The Journal

           It was a brisk Autumn Day, and Jasper Connelly was volunteering with a group of young men and women to help beautify the local park.

           Jasper’s duty on that day was to help rake the leaves into large piles so one of the other volunteers could gather them up and place them into bags.

           He began near the end of the asphalt pathway and worked his way toward the playground. He did not want to disturb the children who were enjoying their time on the swings and slides.

           While dragging the piles further along the ground, he felt something solid beneath the dried leaves. Using his gloved hands, Jasper wisped away the loose foliage until he found what he was looking for.

           Under the leaves, was a partially buried object covered in dirt. It was rectangular in shape, and thin.

           As he lifted the object from its multi-colored burial ground and removed a few specks of dirt, he could read the word, “JOURNAL” embossed on the cover.

           Looking around to see if anyone was looking, he tucked the book safely inside his coat until he had more time to study it. As he worked, however, Jasper could not help but imagine what could be written in the journal.

           He thought that perhaps it would be the intimate thoughts of a girl he knows, or maybe a person going through emotional difficulties. He eagerly waited for the day to end so he could check it out.

           After returning home that afternoon, Jasper removed the journal from his coat and brought it up to his room before his mom or dad could question him about it. He wiped it off with some dirty clothes from his hamper, then slid it inside his underwear drawer while he showered.

           Once cleaned up, Jasper slid open the drawer and began to remove the journal when he heard his mom calling to let him know that dinner was ready. Letting out a sigh, he slid the drawer shut once again.

           After dinner, he used the excuse that he had homework to work on up in his room, hoping that he could finally have some privacy.

           Removing the book from his drawer, Jasper opened the cover to the first page. It read:

           This journal belongs to Loretta Smart

           Turning to the next page, her journal writing began.

           January 28, 1986

           Dear Diary, Today was a tragic day in American history. The Space Shuttle, Challenger that launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, began to break apart shortly after lifting off, and it exploded in mid-air.

           All seven crew members were killed. I am so heartbroken over this. It was my goal in life to grow up and be an astronaut, but now I am having second thoughts.

           One of the crew onboard, was a teacher from New Hampshire, I’m told. I heard that her students were watching the launch on TV when it happened. They must be devastated.

           I can’t concentrate to write anymore right now. Until next time…

           Jasper recalled learning about the explosion in history class at school. He remembered something about the cold air causing damage to an O-ring seal, and that was the cause of the shuttle falling apart.

           Intrigued that he was reading someone’s journal from more than thirty years ago was pretty cool to him, so he read on.

           February 5, 1986

           Dear Diary, I think I found a new favorite song! “Conga” by Miami Sound Machine is so freaking amazing! I can’t help but dance every time I listen to it. That Gloria Estefan has a wicked voice.

           I like some other artists too, like Prince, or Madonna, but that song just does it for me, like, totally.

           My brother and his stoner friends are hanging out in the backyard again. His one loser buddy, Ralph thinks he is David Hasselhoff, or something. He tries to hit on me constantly. It is so annoying.

           Mom is trying to convince me to do some volunteer work at the nursing home, but I don’t think I can handle it. We shall see. I know that it will look good on a resume when I start applying for jobs.

           Jasper’s mom always played music from the 1980s on her phone while she is cleaning the house. He knew about Madonna, because she had the song, “Beautiful Stranger” from the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me film. He did not realize she was around when his mom was still a teenager though.

           March 10, 1986

           Dear Diary, I decided to try volunteering at the nursing home. My first day there was a little bit awkward, but I made it through.

           The place smelled like pee-filled diapers, or something. All I know, is that it made my nostrils burn. They were getting me to help serve tea and coffee to the residents and take them for walks in their wheelchairs.

           There was one old man that kept farting while I pushed his wheelchair down the hallway, and it stunk so bad!! I think I will try to avoid him from now on, or wear a clothespin on my nose, or something.

           April 27, 1986

           Dear Diary, more big news on the TV today. It turns out there was a huge explosion at some nuclear power plant in the Ukraine. I think they called it Chair Noble, or something like that. No wait, I remember now, it was spelled, Chernobyl.

           They say a lot of people died already. It’s really scary. I hope that doesn’t happen here.

           Jasper remembered the Chernobyl disaster from World History class. Somewhere around 4.400 people died from radiation poisoning or from the explosion itself.

           He never considered volunteering at a nursing home before. He loved hanging out with his grandfather, so it would likely be something like that, he thought.

           May 14, 1986

           Dear Diary, Larry Brock, Captain of the football team, just asked me out on a date! Can you believe it? I mean, I didn’t think he knew I existed.

