Labor Day Weekend Stories

(1) Post your completed Labor Day Weekend stories in the comment box below by 12pm on Monday, 9/10.

(2) Read and respond to at least 3 of your classmates’ stories before class on Wednesday, 9/12. *Note: If you see one student’s story already has 3 comments, then please comment on another’s.

51 thoughts on “Labor Day Weekend Stories”

  1. What would you do if the person you have been avoiding for almost a year came in front of your door?
    I don’t know at what time it happened exactly but one thing that I know is it was a complete surprise I wasn’t expecting. The sun was very high in the sky and I was rushing to get home to watch my favorite show on Netflix. The heat was killing me and I started to smell horribly. As soon as I entered the apartment, I went straight to the bathroom and took a shower. Everybody went to enjoy the parade on the parkway and left me home alone. It’s not the first time it happened so I wasn’t worried at all since I was having an amazing time by myself. Not having anybody around to tell you what to do or your little siblings to annoy you was amazing. I could finally have a few hours to myself and I was going to enjoy my ‘ME TIME’ to the fullest. With a bag of chips on my lap and a glass full of Sprite resting on the table,I was going through the different shows and new updated movies that I automatically added to my already full list of all genres of films, documentaries,and dramas. Dynasty episode 11 was playing on the flat screen TV in the living room. As soon as the theme song started to ring through the loud speakers, I put my fingers inside of the hard yellow plastic bag where the little triangular chips where patiently waiting to get in my growling belly. They tasted really good and I was in love with them. With my greasy hand, I reached out for my drink when I heard a little knock on the door. A look at my phone and it was only two in the afternoon.I was a little bit confused because I know it was too early for my family to come back from the show because habitually they were supposed to be home not until 6. Without thinking otherwise I opened the door and to my surprise, a familiar face greeted me with a smile. I was so chocked that in an instant my mind went completely blank for a few seconds. My heart skipped a beat and I felt extremely uncomfortable.”Oh My GOD!!! Oh My GOD!!!”I kept saying inside of my head but nothing came out of my mouth. I could hear Krystle screaming through the speakers. My heart was racing, I started to panic, I didn’t know what to do. A lot of scenarios started to happen right before my eyes and I remembered how I ran away that day because of what she said. “Can I talk to you for a second?” Without hesitation, I closed the door involuntary. I didn’t know why I did so but one thing for sure is that I didn’t want to see her, neither talk to her anymore. Since that day, that rainy day, we were no longer friends and I wasn’t ready to change that thought so early.She kept knocking on the door and rang the bell constantly. I still was going to ignore her no matter what she was about to do and no matter what she attempted to get my attention. It didn’t last long though because a little bit after there wasn’t any knock or any ring. I went to the nearest window and checked if she was still outside and at my surprise she wasn’t here anymore. Without any doubt I went straight back to my seat and the next episode was about to play. Out of the blue, a notification came up on my phone. I took a quick sneak at it and it was from an unknown number. “We need to talk…I need you”.

    3. You’re a skilled storyteller! Everything from start to finish had me hooked. I especially like the detail where you are standing at the door shocked, and all you can hear is the sound of your show in the background. This story is definitely incomplete, though, as so much remains a mystery. Excellent start!

