Chalkboard Scribbles | Teen Ink

Chalkboard Scribbles MAG

By Anonymous

Scribbles on the chalkboard. That’s all that was really there, some shapes probably, numbers and some math symbols. He knew them all – not like it was a foreign language. It was just kind of pointless. It wasn’t even a chalkboard; it was a whiteboard. But chalkboards were more poetic. It flowed better, anyway. He let that thought swirl around his mind for a bit. Sort of like the mysterious liquid they gave you instead of wine on Thanksgiving when you were a kid.

Well not really, especially since he knew what the liquid was (sparkling cider) and thoughts don’t swirl. At least they didn’t for him. They just hung there, more like old rusty thumbtacks that hold up papers for a few days then pop out of the corkboard. Yeah, sort of like that. He let his thoughts drift. Considering they were rusty thumbtacks that were bound to pop anyway, he sort of let them hang for a bit then sink away somewhere. Oblivion perhaps.

Suddenly a hand touched his shoulder, he was half pulled out of his thoughts, staring at the whiteboard; he realized he hadn’t blinked in far too long. His eyes were watering.

“Zack, I would appreciate it if you’d pay attention,” the owner of the hand hissed. Oh yeah. Math. That’s right. Some variation of some useless formula was what the symbols and scribbles on the whiteboard were. He nodded, slightly, as if he didn’t really mean it. Because he didn’t mean it at all.

His mind was elsewhere, preoccupied with words, not numbers. Although he now seemed enraptured by the strange markings on the board, he didn’t actually care. He mentally laughed at his own thoughts, if he laughed in the physical sense, people would stare at him, probably snicker behind his back at some untold joke. Again, not that he cared, it was just kind of annoying, you know? No, you probably don’t.

He let his mind make the popping of rusty thumbtacks its priority. Did they make a sound? He’d have to figure it out, do some sort of scientific report on it or something. Win a Nobel Prize for it. What a clever little boy. No more snickering behind his back. He laughed, this time physically. Luckily the sound was drowned out by the fourth bell, the one that meant lunch. He snagged his iPod from his messenger bag and trotted, yeah, like a horse, off to the lunch room.



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This article has 128 comments.


on Jan. 21 2010 at 7:19 am
Lover_that_Hates DIAMOND, Reynolds, Georgia
76 articles 0 photos 118 comments

Favorite Quote:
"She was fascinated with words. To her words were things of beauty, each like a magical powder or potion that could be combinded with other words to create powerful spells." From: Lighting(By: Dean Koontz)

This is very good. It makes you daydream along with the character. I loved the way you went from one strange subject to another with no warning. Some people don't like that, but I do. This passage makes you think about the odd little thoughts that the charcater is think. I love it! Great Job!

on Jan. 21 2010 at 2:35 am
Haha! I can relate to this! I am such a daydreamer! I loved the metaphors! Maybe it wasn't exactly clear at some points but in my opinion that adds rather then takes from this. :)

on Dec. 30 2009 at 6:23 pm
SmileLikeUMeanIt, Tyndall, South Dakota
0 articles 2 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." -John 1:1

I love your voice! This is absolutely great. Seeing it within the pages of a novel one day wouldn't surprise. In fact, I'd be completely excited and finish the book in one sit-down. Great job! :D

on Dec. 30 2009 at 3:14 pm
fall_from_grace SILVER, Lakeside, Arizona
6 articles 6 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
-Oscar Wilde
(yes, I do note the irony in quoting this)

It makes me so sad when people don't appreciate something as innovative as this. It is unusually, but not bad. It's lovely, and erratic, and random. I hope you keep your writing style.

WaitWhat said...
on Dec. 30 2009 at 2:32 pm
That was brilliant. The writing was as erratic as your thoughts. Bravo! =)

on Dec. 30 2009 at 12:06 pm
MyLuckyStars SILVER, Annapolis, Missouri
5 articles 2 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep...and miles to go before I sleep. " ---Robert Frost

Haha, that was awesome!! I loved the way you wandered, as if your mind was wandering when you wrote this, just like the character's. It was awesome.

on Dec. 30 2009 at 11:12 am
Dandelion PLATINUM, Franklin, Massachusetts
20 articles 8 photos 173 comments
I loved this! You managed to get every wandering thought on paper, and that takes a lot of talent.

on Dec. 30 2009 at 9:59 am
sleeplessdreamer PLATINUM, Raleigh, North Carolina
30 articles 0 photos 332 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I have always wanted to write in such a way that people say, 'I have always thought that but never found the words for it.'" -anonymous

The idea of the story and all the metaphors were unique and cool, but your writing style was kind of choppy. I felt myself at the end going, "What the heck was that?" But other than that, you have a real talent just work on how you present it on paper.

on Dec. 8 2009 at 11:16 am
whisperingofdawn GOLD, Colorado City, Arizona
17 articles 12 photos 87 comments
hah, love this!

on Nov. 16 2009 at 7:23 pm
Inkspired PLATINUM, Whitby, Other
26 articles 0 photos 493 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If one will scoff at the study of language, how, save in terms of language, will one scoff?" - Mario Pei
"I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die." Isaac Asimov

Love this! It's such an original idea, and there seems to be no meaning at all, but there is, in a way. Love your writing style. L-o-v-e. The metaphors, the adjectives.... anyways, great job!

evie428 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 16 2009 at 10:31 am
evie428 BRONZE, Ontario, Other
4 articles 1 photo 88 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Writing a novel is not merely going on a shopping expedition across the border to an unreal land: it is hours and years spent in the factories, the streets, the cathedrals of the imagination."

It was interesting, but I felt like I didn't understand what was going on as I read it. Maybe if there weren't as many metaphors or adjectives? But other than that, neat concept.

AnneOnnimous said...
on Oct. 26 2009 at 4:13 pm
i didn't like this that much..it was nice but the intro was kinda boring

seapenguin said...
on Oct. 25 2009 at 4:45 pm
seapenguin, Healdsburg, California
0 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
I'm a super hero, but with no powers or motivation.

I love this!

eMs23 BRONZE said...
on Oct. 3 2009 at 7:18 pm
eMs23 BRONZE, Yuma, Arizona
2 articles 0 photos 36 comments
haha that is totally me!! overall i really liked this poem. its unique... never read anything like it! :)

Schubster said...
on Oct. 3 2009 at 2:39 pm
interesting, new, crisp, exciting, and refreshing :) it was stunning in its own way. great work!

check out my work??

smufius BRONZE said...
on Aug. 8 2009 at 7:57 pm
smufius BRONZE, Newport, Other
3 articles 0 photos 5 comments
this is realy good i liek teh way his mind keeps wondering

kat4christ said...
on Apr. 28 2009 at 3:16 am
kat4christ, San Antonio, Texas
0 articles 30 photos 12 comments
I really enjoyed reading this. The style creative and refreshing. Great job!

on Apr. 21 2009 at 1:22 am
that was really good. definitly attention grabbing. :)Did u write it in math class? :)(jk)

Chrissy_L GOLD said...
on Apr. 20 2009 at 11:56 pm
Chrissy_L GOLD, Ramsey, New Jersey
13 articles 0 photos 66 comments

Favorite Quote:
An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

Wow I love this! Sometimes I've thought of writing something like this, put you really pulled it off great!

sunshine said...
on Apr. 14 2009 at 6:01 pm
This book is so interesting that i read it about three times.