Write about a time when a trip you looked forward to resulted in unexpected consequences

Write about a time when a trip

you looked forward to resulted in unexpected

consequences.

by

Kezia Yee (4E1)

The shrill scream of the alarm woke me up with a jolt. Sunlight squeezed through the narrow gap at the top of my light blue curtains. I yawned loudly and stretched my arms. Looking out of the window, I saw the evergreen casuarina trees and radiant yellow sunflowers swaying in the light breeze. “A perfect day for a trip to the doctor to get this annoying cast off!” I said cheerily, lightly slapping the hard plaster that enclosed my leg.

[sound; sight]

Vocabulary

Casuarina Sunflower

Vocabulary

Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings

• with a jolt• yawned• radiant• perfect• annoying• cheerily

Leg in Plaster

I hobbled slowly down the stairs and got to the breakfast table. The smell of freshly fried bacon and eggs was tempting. I gobbled down the food ravenously and hastily gulped a glass of icy cold orange juice. I would not be satisfied until the doctor finally removed the bulky load off my leg. The thought of getting the thing off was liberating. Mother noticed my excitement and commented, “Aren't you happy today!”

[smell; sound; touch; taste; sight]

Vocabulary

• Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings

• hobbled• tempting• gobbled …

ravenously• hastily• not be satisfied• liberating

• excitement• happy

I grinned merrily and replied, “Of course! It's the day the cast on my leg gets taken off. I don't have to lug this heavy thing wherever I go anymore!” Quickly swallowing my last mouthful of bacon, I limped uncomfortably back to my room to change out of my dingy white flannel pajamas. This was one trip to the doctor's that I was looking forward to.

[sight]

Vocabulary


• grinned merrily• limped uncomfortably• looking forward

Bacon and Eggs

It was an hour long ride to the clinic but it felt as if we had taken a much longer time. I urged Mother to hurry once we alighted. As we arrived at our destination, I caught a whiff of antiseptic in the air. “You need to register at the counter first,” Mother pointed out. I walked up to the fair skinned woman in white while Mother rummaged through the pile of magazines lying on a little table at the corner of the waiting room. The nurse checked through my particulars and with a wave of her hand directed me to the empty chairs in the room. I shuffled awkwardly over to where Mother was sitting and plopped on the chair.

[smell; sound; sight]

Vocabulary


• felt … longer• hurry• awkwardly W

oman in W

hite

A few minutes later, I started to become restless. “When will it be my turn?” I grumbled.

Vocabulary


• restless• grumbled

Grumpy Girl

After what seemed like ages, my number was finally called. I was directed by a nurse standing at the door of an examination room to proceed inside. I jumped up in anticipation and knocked on the door. “C...come in!” a half audible voice stammered. I pushed the door open and stepped in. A new trainee doctor greeted and motioned me to the chair beside his desk. I sat down, frowning. He was a young, inexperienced man with shaky hands. I felt a tinge of uneasiness.

[sound; sight]

Vocabulary


• After what seemed like ages

• finally• in anticipation• frowning• tinge of uneasiness

New Young Doctor

“Where's Doctor Chang?” I asked, referring to the doctor who saw me the previous week.

Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings• curious

The pasty-skinned man laughed weakly. “He has retired. I will be taking over his duties from now on,” he replied. His hand shot out unexpectedly as he retrieved what looked like a little hammer from his drawer.

[sound; sight]

Vocabulary


• unexpectedly

Reflex Hammer

My eyes widened in fear. Thoughts of an incompetent doctor flooded my mind. I gripped the chair tightly as he leant towards me. He then started tapping lightly on the plaster. I breathed a sigh of relief. “It wasn't as bad as I had imagined!” I thought, calming myself down. After a while, the young man was still undecided. Puzzled, I asked if he knew what he was doing.

[sound; sight]

Vocabulary


• fear• gripped the chair

tightly• relief• calming• puzzled

Eyes Widened in Fear

“Well, I'm very new at all of this. I’m not very good at it but I’ll figure something out,” he muttered sheepishly.

[sound]

I stared at him in disbelief. The doctor got up and walked towards the other side of the room where he tried to sort out the clutter on a little table. “Do you need help?” I stood up and slowly shambled towards him.

Vocabulary


• disbelief• “Do you need help?”• shambled

Clutter

“No! It's fine!” he replied, his voice trembling. He turned suddenly and accidentally stepped on my exposed right toe. I gave out a howl of pain and shoved him away. The young man somehow lost his balance and knocked a can of infant formula off the table. That landed squarely on the toe that was already throbbing. The pain was excruciating. My loud and piercing shrieks caught the attention of a nurse who came running to the scene. Shocked at what she saw, she quickly pulled me to my feet and helped me to an adjoining room. I cursed the clumsy man silently under my breath.

[sound; touch; sight]

Vocabulary


• howl of pain• toe that was already

throbbing• pain was excruciating• cursed

Howl of Pain

After seeing another doctor that morning, I tottered unsteadily out of the examination room. My cast had been taken off but I had to get my broken toe bandaged. I could only walk properly with the help of a makeshift walking stick: mother’s umbrella. My parent was surprised when she saw a miffed expression on my face. After a brief explanation, she patted me on my back rather sympathetically. I sighed miserably. One inconvenience had been replaced by another. This trip had certainly not turned out as I had expected.

[sound; sight]

Vocabulary


• tottered unsteadily out• a miffed expression• sighed miserably• inconvenience• not turned out as I

had expected

Swollen Toe

Vocabulary

• hobbled (p. 2)• limped (p. 3)• shuffled (p. 4)• shambled (p.10)• tottered (p.12)

On Crutches

walked

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Write about a time when a trip you looked forward to resulted in unexpected consequences