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Maggie Hakobjanyan's Stories

• “Mess” (It was then I realized I grew older)
• “It’s not my fault” (People don't understand me)
• untitled (First time experiences)
• “Story about a Cell Phone” (The school)
• “Chaos” (Future)
• “About Myself” (About Me)
• untitled (Problem Solving)
• “Talk” (The school)

Maggie Hakobjanyan's Page

“Mess” (It was then I realized I grew older)

One day I went to buy ice cream with my friend. We met one of her acquaintances on the street who started talking to me as if with a grown-up person, very officially. I felt me a grown-up then.

Here is another story. Mom and I were walking. Mom had pigtails. I had sunglasses on and there was a shawl over my head. Some guys approached us, hoping to flirt. Can you imagine? They had taken us both for very young girls, for friends. They had even thought I was older than mom.

I asked, “Aren't we going to walk in the park, mom?” The guys were shocked, they couldn't utter a word, but I had to do this, for these guys were really flirting.

To tell you the truth, I was just as shocked, since I couldn't understand for a long time whether mom was too young or I was too old.

Wrote at 11 years old age

“It’s not my fault” (People don't understand me)

“Mom?”
“Mag? Come in, where is Tatevik?”
“Hello.”
“Why are you late?”
“But mum, it’s not only me. Tatev is late too.”
“I asked you, dear.”

Yes, I was back from school, later than usual. Something unexpected had happened.
“Mom, I forgot that I had to clean the classroom. I mean, Tatev and me.”
“Your classroom is cleaned by cleaners, don’t lie to me.”
“No, mom, today…”
“Stop lying, you are punished. Go to your room and do your homework.”
“Why don’t you punish Tatev too? She was also late.”

Tatev is my friend. I know it was not nice to say bad things about her, but I ran out of patience.

“Go to your room!”

I went to my room and wondered why they don’t understand me, but I couldn’t think why.

Wrote at 11 years old age

untitled (First time experiences)

I am alone at home. It is so good. I am thinking about what to do. What a pity I will have to get to school in an hour.

Oh!!! I have my key of the house. The whole house is at my disposal.
I think you understood this was the first time I was staying alone at home. What shall I do now? Oh!!! I have money; I will buy chocolate to eat at school. We have six lessons today.

I will lock the door for the first time. I will go out and open the door alone. Maybe I better call granny and let her know, or maybe no… I want to do it alone. Does Sona call her granny to inform her about what she does? Sona is my aunt. I forgot that Sona is twenty years older than me. I took the money and closed the door proud of myself and went downstairs.


Oh, God I’ve forgotten the keys. I was so happy; it did not last long. I went to our neighbor’s house. Whom shall I call now to help me? The only person who came to my mind was granny.
“Hello grandma.”
“Hi.”
“I did not mean to, but…” I decided to talk quickly for better effect, “I went out to buy chocolate, suddenly the door slammed. I mean I’ve left the keys in. Now I am at a neighbor’s house. Will you come to open the door?
“What?”
“Come right now. I will explain later.”

Half an hour passed. Grandma opened the door. I had to go to school but I was late. As we came in grandma’s face became red with anger and I knew she was going to talk about how bad I am.
But I did not lose control and said:
“Dear grandma, I am late, I can’t explain everything now…I am late.”

Wrote at 11 years old age

“Story about a Cell Phone” (The school)

The actors’ names

Tamara, sixth grader

Karine, sixth grader, Tamara’s best friend

Ms. Baghdasaryan, teacher (form-master)

Mr. Nikoghosyan, inspector

Ani, Dina, Maggie, Tiko, Rubo: Tamara’s classmates

Tamara’s mother and father

Act I

(Inspector’s room )

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Sir, it is unpleasant for me to tell you that you have to come to our school… but the fact is there is a strong necessity and I am bidding you to come.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Why?

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Theft.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: What? How? Who?

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Oh…

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Sorry to interrupt you, but I don’t understand in what grade that has happened.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: The theft was among sixth graders.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Sixth graders? Tell me more, please.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: A cell phone was stolen. The thief left the easy-card in the bag, probably being afraid of being caught. But the phone is gone.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: I will be in the school tomorrow.

Act II

(Home)

Mother: Tamara, what has happened?

Tamara: Mom, my phone was stolen.

Mother : What? How?

Tamara: Mom, I don’t know how but my cell phone was stolen.

Father: What was stolen?

