WHOA

It has been two years man!
How you guys doing?

Forgiveness

"The power of forgiveness"

Lisa sat on the floor of her old room, staring at the box that lay in front of her. It was an old shoe box that she had decorated to become a memory box many years before. Stickers and penciled flowers covered the top and sides. Its edges were worn, the corners of the lid taped so as to keep their shape. It had been three years since Lisa last opened the box. A sudden move to Boston had kept her from packing it. But now that she was back home, she took the time to look again at the memories. Fingering the corners of the box and stroking its cover, Lisa pictured in her mind what was inside. There was a photo of the family trip to the Grand Canyon, a note from her friend telling her that Nick Bicotti liked her, and the Indian arrowhead she had found while on her senior class trip. One by one, she remembered the items in the box, lingering over the sweetest, until she came to the last and only painful memory. She knew what it looked like--a single sheet of paper upon which lines had been drawn to form boxes, 490 of them to be exact. And each box contained a check mark, one for each time.

********
"How many times must I forgive my brother?" the disciple Peter had asked Jesus. "Seven times?"

Lisa's Sunday school teacher had read Jesus' surprise answer to the class. "Seventy times seven." Lisa had leaned over to her brother Brent as the teacher continued reading. "How many times is that?" she whispered. Brent, though two years younger, was smarter than she was. "Four hundred and ninety," Brent wrote on the corner of his Sunday school paper.

Lisa saw the message, nodded, and sat back in her chair. She watched her brother as the lesson continued. He was small for his age, with narrow shoulders and short arms. His glasses were too large for his face, and his hair always matted in swirls. He bordered on being a nerd, but his incredible skills at everything, especially music, made him popular with his classmates. Brent had learned to play the piano at age four, the clarinet at age seven, and had just begun to play the oboe. His music teachers said he'd be a famous musician someday. There was only one thing at which Lisa was better than Brent--basketball. They played it almost every afternoon after school. Brent could have refused to play, but he knew that it was Lisa's only joy in the midst of her struggles to get C's and D's at school.
Lisa's attention came back to her Sunday school teacher as the woman finished the lesson and closed with prayer. That same Sunday afternoon found brother and sister playing basketball in the driveway. It was then that the counting had begun. Brent was guarding Lisa as she dribbled toward the basket. He had tried to bat the ball away, got his face near her elbow, and took a shot on the chin. "Ow!" he cried out and turned away. Lisa saw her opening and drove to the basket, making an easy lay-up. She gloated over her success but stopped when she saw Brent. "You okay?" she asked. Brent shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry," Lisa said. "Really. It was a cheap shot."

"It's all right. I forgive you," he said.
A thin smile then formed on his face. "Just 489 more times though."
"Whaddaya mean?" Lisa asked.

"You know . . . what we learned in Sunday school today. You're supposed to forgive someone 490 times. I just forgave you, so now you have 489 left," he kidded. The two of them laughed at the thought of keeping track of every time Lisa had done something to Brent. They were sure she had gone past 490 long ago. The rain interrupted their game, and the two moved indoors. "Wanna play Battleship?" Lisa asked. Brent agreed, and they were soon on the floor of the living room with their game boards in front of them. Each took turns calling out a letter and number combination, hoping to hit each other's ships. Lisa knew she was in trouble as the game went on. Brent had only lost one ship out of five. Lisa had lost three. Desperate to win, she found herself leaning over the edge of Brent's barrier ever so slightly. She was thus able to see where Brent had placed two of his ships. She quickly evened the score.
Pleased, Lisa searched once more for the location of the last two ships. She peered over the barrier again, but this time Brent caught her in the act. "Hey, you're cheating!" He stared at her in disbelief. Lisa's face turned red. Her lips quivered. "I'm sorry," she said, staring at the carpet. There was not much Brent could say. He knew Lisa sometimes did things like this. He felt sorry that Lisa found so few things she could do well. It was wrong for her to cheat, but he knew the temptation was hard for her.

"Okay, I forgive you," Brent said. Then he added with a small laugh, "I guess it's down to 488 now, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess so." She returned his kindness with a weak smile and added, "Thanks for being my brother, Brent."

Brent's forgiving spirit gripped Lisa, and she wanted him to know how sorry she was. It was that evening that she made the chart with the 490 boxes. She showed it to him before he went to bed. "We can keep track of every time I mess up and you forgive me," she said. "See, I'll put a check in each box--like this." She placed two marks in the upper left-hand boxes. "These are for today."
Brent raised his hands to protest. "You don't need to keep--"
"Yes I do!" Lisa interrupted. "You're always forgiving me, and I want to keep track. Just let me do this!" She went back to her room and tacked the chart to her bulletin board.

