New Jersey Association for Lifelong Learning
Adult Learner Writing Contest 2022
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Congratulations to our talented student author, Sophonie Pierre Louis whose story, The Little Old Lady, shown below, tied for a first-place fiction award in the NJALL 2022 Adult Learner Writing Contest.
Contest winners are eligible for cash prizes and will have their work published by the organization in its magazine INSIGHT 2022. |
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The Little Old Lady
Annie lives in front of a beautiful gray house that has two floors with large windows.
A little old and beautiful lady lives in this house and always looks out the window to wave hello or goodbye to Annie every time Annie goes outside.
One day when Annie was cleaning her yard, the little lady came to see Annie, and said "Well, can we speak? I've been waiting for such an opportunity for a long time and I didn't have chance before."
Annie was surprised because she wasn't expecting this.
"My name is Susan," said the little old lady. "I am from New York, more precisely from Manhattan but, my parents were Irish." She also told Annie that she was educated in Chicago and returned to work in New York.
Annie was listening carefully to understand what the little old lady was saying because Annie does not speak English very well. Annie is learning English.
After a long conversation while Annie was sweeping, the old lady said to Annie "You're too young to do all this work by hand, you have to buy yourself an automatic broom."
Annie didn't understand all of the words and she got nervous. " "Excuse me,” said Annie. "I have to go back inside because I have to do something very important.”
The little old lady was speaking very fast, and Annie didn't understand anything. She just heard some words like pretty, friend, sure, and supermarket.
The little old lady said to Annie. "Oh, talk to you another time, Annie! Sure!"
The little old lady waved to Annie as Annie went back inside her house.
Since then, every single time Annie went outside, the little old lady came out and started to talk.
One day, the little old lady greeted Annie and she started talking about everything. Annie asked her how she felt.
"I feel ok now, but sometimes I have pain in my back and in my legs," the little old lady said.
"I am sorry to hear that" Annie said. The old lady told Annie that with age, you know, it always is like that.
Then she started talking about shopping. Annie was getting uncomfortable. She felt like she could understand some of the words but not all of them. It was confusing. When you don't understand, it feels like the people are talking too fast.
Annie was getting upset. When people talked too fast, it made her feel stupid.
Annie didn't like to feel stupid. So, Annie escaped and decided to go inside her house to rest. Annie felt bad because she couldn't speak to the little old lady. She wanted to talk to the little old lady but she couldn't always understand what the lady was saying.
Annie started to feel like she was not smart. Annie wondered sometimes if she was ever going to speak English!
On another day, Annie took the garbage out. Annie knew the little old lady was coming. Annie knew that as soon as she went outside to do her work, the little old lady would come and try to talk to her. Annie wanted to take the garbage out fast so the little lady would not have time to come outside to talk to her but, the little lady was faster than Annie.
The little old lady called Annie's name "Annie"! she said "Hi honey".
The little old lady asked Annie how her Christmas was. "It was good thanks," Annie said. "Yours?"
The little old lady started talking about policemen, and something about the garbage. And a car. But Annie didn't understand.
Annie had to lie to the old lady. She told her that she had something on the fire. But that was not true.
Annie had to tell her that so she could go inside her house.
But the old lady was still waiting outside for Annie.
Annie went inside and talked to herself. "Oh my God." She said to herself. "I don't know what that lady is talking about."
Annie watched from inside her house to see if the lady was still there waiting. Finally, the little old lady went back into her house. After that day, Annie stopped talking to the little old lady. The little old lady went to Annie's house several times after that day, but Annie didn't open the door because she was still afraid, she couldn't understand the little old lady. Annie feels bad and she regrets her attitude toward the little old lady. Annie thinks the old lady might feel she is a bad person, weird or hates her.
Annie made a new plan. She prepared herself to go to the little old lady's house to talk to her and explain that she is learning English. Annie wanted the little old lady to slow down when she is speaking to her, so that Annie can understand what she is saying.
