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Thanh Quach
ENG 100
Essay #1: Creative Nonfiction (One-Month Memoir)
ue: Octo!er "# $01%
& 'irth(ay )arty
* remem!er my cousin# +e,an# -ho -as !orn in .e/tem!er $0
th
$01$1 2e is turne( t-o years o3(
in this year1 * -as so e4cite( -hen * hear( his /arents are ,oin, to have a !i, !irth(ay /arty for
him an( * /romise( to he3/ them -ith the /arty1 The (ay !efore the /arty# his father (eci(e( to
reor,ani5e a33 the furniture aroun(1 Once -e starte( to reor,ani5e the furniture# my ,ran(mother
too6 my cousin u/stairs to avoi( a33 the (ust -hen -e c3ean1
78here -i33 -e start to (o first9: * as6e( him
7*n the 3ivin, room: he ans-ere(# an( then he continue( to te33 me 7you an( your aunt -i33 thin6
ho- to (esi,n the couch# o6:
7No /ro!3em: -e sai( the same time
8e turne( on the music an( starte( to (iscuss ho- to ma6e it 3oo6 nice1 8hi3e -e -ere
(iscussin,# my unc3e in-3a- -as movin, t-o 3ar,e s/ea6ers from the !asement into the 3ivin,
room1 2e /ut te3evision !et-een them an( connecte( them to 6arao6e set1
Once he finishe( settin, u/ the s/ea6ers# * as6e( him 7can you turn on the music9:
7&!so3ute3y# * -ant to test the s/ea6er# too: he ans-ere(
The music -as turne( on !ut it -as too 3ou(# so my ,ran(mother re;ueste( to 3o- the vo3ume
(o-n a 3itt3e !it1 .he (i( not -ant to -a6e u/ the nei,h!or !ecause it -as a3most mi(ni,ht# so
she -as afrai( of the nei,h!or -ou3( ca33 the /o3ice1
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8hen the music -as turne( 3o-# my aunt an( * returne( -ith our /ro!3em1
7* have no i(ea: * sai(
78hy (on<t -e c3ean u/ the toys on the f3oor first9: my aunt as6e(
&fter * hear( she sai( that * too6 a 3oo6 aroun( the f3oor# it -as very messy -ith a33 the toys
-hich inc3u(e( the !i, cars an( sma33 cars# 3o,o# 'ar!ie<s house# stuffe( anima3# !a33s an( much
more other toy an( if -e (i( not c3eanu/ it first# -e cou3( not move the couch aroun(1
7*t is too much toys -here -e can 6ee/ them: * thou,ht an( as6e( my aunt 7-hy (oes he have
too much toys9:
7* (o not 6no-: she ans-ere( 7* have an i(ea: she continue(
78hat is your i(ea9: * as6e(
7=or the toys# -hy -e (o not ta6e an em/ty (ia/er !o4# /ut the ha3f /art of toys in there# an(
6ee/ it in the !asement: she re/3ie(
7Goo( i(ea# -e !etter (o it ;uic63y to avoi( your son if he sees us ta6e his toys# he -i33 cry: *
to3( my aunt
7>ou ,ot that ri,ht?: she smi3e(
.he @ust smi3e(1 8e sto//e( to ma6e a @o6e -ith each other an( returne( our -or61 .u((en3y# the
voice in the (inin, room shoute( out 7Oh my ,o((ess# you t-o ,ot to !e 6i((in,# you !oth sti33
not (one your chores:
'oth of us 6ne- the voice -as !e3on, to my unc3e in-3a-# so -e @ust turne( !ac6 an( smi3e(
7&3most (one# can you come to he3/ us move the couch: my aunt sai(
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78here you -ant to move it: my unc3e in-3a- as6e(
7* thin6 -e can se/arate it into t-o /arts an( /ut t-o the chair !et-een them: she re3ie(
