Percibald Garcia isn’t an actor or voiceover artist. He’s not a teacher or childcare worker. But since May, the 27-year-old architect has been a popular storyteller among some kids in quarantine.
During the pandemic, weeks of confinement—no friends, no group activities—have been dull and dreary, especially for children.
“Almost nobody was looking after the way that kids were experiencing this lockdown,” Garcia says.
For months now, Garcia has taken his “wandering microphone” into the green spaces between buildings in an enormous Mexico City apartment complex. There he broadcasts stories while children listen.
During His time on Earth, Jesus told stories. He often spoke in parables because He knows that stories can reveal truth, overcome barriers, gather people together—and even change them.
Garcia reads stories like El Tlacuache Lunatico (The Crazy Opossum) by David Martín del Campo. He often plays songs by Mexican children’s composer Francisco Gabilondo Soler. Children pop up at the windows of the multistory buildings for the show. A few venture out with parents to sit on the grass or a bench.
“The public plaza has been extremely important in Mexico since the time of our ancestors,” Garcia notes. “It is where people meet, talk, where the life of a neighborhood develops.” The pandemic hit this aspect of life hard, because people have been encouraged not to go out or gather. He calls his reading project “De la Casa a la Plaza” (“From the house to the plaza”).
Garcia believes his readings help to reclaim those shared spaces—and stem the movement to a digital world. “In the last three months, everything has gone online—work, contacts, shopping,” he says. “This is an act of resistance in the face of this ferocious digitalization.”
Rogelio Morales listens from his grandmother’s window. Since March, the nine-year-old has spent much of his time playing video games. “The only thing I go out for is to walk my dog,” he says. “It’s a little boring.”
But of the storytelling, Rogelio says, “It’s nice. We can relax a little.”
Luna Gonzalez came outside with her mother. They listened to Garcia from a safe distance, both wearing face masks. “I imagine what the animals are like,” says Luna. “I get bored at home.”
Rogelio’s grandmother, Maria Elena Sevilla, also sits at the window. “It is not just children he is entertaining,” she says. “It is people of my age too.”
These days, most of his neighbors have cellphones, tablets, or computers. But Garcia wants them to hear the human voice—and thrill in the world of shared tales.
Riley
Got it!
@ mirela j.
It should be called Running Deer, Story of a Mandan Indian Girl, By Elizabeth J Robinson.
@ Riley D.
Oh, u just explained, thanks! Put me on to put a list on, like, twice.
@Riley
I’ll do a day
What's the Quizlet thing
What's the Quizlet thing called?!?! Also what's this about lists??
@Caro
Oh sorry I didn't communicate well I didn't mean everyone had to do it in one day, because I know sometimes I won't have time. But yeah I can let people know when it is their turn, or if I am going to be gone for a few days, I will let y'all know!
@NA
Ok so we are starting this Writing Plunge group, where we are going to take turns putting up a list of five or six words, and then all who are involved have ten minutes to try to write a story that uses all those words, and then share it on here. So if you want to join and have a turn making a word list, just let me know! :)
@Belwyn
Do you want me to put one on for Bella and Wyn as separate times? So Bel will do one day and Wyn a differnt day? Or do you want to go together?
@ Riley
Do us separate and we will both do it a few times : )
@Belwyn
Ok sounds good thanks! :)
@Riley
I can do it, and you can give me a spicific day if you want!
@ All Typelings\TypeWriters
So...I'm getting confused bc I thought everyone knew what I was talking about. I thought I was making the schedule, not Riley or Dessie, but you two totally can!:) I just thought I was...Riley had a really good idea about doing it when we can. But I think we would have to still make an order of people. Also, I'm not sure if we have everyone who wants to write the words for the Writing Plunge.
So the people who want to make a Writing Plunge List are: Bethy, Riley, Dessie, Caro, Amelia, Bella and Wyn, Mirela. Is that right?
What the List Means: It means the list of words you use, for instance:
Lamp
Desert
Seashell
Flour
Sail
So does that make sense? Also, please tell me if I got anything wrong! Sorry if I sounded whiny.
from both of us/@ Bethy
Yes, we're in til' we leave!