There were many opportunities to fill in the chart in the years that followed. She once told the kids at school that Brent talked in his sleep and called out Rhonda Hill's name, even though it wasn't true. The teasing caused Brent days and days of misery. When she realized how cruel she had been, Lisa apologized sincerely. That night she marked box number 96. Forgiveness number 211 came in the tenth grade when Lisa failed to bring home Brent's English book. Brent had stayed home sick that day and had asked her to bring it so he could study for a quiz. She forgot and he got a C. Number 393 was for lost keys . . . 418 for the extra bleach she put in the washer which ruined his favorite polo shirt . . . 449, the dent she put in his car when she had borrowed it. There was a small ceremony when Lisa checked number 490. She used a gold pen for the check mark, had Brent sign the chart, and then placed it in her memory box.

"I guess that's the end," Lisa said. "No more screw-ups from me anymore!" Brent just laughed.
"Yeah, right." Number 491 was just another one of Lisa's careless mistakes, but its hurt lasted a lifetime. Brent had become all that his music teachers said he would. Few could play the oboe better than he could. In his fourth year at the best music school in the United States, he received the opportunity of a lifetime--a chance to try out for New York City's great orchestra.

The tryout would be held sometime during the following two weeks. It would have been the fulfillment of Brent's young dreams. But he never got the chance to tryout. Brent had been out when the call about the tryout came to the house. Lisa was the only one home and on her way out the door, eager to get to work on time when the call came.

"Two-thirty on the tenth," the secretary said on the phone.
Lisa did not have a pen, but she told herself that she could remember it. "Got it. Thanks." I can remember that, she thought. But she did not.

It was a week later at the dinner table when Lisa realized her mistake.
"So, Brent," his mom asked him, "When do you try out?"
"Don't know yet. They're supposed to call."
Lisa froze in her seat."Oh, no!" she blurted out loud. "What's today's date? Quick!"
"It's the twelfth," her dad answered. "Why?"

A terrible pain ripped through Lisa's heart. She buried her face in her hands, crying. "Lisa, what's the matter?" her mother asked. Through sobs Lisa explained what had happened. "It was two days ago . .. the tryout . . . two-thirty . . . the call came . . . last week." Brent sat back in his chair, not believing Lisa.

"Is this one of your jokes, sis?" he asked, though he could tell her misery was real. She shook her head, still unable to look at him. "Then I really missed it?"
She nodded. Brent ran out of the kitchen without a word. He did not come out of his room the rest of the evening. Lisa tried once to knock on the door, but she could not face him. She went to her room where she cried bitterly. Suddenly she knew what she had to do. She had ruined Brent's life. He could never forgive her for that. She had failed her family, and there was nothing to do but to leave home. Lisa packed her pickup truck in the middle of the night and left a note behind, telling her folks she'd be all right. She began writing a note to Brent, but her words sounded empty to her. "Nothing I say could make a difference anyway," she thought.

Two days later she got a job as a waitress in Boston. She found an apartment not too far from the restaurant. Her parents tried many times to reach her, but Lisa ignored their letters. "It's too late," she wrote them once, "I've ruined Brent's life, and I'm not coming back." Lisa did not think she would ever see home again. But one day in the restaurant where she worked she saw a face she knew. "Lisa!" said Mrs. Nelson, looking up from her plate. "What a surprise." The woman was a friend of Lisa's family from back home. "I was so sorry to hear about your brother," Mrs. Nelson said softly. "Such a terrible accident. But we can be thankful that he died quickly. He didn't suffer." Lisa stared at the woman in shock.

"Wh-hat?" she finally stammered.
It couldn't be! Her brother? Dead? The woman quickly saw that Lisa did not know about the accident. She told the girl the sad story of the speeding car, the rush to the hospital, the doctors working over Brent. But all they could do was not enough to save him. Lisa returned home that afternoon.
********
Now she found herself in her room thinking about her brother as she held the small box that containing some of her memories of him. Sadly, she opened the box and peered inside. It was as she remembered, except for one item--Brent's chart. It was not there. In its place, at the bottom of the box, was an envelope. Her hands shook as she tore it open and removed a letter.

The first page read:
Dear Lisa,
It was you who kept count, not me. But if you're stubborn enough to keep count, use the new chart I've made for you.

