What Sam says
Overheard in the Wolfe House #182
Grandma (updating us on all the news via Skype): The neighbor is getting new siding, so that’s going to be cool and fun to watch.
Sam: Well, we aren’t going to be able to do that. Mom can’t afford to buy plane tickets.
Writing Prompt #12
From Sam’ summer school journal:
I would rather eat a tomato because it is a fruit and I love fruit. Also a tomato can be very sweet. My family has been eating tomatoes and they told me they taste good. — July 15, 2002
(Note for June 26, 2012. Sam eats things with tomato sauce, and ketchup is one of his top three favorite condiments. But he has yet to try a tomato.)
Writing Prompt #10 and #11
These entries from Sam’s summer school journal seem about right for our first 100-degree day of the summer:
I would use sunscreen or sun tan lotion. If I didn’t have any of that, I could wear a hat or stay in the shade. — July 10, 2002
My favorite ways to cool down is to drink plenty of cold water or stay in my air-conditioned house. I could swim in a swimming pool. — July 12, 2002
Writing Prompt #9
I asked Sam if he could remember what the prompt was for this entry in his summer school journal. He couldn’t. I’ve read this before and I still can’t even come up with a guess what the kids were shown and asked to write about. Here it is:
I would have a sign that says “do not eat” or “I don’t taste very good.” I could even have it say “I am made of fake meat and bread.” Probably would say, “Too late, I am rotten.” It would even say “Frozen rock solid.” — July 8, 2002
Writing Prompt #8
From Sam’s summer school journal:
One of my wishes would be that I could have a teleportation to relatives in other states. I would also wish for a counter-curse and even a half-life. — June 27, 2002
Writing Prompt #7, or Explaining Frisbees on Mars
From Sam’s summer school journal:
If I threw a frisbee into the air and it kept going up until I could no longer see it, it probably went into outer space and might’ve landed on Mars. — June 26, 2002
Writing Prompt #6
From Sam’s summer school journal:
A way bears and people are alike is that they are both warm-blooded. Another way they are alike is that they both eat and sleep. They also stay with a family and are related. — June 24, 2002
Writing Prompt #5, apropos today’s summer solstice
From Sam’s summer school journal:
In the summertime, there is hardly any rain. In the summer, I can swim. In the evening, after dinner, there’s still daylight, but in the winter, it is dark. I also can go on summer vacation and even work with my mother and father and mow lawns. — June 21, 2002
Writing Prompt #3 and #4
From Sam’s summer school journal:
My favorite fruit would be apples and bananas. My favorite vegetables are carrots. I would have the advertisement to buy a red, juicy apple. Try to find this in an ad which will be shown in a T.V. commercial. — June 17, 2002
I would ask Garfield what he likes to do or why he’s mean to Odie. If I were a cat, I would go “Meeeeeeyowwwww” all day long to drive people berserk. Cats don’t even have to do homework, they like to sleep all day. — June 19, 2002
Writing Prompt #2, or why Texans love Blue Bell Ice Cream.
Sam opened his journal, which I’m now realizing must have been for summer school his freshman year, not high school English, given the date, by describing himself.
“My name is Samuel Donald Wolfe. I am 14 years old. So far my hobbies turn up to be games. I happen to like apples and bananas. My brother is 11 years old. My sister is 8 years old. My mother is 41 years old. She now works in Gainesville. My father is 45 years old He mows lawns, plays the tuba in concerts, and teaches in Arlington. I now have three dogs. I have two black dogs and one brown one.”
Not sure why he has me working in Gainesville. I never did.
Below is the result of his second writing prompt:
My favorite ice cream is Vanilla, Peppermint, White Chocolate Almond, Orange and Strawberry Sherbet with Starburst pieces. There will probably be a new flavor ice cream. I would try to invent grape ice cream or blackberry ice cream. — June 12, 2002