Who looks, unseeing, with eyes of sorrow?
About the list, I wouldn't mind doing it and I sort of want to but I don't care either way really! How about this, just to settle this issue. I'll give you all a list I came up with at the bottom of the comment and you guys can decide if it works or not. If not, that's fine and Bethy or Riley should do it! (Lets just go in alphabetical order!)
@Mirela
Thank you!
@Amelia
Fantastic! I loved them!
@Caro
Wow! That was great! I liked the name of the planet a lot.
List.....
Amelia
Bella
Bethy
Caro
Dessie
Mirela
Riley
Wyn
(Does this work? And I'm sorry if this list was at ALL insulting to anyone...... I don't mind at all going last if you all think it's better that way! This is just alphabetical order.)
P. S. This list can start right now if everyone agrees to it. I am anxious to begin!
P. P. S Hope I never left out anybody....
.
Belwyn: Thanks!
Dessie: Looks great!
Put me up for the Writing
Put me up for the Writing Pludge thing
@Riley
This is a story about a chicken. He was hatched in the middle of the sky over a castle in Scotland while his parents were on a hot air balloon trip and lived the first few weeks of his life in the sky. After that, he lived on the farm and was constantly being teased by the cat who would always make fun of his swimming skills, and the chicken could never peck at him for revenge because the cat would always climb up into a tree. When he became more independent, he decided to go to the beach because he thought he should try swimming in the ocean since he liked swimming in the pond at home. When he got there, he was a little scared of all the noisy people, but that would not stop him from going swimming in the ocean. He ran to the ocean and jumped in. It was freezing cold! But he loved it so much, he would swim out a way from the shore and then catch the waves back. Pretty soon, people started to notice him. They thought he was hilarious! He kept swimming further and further out, until he could barely see the people on the shore. He felt so relaxed, and he thought that this was the place he was meant to be. Suddenly, he saw a fin in the distance, a shark was swimming right towards him!! He hurriedly swam back to the shore to escape the shark, and he made it. An old man picked him up and carried him away from the water’s edge so the shark could not get to him. Before the chicken knew it, he was in the old man’s truck driving away from the beach. The old man reached down to grab him when he tried to fly away. “Now, now little chicken, stay with me. I’ve been getting hungry and want some food on my table. You’ll make great chicken soup!”
@Above
AHHHHHHH!!!!!!! I am sooooo confused!! I thought no one else wanted to take over and I am a big organizer type of per so I did and then two other people are wanting to!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!! Sorry guys I will quit if you want! the people I have so far are
Amelia
Caro
Dessie
Riley (me)
Bel
Wyn
Nadia
Mirela
Bethy
Was that everyone? And sure we can go in alphabet order.
@Amelia
Awesome!!!!
@Caro
"Hey! I found the spleen!" Kayla said holding up a weird organ from out of the pig that she and Adam were dissecting.
"Good job, that means this dissection is done. Lets get something to eat." Adam replied.
"There are cupcakes leftover from my sister's birthday part in the fridge. they are the ones with the smiley face toppers."
"Ok."
"Uh, do you want to take off those gloves first?"
"Oh yeah, maybe I should."
While they were eating they talked about random things.
"Hey why are you so short?" Adam asked.
"Hey, it is not me, it is because you are so tall!"
"Oh I forgot," Adam grinned. "Hey what are you doing for your summer vacation?
"Well since my great-grandma died we have to go to her funeral in Oregon, and then we will spend some time on the beach probably. What about you?
"Well, since my brother is such into videography and skateboarding, he wants to make demonstration videos of skateboard tricks and put them on YouTube, and since I am the techy guy in the family, I am the one that has to make and accound and post them. Super fun."
It sure sounds like it!" Kayla laughed. "Let's go outside."
They threw away thei cupcake wrappers and went out to the trampoline. After randomly jumping around for a while, Kayla finally asked, "Well, we came out here, so what should we play?"
"Lets practice flips."
"Ok."
Kayla went first performing a perfect front flip and landing on her feet. "Beat that," she said.
Adam bounced high and did a front flip, but flipped so hard that he landed on his belly. Kayla doubled over laughing.
