A Bite of Life
Charlse Xavier MD
There has never been a time in my life where I regretted who I was, or what I was. My mother wasn't sure of our nationality, but, if I described myself I would say I was white with milk-honey eyes. Weird color, I know, but that's the best description I could come up with. I wasn't short, but I wasn't tall either. Nothing about me was disproportional and I never stood out in a crowd.
My mother always told me that it didn't matter who I thought I was but what I did that really makes up who I am. I knew we were a worthy family because we were hard workers and legit. My sister had a falling out with the police a couple of times, but that only happened when our family was murderously impoverished. Us Dappervilles always seem to hang on to existence by our pinky nails.
That is, until a little while ago.
See, my mom wasn't the type of person to do anything unless it concerned the wellbeing of her children. She loved us with all she had and the only reason she kept living the way she did was so that her daughter and son could have a chance at a better future. My mom worked as a security guard at this top level state penitentiary in Montville. It was an once-in-a-lifetime job and the best one she'd had in years. My mom worked with all the bad guys; the serial killers, rapists, and all the others who were crazy, but not crazy enough to be locked away in a strait jacket. When my sister and I were little she used to scare us with stories about the penitentiary. How sometimes the criminals would get loose and murder the guards, or how they thought if you ate a policeman you would become invincible. Sometimes I think part of those stories were true.
My sister didn't live in the house. She lived in the garage or some other nameless person's garage. She fixed engines for dirt cheap so that people would come to her with a problem. She was the balls of the family. She didn't take shit from no one, especially anything concerning her family. Everyone was convinced that she should have been the guy and I the girl. I was like the legendary Victorian maiden, sleeping in the tower of the rundown house, at the edge of the sticks. In a way, they were right, I guess. I did sleep in a tower anyways. Their opinions didn't matter at all to me, though. My sister liked the fact her little brother was so low key and pliable. I stayed out of her and my mom's way and stepped along the sidewalk they paved for me in the process. Or, I thought I would walk along that way before my life tipped like a weed that grew too high.
I didn't notice anything was wrong until the moment I woke up to go to school. I wasn't especially looking forward to it. I had been publicly titled 'Misfit' when I'd first entered New Britain High. But, that day was worse than any others I had ever experienced. I felt sluggish and stiff, unlike the usual mornings when I felt too flexible for a guy. I dragged my feet through the hall and when I saw my mom's face I knew she had a crazy thought that her kids had switched bodies. I never made it a habit to drag my feet.
I soon understood why she looked at my like that. She must have gazed at my sister the same way because Veronica was up and about. Her hair was done in a bright red, flat ironed mane, and she wasn't dressed in her johns. Something was wrong and all three of us looked at each other like all three of us had switched bodies.
I was late to school that day. I got one demerit; the first of many to come my way. I slept through English and History, failed the Biology quiz, and crashed into a school jock whom made a fish out of me. To say that my day wasn't going exactly as planned is a bit of an understatement. My day was a disaster and it kept getting worse.
We were scheduled to have a career speaker; a man by the name of Professor Charles Xavier. Rumor was that Professor was an ex-mutant who was coming to teach us how to hate the super humanity. Rumor said he had finished doing time at Area 51 and was now normal again. Rumor had it Professor had a whole group of anti-mutant super human warriors. Off course, when a rumor reached me, it usually was warped beyond all common sense.
In fact, Professor Xavier wasn't dangerous at all, to either mutants or humans. When I walked into the auditorium I saw him sitting next to the governor, the school principle, and several teachers whom I hadn't had the bad luck to meet. Professor Xavier was small and almost insignificant sitting next to the 'whole' people next to him. He sat in a motorized wheelchair; wearing a business suit no cripple has the business wearing.
Just out of curiosity, I copied all the students in the auditorium and sat at the far back. I sat where no one could see me, least of all, Professor Xavier; But, seeing him seemed to put a certain spark in me. And then, he looked straight at me.
Hello, Lance Dapperville.
My throat closed in on itself. I was looking straight at the man, yet his lips never moved. I had a feeling that this small elderly guy in the wheelchair should have the body of Hulk gone Superman. I heard him loud and clear. I knew had never heard my name. I glanced at the students sitting next to me. They were chatting animatedly among their friends. I was completely oblivious to everyone except a single guy sitting in a wheelchair, waiting to be introduced to a reluctant audience.
My heart pounded for no apparent reason; other than fear that is.
Principle Klouet stood up and walked to the podium. He cleared his throat and glared at every restless student in the auditorium. Only then did anyone notice me, and that was only with a contemptuous glance. I was too far under Principle Klouet's feet to be cast anything but that glance.
"Today!" he barked into the microphone. Only Professor Xavier didn't jump, "we have the utmost pleasure to be graced by the audience of who none of you know, but will never forget! This man goes by the name you've already heard! I advise you don't forget it! He will talk to you of a very important issue! I won't tell you to keep your ears open and your eyes peeled! That is all!"
