The Boy and the Bookstore

I Want To Be Different

Charlie had just left the cafeteria on campus and was hurrying his way to his next class when he heard someone call his name from behind. Charlie stopped and turned around and noticed Marcus in black dress pants and a white dress shirt sitting on a bench that he had just walked by.

“What brings you to campus today?”

“I thought I’d attend a class today and see one of my favorite teachers.”

“And you dress up like this to attend class?”

“Well let’s just say that I’m a part of a panel in today’s lecture. I’m trying to leave an impression.”

“If you shaved that would have left a good impression.”

“I never said I wanted to leave a good impression.”

“I don’t have time for your mind games today. I’m running late to class.” Charlie said turning around and walking away. Marcus got up and followed.

“You didn’t read your email for class today did you?”

“And you did?”

“Actually I did. English 112 section 2 with Mr. Waymire. Today he has a panel of teachers to come in and speak to his class with the section of students who are on the education path. You are supposed to have some questions to ask. Don’t worry though I plan on doing a lot of the questions.”

“You don’t really think that they’ll just let you into our class as a student and the teachers will allow you to antagonize them? You better be ready to be kicked out once you start mouthing off.”

“Oh Charlie Garner how closed minded you are.” Marcus said stopping.

“You give up already?”

“No. I can’t walk in with you. I don’t want you to get in trouble for what I’m about to do. You still believe in America’s society of proper education. But you won’t soon.” Charlie was at the classroom door and walked in. Marcus counted to ten and then walked in. There were three chairs on one side in the front of the classroom and another solo chair on the other side. Three adults who looked to be the teachers were all talking right outside the classroom doors when Marcus walked in and sat down on the solo chair away from the other three. He glanced at his pretend watch and then slapped his hands on the table next to the wall.

“Quiet down class and let’s get started. Mr. Waymire is running late and he asked me to step in and hold this discussion today. My name is Mr. Aurelius and as soon as our teachers stop smoking their cigarettes outside of the classroom and decide to join us we will get started.”

A kid in the back of class asked if they should turn in their homework for the day but Marcus told them to hold onto it. The three teachers walked in and sat down in the three chairs at the front of the room. Marcus had a smirk on his face. Charlie had a funny feeling about this and didn’t even take out his notebook or books. He had a feeling this was going to end quickly and abruptly.

“Let’s start off with something simple. Tell us your names, where you graduated, and when was the last time you took an SAT or ACT.” Each teacher stated their name, where they currently worked, where they went to school, and kind of laughed and gave an awkward answer as to when the last time they took their SAT was or ACT exams.

“Interesting. And would any of you be willing to take this exam again for us in the next week or so?” All three teachers looked at each other in a disturbed fashion. One of them managed to ask if this was the reason why they were here.

“No. Actually you are just the only ones misfortunate enough to agree to come in on such short notice. You must not be very important teachers or else you wouldn’t have been able to make it.” One of them attempted to cut Marcus off but he just spoke over him.

“This is more of a lecture and not a discussion today kids. They are just here as a visual aid for those who do not listen very well. Allow me to tell you guys a story I read in the Washington Post. A CEO type of person was a part of a school board. He ran a three billion dollar business with over 20,000 employees. In all sense of the word he was a success. For whatever reason he decided he was going to take those standardized tests that all of us have taken to show whether we are college material or not. Some of us do well and go on to Yale. Others of us do normal and end up at state schools like this. Those that do very badly can’t get into any college at all and decide to play the minimum wage employment field. The test this guy took had sixty questions. He managed to guess ten of them right. On his reading part of the exam he scored a 63 or 64% on it. I’m assuming all of us did better on both part of our exams or else we wouldn’t be here. Yet this guy had his bachelors, two master’s degrees, and was halfway done with his doctorate degree. In case you’re missing the point here. Our educational program is broken. Teachers are teaching things that this guy proved were not actually preparing students for the real world and the tests do not really show who is ready for the real world either. Do you really want to be a part of that?” Two of the teachers had packed up their things and left. One of the teachers stayed to listen to what Marcus had to say. He was a young teacher.

“Another article showed that those who graduated in the educational field and went on to teach were also the people who graduated in the lower third of their classes. Therefore not only is our educational system broken but we are also hiring those who by these artificial guidelines are the worst people prepared to teach our kids and our cousins. So if you’re looking for an easy major to pick up that piece of paper and getting hired this is definitely the major for you. If you actually have some ambition and want to make a difference and change something go become a doctor and do research. Educate yourself with something you enjoy and become a philosopher. Don’t settle for this major because five years into if you’re going to realize that what you’re doing is in a broken system and you’re miserable. You’re not making the difference you want.” Marcus stopped and looked over to the teacher who was still here to see if he could say anything. The teacher was about to speak up and talk but Mr. Waymire walked in the classroom and stood in the front of the classroom looking at Marcus.