"I guess that beat mine, because I did not go so far over!" She laughed.
Next Kayla did a backflip. Adam had never done a backflip before, but he wasn't about to let Kayla outdo him, so he went for it. But at the last moment he chickened out and almost landed on his head.
"What went wrong?" Kayla asked.
"Uh, well I have never done one before."
"Good grief don't try to do something you have never done before at such a high bounce! I might have had to be going to your funeral!!!"
"Yeah good advice. "
Adam's mother came to pick him up and Kayla went back inside to read her favorite book.
Wait, is there a list of
Wait, is there a list of words already?
Are you a king or prince of old?
@Nadia
So you'd go right in between Mirela and Riley if we are doing the alphabetical order. And no, there isn't a list of words yet, unless you mean the writing plunges we already put up, which are these:
My list of words
Dragon
Igloo
Stolen
Fry
Dungeon
Riley's List
Tree
Castle
Chicken Soup
Sand
Shark
Table
Caro's List
Spleen
Youtube
Funeral
Smiley Face
Cupcake
(Hope I got all those right! these are written down from memory and don't trust my memory all the time.....:)
@Bethy and Riley
I'm sorry, I'm confused too! So since we all seem a little confused lets just stick with the alphabetical order? Unless you guys really want to organize it...if only we could talk in person!
@Riley
Thats amazing! This is so much fun!
@Typewriters
Is the plan still go to lava waterfall after this article runs out?
:)
@TypeWriters, we don't have to use this story but it is book related and there are only 10 comments. So, https://teen.wng.org/node/5749
:)
What do you think?
@Above
@Dessie & Bethy: Yeah lets just stick with the alphabetical order thingy. Sorry for all the confusion!!!!
@Dessie: Thanks!
@Caro: Well, someone found one called "Lava Waterfall" or something like that, and it has zero comments and a pretty picture, so our plan was to go there.
@All TypeWriters
Ok should we start the writing plunge today? If so, then Amelia, you start by coming up with a list of words. Have fun everyone!!!!!
:)
@Riley, ok!! I'll look for it so I can find it later when we go there!
@All TypeWriters
Oh yeah and I am just going to go by the honnors system and assume everyone is being fair and doing 10 minutes. I can assure you that I will, usually I run out of ideas at like 9 mins! XD And please understand I am not suspicious of any of you right now. I was just making that clear.
@All Typelings
Here are today’s words, have fun!
Fuzzy
Coffin
Kite
Bicycle
Monkey
@ Dessie
I'm pretty sure that's the plan.
Here is the link if any of ya'll haven't been there yet. https://teen.wng.org/node/2052
@ Amelia B.
Great words! I'll see if I have time to do after school today! :)
this is mylee
I wonder why lava waterfall has 0 comments ???? Also I don't really have time to do the writing plunge thing i might every once in awile do it but don't add me on the list.
:)
Here is my story!!!!
I was flying a kite when I tripped on something. Into something is more like it. I opened my eyes and screamed. It was a coffin and there was a monkey in it! I grabbed my kite and ran to my bicycle, hyperventilating slightly. I peddled home furiously. I wonder why there was a monkey coffin in the park? I think. When I get home, I drop my bike and kite, and run up to my room. Once I get there I grab my fuzzy monkey stuffed animal. Tears course down my cheeks. I love monkeys so much, and someone must have really loved that one. After all, it had a coffin. But I wonder why it was open and just sitting in the park. That’s when I realized that there was nobody else at the park. It was a beautiful day, and perfect for flying a kite. I hear a knock on my door and I say “come in” My mom opens the door and comes and sits on the bed next to me. “I just heard on the news, the king’s monkey died. It is sitting in the park in case people want to pay their respects,” She sees me crying and looks questononly “I was flying my kite at the park. And I fell in the coffin of the monkey,” “Oh, no! Are you okay!?” “I’m fine,” “Oh, no, come on Kayla, we have to go now! The king said anyone who touches the monkey will be thrown in the dungeon!” We pack a few precious possessions and when it gets dark flee into the night.
@Caro
I love it XD
Above
Thanks!
