The Reason

The Reason

I looked at the pile of pieces in front of me and knew I had no way of getting away from that place without putting them together. I had to assemble at least that chair. Then, when I carried it over to the truck I could slip away. My mother volunteered me. We were assembling chairs for the elementary school. She thought it would be good for me. Somehow getting up early and giving up a Saturday to hang around with a bunch of parents and kids, didn’t feel all that good to me.

I looked over the pile. Finally making a plan, I started.

“We don’t do it that way here.”

I looked up. A girl about my age was assembling a chair near me. She seemed to be telling me I was doing it wrong. “Huh?” I said, politely, because she was kinda cute.

“They told me to start with the back. We always start with the back.”

“Oh,” I said. “Well, I’ll finish this one and try one that way,” I finished mine.

“Hey!” she said, “That went a lot smoother than mine usually go! Can you show me how you did that?”

“Ah, sure, I guess?” I took my chair over to the truck and brought another set over.

After showing her my method, as she did her own my way at the same time, another person came over. “That was smooth! Show me how you did that!” So, I went and got another set.

Half an hour later everybody was assembling the chairs my way, and we were done with them before lunch! Then, they bought me lunch!

It turned out to be one of the best memories of my high school years. Me, teaching people something.

And really, that’s why I became a teacher.