Love,
Brent

Lisa turned to the second page where she found a chart just like the one she had made as a child, but on this one the lines were drawn with perfect precision. And unlike the chart she had kept, there was but one checkmark in the upper left-hand corner. Written in red felt tip pen over the entire page were the words:
"Number 491. Forgiven, forever."

Please keep this blog alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well mei qi, u're not the last one to post!!!! =)


Its really great that u do actually visit the blog.

We should get all the other 4 serves students to start visiting the blog and posting again.

We really shouldn't let this blog die. This blog belongs to our class. We should all do our part to keep this blog going!




Anyway, O levels finally over!!!!! That's a good thing. i think.


Christmas is coming so i want to take this opportunity to wish Merry Christmas to everyone!!!!!!!


And, also a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!

i really have nothing much to say but i urge all 4 serves to be active on this blog.


Thank you!!




~ nadhirah~

OUR BLOG IS DEAD! LOL?

BOOBOO!!! here like nobody come here to visit..
CONSIDER IT'S DEAD? OR?
I think my this post also nobody know though=D
LET ME BE THE LAST TO POST THEN!!!
WAHAHAHAHAHAS~
I'm EVIL! & THAT'S ME!
OH YA!
I FORGOT TO SAY FAREWELL TO MR THOMAS!!!!
even though he's gone~
BUT HE AT LEAST IS OUR TEACHER FOR A YEAR!!xDD
SO TAKKIIRES,
MR THOMAS!!!^^

Book Review-Heidi

This book is about a five year old girl named Heidi.She is an orphan as both her parents had passed away.She lives with her aunt,Dete.When Dete had to go to Frankfurt to work,she just couldn’t possibly bring Heidi along and she thought that it is now Heidi’s grandfather,Uncle Alp’s responsibility to care for her.So,Heidi was brought to the Swiss Alps to live with her grandfather.Uncle Alp stays alone and every one in town is fearful of him.He no longer goes down to town and does not even goes to church.He didn’t like the idea of having to care for Heidi but as time passes by,he begins to be fond of her.Heidi had made friends with Peter the goatherd and his blind grandmother.

A few years later,Dete came to take Heidi away from Uncle Alp and this made him very angry.Dete wanted to bring Heidi to Frankfurt to stay with Clara and be friends with her.Clara is disabled and does not have any friends.Heidi misses the alps so much that she began to sleep-walk.She was later sent back to the alps as she really misses it and also Uncle Alp. Since Heidi’s return,Uncle Alp had been nicer and had changed to be a better man.

I find this book really heart-warming and I really enjoyed reading it.

~nadhirah~

Goodbye....And Thank You

Well, its time for me to go. I'll miss all of you. Although I have no regrets about leaving, I can't help but feel sad about leaving my colleagues and students.

School takes up such a big part of one's life so there's no way I can leave without feeling anything.

If there is one regret that I have, its that I didn't get to know some of you very well - me being the strong and silent type and all that :)

I want to thank all the wonderful teachers in the English and Social Studies departments, as well as the students of 4P2, 3V6, and the Drama Club gang. I hope that all the good things in life will come to you.

Take care my friends.

Thomas

Pioneer Oi!

Exams are over, the holidays have arrived and everyone should be having the time of their life! The Sec3 serve students had ended their Headstart Programme so look like everyone is feeling great, yeah? haa..

This Headstart Programme for Sec3 SERVE and 4SEEK students had helped us to have a better start next year. It is an advantage for us as we can have an earlier start of revision. We can also prepare ourselves for next year which we all know it's an important year and a crucial one too. The word, O LEVELs sends chill down my spine. Oh well, perhaps this few holidays, i have to work on regaining my confidence so as to do better next year. So now, the majority of Pioneer students and teachers are waiting for a special celebration called ''Pioneer Day'' on the 19th November which are held in Republic Polytechnic. This celebration is a special occasion for the Pioneer Community. It is a day when prizes and awards for the deserving students are given out. It is also a showcase of Pioneer students who involved in performing arts such as drama, harmonica, guzheng assemble, dance and choir. These performers have to come back to school during the holidays, practicng their skills to give out the best performance during this special occasions. Their effort will certainly be appreciated by many of us here.

As my CCA is choir, i shall talk a little about it. The choir has lot of practices that we need to attend and i know we are not the only CCA that have to got through this. Therefore, we are not alone. We have to sing tow songs again and again to make it perfect and nice to be heard. For hours of singing the same two songs again and again, it's definitely tiring. However, i usually tell my members to persevere and remember he audience that are going to hear us and supporting us. From there, we get the strength to move on.

