Something new

[mathmission]

Here's something I wrote the other day...



Room 215

Once, when I was subbing for a class
I fumbled through random papers on the teacher's desk
There was a book called "Spelling, Skills and Drills,"
A cup filled with pens
A brown Kleenex box
two staplers, a roll of tape, and
a little silver bell that went 'bing' when I tapped it with my pen
I looked up and saw,
24 students
Room 215
Some of them were working quietly as I had asked
The rest were talking of TV, games, names
The random things-the simple things
I returned to the papers on the desk
and found a note for me:
"Return to Student"
Below this, another note:
"Very Private, Don't let others see"
I glanced down and read the paper.
It was a worksheet, a writing prompt for
a 7th grade memoir.
The first line read:
"When I was 8,
or 9,
my step father molested me."
'molested' was even spelled wrong.
When I was growing up,
my father was a drunk,
but I was still a child.
I built model cars with glue,
and played for a soccer team named the 'Red Invaders.'
That was what my life was about
when I was 8
or 9.
I looked up from the desk,
"Excuse me," I said.
The class goes silent.
I call her name.
She raises her hand from the other side of the room.
I wondered if she ever played soccer.
and if so,
what color was her jersey?
"I have a paper for you," I said,
as I handed it back to her.