Write about a time when a trip you looked forward to resulted in unexpected consequences.

1. Write about a time when a trip you looked forward to resulted in unexpected consequences. by Kezia Yee (4E1)

2. The shrill scream of the alarm woke me up with a jolt. Sunlight squeezed through the narrow gap at the top of my light blue curtains. I yawned loudly and stretched my arms. Looking out of the window, I saw the evergreen casuarina trees and radiant yellow sunflowers swaying in the light breeze. “A perfect day for a trip to the doctor to get this annoying cast off!” I said cheerily, lightly slapping the hard plaster that enclosed my leg. [sound; sight]

3. Vocabulary Casuarina Sunflower

4. Vocabulary Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • with a jolt • yawned • radiant • perfect • annoying • cheerily Leg in Plaster

5. I hobbled slowly down the stairs and got to the breakfast table. The smell of freshly fried bacon and eggs was tempting. I gobbled down the food ravenously and hastilygulped a glass of icy cold orange juice. I would not be satisfied until the doctor finally removed the bulky load off my leg. The thought of getting the thing off was liberating. Mother noticed my excitement and commented, “Aren't you happy today!” [smell; sound; touch; taste; sight]

6. Vocabulary • Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • hobbled • tempting • gobbled … ravenously • hastily • not be satisfied • liberating • excitement • happy

7. I grinnedmerrily and replied, “Of course! It's the day the cast on my leg gets taken off. I don't have to lug this heavy thing wherever I go anymore!” Quickly swallowing my last mouthful of bacon, I limpeduncomfortably back to my room to change out of my dingy white flannel pajamas. This was one trip to the doctor's that I was looking forward to. [sight]

8. Vocabulary • Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • grinnedmerrily • limpeduncomfortably • looking forward Bacon and Eggs

9. It was an hour long ride to the clinic but it felt as if we had taken a much longer time. I urged Mother to hurry once we alighted. As we arrived at our destination, I caught a whiff of antiseptic in the air. “You need to register at the counter first,” Mother pointed out. I walked up to the fair skinned woman in white while Mother rummaged through the pile of magazines lying on a little table at the corner of the waiting room. The nurse checked through my particulars and with a wave of her hand directed me to the empty chairs in the room. I shuffledawkwardly over to where Mother was sitting and plopped on the chair. [smell; sound; sight]

10. Vocabulary • Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • felt … longer • hurry • awkwardly Woman in White

11. A few minutes later, I started to become restless. “When will it be my turn?” I grumbled.

12. Vocabulary • Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • restless • grumbled Grumpy Girl

13. After what seemed like ages, my number was finally called. I was directed by a nurse standing at the door of an examination room to proceed inside. I jumped up in anticipation and knocked on the door. “C...come in!” a half audible voice stammered. I pushed the door open and stepped in. A new trainee doctor greeted and motioned me to the chair beside his desk. I sat down, frowning. He was a young, inexperienced man with shaky hands. I felt a tinge of uneasiness. [sound; sight]

14. Vocabulary • Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • After what seemed like ages • finally • in anticipation • frowning • tinge of uneasiness New Young Doctor

15. “Where's Doctor Chang?” I asked, referring to the doctor who saw me the previous week. Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • curious

16. The pasty-skinned man laughed weakly. “He has retired. I will be taking over his duties from now on,” he replied. His hand shot out unexpectedly as he retrieved what looked like a little hammer from his drawer. [sound; sight]

17. Vocabulary • Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • unexpectedly Reflex Hammer

18. My eyes widened in fear. Thoughts of an incompetent doctor flooded my mind. I grippedthe chair tightly as he leant towards me. He then started tapping lightly on the plaster. I breathed a sigh of relief. “It wasn't as bad as I had imagined!” I thought, calming myself down. After a while, the young man was still undecided. Puzzled, I asked if he knew what he was doing. [sound; sight]

19. Vocabulary Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • fear • grippedthe chair tightly • relief • calming • puzzled Eyes Widened in Fear

20. “Well, I'm very new at all of this. I’m not very good at it but I’ll figure something out,” he muttered sheepishly. [sound]

21. I stared at him in disbelief. The doctor got up and walked towards the other side of the room where he tried to sort out the clutter on a little table. “Do you need help?” I stood up and slowly shambled towards him.

22. Vocabulary Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • disbelief • “Do you need help?” • shambled Clutter

23. “No! It's fine!” he replied, his voice trembling. He turned suddenly and accidentally stepped on my exposed right toe. I gave out a howl of painand shoved him away. The young man somehow lost his balance and knocked a can of infant formula off the table. That landed squarely on the toe that was already throbbing. The pain was excruciating. My loud and piercing shrieks caught the attention of a nurse who came running to the scene. Shocked at what she saw, she quickly pulled me to my feet and helped me to an adjoining room. I cursed the clumsy man silently under my breath. [sound; touch; sight]

24. Vocabulary Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • howl of pain • toe that was already throbbing • pain was excruciating • cursed Howl of Pain

25. After seeing another doctor that morning, I tottered unsteadily out of the examination room. My cast had been taken off but I had to get my broken toe bandaged. I could only walk properly with the help of a makeshift walking stick: mother’s umbrella. My parent was surprised when she saw a miffed expression on my face. After a brief explanation, she patted me on my back rather sympathetically. I sighedmiserably. One inconvenience had been replaced by another. This trip had certainly not turned out as I had expected. [sound; sight]

26. Vocabulary Fluctuations of Thoughts & Feelings • tottered unsteadily out • a miffed expression • sighed miserably • inconvenience • not turned out as I had expected Swollen Toe

27. Vocabulary walked • hobbled (p. 2) • limped (p. 3) • shuffled (p. 4) • shambled (p.10) • tottered (p.12) On Crutches

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