"Mom, Mom," Jamie called as he banged through the front door after school one day. "Mom?" He looked up the stairs. 'MOM!"
"What is it, Jamie," Jessie said, exasperated.
"Mom, look!" He thrust a pamphlet at her. It was a Pokemon Technical information book. Jessie felt her heart drop. Don't tell me he wants to go, she prayed. "Mom, I have to go here," he pleaded. "It's so perfect for me! It's got everything! Please say I can!" He hopped up and down.
"Oh, Jamie, I don't know," she said. What excuse can I give him? She racked her brain. I can't say we don't have the money, because we have enough to send him and ten other kids there. He'll get angry if I tell him it's too far away. He might think I treat him like a baby. Dammit, Jessie, think! "Dad!" Jamie ran to his father, who had just come in through the garage. "Look!"
James eyed the pamphlet. His gaze met Jessie's over their son's head. His green eyes darkened with trepidation. "Dad, Pokemon Tech is everything I've always wanted! You always said you wanted the best for me. Well, isn't this the best," he challenged.
"Jamie, I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that," James said.
"What?"
"Look, let Mom and I discuss it," he said. "Go start your homework, or play outside or something. Just give us a little time." Jamie shrugged and ran outside.
"Oh, James, this is awful," Jessie said, covering her face with her hands. "This is karma biting us on the ass, isn't it?"
James sank onto the couch. "There's no way he can get in, not after us," he said sadly. "They wouldn't allow it."
"Oh, goodness," she said. "What can we do?" She looked at the ceiling for answers.
"Why don't we try, Jess," he asked. "Maybe if we offered twice, or three times the tuition, they might let him in."
She looked at him. "I guess it's worth a try."
The next day, they met with the headmaster of Pokemon Tech. He had a thick folder on the desk in front of him. He wore a cold, hard expression. "So, you're telling me that you would pay the way for other students to attend my school so your son could attend as well," he said in a monotone voice.
"Yes, sir, anything to get Jamie in," Jessie said.
He chewed on it. Then he opened the folder and leafed through it. "Jessica Lewiston [I don't know what Jessie's last name was, so I just made one up]." He started to read from the folder. " 'Attended Pokemon Tech grades five through twelve, with a two-point-three grade point average. Did not pass exit exam, did not graduate. Scored a zero on exam. Dropped out.' James Fauntleroy. 'Attended Pokemon Tech grades one through twelve, with a two-point-two grade point average. Did not pass exit exam, did not graduate. Scored zero on exam. Dropped out.' "
He looked at them. "The mediocre grades don't mean a thing here. How anyone could score a zero on the exit exam is beyond me, however. How can I be sure that your son won't fail like you two did? We don't tolerate such things here."
James winced. Jessie's anger started to boil over. James sensed it and held her hand tight. "Sir, our son is a very brilliant, very determined, very pleasant little boy," James said.
The headmaster stood up. "But I am intrigued by your generous offer," he said. "If we can use the funds you contribute to establish another scholarship, then I think I have no choice but to accept young James into Pokemon Tech."
Jessie and James leaped out of their chairs. "Oh, thank you sir," Jessie said, shaking his hand vigorously.
"But you must understand, he comes from poor stock," the headmaster went on. "Son of the infamous Team Rocket... His standards of behavior will be with the highest standings here. That means no chances, no excuses, and no tolerance for any kind of failure. He's going to have to be perfect, otherwise, he's out."
Jessie and James looked at each other, shocked. "He's just a child," James said. His anger mirrored Jessie's. "That's too much for anyone to live up to, much less a twelve-year-old!"
"You paved the path that he's forced to walk," the headmaster said coldly. "If you want him here, he must be perfect."
Jessie and James stood frozen. The headmaster had a point. They could see Jamie's small face when he was pleading to go. Jessie remembered her face reflected in Jamie's emerald eyes. "Anything," she said quietly, hanging her head in defeat. "We'll do anything to get him here."
Jamie bounced off the walls of the house when his parents told him the news. "Oh boy," he cried. "You guys are the best."
They stood solemnly in front of him. "Jamie, you know that you have to get good grades and be a good boy, right," James said fearfully.
"I'll get straight A-pluses! I'll be the best kid ever! I'm going to Pokemon Tech," he shouted.
