Monologue

I moved here when I was four, and I guess I didn’t have such a typical childhood. When I first came here I did not know a single word of English. I was so busy trying to learn the new language I guess I didn’t have time for other activities until I was older. I was a chubby child and so when I eventually tried to learn how to ride a bike I would constantly break the training wheels by falling on them. People found it very funny to see a pudgy child on a bike with bent training wheels barely able to go down half a block before toppling over.

I became discouraged then and didn’t try to learn again till about three summers ago. I wasn’t in training wheels anymore, and I wasn’t a chubby child either but the experience wasn’t anymore satisfying. I tripped over the bike and fell before I even got out of the store, before I even sat on the bike. I didn’t fall as much at this age because I was able to predict a fall and catch myself, but I didn’t make any improvements in learning to ride. I could ride downhill, but I hear that’s not really biking since gravity does most of the work there.

Growing up all my friends knew how to do two things, ride a bike and swim. I couldn’t do the latter either. Two summers ago I was determined to learn how to swim. I was at the beach with family and after watching my dad swim for a while, I decided to give it a try. At first it was terrible, I thought I was swimming and then moments later my dad would have to pull me out the water because it looked like I was drowning. Finally after a while of trying I made it a couple of feet, but when I looked around there were disgruntled beach goers around me, while my sister, cousin, and best friend were laughing. They said I was like a tornado; apparently I splashed water around in all directions and attacked anything in my path. After some practice I stopped being such a “tornado”, but sadly only progressed to looking like a creepy water spider. This time I was moving my arms and legs in a weird way so from a top view I actually looked like a scary sea creature. I even tried paddling, but I would tire of it easily and end up almost drowning. I think I swim like a normal person now, but I’m not too sure. And at least I caught up one thing, and maybe someday ill learn to ride a bike more than just downhill.

I tend to forget things easily, unfortunately even the most important things I must remember escape my mind. I did not think this was a problem until my work load would pile up and caused me to pull all nighters. That was when I finally decided to make lists, I made list about almost everything. What I needed to finish, to buy, to give, or who I needed to call, to thanks or to apologize to. On my table desk, there are maybe two to three textbooks most of them are mia or I had just forgotten to take them home, but I have what seems like a million post-it notes or long yellow sheets of just reminders. I upgraded to making lists even on my computer desktop, my cellphone background and even calender reminders. But I just always seem to forget that one thing, that one blog, or that one item I needed. I can proudly admit that this is one of my biggest flaws but, I also know that admitting I have a problem is the first step towards change.

It sometimes surprises me how big of an event my mind can just erase, it was during the height of swim season where my biggest competition was taking place in just three days, I was so excited I practically draw in big words STATES 08′ everywhere, I did not think I gonna forget such an important race since I had been training for about 6 months to perform my best. The day of the big meet  not only did my alarm fail to ring (I had forgotten to set it up) my parents didn’t wake me up either. I scrambled out of bed stared at the clock in disbelief, my meet was going to start in three minutes and I was not still in my PJ’s. My stomach was resting in my throat as I was in the car, I knew my coach was going to kill me for being late. As I ran onto the pool deck I felt oddly bare and light, I stopped half stride and realize I wasn’t carrying a bag. Let just say thank god all swimmers carry double the equipment they need, or else to this day I would have categorized that day as one of the worst.

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