  3. Alghazali, Yasmin
    Prof. Choi
    English 1101
    Labor Day Weekend

    Imagine waking up to your mother’s cry, your father pacing back and forth, and your phone being blown up with texts from your family and 28 missed calls. All this and it’s only 6:05 in the morning. The worst feeling ever is waking up to a loved one’s death in this case it was my cousin. My cousin was like an older brother to me if something was going on with me I knew he had my back and would stand by me. It was 6am when my mom had received a phone call from my uncle saying that my cousin had been shot twice one going straight through his heart. After hearing this kind of news my mother became hysterical crying for hours straight and my father was left stupefied. My cousin had been coming home from work late around 3am when he was attacked by a gang who brutally hit him and took his phone, wallet, and paycheck. They then ran away thinking they had killed him, it was only a few minutes after when they saw him trying to crawl towards the gas station to get help that they noticed he was still alive and ended up shooting him twice the first time aiming at his heart but shot his left rib tearing it apart and coming out from the back, the second was a perfect shot aiming directly at his heart leaving his blood splattered everywhere and a puddle of blood under him getting bigger and bigger. Fifteen minutes later was when the workers at the gas station finally decided to come out and see what had happened when they saw my cousin they called the ambulance. Watching the surveillance cameras and seeing how my cousin had suffered while dying and not having anyone by his side was heartbreaking and what hurts even more was that the cops weren’t able to find the people who killed him or who were involved in his death meaning their still out there walking the streets as free men. By the time my cousin was rushed to the hospital it was too late he had passed away and they couldn’t do anything about it. His funeral had taken place on Saturday the next day and I was too heartbroken to attend I couldn’t bare going to his funeral and see how torn my family was, and I especially couldn’t watch his parents saying their farewells so, I waited till they buried him and went after to say my goodbye knowing it would be the last.

    1. I am sorry that happened to your family it’s a really sad story and a bad experience your cousin had to go through. I wish he survived and all these events didn’t happen at all. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you guys to lose a beloved one.
      My condolences.

  4. Allen Lin
    Prof. Choi
    English 1101
    Labor Day Weekend

    What if sometime at night there was sound coming from somewhere in your house? What would you do? This happened to me when I was going to sleep on the end of Labor Day I woke up in the middle of the night hearing a strange sound coming from somewhere in my house. I quietly woke up and tries to see if I an see any moving shadows and I saw none. I suddenly hear a rambling sound as if the person is trying to search something and I suddenly became even more worried. As I try my best to peek outside and see who it was I still could not see a moving shadow. My cousin suddenly woke up and asked,” What happened?” I asked him to be quiet and soon there was a crashing sound as if something fragile like a plate or a vase has hit the ground. Later after the crash I heard the sound of footsteps running around in the darkness. I quietly told my cousin, “I think there is someone in the house.” A moment after the crash my parents woke up and was alerted by the sound and rushed towards our room asking, “What is happening?” I said, “I think there is someone in our house and I don’t see anyone moving in the dark.” My parents replied, “Ok call the cops” as I dialed 911 we heard the footsteps running towards us followed by a “meow” then suddenly my worries were all gone. I closed the call to 911 and sigh in relief as it was just my cat causing trouble again.

  5. Mikayla Carter-Coleman
    Prof. Choi
    English 1101
    Labor Day Weekend

    “FLIP IT LIKE A FLIPAGRAM! GYAL YOU A PARTY ANIMAL!” Blasted through speakers that stood at least five feet tall. The sky was an array of colorful flags, glitter, and baby powder that was being thrown onto the chaotic crowd following, trucks full of dancers in feathery costumes. I hadn’t been to the Labor Day parade in years. My great return back to the exciting event was anything but boring.
    What I thought would be just a regular fun day at the annual parade with my two friends, Kiara and Patricia, turned out to be so much more. My expectations were a few dances here and there, a couple bites of Caribbean food, and maybe the atrocious sounds of gunshots every two hours, it wasn’t unusual for the parade to end in a race of who can get out of there first. However, I was proved wrong when I got there at twelve in the afternoon and didn’t make it home until somewhere around two am. Hair messy, clothes torn, and paint covering parts of my body. I resembled a modern day ‘Cinderella after midnight’ situation.
    I think the most memorable part of that day had to be when I stopped walking with the parade after while and ended up being apart of it. As Patricia and I held onto each other while dancing so we wouldn’t lose each other in the crowd, I looked up and noticed the truck that was coming through. Jamaican flags hung heavily off with dancers throwing down of them into the wave of people surrounding by. My sister was apart of the many dancers and her smile grew bigger when she looked down and saw me dancing. “Are you gonna join us or nah?” She yelled down at me. I was full of energy already, but did I really want everyone on Eastern Parkway to witness that? I looked at my friends for confirmation. “Girl! You better get up there and rep ya flag!” Kiara screamed in my face. And by then, I was being pulled on top of the truck and dancing my heart out to lyrics I couldn’t understand. The surrounding crowd erupted louder than before. Paint was thrown, and for a couple seconds my shoe was nowhere to be found. Labor Day was extremely reckless for me, I can’t wait to do it again.

