A True Story

"And so begins the worst day of my life," he moaned. June dragged his feet as he walked on the asphalt road on the way to his house. He didn't bother to hurry home to lay on the couch for a quick nap or grab a snack. All he thought about was the cursed report card in his backpack. In black and white, inscribed on that cursed paper was a C. June sighed and thought," Well, I'd better make the best out of the situation. Maybe God will have mercy on me and make the suffering quick and short... Or maybe He won't let me suffer at all! But then again, my parents freaked out when I got my first B... I'm so screwed!" He kicked a pebble into a neighbor's lawn and silently muttered to himself the rest of the way home. "The garage door is still closed. Phew, at least I'll get a few minutes of peace," thought the relieved June. He fished his house key out of his backpack, unlocked the door, went inside, threw the backpack down on the floor, and threw himself on the couch with a muffled "whump"!
Anticipation tied knots in his stomach but he patiently waited for his dad to come home with that same thunderous expression June had seen only twice in his life. June drifted into near-slumber but the garage door creaked open, signalling the approach of the darkest day of his life. Staring up at the ceiling, June silently counted the seconds that ticked by before his father finally entered the living room. "Hello father," June said in Korean. Wordlessly, his father held out his hand. June didn't have to ask what he was asking for. Equally silent, June handed him the paper. For several tense seconds, silence filled the world. June couldn't take it anymore. He went to his room and closed the door tightly shut behind him. "If I'm going to face this, I would rather face it with both parents rather than facing it one parent at a time," thought June. June expected his dad to come into his room but he never came. With nothing better to do, June started his homework.
Hours went by in total isolation. His father went about his business without even coming near the door to June's room while June did his homework with a fervor fueled by worry. Finally, his mother came home. To June's surprise, she didn't come in his room either. The clash of pots and pans sounded from the kitchen as dinner was being made. The muffled conversations of his parents wrestled their way through the door but June couldn't make anything out of it. He nervously tapped his pencil against his desk as frantic thoughts sped through his mind. "They are both here now so when are they going to give me the lecture? Argh! Concentrate! Do you want another C? Okay, so take the integral of this an--- What was that? June calm down! Okay, now factor it out and the answer should give me the position. Oh man, someone is coming! Argh, false alarm. Ok, ok, ok. I'm calm. I'm sane. I'm ready for this..." Finally, a clear voice rang out,"June! Dinner is ready!"
June nervously opened the door. Niether parent was in sight. He made a trip to the bathroom to buy some time. "Okay, so here is the plan," June thought as he washed his hands. "Go up to them, apologize as emotionally as you can, try to withstand their yells, then go to your room and finish the rest of your homework." June wiped his hands on the towel and rushed to the dinner table. As he expected, he found his stern parents waiting for them... with a bucket of KFC chicken and a big steaming heap of mashed potatoes. "Congratualtions June!" yelled my dad. "Did I do something good?" replied the bewildered June. Asians almost never buy KFC unless it's a special ocassion. It's too American for any oriental Asian. "Well, you promised us that you would do better this semester. Am I right?" my mom asked. June nodded dumbly. "Good. Then that is enough for us," my mom said with a slightly forced-looking smile. June sat down, prayed to God in thanks, and ate. It was the best chicken he had ever eaten.

I have the best parents evur ^_^.

-June