mat. I feel so angry I just had to say the last word it was ” beep you…”

“Miss Lorenzo is swearing”

 LORENZO!

 “Oh No” I said in my mind.      

  

From the back of the hall all the way to the front, all I could see were parents and children. A whole hall was just full of audience. Ears were switched on and eyes were just staring, ready for speeches to be heard from us finalists.

I thought I was dreaming but this was life.  I could fell my heart beating Boom! Boom! Boom! and butterflies beginning to rise in my tummy. My body from top to bottom was shaking like an earthquake and felt like I was going to be frozen stiff any second.

My luck was in,  I wasn’t first (whewwwww) but my turn was on its way shortly. I just memorized my speech in my mind but I had this really bad feeling that I was going to muck up and I was really was hoping that was not going to happen.

It wasn’t so long until the girl in front of me was just coming to the last bit of her speech.  OH! No I mumbled to myself please don’t finish too soon. She was making her way back to the seat that she started from. I felt like a little hedgehog crouched up in a little hole afraid to walk up and begin my speech. I felt this girl’s fingertip it was my turn. I stood up not proud but really NERVOUS!  . Heads turned around and eyes were staring at me.  “Matamaru' got called out by Mr Robson.

I didn’t want to make a big fuss about it I just made my way up to the front of the school hall with eyes just staring at me ….. Words just started   coming out of my mouth, I couldn’t help it and I just couldn’t stop. It wasn’t too bad at all to say a simple speech with all of those eyes staring at you

Matamaru Kataina  

“NOOOO!” I scream then I let off a cry, “oh s…!” I try to stamp it out but it is not working.

I don’t know what to do. I m confused. Oh no, what did I just do? 

I stare at the fire. The fire stares back. I can feel my heart pounding against my chest. I’m like a lost sheep.

 Then I just run as fast as my feet can go. I jump the drain and propel myself over the stream, but not enough. I land in the water, then zoom up the hill like a human with V8 horse power. I fly over the fence, skipping stairs.

 I reach the door and the split second I walk inside, Mum says “have you been lighting fires again my boy?”

I shrink in to my chair. Why won’t the floor open up and swallow me?

 “No…why would you say that?” I wimp.

 “No reason…but you do smell like smoke,” she replies

Then smoke suddenly drifts past the window. I get up and close the curtain and then shrink back down in the chair and think back…………

“Hey Christian” a boy says.

“What?” I say

“I’ll give you 3 dollars if you light that bush on fire” and he throws a lighter towards me…I was never going to do it.

“Naaaa” I reply.

“Oh come I’ll just keep my 3 dollars then” says the boy.

I really wanted 3 dollars. I pick up the lighter and light it.

“Yeee you owe me 3 dollars”

Then I turn around to see more and more of the bush on fire.

“Nooo” I scream and that’s back where we started.

To this day, that boy still owes me 3 dollars.                 Christian     
         

My Dad finally announced that we were moving I was really surprised. It felt like the worst day of my life when I found out that we were moving to Tokoroa.

I thought my heart would break in half because I always looked as Tok as a holiday place not somewhere to live. Then I realized what I was leaving behind all my friends, my house, my school, all my teachers, living close to Rainbows End and the malls but most of all leaving Pukekohe. It was a hassle moving because moving meant packing and packing meant it would take forever and it was boring.

Eventually I got everything packed up and into boxes already to go into the moving vans. I wasn’t really pumped on moving because I knew what I was leaving behind. My Dad left the day before with my two little brothers and sister so they could get the house all prepared. That only left Mum and I to clean up the rest of the house, luckily my mum called up her friend to come help us clean up the house. I was relieved because I really couldn’t be bothered cleaning up the bedrooms and the bathroom.

 Once we finished cleaning up and mum finished her crying session over leaving the house and her best friend. We braced ourselves big journey ahead of us. When I took a last look at my house it reminded me of a great big, empty box.

 But now I’m here I don’t think it was the worst day of my life I think it was one of the best moves my Mum and Dad have ever made for us.        Shaquille