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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Favoritism (02/28/05)
In the end we are all separate: our stories, no matter how similar, come to a fork and diverge. We are drawn to each other because of our similarities, but it is our differences we must learn to respect.

Cecil slouched back onto the chair, gazing at the anonymous quote on the blackboard. From the back of the class, he peered over the top of the heads of his classmates. Mrs. Hammond chalked the quotation, underlining the word respect.

Cecil glanced toward the sneering Randy Pavers. Randy wrenched his right fist into his left palm, and Cecil immediately looked away. Two rows over, Taylor Adams noticed Randy’s gesture, grinned, and signaled thumbs-up.

When Mrs. Hammond turned and faced the class, the two boys, Randy and Taylor, instantly looked straight ahead, with studious faces, of course. Cecil straightened in his chair, folded his hands on his desk, and listened. Mrs. Hammond taught English, Cecil’s favorite subject; he loved reading and creative writing.

Mrs. Hammond examined her young class, and asked with a smile, “So what do you suppose it means to respect the differences of another person?”

A few hands shot up in response to her question. She called on the always ready, blonde haired Taylor. Putting his hand down, Taylor politely responded. “I think it means to treat everyone fair, no matter what kind of problems they have.” He paused, winked at Randy, and giggled. “Even if they act nerdy sometimes.” Randy and a few other classmates chuckled with Taylor.

“Okay, Taylor, let’s try to be serious today. Isn’t your statement displaying favoritism? When we think of others as having problems and, as you say, nerdy, can we honestly presume to respect them?” Mrs. Hammond leaned against her desk.

“Yea, as long as they quit acting like nerds, and try to be normal.” The pompous Randy Pavers assayed the class, performing for them.

Cecil pretended to search for something under his desk, hoping to avoid Randy’s inevitable glare.

“Cecil, did you lose something?” Mrs. Hammond spoke to Cecil and looked sternly at the snickering Taylor Adams.

“N-n-no, Ma’am.” Cecil stuttered, as a girl mocked in the background.

“Cecil, what is your understanding of respect in our context?” Mrs. Hammond noticed the humiliation of this young man who wrote excellent reports.

“I think it implies we accept others, even if they are pr-r-rofoundly different.” Cecil ducked his head as he spoke.

“Well spoken, Cecil.” Mrs. Hammond approached the blackboard and drew two more lines under the word respect. “For your assignment, class, write a one page report, due by Friday, on this topic - respecting the differences in others.”

As the bell rang, ending the final hour, Cecil circumvented the area to avoid Randy. Departing the classroom, Cecil intended to grab his books from the locker, stop by the restroom, and proceed directly home.

With the school day ended, Mrs. Hammond strolled toward the exit. Suddenly, Randy Pavers and another boy rushed from the boy’s restroom, bumped into her, and scurried out of the building. While she watched, the door to the restroom opened again. A head peeked out and then withdrew. She waited in silence for the figure to reappear. Slowly, Cecil emerged with damp hair and a water-soaked shirt.

She caressed her arm over Cecil’s shoulders and escorted him to the office. With a school counselor present, Cecil sobbed, recounting the abuse suffered in the restroom. Coaxed by Mrs. Hammond, he confessed to the frequent occurrence of malicious harassments.

In the adjacent room, Taylor Adams, who stayed late to use the office copier, listened through an open door. Tears formed in his eyes, as for the first time, he witnessed the emotional trauma of the harmful hassling of Cecil. As he wept, he asked God to forgive him.

The school counselor chatted on the phone with the baseball coach regarding his star pitcher, Randy Pavers.

“Thank you for understanding, Coach. I think tomorrow, in Mrs. Hammond’s class, we should all gather for a real life application on respecting others.”

Taylor Adams took a deep breath, walked through the opened door, and extended his hand to Cecil.
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This article has been read 895 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Lynne Gaunt
03/08/05
Your story is well-told. I liked your use of the quote at the beginning. I thought the rest of the story flowed pretty smoothly too. I liked that Taylor heard the account in the office - it was a nice twist that I didn't expect. Good job.
Suzanne R
03/09/05
I too liked the way that the story was built around the quote. Well done.
Jared Norton
03/09/05
I too like how you used the quote as the core point of reference in your story. Very nicely done! I might be wrong, and I do understand the restrictions of the word count, but it kind of felt to me like the last few sentences might be a little hurried. Perhaps the way you ended it was very intentional, and I am just missing something. either way it is still good work! :)
Phyllis Inniss 
03/10/05
I like how the story flowed from the quotation and "Opened Doors" to an understanding of respect on the part of the insensitive boys.
donna robinson
03/11/05
I think what I liked best here was that you made it understood that Taylor wasn't a bad kid. You wanted to smack him in the beginning because we forget kids don't always see the big picture. But you showed when given the chance to see the hurt, he felt it too. Maybe it was the small part of the story but it captured me. Taylor could give up being a "favorite" within his group when he realized the price.