“Oh Mr. Thomas. What have we done now to be blessed with your presence? Class you’ll have to dismiss anything that he might have taught you. He is not a professor at this school. He is not a professor at any school.” The class broke out into whispers as they digested this bit of information. Charlie maintained attention between the discussion that was about to blow up.

“Well I guess you’d have to define what a professor is then Waymire because I definitely don’t see you as one either.”

“I don’t have time for your antics. Would you mind and leave my classroom please?”

“You’re not curious as to how I managed to book three high school teachers, looked up your schedule, and emailed your class to bring in questions for these teachers?”

“I am not. I only wished that you would use your talents for other things.”

“You’re a coward. If you don’t have any curiosity or passion to learn you shouldn’t be allowed to teach and mold the minds of men and women.”

“Don’t make me get security. Please leave my classroom.”

“I called your secretary who was supposed to print off those papers in your hands. I told her I had found her credit card and could only deliver it at a certain time causing her to leave the office. When you showed up with none of your printing done you knew it was better to do your all your printing and be late instead of getting to class on time and walking across campus again to print them off knowing you had a class of freshman. I knew I had a ten minute window to get my point across and make you look like an idiot.” Mr. Waymire picked out his cellphone and started dialing a number. “I don’t think you want to do that.”

“Oh and why is that Sam? Did you put a bomb in my phone?”

“Well that’s just a stupid idea. No I wouldn’t do that because I knew your schedule because I was in your office. Your password protection wasn’t very good and while I was looking for your classroom rosters I also found the inappropriate pedophile anonymous links you had saved on your laptop.”

“There’s no links on there.”

“It doesn’t matter if there is or not. As soon as allegations are thrown out there they will have to investigate and they will uncover things you don’t want to be uncovered. So it’s your choice which path you want to go here.” Mr. Waymire hung up his phone.

“So what do you want? You want to blackmail me?”

“Well if I told you my plans what fun would that be? No instead you’re going to cancel class right now. Allow me to leave this classroom and then go about your day wandering what else I found accessible on your laptop.” Marcus/Sam then walked out of the classroom. Mr. Waymire softly said “class dismissed.”

The class quickly got out of their seats to see where this mysterious man had gone but there were no signs of him. Charlie was done with classes for the day and decided he would head over to Marcus, or Sam’s, apartment right now. He was completely lost as to what his real name was now. He pulled out his cell phone and texted him saying “I’m coming over now.” Marcus/Sam responded with “you better bring me a Pepsi then.”

Charlie stopped by a campus store to pick up a Pepsi before he walked to the end of campus where the bookstore was. He cut down the alley and made sure that no one was following him. He pushed a dumpster to the side of the wall climbed up on top of it and then jumped up and grabbed the edge of the roof and pulled himself up. He put the twenty ounce of Pepsi in his book bag that was on his back. He walked over to the window and opened it up from the outside. Charlie climbed inside and looked around. Marcus/Sam was sitting on his couch with his laptop on the coffee table typing something. Charlie stopped in the doorway.

“What the hell was that?”

“What was what?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“Waymire? I got bored. I needed to entertain myself on my off day.”

“You blackmailed him in front of a room of freshman… all for your entertainment?”

“Well to be fair. He did get me kicked out of school. He had it coming.”

“You were kicked out of school?”

“Another time for that story. You learn anything today?”

“You obviously don’t believe in teachers or our educational system.”

“It’s very closed minded and doesn’t breed creativity either.”

“Okay then?”

“Do you still really want to be a teacher?” He said shutting his laptop.

“I’m not sure. I want to make a difference at something I do and I had a teacher who was a huge role model for me. I still have another year to decide anyways. All I’m taking are the general courses right now.”

“Well I guess it’s your decision. I can always wait and say I told you so later. I need to go though so you better be leaving too.” Charlie turned to leave for the window before he paused to say something.

“So what is your real name then? Sam or Marcus?”

“People who know me in my personal life call me Sam. It’s my real name. Samuel Thomas. But for people I cannot trust or who I do not know its Marcus. Got it?”

“No.”

“In here you can call me Sam. Anywhere else with people around you call me Marcus.”

“And why do you do this?”

“Because Robin Hood was too obvious a name that I was lieing.” Charlie looked puzzled. “Haven’t you ever wanted an alter ego to live with?”

“Not really. I’m a normal person. My name is Charlie and I want people to call me Charlie.” Sam pushed Charlie to the window and forced him out of the window.

“Well you’re boring. I don’t want to be normal. I want to be different.”