Renaissance Man - Part 1

Scene 07 _ Introduction to General Science

Scene 07 Rev H

Scene 07 “Introduction to General Science”

Torey Campbell – Protagonist
Viviana Tessaro – Torey’s soon to be girlfriend
Addo Okoro – Torey’s best friend
Dr. Murdoch Henderson – Science teacher

         Torey headed to Room 201 for his first science class. Five rows of slate-topped tables spanned the room. Cabinets under the tables stored science supplies — the cheap stuff. Locked, glass-fronted cabinets along the back wall held the expensive equipment.
         Torey was almost the last to arrive. Some faces Torey knew; there was Addo Okoro in the back row. Addo smiled and waved. Torey returned the gesture. Suddenly his gaze froze. At the front table’s far end sat a girl who caught his eye. Striking to Torey — full figured with a dark complexion. Well dressed, her long wavy black hair fell to her shoulders. She nodded a brief indication of recognition.
         Torey took the stool at the end of the second row.
         A large chart entitled Periodic Table of the Elements, dominated the front wall above the blackboard. He had no idea what it meant.
         Then entered Henderson — the classic picture of a science teacher — diminutive under a shock of white hair, a full mustache, along with rimless spectacles.
         “Good morning class. I am Doctor Henderson; this class is ‘Introduction to General Science’. I am Chairman of the Science Department; in fact, I am the whole science department at this institution. There is no one else … just me.” A mild laugh rippled through the classroom.
         Torey scanned the room while Henderson droned on. Above the glass cases along the back wall, plus above the blackboard on the inside wall were pictures and diagrams of many things scientific. Some were views through a microscope, some through a telescope, a picture of the heavens with dotted lines identifying the constellations. A large diagram titled “Six Simple Machines” contained six small charts outlining the fundamental force multipliers.
         Henderson jerked Torey’s attention back to the present. “My roster indicates there are twenty-four of you. Let’s see how many showed up.”
         “Adams, Charles; Benson, Mary; Billings, Samuel …,” Henderson continued the roll call. Torey had been carefully avoiding looking at the black-haired girl.
         “Campbell, Torey.” “Here!” Torey noticed the girl jot something in her notebook.
         The teacher continued, eventually reaching, “Okoro, Addo.” Then “Tessaro, Viviana” followed by “Here!” from the girl Tory had been watching.
         I’ve got it, Torey exclaimed to himself. I have her name — Viviana Tessaro.
         “Well, I’m glad everyone decided to join us for this first day of class,” said Henderson, smiling. Now we have two items of business to tend to before we begin. “Let’s start by talking about the composition you will turn in near semester’s end.”
         A groan rolled across the room. “Now it’s not that bad. The report does not have to be long. Moreover, you have the entire semester to get it done. In eighth grade, you are presumed to be mentally equipped to do some real thinking. Eighth grade is where we expect you to begin to exercise some responsibility for your own learning. You are growing up, needing some practice communicating whole thoughts, in whole paragraphs, in your mother tongue … English!”
         “You have in front of you an instruction sheet on what I expect in this composition — lacking only a subject. I’m sure you would like to pick a topic yourself, but that’s no fun at all. This dish holds thirty folded slips of paper. Each showing a topic for your report. Since there are twenty-four of you, I should have six left when you finish choosing,” Henderson said, walking along the front of each table, holding the dish out for each student to reach but high enough that they could not see inside the dish. “If you pick two, you get to write two papers, with credit for one, so choose carefully.”
         Passing the last student, he checked the dish. “I have six left. Isn’t mathematics wonderful?”
         Returning to the front table, he continued. “Please copy the words from the paper you selected onto the top line of your instruction sheet. Also, on the back of the paper I gave you, write your name. I’ll collect those as you leave. Think of those bits of paper to be your fortune from a Chinese Fortune cookie. You will not have good fortune if you fail to return the slip of paper with your name on it.”
         “The second item of business,” continued Henderson. “For lab work, let’s work in teams of three. Torey shot a quizzical look at Viviana. She returned an affirmative nod. He then looked back to where Addo was looking straight at him waiting for his attention. Another quick nod and they had a team.
         Wow. I got Viviana on my team, thought Torey, not knowing or caring about her ability in science.
         “Are there any questions?” Henderson broke in over the sound of many conversations. Henderson allowed a long pause for a possible response. “Very well, assemble your teams, fill out the instruction sheet as I asked. You are dismissed when the bell rings. I will be waiting by the door to collect your composition topics.”
         Torey moved toward Viviana’s corner. Addo followed.
         “Hi. Torey Campbell. This is my friend Addo Okoro.”
         “I’m Viviana Tessaro. Everyone calls me Vivi”, she replied.
         “Let’s fill out these instruction sheets.” Each looked at their ‘Fortune Cookie.’
         “My topic is ‘Journey to the Moon: The Mathematics’,” said Torey. “What’s yours?”
         “Simple Machines in Manufacturing,” replied Addo.
         “Wow! You’re home free. Look up there,” Torey blurted, pointing to the chart high above.
         “Carbon Dioxide and Global Warming,” said Viviana. “I don’t know anything about that. Why do we have to write a stupid paper anyway?”
         The bell rang, and each student handed their slip of paper to Henderson as they passed through the doorway. Viviana hurried off, while Torey and Addo held back.
         “… a girl for our team?” exclaimed Addo. “Girls no good at science, and she started fussin first thing. What yo thinkin?”
         Torey smiled.
         “Okay, I get it,” Addo answered his own question, grinning broadly.
         “Let’s go to lunch.”

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Word Count: 987