The prompt: "find 'x'." My essay:
I'm not a young girl frantically trying to finish her college application. That makes a terrible essay. No, I need a better story to tell, true or not. Find "x" is the prompt. X... x... marks the spot? And suddenly I'm not a young girl scrambling to write an essay. I'm the invisible observer of a pirate captain, on his last peg leg in life, searching for that final treasure.
"To the oars, boys, and no shenanigans in the landing!" the Captain growls. "Avast, lads, don't slack on the port side, or we'll be going in circles!" The rowers to port speed up, matching the steady strumming sound of the men to starboard.
"Blasted leg," the Captain mumbles, rubbing the bandage that hides the stump of his real leg and the wood and leather of his false one.
"Captain," the first mate, One-patch Tom, sighs, "don't you think we should be focusing on, say, landing and digging up the treasure?" Rubbing his good eye in frustration, Tom waits for an answer.
"Aye, lad," the Captain says, "you have the map?"
"Of course." One of us has to be responsible, and it's sure not you, Tom thinks privately. Not for the first time, Tom wonders if a mutiny might not be the best thing for the crew. Then again, the Captain is about to retire, and it would be cruel to bump the guy off now. With any luck, Tom will inherit the ship, The Black Sail, after he and the Captain chase down this last treasure. "Ready when you are, Cap'n."
Tom heaves the longboat over the side of the Sail, enlisting Evil Beard Steve to help him. The boat thumps into the water, rocking back and forth on the green waves.
"Coming, Cap'n?" Tom calls out.
"Yes, certainly, in a moment," the Captain replies. Tom sighs again; with the Captain, a moment could be five minutes or half an hour. Steve smiles at Tom, recognizing the cause for the sigh. To Tom's satisfaction, the Captain bustles over, shouting to the wind at large that he's ready to hunt down his treasure.
The boat grates against the sand, slowing suddenly, halting with a bump. Tom hops out, pushing it to the shore. The Captain sits up straight, grinning like a child, as the boat slides the last few yards to dry land while he rides inside it.
"Comer along, Capn'n," Tom says when the boat is secure. "We've got a treasure to find." Tom hefts the one and only shovel, knowing that the Captain won't be digging. This last treasure, and the Sail will be mine, Tom tells himself for the umpteenth time. I can get through this.
"Aye lad, of course we do! The great treasure of Big Hook Henry himself!"
"Yes, sir," Tom says, not mentioning that it was he, Tom, that found the treasure map to begin with, not to mention being the person who told the Captain about Big Hook Henry. One of the perks of being Captain, I guess. I'll be able to take credit for everything good that happens on my ship.
"Give me the map, Tom," the Captain commands. "I'll be doing the navigating here." Tom hands the Captain the map; it's not as though he needs it. I've studied it so much that I could probably see the whole thing by closing my eyes, he thinks.
"Well, this should be as easy as finding North with a compass!" The Captain exclaims. "Look, Tom, all we have to do is find this big red 'X' on the sand, and the treasure will be under it!"
"I don't think it works like that, Cap'n." Tom says.
"Of course it does, my lad! Look at the map!" Holding the map out--upside-down--for Tom to see, the Captain points out the 'X' marking the spot.
"Of course, Cap'n," Tom says, rolling his eyes. "Let's find 'X.'" The Captain starts climbing up a hill, heedless of the wind blowing through the brush.
"Cap'n? Where are you going?" Tom calls after him.
"To find 'X' of course! Where is your head today, lad?" Tom shakes his head at the whole silly business, but follows the Captain up the hill.
The hill allows Tom and the Captain a view of the whole island. It looks exactly like the map. There's the cluster of five trees around a spring of fresh water. There's the wreck of Big Hook Henry's ship. And there... Tom shakes his head again, this time in disbelief. There's the big red "X" painted on the sand.
"Come along, lad!" The Captain shouts, running--well, sort of limping, really, but at least limping quickly--toward the "X." Still in disbelief, Tom follows. I don't know how he does it, Tom thinks to himself, but the Captain sure has pirate's luck. Smiling, Tom carries the shovel downt the hill toward the waiting booty; the gold, the jewels, all from simply finding "X."
