National Adult Literacy Database

June 4, 2001

On this week, we launched eleven stories written by students from The Victoria READ Society. You can read their stories as well as hear them.

Tom Larsson was born and raised on Vancouver Island. He would like to finish his Grade 12. In the past, some people would tell him how dumb he was, but he is starting to feel better about himself now. Tom likes to garden and read about all sorts of different things. Right now he is reading the first Harry Potter novel. It's called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

 

Play an audio version of this story

My Place

by Tom Larsson

The things that I like to do in my spare time is gardening and to read a great book. I read almost all the Harry Potter books. Each spring I try to do all my repotting and my spring-cleaning. I also like going to garage sales with the thought of getting a good deal on some things. I do this myself and this is a good thing because we don't have to do all the same things. I love to garden out on my balcony and to just feel the dirt in between my hands is a good thing. When things upset me, I read or walk around my balcony when it's rainy, or I just leave my balcony door open so I can have fresh air coming in. I sometimes leave my balcony door open, and then wonder why it is so cold in my apartment. I like to read about all different things. When I lived right in town, I had all these flowers on my balcony. I do this myself and I enjoy this for a recreation. When I lived in Hawaii, there were these different plants that we don't have here in Canada or on Vancouver Island. My mom loved orchids that grew around where my mom and dad lived. My mom loved all the different kinds of flowers. I am so glad that my mom and I made up before she died. I love the scents of the blossoms and the blooms that are coming out on the trees. I thought they were fake, but they weren't. I could tell that they weren't and I just walked on. When I walked to school today, it was pouring with rain, and it was very miserable. I love being on my own, and I can come and go. Being with someone isn't meant to happen. But right now, I would just rather be on my own.