A is for Apples
It was sort of ironic that it all started with apples. For hundreds of years parents and teachers have been using apples as examples for simple counting. If Joe had five apples and he gives two apples away how many apples does he have left?
Kids have been counting apples for as long as anyone can remember but who would have thought that the great Charles Epps would have been discovered through this simple little problem.
It happened during Charlie's first week of kindergarten when he was only five years old. His teacher, the young and new Ms. Farren, was kneeling by the boy next to Charlie's desk, Bobby, talking to him about, what else an apple problem.
"Ok, Bobby," said Ms. Farren cheerfully, "If you have five apples and I take one of them away, how many do you have left?"
Bobby scrunched up his nose and asked, "Why did you take one of my apples?"
Ms. Farren let out a little laugh and replied, "No, Bobby, I'm not actually going to take your apple, it is just math. Do you know how to count to five?"
"Of course I do!" exclaimed Bobby loudly. He didn't want anyone to think he didn't know how to count.
"Great!" said Ms. Farren cheerfully, "So if you have five and I take away one how many do you have left?"
"Seven?" asked Bobby hopefully.
Charlie, who had been listening to the entire exchange turned slightly to face them and said quietly, "Four".
Ms. Farren and Bobby turned to Charlie and the teacher asked, "What was that Charlie?"
"The answer," the terribly young brown haired boy said again, "is four. If I have five apples and you take one away that leaves four left over."
"Very good Charlie!" exclaimed Ms. Farren just as Bobby turned to her and announced, "I knew that!"
"I know you did, Bobby," she said soothingly but Ms. Farren's attention was already on the strangely intelligence Charlie Epps. She had noticed him before because he always seemed much more alert than all the over children. He would sit completely still for minutes on end seemingly taking every tiny detail in.
"Ok, Charlie," Ms. Farren said, kneeling down by his desk, "If you have four apples and I give you two more, how many do you have?"
"Six," said Charlie promptly.
"Correct!" exclaimed Ms. Farren, totally delighted to have a child in her class that had obviously been taught some things at home to be able to give such quick answers.
"What about if I have eight apples and you give me eight more?" she asked.
"Sixteen," Charlie answered, looking slightly bored.
Ms. Farren raised an eyebrow and exclaimed, "Correct again!" Then noticing that her other students were beginning to lose interest and fidget she quickly added, "Charlie would you mind staying after class for just a few minuetes?"
"Of course, Ms. Farren," Charlie answered, looking up at her. Ms. Farren was once again taken aback by with alertness and understanding. He certainly didn't seem like a normal four year old.
The rest of the class pasted without much incident and at the end of the day, Charlie stayed at his desk as all the other children got up to leave.
Ms. Farren got up and sat down in the desk next to Charlie. "Well, Charlie I was very impressed with you today," she said carefully, "you certainly know your math."
Charlie rewarded her with a bright smile and said, "Thanks! I bet I'm even better than my big brother, Don!"
Ms. Farren laughed and then said more seriously "Charlie do you know just how high you can count?"
Charlie scrunched up his face in concentration and was silent for several long moments before saying, "I don't really know, Ms. Farren, but I think pretty high."
"Do you know multiplication?" asked his teacher, already calling herself immature to even ask.
"You mean like the two, three and four times tables?" asked Charlie, looking up at her with wide eyes.
Ms. Farren's eyebrows shot up and she spluttered, "Do you know them?"
"Of course," Charlie replied and then began shooting off numbers, "2,4,6,8,10,12…. 3,6,9,12,15,"
"Wow!" cried Ms. Farren, "you really do know your numbers!"
As Charlie grinned up at her, the teacher was struck with a though. Well, it couldn't hurt to just ask. "Charlie," she began slowly, "do you know what seven times five is?"
"Thirty-five," Charlie answered promptly.
"Eight times nine?" asked Ms. Farren.
"Seventy-two," said Charlie.
The young kindergarten teacher closed her eyes for a minute and took a very deep breath. Then she opened her eyes and asked stiffly, "Charlie, where did you learn to do this advanced math so quickly? Have your parents been working with you?" Not even that could explain this.
Charlie shrugged and shook his head. "Not really," he said, "I just don't find it very hard. I just see the two numbers in my head and times them together. Why? Is that bad?"
"No!" cried Ms. Farren, holding her hands up in the air in front of her as if to ward him off. "Its brilliant!" she continued, "Thanks you Charlie, you have been great today. Why don't you go on home now and I'll see you tomorrow."
Charlie visibly brightened and exclaimed, "Thanks, Ms. Farren! See you tomorrow!" With that, he jumped up and ran out of the room, eager to be home to play with his brother.
Ms. Farren got up to go and sit heavily in her teacher's chair and stared blankly at her full computer. What in the world was happening? There was no way a five year old kindergartener could have answered all those questions. Even a fourth grader would have a little trouble with them. This boy answered them without even really thinking.
After several long minutes of thought Ms. Farren finally came to a decision. Though she couldn't quite put her finger on it, there was something defiantly different about Charlie Epps.
She reached down to her phone and picked up. She hit a number on it that would connect her to the school's principal and waited.
"Yes, Mr. Harmon?" she asked when he picked up, "I was wondering if I could have a few minuetes of your time. There's something I need to discuss with you."
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