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.


chrisgirl13 said...
on Sep. 20 2010 at 7:09 pm

This is good, keep it up! : )

 


on Sep. 20 2010 at 5:28 am
pinkypromise23 PLATINUM, Cranston, Rhode Island
30 articles 0 photos 412 comments

Favorite Quote:
i know that you believe you understand what you think i said, but im not sure you realize that what you heard is not what i meant.

haha awesome(:

on Sep. 11 2010 at 5:43 pm
deus-ex-machina14 BRONZE, Stewartsville, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There are two main tragedies in life. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." -Oscar Wilde

I KNOW RIGHT!!!!lol

on Sep. 11 2010 at 5:04 pm
Phantom_Girl GOLD, Ft. Carson, Colorado
14 articles 0 photos 279 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If it comes out of the lion's mouth...it will be on the test."
-Mr. Bala

Lol. I'm obsessed with it. And for the record, Christinne soooo should have chosen the phantom over Raoul.

on Sep. 6 2010 at 5:15 pm
deus-ex-machina14 BRONZE, Stewartsville, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There are two main tragedies in life. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." -Oscar Wilde

Right! And, by the way, you have very good taste in classic Broadway shows. I love Phantom of the Opera, haha. Sorry, I couldn't help it:P

on Aug. 29 2010 at 10:42 am
Phantom_Girl GOLD, Ft. Carson, Colorado
14 articles 0 photos 279 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If it comes out of the lion's mouth...it will be on the test."
-Mr. Bala

I agree, natural. It sounds very poetic without using words that nobody knows or uses. It sounds like something a poet would say in an every-day conversation.

on Aug. 7 2010 at 9:38 pm
deus-ex-machina14 BRONZE, Stewartsville, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There are two main tragedies in life. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." -Oscar Wilde

This has all of the small words we add into our speech without thinking about when we're talking and making it up as we go. So natural, like I can imagine a voice reading it to me. Great job!

JessieB SILVER said...
on Aug. 7 2010 at 7:01 pm
JessieB SILVER, Elkton, Maryland
7 articles 1 photo 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
an eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind~Ghandi

lol, i agree(:

JessieB SILVER said...
on Aug. 7 2010 at 7:00 pm
JessieB SILVER, Elkton, Maryland
7 articles 1 photo 102 comments

Favorite Quote:
an eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind~Ghandi

i really like this. It made me laugh for some reason, the sarcasm i suppose, well done, (:

ps. if you get the chance, read some of my work pleaassee(:

thankyou<3


on Aug. 7 2010 at 2:00 pm
ThatClarinetPerson SILVER, Tequesta, Florida
8 articles 0 photos 226 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life. Don't talk to me about life."
~Marvin the Paranoid Android (from the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy series)
Statistical analysis suggests that i am probably in tune with someone
(hahahahaha! I love this cause i'm never ever ever in tune >o

really like this piece. zack has a great voice.

on Aug. 7 2010 at 12:21 pm
poeticspirit12334 PLATINUM, Groesbeck, Texas
23 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
Wearing a Christian T-shirt, and a cross necklace does NOT make you a Christian. , "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord "They are plans to give you a hope and a future.'' Jeremiah 29:11

i dont know if i already commented on this or not but i figure one more time wont hurt this is REALLY good you can really write!! check out my stuff?

niesh13 SILVER said...
on Jul. 21 2010 at 2:40 pm
niesh13 SILVER, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6 articles 0 photos 54 comments

Favorite Quote:
Love Me, Hate Me. I Really Don't Care .
Truth Is...Life Goes On , With or Without You

Thiss Iss Awesomeeee. :) , Lol. Itss Realy Good. Almost Every1 Who Hates Math or Juss doesnt Pay Attention Can Relate 2 Thiss. > Likee Mee  < Lol,

on Jul. 16 2010 at 5:41 pm
Jane_P PLATINUM, San Clemente, California
25 articles 0 photos 42 comments

Favorite Quote:
When asked about race...

"Well, when I went to the bathroom I was Russian, and when I came out I was Finnish."

or, alternatively:

"Irish I could tell you."

Summary of my math class. ^^

on Jul. 9 2010 at 1:14 pm
poeticspirit12334 PLATINUM, Groesbeck, Texas
23 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
Wearing a Christian T-shirt, and a cross necklace does NOT make you a Christian. , "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord "They are plans to give you a hope and a future.'' Jeremiah 29:11

i love this!!! it is soo easly relatably.. adn im kinda young to but i believe that young writes have the same talent as older writers but they arent as developed yet.. but i think yours are!! great job.. when my stuff comes out of pending will you read it?? again GREAT job this is one of the best things ive read on this website!! keep up the good work!!

on Jun. 24 2010 at 4:37 pm
DannyKid33 PLATINUM, Pleasant Hill, California
34 articles 2 photos 81 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't ever let the media tell you what to look like. You're beautiful the way you are. Stay beautiful, keep it ugly." - Gerard Way.

I loved this peice so much :) i can relate to it so easily...

on Jun. 24 2010 at 11:41 am
Ellawind PLATINUM, Seattle, Washington
40 articles 0 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.

Dream like you will live forever, live like you will die today.

Your writing style is beautiful, like a narration of the mind. Exactly the kind of writing that takes a bit of courage to write, because not everyone gets it. Amazing!

on Jun. 24 2010 at 7:15 am
falling_star DIAMOND, Stafford, Virginia
52 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"This sh-t writes itself." --William Shakespere

I love this! Relatable for me, haha. He reminds me of Holden Caufield, a little. That's my favorite book. :)

on Jun. 17 2010 at 7:52 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

I love this! The flow is so cool, the way persone would actually think, all broken and strung together.

on Jun. 5 2010 at 9:08 am
NeverCaredForKool-Aid GOLD, Elkridge, Maryland
13 articles 0 photos 531 comments

Favorite Quote:
I don't believe in hell but I believe in my parent's couch-- Watsky

I remember reading this in the magazine.  The first piece read in TeenInk.  I loved it.

on May. 11 2010 at 6:49 pm
horsie_luver SILVER, Tigard, Oregon
5 articles 1 photo 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot live without books."-Thomas Jefferson

I absolutely love that piece! It immediately went to my favorites list! I loved how you phrased the part with the teacher: "...the owner of the hand hissed"