Write, Wrote, Written discussion

My letter to Jasmine, or A Fallen Angel (Real life Version)
On September, 18, 2013 I was given an assignment by my teacher. The assignment was to write an eyewitness account. In case you don’t know what that is, it’s an essay (or a letter, in my case), that describes something that happened. My specific assignment was to write a letter to someone about something that happened when there weren’t around. I chose to write it to one of my closest friends, Jasmine.
Dear Jasmine,

We all have stunning memories of things that we’ve seen. We’ve all witnessed things like someone’s life being saved or someone doing a good deed. The most stunning and outstanding memories are the ones that we remember the clearest. One way or another, we all realize we have to keep our eyes open, and hold on to those memories. They may never come again.
One of my most clear memories happened at least a year and a half ago. I was playing on the grassy front lawn of the Lewis family house with Devon and Brianna. We were playing tag, when all of a sudden a scruffy gray dog came trotting around the corner. I got to look at it for a few seconds before Devon started running toward it, not in the least bit afraid of getting bit. He had blue gray eyes that looked really unique, making me wonder what the color was called. Devon was muttering all sorts of things about how cute it was, while Brianna and I stood back, afraid of the strange little dog.
The dog seemed to have its head in the clouds, because it didn’t listen when we called it, and when someone touched it, it would jerk its head around like it didn’t know where it was. It started running into the backyard and we all followed it, completely forgetting that Devon and I weren’t allowed back there. We were all talking at once, confused that the dog didn’t like us and kept running away. Eventually, we corned the dog and noticed that it was wearing a tag.
I tried to read it, but every time the dog would jerk its head like it was going to bite me. I was so scared! So Devon read it for me. She put her hand on its head, and used the free one to grab hold of his tag and read out loud, “Chase”. After more searching Devon declared that there was no address, and that we’d have to find his home on our own.
Since I was the only one willing, the other two kept the dog busy while I rang the doorbell of a couple of houses across the street. I started with an orange house that a new family had moved into. The family wasn’t home, but I somehow thought that the dog belonged to them, so I started wondering when they’d be home, so I could ask them. I went around to a couple of family’s houses, who were animal lovers, but I soon returned with no progress made.
On my way back, I stopped to talk to a couple walking their dogs around the neighborhood. They said they had seen the dog before, but they didn’t know who the owner was. I trudged back to the yard to find that Devon and Brianna were talking to a man. He picked up Chase so it was obvious he was the owner. Curious for more, I asked him how the dog got out. “He doesn’t know where he’s going” he replied. “He’s blind and hard at hearing. He can hear some noises, like my Wife’s snapping and thunder, but that’s about it.” I looked again into the dogs blue eyes, and suddenly they looked grayer than ever. We said goodbye and we went on to dress up Brianna’s dog Buttercup, who was shaking on the driveway, feeling, abandoned.
I remember that day even clearer now that I know it won’t happen again. Brianna moved out of state and Chase is no longer alive. We hold on to memories because they are our biggest part of the past, and moment’s like those can bring you comfort and restore your inner being as you relive it in your mind. I hope I’ll see you again and we can make more memories to cherish forever.

Love,
Sage

Even though it was not part of the assignment, I sent the letter to Jasmine (meaning I brought it to her house). She smiled as she read it, and said she wished she had been there to meet Chase herself. I vowed to keep my eyes open for more experiences to write about. I silently promised myself that I would never forget that moment.
And I never did. On December 12, 2013 I wrote my first short story, titled A Fallen Angel. I spent a whole hour writing and rewriting to make sure it was perfect. After all my hard work, I scrolled to the top of the page to read it one last time.
As I was reading my story, I realized something in the back of my brain. This story sounds a lot like my eyewitness account I thought. I opened Microsoft word to check out my letter.
Sure enough, it was! I subconsciously wrote my story based off that very personal experience of mine. I smiled as I remembered my promise to myself to never forget that moment. What I witnessed will forever and always be a part of me. As will all of my other experiences. And ever since then, in every story I write, my past memories always find their way onto my page. I love that.
This story is dedicated to the following
The friends and family who lost Chase
Jasmine, Devon, and Brianna (wherever you are)
And the people who read, commented, and enjoyed “A Fallen Angel

I LOVE YOU ALL!

I wrote this for those of you who liked my short story. I thought you might like to know where it came from.

That's because it is real. It's basically a memoir.