Skinny Jeans Have No Place On These Thighs
What Makes A Genius?
When I get to school, having dumped my breakfast in a bin just outside Luddy Lane, Izzie seems to have forgotten our argument at the weekend. She drags me into a seat beside her and says urgently, “Thank God you’re here!”
I’m a little surprised she’s talking to me as we didn’t walk to school together as we often do. Although, I haven’t actually walked with her in almost a month, is that how long it takes to break a habit? Perhaps the NHS should bear this in mind when making those anti-smoking adverts on TV.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, straightening my hair where the unnecessary pull from Izzie has unsettled it. She’s in a manic state, like the time she thought she saw the guy from The Horrors in Tescos.
Not incredibly likely, is it?
“Wrong?” Izzie looks at me as though I’m wearing a Mariah Carey fan club badge i.e. insane. “There’s nothing wrong! Don’t you know? There’s an actual genius coming in to talk to us in PSHE today.”
This one is going to be a thinker. You see, Izzie has never exactly been the brain of Britain. Not that she’s stupid, not by any means. She’s really sharp and can spot things of interest to her a mile off. She’s just never shown much of an interest in geniuses.
“The guy has come to tell us about intelligence,” says Becca, who’s sitting on the other side of Izzie. “Can you think of anything cooler?”
I’m still confused. Since when was cleverness a fashion accessory for these people? It’s probably some rock star they all cry over that’s been pictured with a copy of New Scientist of something.
This is why I can’t stand Becca and Robbie and the emo lot that Izzie has started to hang out with. They act like they’re profound but most of what they say is silly. They always find each other utterly hilarious as well although I’ve never been able to spot the joke in it all.
They spend half their time complimenting one another with preens and giggles and headphones and the other half making themselves feel superior by excluding other people.
To be fair, they pick on everyone, not just people who can't take it.. From quiet geeky people to the popular pretties; no one is safe from their smirks. Unless you’re one of them. Then you’re fine. Maybe that’s why Izzie likes them. They agree with whatever she says and she likes to criticise everyone else with them.
The only drawback to this arrangement is that if you’re their friend you have back them up too. So, if you’re in a lesson and Robbie, Toby, Becca, Cassie or Will start making trouble, you’re obliged as a member of the gang to join in. That can be giggling to distract other people, throwing paper balls at people, asking really, really stupid questions, well, you get the picture. We’ve all been a classroom before where a few people are intent on showing off and trying to be funny.
Sometimes it can be a little funny I suppose but for the most part it’s just annoying.
Anyway, Mrs Chieftain takes the register, Bridget walks in late and gets told off and then she sits on the other side of me and while Mrs Chieftain is talking, Izzie starts telling her that the cleverest man in the world is going to be taking us for PSHE.
“Can’t wait to have a genius talking to us!” gushes Izzie. “A high IQ is so attractive!”
“Not all geniuses have high IQs,” says Bridget quietly.
“Well, then, why are they a genius?” asks Izzie irritably.
“All sorts of reasons,” replies Bridget, sounding a little tired. Maybe she’s regretting confronting Izzie about this. When Izzie is excited about something, it’s a mistake to contradict her when she’s in the zone.
Izzie throws a little look to Becca. “Such as?”
“Well . . . maybe they see the world differently. Articulate their opinion in an entirely new way from what people have done before.” Bridget pauses for a second while Becca looks on blankly and Izzie just look pissed off. “Any Warhol’s IQ was less than a hundred and people still call him a genius.”
“Andy Warhol?” Becca’s expression shifts slightly. “The artist.”
“Yeah.”
“Why’s he a genius?”
Bridget shrugs. “Dunno. Depends on what you think being a genius is comprised from, you know?”
Becca nods, for once not looking smug, but Izzie isn’t impressed. “So a genius can have a high IQ, then?”
Bridget frowns at her. “Yes but not necessarily. Matt Groaning might be called a genius but not everyone would say that.”
Becca looks more impressed by the minute – maybe she really does like intelligent people. Bridget is really smart. Not just with school work, she’s just really mature and switched on. I don’t know why she hangs out with me and Izzie to be honest, we’re both drones.