And that is how you get into college. I hope.
I'm not a young girl frantically trying to finish her college application. That makes a terrible essay. No, I need a better story to tell, true or not. Find "x" is the prompt. X... x... marks the spot? And suddenly I'm not a young girl scrambling to write an essay. I'm the invisible observer of a pirate captain, on his last peg leg in life, searching for that final treasure.
"To the oars, boys, and no shenanigans in the landing!" the Captain growls. "Avast, lads, don't slack on the port side, or we'll be going in circles!" The rowers to port speed up, matching the steady strumming sound of the men to starboard.
"Blasted leg," the Captain mumbles, rubbing the bandage that hides the stump of his real leg and the wood and leather of his false one.
"Captain," the first mate, One-patch Tom, sighs, "don't you think we should be focusing on, say, landing and digging up the treasure?" Rubbing his good eye in frustration, Tom waits for an answer.
"Aye, lad," the Captain says, "you have the map?"
"Of course." One of us has to be responsible, and it's sure not you, Tom thinks privately. Not for the first time, Tom wonders if a mutiny might not be the best thing for the crew. Then again, the Captain is about to retire, and it would be cruel to bump the guy off now. With any luck, Tom will inherit the ship, The Black Sail, after he and the Captain chase down this last treasure. "Ready when you are, Cap'n."
Tom heaves the longboat over the side of the Sail, enlisting Evil Beard Steve to help him. The boat thumps into the water, rocking back and forth on the green waves.
"Coming, Cap'n?" Tom calls out.
"Yes, certainly, in a moment," the Captain replies. Tom sighs again; with the Captain, a moment could be five minutes or half an hour. Steve smiles at Tom, recognizing the cause for the sigh. To Tom's satisfaction, the Captain bustles over, shouting to the wind at large that he's ready to hunt down his treasure.
The boat grates against the sand, slowing suddenly, halting with a bump. Tom hops out, pushing it to the shore. The Captain sits up straight, grinning like a child, as the boat slides the last few yards to dry land while he rides inside it.
"Comer along, Capn'n," Tom says when the boat is secure. "We've got a treasure to find." Tom hefts the one and only shovel, knowing that the Captain won't be digging. This last treasure, and the Sail will be mine, Tom tells himself for the umpteenth time. I can get through this.
"Aye lad, of course we do! The great treasure of Big Hook Henry himself!"
"Yes, sir," Tom says, not mentioning that it was he, Tom, that found the treasure map to begin with, not to mention being the person who told the Captain about Big Hook Henry. One of the perks of being Captain, I guess. I'll be able to take credit for everything good that happens on my ship.
"Give me the map, Tom," the Captain commands. "I'll be doing the navigating here." Tom hands the Captain the map; it's not as though he needs it. I've studied it so much that I could probably see the whole thing by closing my eyes, he thinks.
"Well, this should be as easy as finding North with a compass!" The Captain exclaims. "Look, Tom, all we have to do is find this big red 'X' on the sand, and the treasure will be under it!"
"I don't think it works like that, Cap'n." Tom says.
"Of course it does, my lad! Look at the map!" Holding the map out--upside-down--for Tom to see, the Captain points out the 'X' marking the spot.
"Of course, Cap'n," Tom says, rolling his eyes. "Let's find 'X.'" The Captain starts climbing up a hill, heedless of the wind blowing through the brush.
"Cap'n? Where are you going?" Tom calls after him.
"To find 'X' of course! Where is your head today, lad?" Tom shakes his head at the whole silly business, but follows the Captain up the hill.
The hill allows Tom and the Captain a view of the whole island. It looks exactly like the map. There's the cluster of five trees around a spring of fresh water. There's the wreck of Big Hook Henry's ship. And there... Tom shakes his head again, this time in disbelief. There's the big red "X" painted on the sand.
"Come along, lad!" The Captain shouts, running--well, sort of limping, really, but at least limping quickly--toward the "X." Still in disbelief, Tom follows. I don't know how he does it, Tom thinks to himself, but the Captain sure has pirate's luck. Smiling, Tom carries the shovel downt the hill toward the waiting booty; the gold, the jewels, all from simply finding "X."
And that is how you get into college. I hope.
