Wonderland by Kendall Curtis
The students were tasked to “picture yourself in Wonderland.” The prompts included the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which was inspired by a child’s nursery school drawing and the imagery of “Alice in Wonderland.”
We are featuring three very different approaches to the topic. Jayla takes us (and two of her fellow students) down the rabbit hole. Rhys considers it from the perspective of a real world trek to reach America from Colombia. And Kendall reminds us that Wonderland is always within us.
WONDERLAND
A land or place full of wonder? Do any of you know a place like that? I do—my brain.
I would love to see my brain one day. I would cut open my head and rip it right out. You know, if it wouldn’t kill me! My brain is different from everyone else’s. Sometimes I can’t even wrap my own head around it. Like when I’m having a bad day and my brain just shuts it out. Or when someone says something that really tests my patience, and my brain figures out a way to make a joke out of it. My brain can make a joke about anything. People tend to be attracted to me because of my brain. Whether it be how funny I am or how empathic I am. But you know the thing about having such a good, funny brain? When I get low, I don’t stay low long. My brain tries to fight every bad thought that I have. Sometimes even before I’m done coping. It’s like my brain is wired to always be in wonderland. Even when it shouldn’t be.
I can’t talk or respond when I’m upset. I just shut down. My brain won’t let me talk. My brain thinks that if I respond while I’m upset, I’ll ruin everything. Sometimes I think so too, like when I slip up. Like if I cry when I get upset, that’s a slip up. Or if I go off, or sometimes when I just want to feel sad, my brain won’t allow me to. My brain comes down to my ear and whispers to me, “Someone has it a lot worse than you.” After that, I go back to my regular coding. I think the longest I’ve ever been upset was when my mom wouldn’t pick me up from a sleepover when I told her I got a bed bug bite. She just told me to wait till the morning. I was mad at her for a week.
Some people may think having a brain like that is terrible, but that’s just until I make them laugh with my amazing jokes.
Another reason I think I have such a good brain is because it keeps everyone on their toes. You never know what I might say. I’m always on a different wave than most people, and that’s how I like it. Let me give you an example. You may look at one of the paintings on these walls and ask yourself, “I wonder who made that?” While you’re thinking about that, I’m thinking about who climbed up the ladder or stood on a desk to put it up there? Did they fall? You see? Now I got you thinking about how all the stuff in the room got where it is. Or maybe not. Maybe you’re thinking about who’s going to read their writing after me, or if I’m ever going to be quiet. Who knows?
I know what I’m thinking about though. Ha! You thought I was going to tell you! Back to the point. I have other things that I consider “a wonderland” but I’m not gonna bore y’all with those details. You’ll just have to wait for the sequel.
Kendall Curtis
4/21/23