Annie walks across the street and knocks on the little old lady's door.
"Hello" Annie says. "Do you have some time to talk?"
The little old lady smiles and opens the door.
“Come in,” she tells Annie. “Come in."
A little old and beautiful lady lives in this house and always looks out the window to wave hello or goodbye to Annie every time Annie goes outside.
One day when Annie was cleaning her yard, the little lady came to see Annie, and said "Well, can we speak? I've been waiting for such an opportunity for a long time and I didn't have chance before."
Annie was surprised because she wasn't expecting this.
"My name is Susan," said the little old lady. "I am from New York, more precisely from Manhattan but, my parents were Irish." She also told Annie that she was educated in Chicago and returned to work in New York.
Annie was listening carefully to understand what the little old lady was saying because Annie does not speak English very well. Annie is learning English.
After a long conversation while Annie was sweeping, the old lady said to Annie "You're too young to do all this work by hand, you have to buy yourself an automatic broom."
Annie didn't understand all of the words and she got nervous. " "Excuse me,” said Annie. "I have to go back inside because I have to do something very important.”
The little old lady was speaking very fast, and Annie didn't understand anything. She just heard some words like pretty, friend, sure, and supermarket.
The little old lady said to Annie. "Oh, talk to you another time, Annie! Sure!"
The little old lady waved to Annie as Annie went back inside her house.
Since then, every single time Annie went outside, the little old lady came out and started to talk.
One day, the little old lady greeted Annie and she started talking about everything. Annie asked her how she felt.
"I feel ok now, but sometimes I have pain in my back and in my legs," the little old lady said.
"I am sorry to hear that" Annie said. The old lady told Annie that with age, you know, it always is like that.
Then she started talking about shopping. Annie was getting uncomfortable. She felt like she could understand some of the words but not all of them. It was confusing. When you don't understand, it feels like the people are talking too fast.
Annie was getting upset. When people talked too fast, it made her feel stupid.
Annie didn't like to feel stupid. So, Annie escaped and decided to go inside her house to rest. Annie felt bad because she couldn't speak to the little old lady. She wanted to talk to the little old lady but she couldn't always understand what the lady was saying.
Annie started to feel like she was not smart. Annie wondered sometimes if she was ever going to speak English!
On another day, Annie took the garbage out. Annie knew the little old lady was coming. Annie knew that as soon as she went outside to do her work, the little old lady would come and try to talk to her. Annie wanted to take the garbage out fast so the little lady would not have time to come outside to talk to her but, the little lady was faster than Annie.
The little old lady called Annie's name "Annie"! she said "Hi honey".
The little old lady asked Annie how her Christmas was. "It was good thanks," Annie said. "Yours?"
The little old lady started talking about policemen, and something about the garbage. And a car. But Annie didn't understand.
Annie had to lie to the old lady. She told her that she had something on the fire. But that was not true.
Annie had to tell her that so she could go inside her house.
But the old lady was still waiting outside for Annie.
Annie went inside and talked to herself. "Oh my God." She said to herself. "I don't know what that lady is talking about."
Annie watched from inside her house to see if the lady was still there waiting. Finally, the little old lady went back into her house. After that day, Annie stopped talking to the little old lady. The little old lady went to Annie's house several times after that day, but Annie didn't open the door because she was still afraid, she couldn't understand the little old lady. Annie feels bad and she regrets her attitude toward the little old lady. Annie thinks the old lady might feel she is a bad person, weird or hates her.
Annie made a new plan. She prepared herself to go to the little old lady's house to talk to her and explain that she is learning English. Annie wanted the little old lady to slow down when she is speaking to her, so that Annie can understand what she is saying.
Annie walks across the street and knocks on the little old lady's door.
"Hello" Annie says. "Do you have some time to talk?"
The little old lady smiles and opens the door.
“Come in,” she tells Annie. “Come in."
Insight 2022Download PDF
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