Yesterday, 14thNovember was the rehearsel and i'm proud to say that all performers were great. haa.. Everything was so beautiful. It worth to watch. haa.

So, those who are going for the Pioneer Day performance, i will tell you that this performers from all perfoming art group are giving their best to give a special performance for you. So do enjoy! haa.

HOLIDAY ARRIVAL...

The year has finally come to an end. It has been only awhile since the November and December break started. I suddenly feel that the days seem to be passing very slowly. I feel that though it's already the second week of the holiday or so, when it's just the first week of school break. A class of 41 has been decreased to an enrolment of 39 when Yi Wen transferred school at the beginning of the year and Stefan migrated to Canada on October this year. And now, it will be decreasing to 34 pupils in total for our class next year apparently; as four of our classmates were demoted to the Normal Acadamic level while one more is being retained. It is quite sad though, as our bond together as a class has always been very strong. But hopefully, these five of our classmates will be able to work hard and strive for good results still. DON'T EVER GIVE UP!! =D This goes for my classmates of 4V5 next year too!!! As for now,next year's 4 serve and 5 seek classes are having the Head start program to prepare us well fo rnext year's O'level. Overall,do make good use of the holiday! HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL!=D

DEEPAVALI

Hello everyone. Tomorrow is Deepavali. I found this article on the internet, and thought that you might like to read it if you want to know more about this festival. I would like to wish all our Hindu teachers and students 'Happy Deepavali'.

Introduction

Deepavali also known as Diwali, literally means "row or garland of lights". Locally, it has been called "The Festival of Lights". It is symbolic of victory of good over evil, celebrated by most Hindus the world over. It highlights the victory of Lord Krishna, one of the deities of the Hindu pantheon, over the Demon King, Narakasura. It usually falls around late October or early November on the new moon day. Deepavali also known as Diwali, literally means "row or garland of lights". Locally, it has been called "The Festival of Lights". It is symbolic of victory of good over evil, celebrated by most Hindus the world over. It highlights the victory of Lord Krishna, one of the deities of the Hindu pantheon, over the Demon King, Narakasura. It usually falls around late October or early November on the new moon day.

Legend

Legend has it that Narakasura, the king of demons, had tortured the common folk. After many years of hardship, the people, unable to bear the suffering, appealed to Lord Krishna who then declared war against the demon king. As he lay dying, the demon king begged for mercy from Lord Krishna and he asked that the people rejoice and be merry at the anniversary of his death as a reminder that ultimately evil will never triumph. Little clay lamps were then lighted as a sign of gratitude to Lord Krishna.Some Hindus believe that Deepavali is celebrated to mark the return of Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana after being banished from Ayodhya by his stepmother for a period of 14 years. An important reminder is that Deepavali is not the Indian or Hindu new year. The Tamil New Year falls on either 13 or 14 April every year.

Preparations

Preparations start weeks before with the spring cleaning of the home. New clothes are bought and women take great pains to make cakes, sweetmeats and other tidbits, the favourite being murukku. Hindus also believe that departed souls return during this time. So, favourite foods of the departed along with new clothes are placed on banana leaves before the photographs of the departed and prayers done.

Deepavali

Early in the morning, the Hindus will have the traditional oil bath. The body is rubbed and massaged from head to toe with gingelly oil (aka sesame oil) that is extracted from fermented sesame seeds. When all the members have had their bath and don their new clothes, special prayers are held at the family altar. Decorative designs or rice flour paintings (aka rangoli)with intricate designs usually done by womenfolk on the floor at the entrances of homes. Hindus also make it a point to visit temples early in the morning to receive the blessings of Lord Krishna and the Goddess of Wealth. Then it is time for either visiting friends or receiving them. At night, children play with sparklers and are allowed to light clay lamps and display them along the window ledges or doorways.

Author: Rakunathan Narayanan

hmm, well, just showing you guys a cute video that will just tickles you. So, have fun!




Well, baby sure will brighten up your day isn't it? However, my mum disagree. She said, ''they sure are cute but are sure tough to take care''. haa.. Maybe she's referring to me..hmm..

Bye Bye Stefan

Well, I've been waiting for someone to post this, but looks like no one will. A post to say goodbye to our classmate, Stefan Dimitrov. He and his family have migrated to Vancouver, Canada. We wish them all the best in their new life, and we hope that someday Stefan will return to Singapore a holiday.

