Preparatory School Writer's Festival 2019 | Page 29

Guildford Grammar Preparatory School
Writing Festival
2019
The Sand by Belinda Yuen (continued)
“There was a little baby, growing in her mama’s belly. Now, the
baby was almost ready to come out but the poor mama didn’t
have a clue what to name her. The baby’s papa suggested a
name, and it was… Joanna. The parents of this baby thought the
name suited her perfectly and it was the most special name ever.
In fact, it was so special, they bought a spoon and carved floral
drawings into it. Unfortunately, they couldn’t fit her whole name
in the plan paper, so they engraved her initials instead. They got
a very talented artist to imprint Joanna’s face on the back of
the spoon. It has become a tradition for this family ever since.
Joanna’s spoon was kept in her pocket ever since she was a little
girly, like young Adeline,” Grandma Joanna gestures to Adeline,
sitting on her chair, flushing slightly. Everyone turns to look at
her. She pretends to stare off into the distance. Adeline’s not
good at reacting to unwanted attention.
Grandma Joanna brings out an ancient, rusty spoon from the
pocket of her dress. She hands it to everyone to look.
“And so, we take these spoons around everywhere we go. It’s a
good luck charm for us. You know that your Marie did lose her
spoon. I still remember the day when we went to the seaside, like
it was yesterday. Marie always was a good child. I am sure she
left her spoon at the beach accidently, and now it has washed up
here!” Mama glances at her mother nervously. Grandma Joanna
sees the bored looks on the children’s faces. “Everyone in this
family has a spoon, go ahead and ask your parents, my dears.”
Immediately, all the children scramble up to their parents and the
continuous chorus of, “Where is my spoon Mum?” and “Did you
lose mine like Auntie Marie did?”.
I trudged up to Mama. “Where’s my spoon?”
“I have a special box of yours, mine and Jordan’s spoons,” she
replies. “I’ll go fetch it now.”
Mae, Ryan, Adeline, Jaxon, Payton, Andrew, Chase and Johnny
hold up their spoons proudly.
“Oh my God! Adeline’s spoon is beautiful!” Mae and Payton
cries in unison. Envy evident in their eyes.
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Adeline just shrugs, but I know that she is proud inside.
Soon, Mama runs to me, holding a wooden box with a glass
display on it. The box has many flowers and floral items, etched
into the wood. On the side of the box, it says, “Marie, Luna,
Jordan.”
Mama carefully opens it up. She hands my spoon to me and I
notice leaves decorating the handle of the spoon. I flip the spoon
over and see my face when I was young. I look down a bit and
find my initials, L.P.
I observe as Jordan inspects his spoon. Mama’s voice makes his
head perk up and stare at her.
“I put your spoons in a box because… I thought you would lose
them, as I lost mine. And, these are precious to the family… I
didn’t want you to get upset, or make Mother Joanna mad or
disappointed…” Mama trailed off.
“Oh, Mama, it’s okay!” Jordan grinned.
“Now, these are yours to keep. Please do not lose them and
these are now your priority to keep safe,” Mama whispers,
pushing my spoon closer to me.