An accidental story

As I crossed the playground my mind was preoccupied by what was ahead of me. I was lost in thought about the lesson I was about to teach to my class. I was trying to remember the activities I had planned. My head exploded. Well – that’s what it felt and sounded like. The pain was instant. A basketball had hit the side of my face. I had not seen it coming. The ball hit the point of my glasses where the arm connects with the frame. They shattered. It took a few moments to gather the pieces – and my thoughts before proceeding to my appointed class. Shaken but unhurt, the rest of the day was interesting – and challenging as I coped as best I could without glasses. Unhurt? Well, yes – if you discount the shock.

Writing activity:

• Think back to a time when you had an accident, or you witnessed an accident.
• Recall what happened and how it affected you and other people.
• Write a description of the events leading up to the accident.
• Describe what happened.
• Explain how it affected you and other people.
• What were the long-term repercussions of this accident?

Now you have the basis of a fictional story. Change the main character from yourself to an imaginary person. Embellish the story by playing around with the facts and imagining other aspects of the accident. Give it a different ending. Do with it what you want – it really is up to your imagination.

Below is a variation on the incident I started with.

Good writing.

As Peter crossed the playground his mind was preoccupied by what was ahead of him. He was lost in thought about the lesson he was about to teach to his class. He was trying to remember the activities he had planned. His head exploded. Well – that’s what it felt and sounded like. The pain was instant. A basketball had hit the side of his face. He had not seen it coming. The ball hit the point of his glasses where the arm connects with the frame. They shattered, pieces flying in several directions. Peter crumbled to the concrete pathway in a state of shock. He passed out. Students from all over the school yard came racing to the scene of the popular teacher lying on the ground. The last thing Peter heard was the sound of an ambulance siren racing to the school.