Jacob Dale

Creative Writing II
Dr. Briley
24 April 2014
Three Character POV Narrative: Christmas in NYC
Eric
New York City was invigorating Everywhere Eric looked there were people
just going about their day, busily shuffling amongst writhing crowds never been to a
big city the skyscrapers obstructed the sun he felt surrounded and safe Eric's small
frame jostled left and then right, the subway car hurtling through the tunnel the
windows flashed consistently as they passed the obscene fluorescent lights lining
the walls.
A Christmas vacation was a good idea this Christmas being the last one
before he entered high school and Scott left for university. That Christmas morning
had been so strange why did Mom want to go to that Hanukah concert anyway?
The bright light of the station flickered between pillars and he leaned forward as the
train slowed. How would he describe that concert? It was sung like Christian gospel,
but in Hebrew, or Yiddish he wasnt quite sure. Yiddish sounded a little like the
German his grandpa would speak when they visited, but everything always sounded
different when put to music.
Everyone else on the train adjusted their weight to stop from stumbling
forward unlike Eric who nearly fell into a young woman who smelled like Mom
when she went out with Dad. Scott grabbed his arm what a nice brother before
he made a fool out of himself.
Come on, this is our stop guys.
Scott
Pushing Eric out of the train doors, Scott held his breath this station stunk
just as bad as the entire city. Mom and Dad followed quickly behind checking their
map. Scott couldnt believe the stunt his brother just about pulled there. Pretending
to fall into that girl probably wanted to touch her boobs. Eric was hopeless, but
Scott did give him the credit of trying.
Scott spun around looking for a sign or a map for directions. Above him hung
a sign Greenwich Village underneath which hung another sign. Oh god. This was
too good to be true.
Hey Eric, he snapped to grab his brothers attention. Come stand over
here, motioning, with a smile, to the tile directly below the sign.
Elizabeth
Travelling with your family is stressful. Travelling in New York City is stressful.
Travelling in New York City with two bickering teenage boys the pinnacle of stress.
Now Dan couldnt even find the restaurant on the map. They specifically chose this
place because it was open on Christmas day and was incredibly cheap a welcomed
surprise for two middle-class tourists with two hungry boys. She looked up from
Dans map and turned around to check on her kids.
Boys, do you know SCOTT!
There stood Scott holding a camera focused on Eric standing underneath a
sign reading Greenwich Village Gay District. She hurried over and snatched the
camera out of his hands. How could he be filled with such hatred! First he makes a
Holocaust joke at the Jewish History Museum and now this! She could see his spite
behind his eyes as he defiantly returned her stare.
I was just taking a picture. You said you wanted to remember this trip.
That was it. She started giving him the hardest scolding she had given him
since he burned his dresser with a light five years ago. How dare he make fun of Eric
like that! Brothers are supposed to be nice to each other she was nice to hers,
although he hadnt really stayed in touch lately anyway, Eric is not gay.
Fuck you.
Elizabeth dropped the camera. Scott simply turned and walked up the stairs.
Scott
Why was he cursed with a mother lacking any sense of humour? Scott
weaved past pedestrians hoping to lose his parents whom he heard yelling after him
surely they were freaking out. Good. They were enjoying this trip too much
anyway, with their Ellis Island and Christmas morning Jewish concert. God, that
concert was a joke. He was so bored at one point that he started to search the
audience for the largest noses he could find. Disappointing though that they didnt
really conform to that stereotype. Oh theres one! He glanced back to see if his
parents were on his trail. Anyway, Mom was had just soaked it all in at that concert.
Fuck, Christmas was supposed to be spent back at home with a tree and presents,
not in this dump with a bunch of strangers singing along in weird languages.
His stomach gurgled as he passed a hotdog stand. There was no way he was
going to spend twelve dollars on a hotdog.
Elizabeth
Walks off to find Scott splits up with Dan
Thinks about how good the day had been
o Thinks Scott and Eric had loved the concert
Mad at Scott because she is afraid Eric is gay
o Thinks she can stop it or something

Dan and Elizabeth decided to split up since they didnt see what direction
Scott went. She should have known Scott would just take things too far again.
Hurrying along the crowded street she searched for Scotts striped toque. The
morning started so wonderfully they got bagels and enjoyed the loveliest concert.
She just loved experiencing others cultures, although she did feel a little
uncomfortable since they didnt mention Jesus birth even once.
Why would Scott think it was okay to take that picture? Does he want to
encourage Eric? No, Eric was normal. But still, she didnt want him thinking it was
some sort of light matter.
Eric
Standing alone against a building on the bustling street, he absent-mindedly
scanned the crowd. Why were Mom and Scott even fighting? Scott had been really
cheeky lately probably something to do with his late-night outings of which he was
sworn to secrecy.
His eyes stopped on an old woman in a wheel chair. Pearls peaked out of her
fur coat and her wheel chair looked sophisticated and old-fashioned. An agitated
homeless man emerged from the nearby McDonalds and approached the woman.
His eyes squinted and he jittered as he brought his face in front of hers. Without any
warning the man started shaking and cursing, making obscene gestures mere inches
from the poor womans face. He hurled abuse after abuse - it made Eric exhausted
just watching. No matter his proximity or his volume, the woman refused to
acknowledge him. She sat there with a passive face staring right past him.