The truth comes out.....*ahem*
Ok, here's mine....it doesn't make any sense at all....but it's all I could think of in 10min xDD
I walked slowly down the grey streets of Russia. The cold, Communist grey had once again settled over everything before the sun had a chance to peek through the thick clouds. I looked down at my dog - Fuzzy - and smiled. He was one of the bright things in this dark world of socialism. Suddenly, I heard a loud noise shatter the early morning silence. I looked up, straight into the face of a KGB officer. He glared at me as he put down the kickstand of his bicycle.
“Going somewhere with that kite?” he asked coldly.
“Yes,” I answered, nervously glancing at my huge, suspiciously thick kite. The face of a monkey smiled out from the blue background.
He reached out his hand to touch it, and before I knew what I was doing I had kicked his bicycle over and was running fast down the stone-paved Red Square. I looked back to see Fuzzy following on my heels. I kept running. Faster, faster. Suddenly I felt something smash against my stomach. I groaned as I fell to the ground. It was the Coffin of Lenin placed in the center of the square. I felt something grab my arms. I closed my eyes tight, expecting the worse.
“Ivana are you awake?” I opened my eyes and gaped at my mother in shock.
“Mother! They found the Bibles in the Kite!” I exclaimed.
“No, no, Ivana.” My mother “It was only a dream, everything is alright.”
*cringe*
*cringe*
@ All Typelings\TypeWriters
Yes, the plan is to go to Lava Waterfall afterwards, (I scoped it out when were were at like, 437 comments, trying to find either a book related thing, or a pretty picture and no comments, and I actually found one!) and thank you so much Belwyn for putting the link up!!!
The order looks great! But did anyone put in Nadia? Riley, I'm an organizer too, and I don't know if you or Dessie said it, but you were so right! If only we could talk in person! :)
@ Nadia
Oh! Great story, and very creative use of the word "coffin"!
@ Caro, Amelia, & Riley
(I'm trying to use less comments)
Your stories were so great!
Amelia: I loved the begining, I felt like I could really tell what your voice was!
Riley: Were they dissecting spleen?
Caro: Oh, you made me most curious about the monkey!
My Writing Plunge
So I wrote most of it in three minutes but felt I should continues, and I did, so it gets a bit repetitive.
I was walking down the cool, quiet streets of my village town. I walked slowly, for I was in a funeral procession for my stepmother’s monkey, which she had cared for annoyingly. He was so fuzzy that he had shed all over the house and I had been obligated to clean it up. My disgust was great, for my stepmother had even ordered a coffin to be made. It was especially bothersome because it had been my birthday two days ago when the monkey died. And instead of getting the bicycle or kite that I had wanted, I had the pleasure of sobbing for a little pest! I suppose I can’t complain too much. I should be glad to have a mother at all. My best friend Joyce doesn’t. And maybe as time passes, I can even learn to forgive my stepmother, and love her like I ought to. Suddenly, as I thought these things as we plodded our way down the dusty road, I felt my heart lighten as I realized that I could forgive her. I would even try to comfort her.
@ All @ Caro @ Nadia
You all do great stories compared to me! But I’m very confused now. Isn’t it meant to be alphabetical order? I go after Dessie... and then Nadia right?
@ Dessie Where did you go? https://teen.wng.org/node/6618
@ Caro I remember that article! I’ve actually seen that little book in real life!!! We live near the museum that has it and when lockdown eases we will go back to it.
@ Nadia How many conversations have we had about accents XD https://teen.wng.org/node/5742 Btw, your story wasn’t too bad, it was actually interesting :)
@ bethy
I can just imagine how annoying life must have been like for that person! Is that the end of the story?
@ Mirela
Um...maybe? You know what, I might use them for the next Plunge …but that's cheating...so I think it is the end. Glad you liked it!
@NA
Wow good one!!! I have been reading about Commies and Lenin and Soviet Union in "God and Ronald Reagan" a book I am reading for government so it stood out to me!!
@Everyone else: Also good, very creative stories! Mine won't be NEARLY so awesome!!
@Above
But I don;t have time to write mine 'write' now so maybe tomorrow morning!!!
(Pun intended!)
