Hey, everyone!
Recently, I dove into Eve L. Ewing’s amazing book Electric Arches. I was inspired to bring parts of it to my College Writing classes at Oak Lawn Community High School.
There is a work in the book entitle “montage in a car.” It is a series of memories from inside different cars over the course of about 25 years. I wanted to challenge my students to do the same, so we brainstormed memories we had in cars, and I asked each student to share one as I wrote them out, and the following are the three montages from my classes. Please enjoy!
2nd Period montage in a car
at 7 pretend to sleep in the car so my parents would carry me home // at 16 riding in a Rolls Royce in Beverly Hills // at 16 I got arrested // at 13 seeing many places passed on the way to Florida // at 16 speeding back from Waukegan while mom was calling and texting // at 9 my brother let me drive // at age 12 I drove for the first time while my dad screamed // at 17 in the passenger’s seat car crash whiplash think fast call police // at 14 up a hill scared to fall off the cliff // at 16 braking aggressively coffee spilling // at 13 driving to Canada in minivan // at 16 doing doughnuts in the snow with my brother // at 16 watching fireworks with sister and sister’s fiance eating Chipotle // at 15 dropping off sister at college in MN // at 16 drifting in the snow with friends crashed // at 17 almost hit a child // at 15 stepped on gas pedal while adjusting AC // at 16 got my license drove through 8 drive-throughs backwards // at 16 shot paintball guns at moving cars // at 14 long and miserable road trip to New Jersey // at 6 awful high road in Mexico with one lane and no railing // at 16 handcuffed to cop car in downtown Chicago // at 16 throwing eggs at houses // at 17 going down a highway at night nothing in sight // at 15 terrified of the police driving the van while Dave makes out with his girlfriend in the back
9th period montage in a car
at 16 crashed a car drifting in the snow // at 17 driving with cousins while drinking Redbull // at 4 seeing my new house for the first time // at 16 got pulled over for the first time running stop sign // at 16 almost got in a four-way crash // at 14 got into an accident with my cousin // at 17 I ate in my dad’s car and he got mad // at 4 on my way to get my new dog // at 14 my dad let me drive his car // at 15 driving to Florida with a friend // at 12 threw up in two states at once crossing the New Jersey New York border // at 0 I got in the car for the first time // at 10 on my birthday I got into a crash with my mom // at 14 me and my cousins took my aunt’s car // at 17 I went through my first red light // at 16 I went to Chik-fil-A with my friends for the first car ride // at 15 I got in the wrong Uber but got to my location // at 9 I saw a guy get his keys out of his car with a fishing rod // at 13 driving for the first time almost crashed into a church // at 17 hit a bird // at 5 in an accident and paralyzed for four months // at 17 with my friends on the highway blasting music // at 17 escaped a police chase // at 16 driving in the opposite lane // at 14 passing colorful hotels near Daytona Beach // at 8 was in a hit and run // at 17 got pulled over because my friend was pretending to driving without a head
10th period montage in a car
at 15 mom throwing iced-coffee at me // at 14 drove 8 hours to Tennessee // at 15 driving in a golf cart through Islas Mujeres // at 17 driving with my boyfriend pulling over my bumper fell off // at 5 my cousin threw up on me on our way to the zoo // at 6 brought my first dog home // at 17 on the highway zooming past cars with my brother // at 17 pulled over going 70 in a 30 // at 16 crashed family’s golf cart into tree // at 15 during Christmas took a baby Jesus statue and replaced it with eggs // at 13 threw coffee at someone that flipped me off on the highway // at 17 getting pulled over for the first time // at 10 me and my dad watched the stars through the sunroof // at 17 drove all the way to Joliet to get license a week before school started // at 8 joyriding on a golf cart through a cemetery // at 15 driving to Indiana with a friend to see my sister // at 17 driving at night with my friends watching fireworks // at 7 convinced flashing red light on construction crane was Rudoloph and Santa // at 15 driving home from Oshkosh at 1am while driver falling asleep // at 17 driving through downtown at 4am to watch the sunrise // at 11 went on a family trip got carsick took meds slept through ride // at 16 drove home in a Ford Mustang that was not mine
There you have it! I hope you enjoyed these and that a few resinated with you and your childhood. I want to thank Eve L. Ewing for the inspiration, and I hope we did you proud!
Happy Teaching!
Eric
@comics_teacher IG/TW
mr.kallenborn@gmail.com