The Most Popular Class

The Most Popular Class

Mrs. Teal’s class was the most popular class in our high school. That day her look was the warning. Everyone saw it and stopped, except Randy. It was a tricky move, sometimes she was easy, other times she’d run the gambit from extra homework to sending you to the principal. We all knew what he was hoping for.

She stood silently, looking right at Randy, waiting. Randy pretended obliviousness, playing, tapping his foot, snickering, pretending he hadn’t noticed the room was now silent. She began to walk down the aisle toward him.

“Mr. Howell,” she said, “do you know you are holding up the entire class?”

Randy snapped to attention, deliberately knocking papers off his desk at the same time. He was on a roll. As stuff careened down, landing in a heap in front of her, he jumped up revealing a bonus! An open juice box hidden between his knees! Juice squirted all over the pile and onto Mrs. Teal’s shoes. She turned red, her eyes almost bulged out of her head as she sputtered, “To the Principal’s office!!” Randy grabbed everything and fled.

Everyone was quiet as Mrs. Teal wiped her shoes. She took another minute to compose herself. Once she began class again, Randy would be forgotten. We kept silent. Randy didn’t actually go to the principal’s office, there was no point. As soon as the class began again, Mrs. Teal would have forgotten all about him. There was never any follow up.

We all knew Randy had run home for the permission slip he’d left on the counter. He needed it after school and there wouldn’t be time then, and nobody would be looking for Randy until our next class.

That’s why Mrs. Teal’s class was the most popular class in our school.