Personal Narrative Essay: The Bending Game

Everyone has something or someone in their life that they can always count on for a good laugh after a long day, whether that be a good friend, a humorous television show, or a little brother. When I have had a stressful day, I know I can always start up a conversation with Colten, my brother. Without trying, he can brighten my day with laughter and smiles. His facial expressions, dance moves, and seven-year-old love affairs are just a few of his most entertaining qualities that never fail to crack me up. Colten’s humorous side really displays itself during The Clapping Game. My two younger sisters invented it and the family used to play the game at dinner. The point of the game is for everyone to clap simultaneously and stare at Colten.

On family movie nights, we curl up in our blankets. Colten sits on Mom’s lap, Hailey leans against Mom’s arm, and the rest of us sit in the remaining spots in the living room. As the movie ends, Colten pops up from Mom’s lap because he knows it’s his time to shine. I turn on the living room light and we wait for the credits to start rolling. The music starts playing and he begins his dramatic dance. Whatever kind of music is playing, Colten has a certain way to dance to it. During slow, sad songs, Colten’s face interprets the mournful emotion in the music. His movements are not the usual, quick, hyper movements, but instead slow, soft shifts in his small body. His lanky arms move gracefully to the sorrowful tragedy portrayed by the melody. The dance becomes more of a small act as he tells a somber story. His skinny arms become words on paper. He dances as if it is the last time he ever will. During fast, energetic songs, it’s extremely difficult to keep a straight face and incredibly baffling as to how he can move so quickly. To be honest, Colten’s dancing is often times better than the movie itself. His self invented dance moves are capable of making the entire family’s stomachs ache with