Diaz1

JazminDiaz
Mrs.Gardner
EnglishHonors10
2September2014
DifferentbuttheSame
ItwasinJune,waybackin2014,whenithappened.AsIlaidinthemeadowofvarious
flowers,eyesclosedandhandsrestingatmysides,Ithoughtabouthowwonderfulitwouldbeto
photographthemeadow.
Asuddencrunchingnoiseinterruptedme.AsIopenedmyeyesthesuddenlightcaused
metoseeinblackandbluesplotches.OncemyeyesadjustedIlookedaroundthemeadowfor
thesourceofthecrunch,butfoundnothing.Ishruggeditoffandlookedupatthesky.Isatthere
forawhileandadmiredthelovelypinkandpurplehuesthatblanketedtheworldaroundme.
Ihadalwaysbeenfascinatedbythesun.Thewayitwasconstantlychanging.Everydayit
wouldcomeupandthencomebackdown.Somedaysitwasbarelydistinguishable,butonthose
hotsummerdaysitburntsobrightthatonefeltthattheyweremelting.Despitethesemany
changes,however,thesunwasalwaysthesamethingitwasyearsagoanditwouldcontinuethat
wayuntilitdiedout.Later,Irealizedthiswasthesamecaseforpeople.Theychangedandgrew
butdeepdowntheywerealwaysthesameperson.
AsthelastbitsofHeliosshonebehindthehills,Istoodupanddustedthegrassoffofmy
clothes.Ibegantowalkhome,infearthatmyparentswouldgetmadatmeforbeingouttoo
late.

Diaz2
Ihadbeenwalkingforabouttenminutes.Itwaspastseveno'clockandIwasnteven
halfwayhome.IdecidedIwouldtakethebus.UsuallyIwouldvejustwalkedbutonthis
particularnightIwaseagertogethome.
IoftenwonderhowthingswouldveturnedoutifIhadjustwalkedthehourandahalfit
tooktogethome.Istillwouldhavegottenhomepastmycurfewandgottenscoldedbymy
mother.However,Iwould'vesleptsoundlyinthecomfortofmybedratherthanstayeduppast
fourAMponderingaboutthestrangeeventswhichtookplacethatnight.
Ilookedtomyleftandsawthebusstopinthedistance,litbyablinkinglamppost.Under
thelamppostsatametalbenchandonthebenchsatanoldwoman,cloakedbyadarkcolored
jacket.
AsIapproachedthebenchInoticedthattheothersideofthebenchwasoccupiedbya
cameraandanabundanceofphotographs.Whenthewomannoticedmypresence,shequickly
scoopedthemupandneatlyplacedthemonherlap.
Wherearemymanners?theoldwomansaid.Haveaseat.Hervoicewasquietand
slightlyhighpitched,verysimilartomine.
Thankyou,Imuttered,feelingslightlyuncomfortableathersuddeninvitingtone.We
satinsilenceforalongperiodoftimeuntilInoticedthephotographatthetopofherstack.It
wasaphotoofahouse,myhousetobeexact.Irecognizedthehomebythewindchimethat
hunginthefront.Excuseme,Isaidwithmyeyesgluedtothephotograph.Howdoyouknow
ofthisplace?

Diaz3
ThewomanpulledoffherhoodandInoticedherlightbrowneyes,whichlookedexactly
likemine.IalsonoticedadaisyinherhairandIwonderedifshehadbeenthecrunchingnoiseI
hadheardbackinthemeadow.ThatwasmyhomewhenIwasayounggirl.
Butthatsimpossible,Irepliedinconfusion.Thosewindchimeswereputtherelast
week.
Theoldwomanwrinkledherforehead.Whatisyourname?
IamJazminDiaz.
ItooamJazminDiaz.
Noyourenot!Iquicklyreplied.Tellmeyourrealname.
Itstrue,IamJazminDiaz.
Icouldntbelieveit.Shemustvenoticedthehesitantlookonmyfacebecauseshe
instantlybeganlistingthingsaboutmethatastrangerwouldntknow.Icanproveit.Your
familycallsyouJazzy,youlovetodraw,thereisaKurtCobainposterhangingaboveyourbed,
youhaveanoddloveforhorrormovies,oncewhenyouweretwelveyouthoughtaboutrunning
awaytoSanFrancisco,lastweekyou
Stop,Icutheroff,slightlyembarrassedbythatlastbit.Ibelieveyou.
Verywell,shesaid,obviouslysatisfied.Motherandfatherlivedalongandhappylife,
untildyingofoldage.Yoursistersarehealthy.JudithmovedtoLAandJessebecameadoctor
atthehospital.Asforyou,youmovedtoNewYorkafterhighschool.Youbecameamusic
photographer.

Diaz4
Historywise,shecontinued,thatgirlatschooleveryonemakesfunendsupbecoming
thefirstfemalepresidentin2039,ahugeearthquakestrikesin2045butnooneclosetoyougets
hurt,andin2055awarbreaksout.
Isatthere,dumbfounded,forwhatfeltlike10minutesuntilIlookeddownatmyphone.
Icheckedthetime.Thebuswillarriveinabout10minutes,Istated.
Noitwillarrivein30minutes.
Itiscurrently7:25andthebusarrivesat7:35.Thereforethereare10minutesleft.
No,itis10:25andthelastbusarrivesat11:00sothereishalfanhourleft.
WeareinPetalumaandthetimeis7:25.
Ofcoursenot.WeareinNewYorkandthetimeis10:25.
Iscrunchedmyeyebrowstogetherinconfusionandtherewasalongsilence.SuddenlyI
feellikewalkinghome,Ifinallyreplied.Butitwasalie.Ididnotwanttowalkhome,only
escapetheoverwhelmingevent.
Beforeyouleave,Iwanttogiveyousomething.Shereacheduptohergrayinghead
andremovedthedaisyfromherhair.Thenshereachedoverandthreadeditintomybrownhair.
Dontdyeyourhairsomuchinthefuture.Youllregretitwhenitstartsfallingoff.
Ilaughedasshefinishedplacingthedaisyintomyhair.Goodbye,Iturnedaroundand
wasbeginningtowalkaway.
OhandJazmin,shesaid.Dontbeinsuchahurrytogrowup.Enjoyyourlifewhile
yourestillyoung.
Thankyou,Ireplied.
Forwhat?

Diaz5
Ithoughtaboutitforawhile.IhadnoideawhyIwasthankingher.Wesaidourlast
goodbyesandIrantherestofthewayhome.
ThatnightIwasscoldedforgettinghomenearlyanhourpastwhenIwassupposedto.I
wentupstairsandstuckthedaisyinasmallcupfilledwithwater.Daybydaythepetalsofthe
daisyfelloff.Twoweekslaterallthepetalscameoffandturnedintodryleaves.
ItwasntuntilyearslaterthatIrealizedwhyIhadthankedtheotherme.ForifIhadn't
gonetothebusstopandencounteredherthatnight,Iwouldvenevervaluedmyyouth.