    4. A lot of students write about the Labor Day parade, but your story really stands out for it’s descriptions and humor (you have a great narrative voice; your personality shines through). I would recommend continuing the story through to the climactic memorable part of your day, rather then ending it and then looking back on it in a separate paragraph.

  6. Yelitza Fernanda CenXie
    Prof.Choi
    English 1101(D348)
    Labor Day Weekend

    Have you ever thought that if one day there is no police in our society? Who will protect our safety? One event happened last Saturday that made me redefine the New York Police. In my impression, the police in New York are very “idle”; they are just walking around in the street.
    At noon that day, the sun was like a big fireball. The heat from the street quickly formed the atmosphere of the oven. Many people sought comfort by eating ice cream or drinking cold drinks. When I walked down the street, I suddenly heard a woman shouting out loudly. “catch the thief, he took my wallet.” I saw a man wearing police uniform running past me with a cup of coffee, his speed is as fast as lightning and disappears in front of my eyes. People stand by and watch this happen, Several people went to help the man, and some people stay and comforted the victim. In the end, the police caught the thief and returned the wallet to the woman. In conclusion, Even if the police are at rest time, if we need help, they will appear in front of us for the first time. Police officers are important because they regulate the security of the community; they help to reduce criminal activities around the neighborhood.

    4. This is an example of preaching your story’s lesson to the reading at the end in a “conclusion.” Remember your goal is to develop the story’s “so what” gradually and not force it upon the reader in the finally sentences.

  7. Whitney reed
    Prof.choi
    English 1101(D348)
    Personal narrative

    Ughhh! Why am here I ask myself as my face slowly feels with a puddle of salt .The sweat dripped down my face on this hot monday morning.So many colors dance in front of me as people wear the colors of they flag. I slowly walk down these streets they call the parkway during labor day. Everybody was out there and I mean everyone from there mother to great grandma.It was tradition to come half naked ,drink ,smoke and dance around representing their country.It was my first time going it never really was my type of scene to be outside and have pele grind on me .Anyway i was waiting to meet up with my friend and lord knows he was taking forever.I stopped at this pole on my phone trying to make it look like someone actually cared about me and was coming to chill with me.I didnt wanna be at the parade alone bored.Then out of nowhere some guy comes and hug me. In my head im just like whoes this like I know a lot people but don’t be remembering who they are.

    ‘Its swipey from facebook”he says and i’m just like oh yea I know who you is .Five long minutes pass by and then I see my friend walking so I run in the street and punch him right in his back just because he took forever .So we walking in this hot sun that beamed down on us as it turn my once caramel skin to now dark chocolate.All of sudden as we walk to the corner of nostrand on the left of us .There was a crowd of people surrounding two guys who were both on the floor fighting .one was a double amputee missing both legs at the knee in his mid 50’s.The other was a man in his same age as the other gut all his limbs was there .They was rolling on the floor hitting each other with crutches like it was a WWE match .I was just shocked mouth wide open catching other people sweat as we all push each other to see what was going on. Some clown with braids decided to splash everybody with paint and baby powder .I was so pissed it got in my mouth it was then I knew this wasn’t for me.Ughhh! Why am I here.

    3. Wow, this was an eventful day certainly!

      I like how to develop this conflict between you and the friend for which you are waiting. However, when he arrives, you skip over what happens. The friend never says anything; you just punch his back and continue on as if nothing happened. Then you move quickly to the fight scene and being splashed with paint. Take some time to develop those events.

      The story ends abruptly and there isn’t a clear “so what.”