Tamara: Dad, my phone.

Father: What?

Tamara: Dad, it just happened, but I have the card.

Mother: Tamara, I believe you.

Tamara (to herself): Shall I tell them to get me a new phone now or shall I wait for a while? I’ll wait for a while so that they don’t suspect me.

Act III

(School corridor, break)

Dina: Tamara!

Tamara: Din, my name is Toma, try to remember it.

Dina: OK, Tom, did you find your cell phone?

Tamara: I am close to finding it.

Dina: Tom, do you have any idea about who stole the phone?

Tamara: I have some.

Ani: Tamara!

Tamara: I told you I am not Tamara, Ani.

Ani: OK, Tom, what about your cell phone?

Tamara: I hope it will be found soon.

Ani: I see.

Act IV

(Classroom; break)

Tiko: Maggie, do you know who stole Tom’s cell?

Maggie: I think she did it herself.

Tiko: The whole class thinks the same.

Maggie: No doubt.

Rubo (entering): Mag, An, hi. Is there any news about Tom’s cell?

Maggie: She says it will be found soon.

Rubo: I hate to hear the bell ringing, let’s go in.

Tiko: What class do we have now?

Maggie: Armenian, the form master’s class.

Act V

(Armenian grammar lesson)

Ms. Baghdasaryan: You made me sad again. I won’t go into details, but tomorrow an inspector will visit the school.

Ani: But Ms. Baghdasaryan…

Ms. Baghdasaryan: No more. What did you have for homework?

Maggie (at the end of the lesson): Oh, what a boring lesson. And when will the bell ring?

Act VI

(Classroom)

Seven days later.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Hello Mr. Nikoghosyan. Children, this is the inspector who promised to come.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: First, I want to speak with Tamara.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Tamara!

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Tamara, tell me what happened. Why did you blush?

Tamara: My phone was stolen, but…

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Dear girl, speak slowly…

Tamara: But the thief has left the easy-card in my bag.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Why?

Tamara: So that we don’t find the phone.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: I don’t understand you.

Tamara: It is possible to track the person who stole the easy-card.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: I don’t think so.

Tamara (to herself): What a fool I am. I could have said that my card is sim, and then if they asked me to bring it, I would bring mom’s sim card.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Do you mean you can’t find the thief with easy-card.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: No, Ms. Baghdasaryan, you cannot.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: OK, I better not interfere.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Let’s continue, Tamara. Why did they put the easy-card in your bag?

Tamara: Where should have they put it?

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Calm down girl, there is no need to cry.

Tamara: Do you mean that I’m lying?

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Tamara, why are you crying? Calm down.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: It’s OK, Ms. Baghdasaryan. Tamara, you may go and try to calm down. Who is your best friend? Tell her to come in.

Tamara : My best friend is Kara.

Ms. Baghdasaryan : Karine, not Kara!

Tamara: But everybody calls her Kara.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Karine!!!

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Please call your friend.

Act VII

(Corridor)

Tamara: Kar, come. The inspector wants to see you. Please, do something or both of us will be caught. My mom said she would buy me a new phone. Then I will give you my old one.

Karine: OK.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Karine!

Act VIII

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Now tell me what happened.

Karine: Tom’s cell was stolen.

Mr. Nikoghosyan: How?

Karine: The cell and easy-card were stolen

“Oh, but Tom says that only the cell was stolen,” she thought.

Karine: OK, sorry, only the cell was stolen.

“Oh, but Toma didn’t tell me what she had told the inspector. What will become of me now?”

Mr. Nikoghosyan: Why are you crying, Karine?

Act IX

Tiko: Look Maggie, we are all under suspect because of Toma. I hate her and her cell phone.

Maggie: Oh, me too. Because of her we didn’t have a normal class these few days.

Act X

Karine: Tom, what shall we do?

Tamara: I don’t know.

Karine: Let’s skip the classes tomorrow.

Tamara: We’ll be caught easily that way.

Karine: Let’s tell them we have found the phone.

Tamara: No!!

Karine: Let’s tell them we have found the phone and our neighbor had stolen it.

Tamara: No!!!

Karine: Where is your phone?

Tamara: Here it is.

Act XI

( Noon, school)

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Boys!

Boys : Yes, Ms. Baghdasaryan.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Can you stay after classes; I need to talk to you.

Boys: OK, but what about?

Tiko: Oh, she didn’t answer; it means it will be a serious talk.