No one, not even the teachers, made a sound as Principle Klouet sat down next to Professor Xavier. He dwarfed the smaller man by about two wrestlers. Even then, Professor Xavier paid less attention to the principle than he did to the kid aiming a pea shooter at me. Fortunately, the pea-shooter always missed.
Professor Xavier wheeled himself to the makeshift podium set up for him.
"My name is Professor Charles Xavier," he began. "I teach at a school, not quite this large, but growing all the time. My students address me by Professor X, and looking at you now reminds me of all the students I have ever taught.
"That is why I am here. I want to teach you a very important lesson that I hope you will never forget. It's not long. Just something to think about when you are at home and in bed.
"Many of you may not be aware that I am a mutant. No, I have not been to Area 51 and I do not favor mutants over humans. I am just a living organism that survives by working hard and showing compassion to all who need my help; human, and mutant alike.
"Let's begin our lesson now.
"I want everyone to look at their best friend, the dearest person, to you, that is in here. Or even someone who is not here. Look at the person next to you. What would you do, or think, if they were mutants? Would you still be their friend? Would you even love them? Much of the violence that occurs between mutants and humans is from misunderstanding and fear. Humans are afraid mutants will take advantage of them, manipulate them but, there are mutants who fight against those mutants who trespass the civil rights of humans. I teach mutants, not only academics, but how to control their power for the greater good of human and mutant kind.
"The contention between these two beings heightens when a mutant is discovered. When that happens, society automatically believes the mutant is dangerous and will harm them. Many mutants feel the same way towards humans; that society will turn on them with laws and warfare.
"Only compassion can close the rift between humans and mutants. Mutants are naturally afraid they will be attacked by a world they were once a part of. When they are attacked they lash out in defense of themselves. I can assure you that there will be people you know who are mutants. Your actions are the key to whether someone becomes a hard worker of society, or a criminal and this doesn't only apply to humans and mutants. There are students in this school who are bullied and teased. It occurs everywhere. These children learn to despise their tormenters. Some of their actions in the future will be the result of things that have happened to them in the past. Thank you."
For a moment the auditorium was dead silent. No one applauded him. I thought that they believed what Professor Xavier was saying was ludicrous, insane. But, when a single student began clapping, and everyone took up the motion, I understood they had just been rolling over the speech in their heads. It made sense that mutants would use their powers against humans because they felt threatened. And humans did threaten them. People took the law into their own hands too many times. The government always tried to pass this bill or that bill to limit the civil rights of mutants. I don't think anyone will forget him or the small speech he gave us.
What Professor Xavier said made perfect sense. We were as responsible for the mutants' attitude towards humans as much as they were responsible for their actions. I couldn't keep my hands still either. This small man was a genius. He wasn't pro-mutant. He wasn't pro-human. He was pro-peace and humane acts towards everyone.
Principle Klouet stood up and stepped to the podium. "QUIET!"
All noise immediately ceased.
"Are there any questions or comments!"
No one raised their hand to speak. No one wanted Principle Klouet's wrath, but I didn't care right at that moment. I stood up to alert one of the teachers I had something to say and I was passed a mic.
"Um…" my voice failed me for a moment. I had to clear my throat several times before continuing. "w-what a-re um…wh-what are, uh, y-your powers?"
No, I was not a stuttering idiot but I was under the spotlight and I didn't feel so well. The feeling of exhaustion came back harder than ever and it seemed to clog my brains waves, making me seem a little slow. I could hear several students mocking me before Professor Xavier answered.
"I can control people's minds."
At once, other hands shot into the air and the mic was snatched out of my hand and passed to another student.
It was one of those too-dumb-to-be-cute girls. "If you can control peoples' minds than why don't you control, say, the president's mind and make him do what you mutants want?"
Just as I had predicted, Professor Xavier would not allow himself to be offended. He actually seemed to give the girl's question some thought and said, "It's not what I and the mutants want that can be accomplished by controlling anyone. The only thing mutants want is to be accepted and not feared. That is something no one could ever accomplish through controlling another's mind. Mental manipulation doesn't work, sometimes, and causes more problems than solutions. I only use my powers to teach mutants how to better control their power and to communicate with others. Only in desperate situations will I ever take control of someone's mind."
The questions continued and as time went on they seemed to merge together. One kid looked like another and the teachers were just blurs walking to and fro between the isles. At one point I had been asked a question but I wasn't paying enough attention to make out exactly what it was. I did the first thing that came to mind and that was to dip my head and shrug. It wasn't long before I'd had enough.
I stood up to leave and saw that blur that was Principle Klouet stand also. He didn't need to do anything because all the lights went off before I reached the isle. I felt my face slam into the floor, vertigo, and then nothing.