  8. Anthony Ramcharan
    Prof. Choi
    English 1101 D348

    Labor Day Weekend Narrative
    If I told you how anxious I was during the entirety of Labor Day Weekend you would possible think me and my family was doing something special. However that wasn’t the case, it was actually about the 20th anniversary to the current Era of my favorite Tokusatu known as Kamen Rider. It usually makes me mad when people call Kamen Rider, Power Rangers, but it is the closest thing in America that is close in a comparison. Even Though Super Sentai a series which Power Rangers are based completely on. Anyway Kamen Rider is owned by Toei a production company that is located in Japan. And how I got into Kamen Rider is simple in middle school I was bored one day and decided to watch something on YouTube, and I saw an episode of Kamen Rider Den-O a season that had already ended by the time I discovered it. After watching it I was an instant fan due to the music the action and the story. I was unaware at the time that Kamen Rider was split between two different eras, the Showa Era and the Heisei Era. The Showa Era is from 1926 to 1989. And in 2000 the Heisei Era started. I personally watched most of the Heisei Era and none of the Showa Era, mainly due the difference in story action and the music.
    The 20th anniversary of the Heisei Era is this year 2018, and with it comes a season known as Kamen Rider Zi-O. Me and the rest of the fandom on discovered what Zi-O looked like due to an Arcade machine malfunctioning and updating early showing what he looks like and someone just posted a picture online when it happened. I actually gotten excited and started to guess what Zi-O plot was, given he has watch motif to his design and is an anniversary character for the season. I originally thought that Zi-O was a hero who was trying to escape the main enemy of the season, which I thought was Foundation X, and I was Wrong. Foundation X is a reoccurring villain group since 2009 and has always been so mysterious, appearing in seasons which strange motives. Personally I believe their making their own Kamen Rider, but that has yet to be revealed and I personally want to be right about that.
    Amway, during the time I was watching the rest of the previous season Kamen Rider Build, which ended last month on the 26, more information was revealed. This information included the plot, characters, and some details on the forms of the main hero. The Plot is a time travel plot which has been used before in Kamen Rider Den-O but this time was going to happen as a part of each tribute arc to previous season. Also in the plot the Main Character is trying to change his destiny as the Demon King Zi-O. And there is a secondary hero, which is a common thing in Kamen Rider, whose goal is to kill the main character before he becomes the Demon King. After learning that I was wondering how the first episode would start and which Kamen Rider would get a tribute episode first. It was obviously Build since the actors were still available to record scenes for the tribute episodes.
    When September 2nd came I knew that I was going to be able to watch the first Episode subbed titled but it wasn’t and I decided to listen to the opening on loop for the next few hours. And the Very next day at near 1pm I checked to see if the episode was subbed titled yet and it was. I watched it and the opening scene was too, amazing the visuals and the acting was amazing. And after I watched the entire episode I was happy, only thing was I had problems which are the main character he was a blank slate who only wanted to become a king and that is what he dream of being since he was a kid. And the other problem I had was the fact they had a Trex make Elephant noises! That bothered me the most.

    1. This is an interesting subject, but you have to work on details that are crucial and details that are cumbersome/interfering with the story’s flow.

      Also, the last paragraph reads more like a review of the episode than part of a narrative.

  9. Emeli perez ceballos
    Prof.choi
    English 1101(D348)
    Labor Day Weekend

    When labor day weekend rolled around i really didn’t have any plans to go out. The feeling of the cool air coming from my AC made the day start out wonderful because of how hot it is outside. Most of my morning was spent in my bed trying to find a way to get up and start my day. i felt the warmth of bed grasping my whole body, making it harder to get out and be productive. i eventually escaped and start a boring day to do absolute nonsense. As mostly everyone does on labor day goes to a parade or do a barbecue. However,i usually do nothing but watch TV. i know the holiday is very special but i don’t really celebrate by going or doing anything. it might sound boring but that’s the way i like it. i sit in my comfortable couch and start to watch TV till the day is over. Then my mother asks what did i do the whole day and i explain which results me to say” i have done nothing with my life”. While everyone is out doing their labor day activities and i’m sitting here wasting my time. at the end of the day i like what i am doing which is a tradition to enjoy my free time.

    1. i like your idea of staying home but as you said that you have done nothing in your life seems a bit strange to me. Everyone has goal and dreams which they work for to achieved or fulfill them and i think you need to be a little more motivated in life. And set your goals.