           I told mom and dad that I am going to Stacey’s to study on Thursday night, but I am actually meeting Larry at the corner by her house. He said he would pick me up at 7:00PM, so I need to make sure I get dropped off at Stacey’s by 6:00PM so I can get changed and put on some makeup.

           I am sixteen, and mom still doesn’t approve of me wearing makeup. She is such a prude. I want to look good for Larry. He is two years older than me, so I don’t want him to see me as a kid.

           May 17, 1986

           Dear Diary, Larry Brock is a total douchebag! He only had one thing in mind when he picked me up tonight.

           Instead of taking me out to the movie like he promised, we went parking down some dark sideroad. His hands were all over me before I could even react.

           I tried to scream, but there was nobody around to hear me, so, using the palm of my hand, I nailed him hard at the tip of his nose. He let go of me and grabbed his nose instead.

           Blood started to pour out from between his fingers, so I used that moment to open the door of the car and start running.

           He tried to follow me with his car, yelling for me to get back in, but I darted off into the cornfield. I could hear him shouting at me, calling me every name in the book, then I heard his tires spitting gravel as he sped away.

           The walk back to Stacey’s house took over an hour. When I arrived, mom’s car was already parked in the driveway. I knocked on the door and went inside.

           Mom was sitting on the couch across from Stacey’s mom, and she looked pissed. I tried to explain, but she held up her hand and told me to wait until we got home.

           I told her everything, and she said that tomorrow, she planned to call the school and complain about Larry. My life is ruined.

           Jasper knew guys like that at his school. They see themselves as untouchable just because they are popular, but Jasper knew better. He was proud of the fact that his parents raised him to treat girls, or anyone, with respect.

           July 6, 1986

           Dear Diary, it has been a while since I last wrote in here. My mom has been watching me like a hawk since the whole Larry incident.

           He was suspended, by the way. Once my parents laid into the principal and Larry’s parents, he was made to apologize to me in front of everyone. I don’t know who was more embarrassed, him, or me.

           Nancy Reagan, the President’s wife, was on the news reopening the Statue of Liberty. The old girl needed a makeover. Haha!

           Jasper thought about his trip to New York City when he was younger. His parents took him on the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. It brought back great memories.

           August 27, 1986

           Dear Diary, I just got back from watching this movie called, “Stand by Me” about a group of friends that go searching for a missing boy after their friend dies. It was so good, but creepy when they found the dead body.

           I took a short break from my volunteer work at the nursing home, but I plan to return. Right now, I was helping one of the neighbors. She wanted to plant some flowers at the park.

           We planted a bunch of purple flowers along the edge of the walkway. I’m sure what they were called, but they were very pretty. We are supposed to return in a few weeks to plant more.

           Jasper wondered if it was the same park that he found the journal at.

           September 1, 1986

           My family always watches the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon each year. This year, they raised over $34 million! It is always so exciting watching the numbers go up. Those kids deserve all the help they can get.

           Maybe one day, when I am older, I will see if I can volunteer to help “Jerry’s Kids.”

           I will be going back to the park with my neighbor tomorrow to plant more flowers. I really enjoyed that last time we went.

That was the final journal entry. Jasper could only assume that Loretta had the book with her when she went to the park that day, and it must have fallen out.

The following day, Jasper used some of his allowance and bought himself a journal. He decided to leave a piece of history behind the way that Loretta did.

He also stopped by the nursing home in town, and he signed up for volunteer work. They were excited to accept his services.

Since that day, Jasper had exceeded the amount of volunteer work that he needed for his school requirements but chose to continue helping out at the nursing home. He found great satisfaction in spending time with the elderly residents.

His interest in history was satisfied every day. The residents would tell him stories about their past adventures or moments in history that they lived through. He always arrived back home with a broader understanding and respect of the past.

As he got older and began college, Jasper was no longer able to volunteer at the nursing home, so instead, he began studying Occupational Therapy in the hopes that he could help prolong the lives of some of the seniors.

That way, he could continue to listen to stories about their interesting lives. Who knows what path he would have chosen if he never found that journal.

Curious as to what ever happened to Loretta, Jasper Google searched her name and her approximate age. What he found was intriguing; Loretta had gotten a job with NASA as an Aeronautics Researcher. She lived until the age of forty-two and passed away peacefully in her home of natural causes.

He visited her gravesite, removed the journal from his coat and placed it inside a waterproof sleeve. Jasper then left the book leaning against her gravestone for others to read as well.