life rattle show no. 1359

Presented on friday, november 15, 2015

hosted by laurie kallis

featuring

"Silver Ladder"
by Aaron Jervis

and

"Sour Patch Kid"
by Fatima Zermina

tonight's Show

Life Rattle No. 1359 features two stories by two new Life Rattle writers: Aaron Jervis and Fatima Zermina.

Aaron Jervis was born in 1993 in Toronto, after his parents came to Canada from Jamaica and Guyana. He is currently engaged in a student athlete career, playing football for the University of Toronto. After completion of his degree, he aspires to play in the Canadian Football League alongside his teammates from previous graduating classes. With time, Aaron Jervis would like a career in journalism.

The effortless quality of Aaron’s prose is deceiving. The simplicity of his presentation and the natural flow comes only when supplemented by hours of hard work. Not the same work that he describes in our featured story —but challenging work none the less.

"Silver Ladder" gives us a little insight into what it takes to keep us all protected from the elements. Aaron shows us all we really ever want to know about the hellish job being a roofer: the labour of stripping off old shingles and rotten wood, followed by the task of getting seventy pound bundles of shingles up a ladder and into place, not to mention getting everyone and everything to the jobsite. The whole exercise is a nasty enough way to put supper on the table as it is, but it gets even worse if the boss contractor considers all of his employees disposable.

Coincidentally, our second story also brings us up onto a rooftop. But that is just because rooftops are pretty well everywhere that humans are. Beyond that, our second writer takes us to a completely different world of experience.

Fatima Zermina, was born on August 23rd, 1995, in Lahore, the foodie district of Pakistan. She is sandwiched between two brothers, inevitably making her the forgotten middle child. However, to her advantage, she is the only daughter, thus, enjoying all the perks that come along with being the only girl. Fatima is the daughter of a business owner with incredible street smarts, and the female version of Mr.Clean—a full-time housewife and part-time family comedian. Fatima’s parents sacrifice much to ensure their children always feel they can achieve their ambitions and be who they want to be in life. She and her brothers have attended more than twelve schools in their lifetimes—always on the move, meeting new people, and making wonderful memories along the way—though many of the “memories” involved going against the “don’t try this at home” warnings. Fatima Zermina is still trying to figure out what she wants to do in life. What she does know, however, is that she wants to make a positive difference.

The frank, honesty of Fatima’s narrative will wipe out volumes of preconceptions.

"Sour Patch Kid" delivers a vivid depiction of a pair of teenage cousins, who have shared life experiences in both Pakistan and Canada, who find solitude on a rooftop in Karachi. Through the darkness of the early hours of the morning, to the scorching dawn, they reflect on life and the loss of one’s mother.

Please Note: Tonight's stories contain language and situations that some listeners may find offensive. Listener discretion is advised.