  11. Nimra Naz
    Eng 1101 (D348)
    Prof. Choi
    Labor day Weekend

    It all started with a text, My cousin/bestie that I haven’t met for long texted “Open the Door”. It was Saturday early morning. I was shocked when I read that message. First I felt like it was a prank or something because she always try yo prank me, But then I hear a Door bell “Ding Dong” and I ran to the door. When I opened the door my mouth remained open and my eyes were wide open. She gave me a big surprise by coming all the way from Florida with her family. Later that day both of our family got together and cooked some delicious spicy food and I serve them food. After eating, all the elders decided to go for a walk and Me and my bestie gossiping of what’s going on in each other life. The whole time we were talking and we didn’t even realize it’s was dinner time. After eating dinner we decided to watch a movie on Netflix. After the movie we went to the bed.

  12. Yasmin Zeidyyeh
    Prof. Choi
    English 1101 (D348)
    Labor Day Story

    “One more night”, my cousin who I haven’t seen in 4 years is currently begging my mother to allow me to spend an extra night at her house. My mother forcefully agreed in hopes to hear less of my cousin and I nagging. We both slowly went back to her room to not show off our excitement too much and began searching for things to do around Brooklyn, since our options were limited due to it being Labor Day weekend. After 2 hours of going back and forth, we agreed to ice skating at Aviator Sports in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The following morning was very ironic, being over 85 degrees fahrenheit and dressing for a winter activity. On the way to the sport venue, I was getting flashbacks of going there when I was younger and at that point I was thankful we made the decision of visiting the place. I quickly rushed and paid for my ticket to get my skates right after. Took my cousin and I a couple of minutes to get used to walking on a sharp blade before getting on ice. To our luck, the rink was empty besides two little girls at their private skating lesson. As we did a couple of laps, we couldn’t help but notice the little girls doing twirls and spins and for some reason that gave my cousin confidence that she can do the same. As I laughed at her, I skated away and all I hear was her yells echoing the venue. I turn around and see her sprawled out on the ice in agony meanwhile a worker rushing towards her. Her trying to compete with two little girls backfired and had all her weight on her left foot. Needless to say, we spent the rest of our labor day in the hospital and having my mom lecturing us saying shouldn’t have spent another day together, which only brings us trouble! And of course, my mother was right.

    1. This is good. There is a full, cohesive story here. You just have to take the time and narrate the events slowly, especially the build-up to the climax (e.g., your cousin getting injured on the ice) and the aftermath at the hospital where you learned your lesson.

  13. Aisha Aljahmi
    Professor Choi
    English 1101-D348

    Labor Day Weekend-Narrative

    Ringgggggg, the cellphone screams. My hands quickly moves underneath my pillow to locate where the sound is coming from. My eyes are sealed shut not willing to give up sleep. My hands feel a rectangular object underneath my head. I begin to press any button for it to stop. It finally ceases and my mind returns to slumber. Ringggggggg, the cellphone screams at me again. My eyelids blink rapidly trying to adjust to my to the daylight and my surrondings. I look at the cellphone and I see the one number that would ruin my day, but I knew that if I don’t answer then only trouble would come my way. There was no turning back, I silenced the ringing and answer the phone. It was my boss calling me on a Sunday morning. My chest collapses with a sigh. I place the phone up against my ear expecting regular bad news and press talk. In a rushed voice, Hi two people called out of work I need you, my boss said. Okay I said tiredly. “Okay good so your shift will be from 11am-7pm see you in fifteen minutes. Boss hangs up and I regret that my job is close to home. It is 10:23am.

    My head pounds like a gong. How can a five second phone call ruin my day and put me in a terrible mood, I thought while laying lifeless on my bed. I was hoping to stay dead until noon. Today was suppose to be about me; no friends, ignoring family, and not working. I got out of bed, grabbed my towel, and sauntered to the shower. I hate work, but I love money and I don’t earn money for free I rationalized. I turned the shower faucet on blast thinking, Fuck girl the things you do for money.

    3. I feel bad that u were working on labor day weekend because it was the day that people stayed with family without thinking about going to work, however i like the way you quote your conversation and described in details.

    4. Great description in the opening, but this doesn’t feel like a complete story. Also, is your “so what” that it’s ok to do things you hate as long as you’re making money?

      Some details about what your job is would have been nice too, and some details about what happened that unexpected day at work.

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