I wish I had a brain of my own.
I’m a little surprised she’s talking to me as we didn’t walk to school together as we often do. Although, I haven’t actually walked with her in almost a month, is that how long it takes to break a habit? Perhaps the NHS should bear this in mind when making those anti-smoking adverts on TV.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, straightening my hair where the unnecessary pull from Izzie has unsettled it. She’s in a manic state, like the time she thought she saw the guy from The Horrors in Tescos.
Not incredibly likely, is it?
“Wrong?” Izzie looks at me as though I’m wearing a Mariah Carey fan club badge i.e. insane. “There’s nothing wrong! Don’t you know? There’s an actual genius coming in to talk to us in PSHE today.”
This one is going to be a thinker. You see, Izzie has never exactly been the brain of Britain. Not that she’s stupid, not by any means. She’s really sharp and can spot things of interest to her a mile off. She’s just never shown much of an interest in geniuses.
“The guy has come to tell us about intelligence,” says Becca, who’s sitting on the other side of Izzie. “Can you think of anything cooler?”
I’m still confused. Since when was cleverness a fashion accessory for these people? It’s probably some rock star they all cry over that’s been pictured with a copy of New Scientist of something.
This is why I can’t stand Becca and Robbie and the emo lot that Izzie has started to hang out with. They act like they’re profound but most of what they say is silly. They always find each other utterly hilarious as well although I’ve never been able to spot the joke in it all.
They spend half their time complimenting one another with preens and giggles and headphones and the other half making themselves feel superior by excluding other people.
To be fair, they pick on everyone, not just people who can't take it.. From quiet geeky people to the popular pretties; no one is safe from their smirks. Unless you’re one of them. Then you’re fine. Maybe that’s why Izzie likes them. They agree with whatever she says and she likes to criticise everyone else with them.
The only drawback to this arrangement is that if you’re their friend you have back them up too. So, if you’re in a lesson and Robbie, Toby, Becca, Cassie or Will start making trouble, you’re obliged as a member of the gang to join in. That can be giggling to distract other people, throwing paper balls at people, asking really, really stupid questions, well, you get the picture. We’ve all been a classroom before where a few people are intent on showing off and trying to be funny.
Sometimes it can be a little funny I suppose but for the most part it’s just annoying.
Anyway, Mrs Chieftain takes the register, Bridget walks in late and gets told off and then she sits on the other side of me and while Mrs Chieftain is talking, Izzie starts telling her that the cleverest man in the world is going to be taking us for PSHE.
“Can’t wait to have a genius talking to us!” gushes Izzie. “A high IQ is so attractive!”
“Not all geniuses have high IQs,” says Bridget quietly.
“Well, then, why are they a genius?” asks Izzie irritably.
“All sorts of reasons,” replies Bridget, sounding a little tired. Maybe she’s regretting confronting Izzie about this. When Izzie is excited about something, it’s a mistake to contradict her when she’s in the zone.
Izzie throws a little look to Becca. “Such as?”
“Well . . . maybe they see the world differently. Articulate their opinion in an entirely new way from what people have done before.” Bridget pauses for a second while Becca looks on blankly and Izzie just look pissed off. “Any Warhol’s IQ was less than a hundred and people still call him a genius.”
“Andy Warhol?” Becca’s expression shifts slightly. “The artist.”
“Yeah.”
“Why’s he a genius?”
Bridget shrugs. “Dunno. Depends on what you think being a genius is comprised from, you know?”
Becca nods, for once not looking smug, but Izzie isn’t impressed. “So a genius can have a high IQ, then?”
Bridget frowns at her. “Yes but not necessarily. Matt Groaning might be called a genius but not everyone would say that.”
Becca looks more impressed by the minute – maybe she really does like intelligent people. Bridget is really smart. Not just with school work, she’s just really mature and switched on. I don’t know why she hangs out with me and Izzie to be honest, we’re both drones.
I wish I had a brain of my own.
♠ ♠ ♠
If George W Bush had an IQ of 125, does that make him more of a genius than Warhol? No. Therefore, Bridget Evans is right.