Once * he3/e( my unc3e in-3a- to reco,ni5e the furniture# it remin(e( me the (ay my aunt
nee(e( to ta6e my ,ran(mother to the (octor an( my cousin -as s3ee/in, on the hammoc61 8e
a3-ays turn the instrumenta3 music -hen he s3ee/s1 Asin, the !3an6et covere( for him an( /ut a
/i33o- on him to 6ee/ him on the hammoc61 The ny3on strin, -as connecte( -ith the hammoc6
to roc6 him to s3ee/1 * cou3( use this ny3on 3ine to /u33 the hammoc6 move !ac6 an( for-ar(1
The -ho3e house -as so ;uiet e4ce/t the music# it ma(e me a3most as3ee/ unti3 he crie(# an( *
6ne- he a-a6e(1 * too6 everythin, out to he3/ him easi3y to stretch his !o(y1 * (eci(e( to he3/
him chan,e the (ia/er yet it -as the first time * chan,e( the (ia/er for a !a!y1 8hen * chan,e(
the (ia/er# the (ia/er ha( a sme33 so !a( an( it -as too heavy -ith his urine1 * use( the -et -i/es
to c3ean him u/# an( then * /ut a ne- (ia/er for him an( /ut his /ant !ac61 8hi3e * @ust finishe(
chan,in, the (ia/er for him# my aunt came home1 * thou,ht it -as a -on(erfu3 e4/erience for me
to chan,e the (ia/er for the !a!y1
Turin, !ac6 to his !irth(ay# in the mornin, of the !irth(ay /arty# !efore the ,uests came# -e
(ivi(e( into t-o ,rou/s1 One ,rou/ -ent to Chinato-n to /ic6 u/ a !irth(ay ca6e an( e,, ro331
The other ,rou/ -ent to the su/ermar6et to !uy fruit an( !a33oon1 8hen -e finishe( to sho//in,#
it -as a3most 1:00 o<c3oc61 8e starte( to /re/are foo( for the /arty an( /ut the foo( in the (iner1
My aunt an( * too6 my cousin to the !e(room an( chan,e( the c3oth for him1 &fter that# -e too6
him to my room to create the hair sty3e1 2is sisters an( cousins -ante( to 3oo6 at him !ut *
c3ose( the (oor to avoi( them /ea6in,
7>ou ,ir3s -ent (o-nstairs you cannot /ea61 * -i33 ta6e him -hen -e finish: * to3(
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7* -ant to ta6e a 3oo6# can *: his sister as6e(
7No: * re/3ie(
2is hair is to smooth an( thin so -e cou3( not ma6e them stay -ith the (esi,n1 8e (eci(e( use
the ,e3 an( (rie( them -ith the (ry machine1 8hi3e * -as ho3(in, him to (o-nstairs# ,uests
came an( they sa- him
7Oh? 2an(some !oy: his aunt sai(
2e !e,an to run aroun( the house an( 6isse( the ,uest -ho as6e( him to 6iss1 8e /ut the can(3es
on the !irth(ay ca6e an( starte( to ce3e!rate -ith the 2a//y 'irth(ay son,1
72a//y 'irth(ay to +e,an: -e ye33e( -hen -e finishe( sin,in, the son,
78hy -e (o not ta6e /ictures -ith him: * as6e(
7>eah# -e have not ta6en /ictures yet: my other cousin sai(
.o * he3( him in my han( an( 3et my aunt ta6e /ictures1 8hen -e finishe( ta6in, /ictures# * an(
my cousins /ass out the !a33oon to each chi3( an( -rote the -ish on the !a33oon1 8e si,ne( on
each other !a33oon an( -ent out to the (es6 -here /ut the ''Q an( /3ant some ve,eta!3e1 8e
3et ,o the !a33oon f3y into the s6y1 Bast3y# -e /3aye( Ano an( en@oye( our favorite son,s1 Once
the /arty -as over# a33 of us -ere very tire(1




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