Rubo: Tik, didn’t you understand what we are going to talk about?

Tiko: No, what?

Rubo: About Toma’s cell phone.

Tiko: Ahh..

Rubo: I’m sick and tired of these talks.

Tiko: Me too.

Rubo: We have nothing to be afraid of. We’ll just tell her what the whole class thinks.

Tiko: That the guilty one is..

Rubo: Yes.

Tiko: OK, it’s a good decision.

Act XII

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Boys, I think you know why we have gathered here.

Boys: Yes, so that we can talk, Ms. Baghdasaryan.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Do you know anything about Toma’s phone? Or do you have any connection with the theft?

Boys: Please, don’t punish us for being honest.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: I’m listening.

Boys: Do you remember the day you told us Toma’s cell had been stolen?

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Yes.

Boys: But did you hear what the whole class said?

Ms. Baghdasaryan: No, I didn’t.

Boys: Everybody said that Toma and Kara did that.

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Boys…

Boys: Ms. Baghdasaryan, you may call an inspector, take our finger prints, all the same, the truth is-nobody stole the phone. Toma has hidden it somewhere, because she wants a new phone. In two-three days she will have a better phone, no doubt about it. We know her six years already, while you know her just a year. So, we must know it better.

Act XIII

(A week later, form-master’s class.)

Ms. Baghdasaryan: Who can explain me what “the verb” shows? Can you, Tamara?

Before Tamara could answer the teacher’s question, her new phone rang. She answered the call.

Tamara: “Mom, I have a class now, I will call you later.”

Everyone was silent….

Wrote at 11 years old age

“Chaos” (Future)

I don’t know if I can change anything in my future. To tell you the truth, future scares me. People are encoded, nearly all have numbers now. Maybe tomorrow nothing will be left without a code or a number. Imagine, foot number 16665 is walking, or nose number 6665 is breathing air.
Anyone would know where everything is. This is sad, since we would not be able to play hide and seek; we would know who is where.
It is very difficult to picture future or try to live as if in future. To my mind, even children’s games would change. People would probably invent encoding equipment and what is worse -this device would be made by an eight year old boy during a game. This will be the beginning of chaos.
Remember, I was talking about anyone knowing the place of everyone and everything? Imagine a policeman looking for a thief. It is pretty good, if he knows where the bandit is but the latter knows where the policeman is and this is not good at all.
Now think of a lion chasing a deer or a hare. POOR lion, it would be starving and would die of hunger one day. It would know where hare number 283 and deer number 587 are, but the latter would never meet this lion, since they would know where it is, too.
Can you imagine what chaos there would be? Things would be different and that is the reason I am afraid of future.

Wrote at 11 years old age

“About Myself” (About Me)

Okay, first I will tell you about my character. My friends say I’m “mad about my lessons”. The rest I don’t know. I only know that when I’m in bad humour, you should not talk to me. Most of all in the whole world I don’t like when someone ignores me. When I’m in a bad mood, only the “Beatles” can make me quiet (if I listen to them during the whole day, of course). I like history and my history teacher very much.
I feel bad only when my mother and my aunt aren’t with me. I like to read historical novels and to do my homework. Very often I am openhearted, which puts me into great troubles. Oh, okay, and I will tell you that I’m Maggie.

Wrote at 12 years old age

untitled (Problem Solving)

I had had an argument with my friend and I was the guilty. My brain was busy with ideas about how to talk to her. Maybe I should try to call her? But what should I say? Finally I decided to call:
“Hi, Lil.”
“Hi.”
“Do you want to talk to me?”
She did not answer.
“I know that I am to blame for everything but for how long should this go on?”
“I don’t know.”
“What if I apologize?”
“Ok.”
“I am sorry.”
The only thing I would be happy to hear then was that my friend had accepted my apologies. I don’t like apologizing but I did it because I really felt guilty.
“Don’t worry, Mag. Everything is fine.”
“Thank you, Lil. Can you come to my place now?”
I was happy when we solved the problem. It was good to talk to my friend again.

Wrote at 11 years old age

“Talk” (The school)

“Hi, what’s up, guys?”
“Things are fine.”
“ Look at this necklace, do you know what it is?”
“No.”
“Have a better look, don’t you know its brand?”
“We said we don’t know, we have just five minutes to revise the lesson. Don’t disturb us.”
“You backwards, you don’t even know about Coco Channel.”

Wrote at 12 years old age