His parents hoped they did the right thing.
"What is it, Jamie," Jessie said, exasperated.
"Mom, look!" He thrust a pamphlet at her. It was a Pokemon Technical information book. Jessie felt her heart drop. Don't tell me he wants to go, she prayed. "Mom, I have to go here," he pleaded. "It's so perfect for me! It's got everything! Please say I can!" He hopped up and down.
"Oh, Jamie, I don't know," she said. What excuse can I give him? She racked her brain. I can't say we don't have the money, because we have enough to send him and ten other kids there. He'll get angry if I tell him it's too far away. He might think I treat him like a baby. Dammit, Jessie, think! "Dad!" Jamie ran to his father, who had just come in through the garage. "Look!"
James eyed the pamphlet. His gaze met Jessie's over their son's head. His green eyes darkened with trepidation. "Dad, Pokemon Tech is everything I've always wanted! You always said you wanted the best for me. Well, isn't this the best," he challenged.
"Jamie, I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that," James said.
"What?"
"Look, let Mom and I discuss it," he said. "Go start your homework, or play outside or something. Just give us a little time." Jamie shrugged and ran outside.
"Oh, James, this is awful," Jessie said, covering her face with her hands. "This is karma biting us on the ass, isn't it?"
James sank onto the couch. "There's no way he can get in, not after us," he said sadly. "They wouldn't allow it."
"Oh, goodness," she said. "What can we do?" She looked at the ceiling for answers.
"Why don't we try, Jess," he asked. "Maybe if we offered twice, or three times the tuition, they might let him in."
She looked at him. "I guess it's worth a try."
The next day, they met with the headmaster of Pokemon Tech. He had a thick folder on the desk in front of him. He wore a cold, hard expression. "So, you're telling me that you would pay the way for other students to attend my school so your son could attend as well," he said in a monotone voice.
"Yes, sir, anything to get Jamie in," Jessie said.
He chewed on it. Then he opened the folder and leafed through it. "Jessica Lewiston [I don't know what Jessie's last name was, so I just made one up]." He started to read from the folder. " 'Attended Pokemon Tech grades five through twelve, with a two-point-three grade point average. Did not pass exit exam, did not graduate. Scored a zero on exam. Dropped out.' James Fauntleroy. 'Attended Pokemon Tech grades one through twelve, with a two-point-two grade point average. Did not pass exit exam, did not graduate. Scored zero on exam. Dropped out.' "
He looked at them. "The mediocre grades don't mean a thing here. How anyone could score a zero on the exit exam is beyond me, however. How can I be sure that your son won't fail like you two did? We don't tolerate such things here."
James winced. Jessie's anger started to boil over. James sensed it and held her hand tight. "Sir, our son is a very brilliant, very determined, very pleasant little boy," James said.
The headmaster stood up. "But I am intrigued by your generous offer," he said. "If we can use the funds you contribute to establish another scholarship, then I think I have no choice but to accept young James into Pokemon Tech."
Jessie and James leaped out of their chairs. "Oh, thank you sir," Jessie said, shaking his hand vigorously.
"But you must understand, he comes from poor stock," the headmaster went on. "Son of the infamous Team Rocket... His standards of behavior will be with the highest standings here. That means no chances, no excuses, and no tolerance for any kind of failure. He's going to have to be perfect, otherwise, he's out."
Jessie and James looked at each other, shocked. "He's just a child," James said. His anger mirrored Jessie's. "That's too much for anyone to live up to, much less a twelve-year-old!"
"You paved the path that he's forced to walk," the headmaster said coldly. "If you want him here, he must be perfect."
Jessie and James stood frozen. The headmaster had a point. They could see Jamie's small face when he was pleading to go. Jessie remembered her face reflected in Jamie's emerald eyes. "Anything," she said quietly, hanging her head in defeat. "We'll do anything to get him here."
Jamie bounced off the walls of the house when his parents told him the news. "Oh boy," he cried. "You guys are the best."
They stood solemnly in front of him. "Jamie, you know that you have to get good grades and be a good boy, right," James said fearfully.
"I'll get straight A-pluses! I'll be the best kid ever! I'm going to Pokemon Tech," he shouted.
His parents hoped they did the right thing.