PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Hey my name is Charles davenport, but everyone calls me Charlie. I live in the out skirts of New York with my mother Pattie and my father John. Today is my 14th birthday and as I sit up in my bed, I wait for my parents to burst in my room with arms of presents and a stack of pancakes, singing "Happy Birthday". After impatiently waiting I realize something must be wrong because not only do I not hear the sound of chuckles as my parents try to creep up the staircase but I also don't smell my birthday breakfast cooking like I do every year. As I hopped down the steps i found my mother with the rest of our small family in our double-sided living room. Her head planted in her hands, she and the rest of the family look up to see me with eyes of question and a face of wonder.
"Charlie, there is something you need to know." My mother with her voice cracking like she had been smoking all of her life. The fear in her eyes makes me want to run and hide but I know I have to be strong for her. She sits me down, grabs my hands, overlaps them, and slowly speaks. Breaking between every single word, her face was red and flushed, I could tell this was something serious. She sat up straight and spoke lightly, "Your father was killed in a car accident last night." She said with strong confidence. "No! That's not true, I don't believe it.... How could you lie to me I hate you!"
I was so angry I couldn't focus, I bolted out the garage door not caring about my mom's feelings. I could hear her crying even louder than before; my conscience was telling me to apologize but my pride was selfish so I kept running. I was running as fast as I could and as far as I could. I was a mile away, still running until I slipped and fell rolling continuously, the force so fast making the grass and gravel slap me in my face until I made a complete stop. My thoughts began to take over my body. I couldn't open my frightened eyes. I tried to open them as best as I could. It was like the world held me back from opening my eyes. I couldn't understand what was happening. Then before I could finish thinking I was trapped in my thoughts. "Hey! Hey boy are you alive?"
A strange voice coming from behind the tree said. It hurt to move but I managed to stand up. "Who are you, come out so I can see you." The shadow came around the tree and there it was on all fours... Standing before me was a dog, I was stunned and didn't know what to do; So I stayed and asked questions instead of being a coward. As time flew by he and I knew each other so well. It was like minutes turned into hours and days into weeks.
"Charlie!" The dog called. "You must remember that family is the most important thing that you could have in this world. Appreciation must be shown to those who surround you and warm you with their love. Lessons must be learned I know what has happened to you, you aren't in reality. You are slowly going back. Don't forget this lesson." The dog slowly turned and gave me a look of certainty, a look as if he wanted me to stay but knew I had to go. The look you can feel when your mother tells your older brother goodbye when he leaves for college. Before I knew it, the dog barked and I snapped back into reality.
I was back in my messy bedroom. "My messy, stinky, what a fun time I have with my friends room." I said as I sat in awe and astonishment. I quickly ran down the steps and I didn't notice it, but I skipped a few steps. I slid across the slippery, squeaky clean, wooden floor. As I got closer to the kitchen I could smell fresh bacon and eggs along with the normal milky, buttered pancakes my mother usually makes. I could hear the faint conversation my mother and father were having. They seemed to be a little more enlightened than normal. The laughs, the clean, wooden floor, the smell of freshly cooked bacon on our iron skillet, I wondered what was missing. What was different? I continued to run my hardest to the kitchen. I stopped as if time had been frozen.
I saw my beautiful mother and wonderful father sitting at the table with my gifts exquisitely wrapped. "A little excited aren't you son?" My father said sarcastically with the most joyful smile anyone had ever seen. "You had no idea!" I said running to them yearning for a hug. "I love you guys so much, don't you ever forget it!" I said overwhelmingly. "Don't worry Charlie we'll never forget that! We love you too!" My mom said in tears. She sat down and picked my gift up off of the floor as we celebrated my 14th birthday.
