Getting an A

Getting an A

Mr. Jenks stood at the front of the classroom, quietly watching his students. Most had already noticed and had stopped talking. A couple now getting ‘shhh shhh’ from the others.

Mr. Jenks was a very strict teacher, especially on days when he and his wife had just had another stupid argument over the phone. Unbeknownst to the students, of course, because it always happened in the teacher’s lounge, during break. But the quiet, nonsmiling face was a clue.

The class got quiet. He turned and picked up his remote as the students sat, now frozen in their seats hoping he was calm now. All his students had said, at one time or another, they never wanted to take a class with him again!

Mr. Jenks started the lesson. Still facing the students, he pushed a button. A picture came up on the screen behind him. “Do you know what that is? Anyone?” he asked.

All the students sat, trying to figure out what they were looking at. Seemingly a small almost circular indent or cave in a very sparce hill of some kind. The cave was void of plants, even rocks. The land around it seemed to have thin wavy unrecognizable, leafless plants growing in very light-colored soil. Brownish, almost skin colored.

“It can’t be that hard!” Mr. Jenks snapped, “Didn’t anyone do their homework last night?” Then he turned abruptly to point out all the things the students should know.

However, the picture on the screen was not the picture he had expected. It was a photo he had taken of his own bellybutton, and belly, and was planning to send to his wife because he was so angry with her! Mr. Jenks fainted.

On the good side, every student in class that day got an A!