Stefan was originally from Bulgaria, and he was one Pioneer student you couldn't miss because he was the only Caucasian student around. Stefan adapted well to life in Singapore and in neighbourhood schools. He was a popular student who enjoyed playing rugby, and he was a prefect too.

I am sure Stefan will fit in very well in Vancouver, and have lots of fun there. Thanks for the good times Stefan. Good luck!

Here is a picture of my group.Spartans.

sec 3 camp 2007

The sec 3 camp which took place on 15,16 and 17 Aug at Jalan Bahtera was really fun.I really enjoyed it and didn't regret going there.My group name is Spartans.Consist mainly students from 3v6 and 3v7.The activities organised were great.Such as the flying fox,kayaking and absailing.The campfire was really memorable as it was our last night there.All the groups are supposed to present something.My group danced to a catchy song-Beautiful Girl.It was a really good experience.

Cream puff and eclairs making

Today,the FNN student went to 201 keppel road for a baking course.We baked to items cream puff and eclairs.The name of the place is Baking Industry Training Centre(BITC).We went there by bus.
When we reached there, we were told to put our bag down, take our items and go to the kitchen.We had ourselves group in two or three.We were introduce to our instructor Khoo Kim Leng.we measured the margarine,water and flour.We were told to boil the margarine and water together.When the mixture boils we are suppose to put the flour in it. we had to keep on stirring to prevent our mixture from getting burnt. Next we put it into the cake mixing machine.they cake mixing machine was mixing up the mixture.we had to wait till the mixture was cold before putting the eggs in.After putting the eggs in,the mixture was very sticky.

Our instructor gave us the piping tip and piping paper.We had to pipe the puff and the eclairs.For the puff,we had to squeeze the piping mixture to formed a star shaped.And for the eclair we had to squeeze and drag it along to make a line.For piping of the puff we have to hold the piping nozzles straight and the eclairs to hold at an angle of 45* angle.We had to write our names on the baking tray.It was soon in the oven baking.After 20 minutes we took it out.

We had to cut the eclairs and puff at the side and pipe in the cream. After piping in the cream, our instructor had melted chocolate and were ready to put on the eclairs.We had to dumped the top side of it in the chocolate.After dumping them we had to place it in the fridge to harden up the chocolate.After that we packed it in our container and set off for home.It was an exciting and enjoying experience for all of us.

Rush

Swallows may have gone, but there is a time of return; willow trees may have died back, but there is a time of regreening; peach blossoms may have fallen, but they will bloom again. Now, you the wise, tell me, why should our days leave us, never to return? - If they had been stolen by someone, who could it be? Where could he hide them? If they had made the escape themselves, then where could they stay at the moment? I don't know how many days I have been given to spend, but I do feel my hands are getting empty. Taking stock silently, I find that more than eight thousand days have already slid away from me. Like a drop of water from the point of a needle disappearing into the ocean, my days are dripping into the stream of time, soundless, traceless. Already sweat is starting on my forehead, and tears welling up in my eyes. Those that have gone have gone for good, those to come keep coming; yet in between, how swift is the shift, in such a rush? When I get up in the morning, the slanting sun marks its presence in my small room in two or three oblongs. The sun has feet, look, he is treading on, lightly and furtively; and I am caught, blankly, in his revolution. Thus--the day flows away through the sink when I wash my hands, wears off in the bowl when I eat my meal, and passes away before my day-dreaming gaze as reflect in silence. I can feel his haste now, so I reach out my hands to hold him back, but he keeps flowing past my withholding hands. In the evening, as I lie in bed, he strides over my body, glides past my feet, in his agile way. The moment I open my eyes and meet the sun again, one whole day has gone. I bury my face in my hands and heave a sigh. But the new day begins to flash past in the sigh. What can I do, in this bustling world, with my days flying in their escape? Nothing but to hesitate, to rush. What have I been doing in that eight-thousand-day rush, apart from hesitating? Those bygone days have been dispersed as smoke by a light wind, or evaporated as mist by the morning sun. What traces have I left behind me? Have I ever left behind any gossamer traces at all? I have come to the world, stark naked; am I to go back, in a blink, in the same stark nakedness? It is not fair though: why should I have made such a trip for nothing! You the wise, tell me, why should our days leave us, never to return?