@Whoever asked this
No they weren't dissecting a spleen, they found the spleen in the animal they were dissecting, the pig.
Whose story is forgotten, or untold?
@Mirela
I’m sorry I left! I was going to comment more on that but sadly, the internet is really refusing to load that page…I have no idea why…I can’t get on it anymore:(
@Ameila and Everyone
Lady Mae was alone when it happened. She was humming and mending a kite cheerfully when suddenly a coffin was thrown at her feet. She looked up, startled, and saw her sister Jay standing there with an evil grin, her monkey perched on her shoulder. “Dear sister!” Jay mocked. “Someone just threw a coffin at you! Aren’t you going to open it?” Mae hesitated, in her head swirling pictures of various things the coffin could be filled with. But the main picture rose above all. “Lord Abram!” She breathed in fear. Jay’s leering grin confirmed her suspicion. Mae got up, spilling the mending from her lap in her hasty rise. “Go.” she commanded in a shaky voice, tears rolling down her voice. “Or I will call the knights to escort you out.” “There is no need.” Laughed Jay. “I was going anyway.” She turned and strode out of the room, mounted her bicycle, and left. Mae collapsed back onto her chair, sobbing bitterly. The sewing was left untouched on the floor. Finally, she wiped her eyes and stared at the coffin. Should she open it? No, she already knew what she would see there, and decided she wasn’t ready. “Someday, I might be.” She thought bitterly.
Weeks passed. Mae’s life settled into a dreary routine. Every day she saw the coffin, taunting her, teasing her to open it. Eventually, she decided she could not bear it any longer. She slowly walked over to the coffin and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she would see. She gave a gasp of shock when she saw, and her face lit up with newfound happiness…
The End *cheesy grin*
@Everyone again
I loved all the stories! Its so cool how differently creative everyone’s stories are!
@Riley
Yeah, I do ten minutes, never fear! I wouldn’t cheat, don’t worry!
@Bella
Thanks for the link!
(Hope I never forgot anyone, there is too much comments for me to keep up!)
Whose story is forgotten, or untold?
@Mirela
I’m sorry I left! I was going to comment more on that but sadly, the internet is really refusing to load that page…I have no idea why…I can’t get on it anymore:(
@Ameila and Everyone
Lady Mae was alone when it happened. She was humming and mending a kite cheerfully when suddenly a coffin was thrown at her feet. She looked up, startled, and saw her sister Jay standing there with an evil grin, her monkey perched on her shoulder. “Dear sister!” Jay mocked. “Someone just threw a coffin at you! Aren’t you going to open it?” Mae hesitated, in her head swirling pictures of various things the coffin could be filled with. But the main picture rose above all. “Lord Abram!” She breathed in fear. Jay’s leering grin confirmed her suspicion. Mae got up, spilling the mending from her lap in her hasty rise. “Go.” she commanded in a shaky voice, tears rolling down her voice. “Or I will call the knights to escort you out.” “There is no need.” Laughed Jay. “I was going anyway.” She turned and strode out of the room, mounted her bicycle, and left. Mae collapsed back onto her chair, sobbing bitterly. The sewing was left untouched on the floor. Finally, she wiped her eyes and stared at the coffin. Should she open it? No, she already knew what she would see there, and decided she wasn’t ready. “Someday, I might be.” She thought bitterly.
Weeks passed. Mae’s life settled into a dreary routine. Every day she saw the coffin, taunting her, teasing her to open it. Eventually, she decided she could not bear it any longer. She slowly walked over to the coffin and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she would see. She gave a gasp of shock when she saw, and her face lit up with newfound happiness…
The End *cheesy grin*
@Everyone again
I loved all the stories! Its so cool how differently creative everyone’s stories are!
@Riley
Yeah, I do ten minutes, never fear! I wouldn’t cheat, don’t worry!
@Bella
Thanks for the link!
(Hope I never forgot anyone, there is too much comments for me to keep up!)
Do Chipmunks eat chips?
Dessie: Are you going to finish it???? I saw the last line, and was like, What? And then,,, as the story went on!...Anyway, great job!
If you need to find something in the comment pages, I can find it for you if you tell me what it it roughly.
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