At BYU-Idaho, all communication students are required to take a Writing For Communication course, also known as COMM 111.
Stephen Henderson, a faculty member who teaches the course, uses an assignment called Fly on the Wall, where students people-watch in a public place and write what they see.
This article is part of a series that showcases students’ Fly on the Wall pieces. All stories are edited by Scroll for grammar and clarity.
Crushed for attention
Submitted by: Candace Walker
Sometimes the need for attention is so great that it crushes you.
The clock reads 15:30 on the Hart Gym wall, and students linger around squat racks waiting their turn to lift the heavy equipment.
A young man with curly brown hair, a glowing white smile and biceps so large they bulge out of his shirt, sits on the bench. Next to him sits a young woman with straight brown hair and inviting eyes.
The young lady does not place safety bars underneath her. She seems to think that they won’t be needed for her 45-pound weight. She lays down on the bench, her hands two fists apart, then proceeds to push up on the bar.
As she lowers the bar to her chest, her elbows flare out to a forty-five-degree angle. Her face turns red as she tries to press the bar back up. A bulging vein makes itself apparent as she looks around, frantic for help.
Seeing her struggle, the curly-haired man runs to her, grabs the bar and lifts it to safety.
The girl’s face turns even redder.
“Oh my gosh, thank you!” she says. “I was so scared!”
The guy’s face turns red.
“No problem!” he says, lifting his hand to subtly show his wedding ring.
He begins to tell her to keep her hands further apart and her elbows closer to her body. A short, stocky blonde guy, who flirted with the girl previously, interrupts him.
“Here, watch me,” the blonde says.
Laying down on the bench, he begins benching, squeezing the bar so tight his knuckles turn white. Sitting up, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, he flexes so much his veins pop.
The curly-haired guy returns to his bench, letting the short stocky guy take over. The girl’s eyes glaze over as if she has no thoughts in her brain. She smiles and thanks both the men for the help.
She walks over to the cable machines where she proceeds to do tricep push-downs, leaning so far forward, it’s hard to watch.
Ribbon Guy
Submitted by: Bailee Edwards-Kevin
The afternoon sun shines bright at Porter Park. A slight breeze rustles the autumn leaves in the sturdy maple trees, and the breaking, accelerating and screeching of cars litter the air.
At the west end of the park, a blonde skinny dude set up a tent looking structure on the freshly cut grass. It doesn’t have an actual covering, just the skeleton. Draped down the middle hang two thick yellow ribbons. Swinging his arms, the Ribbon Guy starts to stretch.
He swings his lanky arms, looks at his phone often and continues his stretches, scrunching his face as he does so. Finally, Ribbon Guy climbs to the top, wraps ribbons around his thighs and torso, and starts spinning mid-air. His eyes shut while he turns his face toward the warmth of the sun. Slowly, fluttering his legs, the ribbons catch the breeze and ripple behind him.
Two guys walk in Ribbon Guy’s direction, tilting their heads in curiosity. The Ribbon Guy opens his arms, inviting them to try it out. One of the guys grips the yellow ribbons and attempts to scamper up, treating the ribbon like a rope — gym class style. Losing his strength about a quarter of the way, he drops back to the grass. His friend cackles while stopping the recording on his phone. Smirking, the Ribbon Guy pats the attempter on the back and hoists himself back on the ribbons.
A girl with chestnut-colored hair gravitates to the group. She stops and gazes at the Ribbon Guy, who is now gliding. Ribbon Guy lands and holds out his hand to her. Tying her hair back, the she attempts to grab the ribbon. She gets her feet up, and then slips, not having the strength to bear her weight. She slumps her shoulders, and gives up.
Ribbon Guy reaches for the ribbons with a smile to demonstrate once more. She tries again without success. Ribbon Guy applauds. The other two dudes try the ribbon again.
She continues to fawn and giggle as the Ribbon Guy performs. This was a competition — the two dudes fail miserably while Ribbon Guy confidently shows off his moves once more with a smirk on his face.
That is, until he almost falls to his death with the ribbons wrapped around his torso.
Students Abby Anderson, Miriam Akulu and Sariah Beasley studying and spending time in the Ricks Gardens. Photo credit: BYU-Idaho photo by Rachel Schoeny
20th place
Submitted by: Lauren Ludlow
The smell of rain. Muddy ground. Pitched pop-up tents. Shoelaces made into knots. Grass-covered course lines with arrows and trail markers.
The beginning of a junior high cross-country race took form. Everyone takes their positions and the shot of the gun rings loud with the adrenaline tangible. One particular runner captures the gaze of his family members as he takes off. They clap for him before running to the opposite side of the course to cheer him on.
At about halfway through the race, a runner sits in 25th place — only the top 25 medal at this meet. He flirts with the idea of grasping a reward as he chases down the finish line, blending into a herd of young boys down the backstretch.
The runner’s brother throws a couple of encouraging words for his final push into the home stretch. The crowd cheers harder as the racers came around the last leg of the course.
The kind words of a brother add to the runner’s fuel.
Now, the runner has passed five contestants. He obliterates the finish line, claiming his medal and catches his breath.
The runner’s family members cheer and embrace his exhausted body. He had done it! Based on his family’s reaction, you would have thought he got first place.
But it doesn’t matter where the runner ranked because his family loves their 20th-place boy.
Student playing pool. Photo credit: BYU-Idaho photo by Brett Garamendi
Ribbon Guy
Submitted by: Bailee Edwards-Kevin
The afternoon sun shines bright at Porter Park. A slight breeze rustles the autumn leaves in the sturdy maple trees, and the breaking, accelerating and screeching of cars litter the air.
At the west end of the park, a blonde skinny dude set up a tent looking structure on the freshly cut grass. It doesn’t have an actual covering, just the skeleton. Draped down the middle hang two thick yellow ribbons. Swinging his arms, the Ribbon Guy starts to stretch.
He swings his lanky arms, looks at his phone often and continues his stretches, scrunching his face as he does so. Finally, Ribbon Guy climbs to the top, wraps ribbons around his thighs and torso, and starts spinning mid-air. His eyes shut while he turns his face toward the warmth of the sun. Slowly, fluttering his legs, the ribbons catch the breeze and ripple behind him.
Two guys walk in Ribbon Guy’s direction, tilting their heads in curiosity. The Ribbon Guy opens his arms, inviting them to try it out. One of the guys grips the yellow ribbons and attempts to scamper up, treating the ribbon like a rope — gym class style. Losing his strength about a quarter of the way, he drops back to the grass. His friend cackles while stopping the recording on his phone. Smirking, the Ribbon Guy pats the attempter on the back and hoists himself back on the ribbons.
A girl with chestnut-colored hair gravitates to the group. She stops and gazes at the Ribbon Guy, who is now gliding. Ribbon Guy lands and holds out his hand to her. Tying her hair back, the she attempts to grab the ribbon. She gets her feet up, and then slips, not having the strength to bear her weight. She slumps her shoulders, and gives up.
Ribbon Guy reaches for the ribbons with a smile to demonstrate once more. She tries again without success. Ribbon Guy applauds. The other two dudes try the ribbon again.
She continues to fawn and giggle as the Ribbon Guy performs. This was a competition — the two dudes fail miserably while Ribbon Guy confidently shows off his moves once more with a smirk on his face.
That is, until he almost falls to his death with the ribbons wrapped around his torso.