(This article is a famous Chinese article,I had just translated it)

Feeling of exam

I come from China,there were many test when I stay there.It’s my feeling.
We often hear people say “Examinations are teachers' magic weapon”, so most of us may think it is our teachers who give us students so many examinations. But I don't think so. Almost all of them have once been students before they became teachers. We don't like examinations, and neither do our teachers, which may be reasonably concluded. What's more,the more examinations we take, the more time will be taken from our teachers and the more troubles our teachers have to take.It is the system in our country, I think, that gives us students so many examinations. If there were no entrance examinations, and all the students could go up to the higher grades without competition, there would not be so many examinations in primary and middle schools. So it is important and necessary to reform the entrance system. Only in this way can examinations be GREatly reduced, and then all the students will be happier.

exam.

end of year exams are around the corner. have all my dearest classmates study?

End of year exam this year for the sec3 are very important. it will decide half of your future. if you were to do badly for it. You will have to retained or drop to normal academic. it will be such a waste if that were to happen. everyone must work hard and maintain good results.

If you want to maintain express, you will just have to study and listen to what your teacher have to say. Every single saliva that have been out from your teacher mouth is very important. Do not get distrupted by your friends beside you. Pay attention and start taking down notes. it will help you in a way or another. this are some of the advice i have for now. i will post more if i have some. Be prepared people because I have learnt my lesson.XD. Do not be like me.

RAMADHAN.

hey! DO you know Ramadhan is nearing?

it is the month where muslims are supposed to be fasting. it is compulsory for them to fast. Fasting means cannot drink or eat. On this holy month, Muslim are not allowed to do forbidden things. They are supposed to be doing good deeds, like donating to the charity, helping out at old folks home and also praying 5 sessions.

How does this go about?

Everyone of us will wake up at 4 or 5 and will have their breakfast. saying some prayer first and then they will eat. they must finish eating before Syuruk. and they will fast from dawn to sunset. and during the prayers during Mahgrib, they will start eating. after that at around 8, they will go for Taraweeh.

For some people like the old ones and also th sick ones, they can choose to fast or not. it is not compulsory for them.

After 1 month fasting, they will celebrate Aidilfitri, also called Hari Raya Puasa. it marks the end of Ramadhan. on this festive season, Muslim will visit each others relatives and friends and asked for forgiveness.

And, I should be thankful because my birthday falls on the day before Ramadhan. Which means i can celebrate it without any obsturction.XD.

The novel is told through the eyes of an older, much more matured John Wheelwright who elaborates on the stuffs happening surrounding his close friendship with Owen Meany during the 1950s and 1960s, which he says is responsible for his belief in God. Owen is very short and his voicebox is fixed so that he sounds as if he is always screaming. Owen, being the shortest one amongst his friends makes him the butt of many jokes and pranks, though his peers do not generally dislike him. Children and adults alike seem drawn to and almost protective of Owen. Owen is also the recipient of many special privileges, such as getting to play the baby Jesus in a Christmas pageant because he is the only actor who can fit in the crib and not cry.

The novel deals with several spiritual issues, such as the importance of faith, social justice, and fate. John and Owen both offer criticisms of some aspects of organized religion and the hypocrisy of some religious people throughout the novel. The spiritual dimension is also brought up by Owen's repeated foretelling of his own death. He is quite certain that he will die because he is an "instrument of God", thus serving some good purpose. He even believes that he knows the date of his death, and that a heroic act on his part will kill him, but also save some children. He is a bit unclear, however, about where it will happen.

Young John is skeptical of Owen's unquestioned belief in the purpose of all things for several reasons, namely, his mother's premature death (as the result of the impact of a baseball hit by Owen), and his mother's failure ever to disclose his father's identity. John is depicted as being spiritually influenced as a youth, but the conclusion brings these spiritual pieces of the story together. Since the novel is written retrospectively, much of the novel takes the tone of John's newfound wisdom.

Turning Backs

Stuck in a world you thought you once knew
Now everyone's turning their backs on you
Once quiet girls, like puppies on rugs
Have turned their backs and started doing drugs
The boy next door that you liked for years
Has turned his back and started drinking beers
All of these changes are going around
And you kick and scream but they don't hear a sound
What happened to the innocence so easy to find?
You wonder if you're the only one who still has their mind
They try to pull you in and you know you might fall
But nobody knows there's a solution to it all
Right over this wall you can have your life back
Of friends, and laughter, be back with your pack
There's no need to worry, no need to fear
All of the innocence you know is still here
There are just a few obstacles you know you must climb
Persuading and begging to get back your mind
You cannot give up the prize is far too great
Just hope your obstacles don't make you too late
Do all you can to help your chains break
This is all real, nothing is fake
You're stuck in a world you thought you once knew
Turn your back on your world they've turned theirs on you