Are you curious enough to ask anyone or even keep reading this? Just because of the way I began it? Storytelling itself being in the title is an interesting word enough. Using reverse psychology, I don’t even think you’ll get through all of this. I also challenge that I’m a hell of a lot more curious than you to give a chance to the middle and end of the writing (I wouldn’t want to insult them: they are important to the story here too). 

But, I guess people aren’t as curious as I am in all things. This makes my nickname, Kat, pretty fitting as curiosity kills me all the time. But, I remain forgetful and busy, filled with obvious senioritis at the moment, until an opportunity comes to ask someone whose life revolves around telling stories, kind of like my own. When I’ve realized that questions had gone unanswered, I do my best to seek them, especially from the people who I haven’t bombarded with my curiosity. Even those wonderful minds I’ve known for years, I still haven’t asked them , especially a certain friend of mine. For as long as I’ve known her, she has always had a writing utensil and a canvas wherever she existed. A need to play G-d, a need to be in control- a need to be creatively free and to get better. It was alway something we had in common.

The person I speak of, the one I decided to interview, was my friend of around four or five years, Gatesana (GATE-sah-nah) Vongphachan (VON-pah-chan). We met in seventh grade and really began talking when we realized we had a lot of interests in common. A major one that we had in common was storytelling in different art forms, but mainly through writing and visual art. She wrote a bigger variety of things than I did at the time. Gatesana wrote poetry, songs, mini novels, and even comics. 

She was inspired by real life people and events, which created what I consider to be one of her greatest works: the comic book, ‘Welcome to the School on Crack’ which was about life in middle school (as well as freshmen year of high school), everyone there (I’m a main character), and the very strange but true events that happened. I remember the art not being very good, but the writing and what was captured in these true events were very obvious in the story. I think that’s what drew me to it in the first place, along with the comedic twist. For example, the day that the power went out in the middle of class and the teachers almost didn’t know what to do. Classes were put on hold as we all sat in the dark, whispering among ourselves and trying to hide the light of our cellphones. The students found it funny, the staff...not so much. Although the visual aspect of it wasn’t terribly great (we were thirteen and fourteen when it began), but the messages that needed to get across and the way it was told was exceptional. 

It was here where I understood that storytelling is important to her as well as being her outlet. However, I realized that I never asked her why or how she even came about it. I just figured she got into it the same way I did- through spite, competitiveness, and a mental escape along with the great fun of just creating. So, this was something I was incredibly curious about and had the perfect chance to discuss this topic with her. Little did I know that it meant as much to her than I thought it did. It makes me cheer on her writing even more than I already do, as much as her improvement throughout the years. 

I thought about these last few sentences for days. Not just because it’s so aesthetically pleasing but it’s also without that ‘old wisdom bullshit’ feel of most quotes that almost sound like a computer thought them up. This sounded real, and the most real coming from her. It also made me think about my stance with storytelling and I realized that, personally, storytelling gives our worlds color. The imaginationland itself, and then when everyone’s imagination can be shared, it’s always something entirely knew which makes her statement all the more true that stories are infinite. Ideas and wonders forever continue, making the world more interesting if even just a small bit at a time. This gives me the drive to keep going just like she currently does. (Although Welcome to the School on Crack is paused, I hope to obtain it and continue it if she will allow me to do so because she hasn’t continued it for a few years. But, this is a conversation for another assignment that I’ll possibly need to graduate in the future.)

Oh, look, you made it. Lived up to the challenge, eh? 

You win. But, what do you win exactly? 

Well, you win just a little bit of wisdom, the fact that you read a pretty crafty piece of writing about an interview and why I decided to do it (besides for being inspired by the due date), and some inspiration. With this newly acquired inspiration, I hope, go out and tell a story of your own. Make this world bigger and more vast than it already is, bring color not only into this world but your own as well.

You also win the song that I’ve put in the background. Those who have heard this, including Gatesana (because we’re both fans of electroswing), really like the music and want to know the title. So, just in case you’re wondering: ProleteR - April Showers (I DO NOT own this song)