Me & My Friend Slingshot

By Gilberto Ceita

I chose this phrase as the title of my story because I always carry it - the slingshot.

To begin to tell you about me, I am Gil. A primary school student in the 4th grade and only nine years old. The son of a poor mother and father, I lost my dad when I was only 5 so I almost don't remember his face, unless with the help of photos.

I get up every morning at 5:30, light the lamp and brush my teeth, the study until 6, and then I fetch water from the spring that on average 1km away from my house. And I always take me to my slingshot with me, while my mother prepares the breakfast.

I make this journey every day, carrying the slingshot with me and the will to hunt some birds that are in my power, all this makes my mother bother me, threatening to destroy my friend the slingshot.

I fear with this, I started very well save my slingshot telling her that I lost it, I spoke for speaking the slingshot can not quit while my childhood. With it I feel completely happy and relaxed, slingshot is like a sister to me.

How to pass some time she finds out I lied when I said I lost the same, with all this she began to understand that the only slingshot is my fun, now being well spent with my face slingshot freely.

Sometimes I go to school hungry with a completely empty stomach, because it does not always my dear mother can get enough to eat, even hungry know I'll get I know I'll be the man of tomorrow will be able to better living, for do I face this much effort all these difficulties, I know who I'm also going to have to take care of my mother in old age also think being a supportive, helping all those children who are likely to spend what I'm going through now.

Often when I come home I can not find anything to eat and to disguise and distract myself from hunger caught in my face slingshot go out behind the house towards the east by calling birds psst-psst-psst in all patience and willingness to hunt the same .

Throughout this journey I cross many rivers, roads through much risk I did not even notice that there is something like guiding and protecting me , all this is the strength of my slingshot that takes me with her to wherever you want.

Why get used to so much sacrifice nothing seems to happen but my mind is covered and tight thinking about my future life, my mother through so much sacrifice creates looking me how to support me, all this invades my mind.

Only me, the heavenly powers, and my mother know this because they are always on my side and my face would slingshot life, might also wonder why I spend many difficulties.

Walking through it, I know the love of nature, the qualities that exist in it and breathe the fresh air of the forest.
I always tell my mom that I will be the best student in the class , but the same does not believe the fact that I am always on the slingshot also 'll show as many worth being poor, show that no money could rejoice and show that we the difference.

Since then I think to give better living conditions to my beloved mother, even though I can not do nothing but study hard, but I give my affection for her son, the strength to face the difficulties around us and hope that one day everything will get better for us.

One day while going to school so distracted with slingshot in hand in the middle of the road to look at the attention to the bird kill was hit by a car towards the school.

I had several fractures in the arm and leg and some cuts on the face and chest , in the hospital I remember the slingshot afraid to lose it , luckily someone picked it up and put it away.

Consequently my mother to hear the news was so angry, sad leaving for the hospital with a huge despair on his face, coming to the hospital so shaken looking for me and then found me in that situation began to cry.

All this made her suspended its business during the period I was hospitalised.

For a month of so much suffering tear shed unable to walk recover and get high, worst of all is that I was admitted last month to end the school year, as I came with good grades in the other two periods did not run the risk of being disapproved, just received an overhaul for a week and did the tests from defaulting next week.

After a few days in the backyard minding slingshot that was lost because of what happened, I got the happy news that I approved of class and was considered the best student in the class.

Because of that my mother and I were very happy and excited because it was the most awaited news for us especially for me because I assert that my sentence was this: I will be the valedictorian.

And my slingshot helped me so much.

I leave this message: With sacrifice and suffering could have learned and learned a lot.