Holly J.
March 1
English 9
The one and only grand hall
I am the grand hall. I’m the largest hallway in the school. I reach far across the display of photography all the way to the entrance of the gym. People walk through and by me all the time. I don’t consider myself as just a platform to be trampled on. I am a collection of memories; everyone’s footprints are embedded in me. I’ve been through pain, sorrow, love, fury, rejoices. I remember my brand new self, when I was clean and polished and not a speck of dust on me. As time passed by, I became older and tougher and full of knowledge and experiences. Year after year, people inscribe a different meaning of what I am and what I stand for. When I see people laughing, I think to myself what a wonderful, airy feeling it is to see people laughing and smiling and spreading kindness and joy to one another. I am right underneath it. I witness all of that, I’m aware of the fluctuating environment. I feel as if anything can happen above me. I can be a relieve place, complain place, wait place, comfort place, any place.
My favorite time of every school day is lunchtime. All at once, I see people from all over ransacking my space heading toward the cafeteria. Serious expression on their faces, hastily rushing to find empty tables. Annoyed looks on people waiting in line at the cafeteria, where I can read their minds thinking, “I can’t stand waiting any longer. Hurry up people!” Aromas of sweet ice cream, spicy chicken, salty fries, bitter dark chocolate. Before I know it, the Janitor appears and mops me up. The wet, goopy texture is never-changing as I’m used to.
Besides lunch, there are occasional exciting happenings or events that take place on me; I recall one time, there was an on-stage karaoke, and another time was multicultural food day and I got to see numerous displays of food from different countries. That is the one time I truly feel grand, important, and dependable. But my life is the same, monotonous as it will ever be. I am
just a hallway after all. But I enjoy being stirred up and stimulated by the warm presence of students and staff. I crave more excitement. Most of all, I want to fulfill people’s desires. I will be anything they want me to be, as long as that makes them content. My wish is for people to look back after they graduate, and remember the vivid moments and experiences they had with me, the one and only grand hall.