I sat at my desk, trying to do my algebra homework. Yes, I already had
algebra on the first day of school. Of course, I had been sitting here for
over an hour, and had only gotten three problems done. It was entirely my
fault, though. First my mom had called me down and wanted help with the
dishes. Then Mary Anne called, then Stacey.
So here I am, one hour and three Hershey bars later, and still not done. I'd had enough. I decided to start working on my art homework. I pulled out my pencils and sketchbook, and got to work. I finished the assignment relatively quickly, so I was about to go over my drawings and fix them up a little, when there was a knock on my door
"Come in, it's open," I said
"Hi Claud," Janine said, standing in the doorway. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Okay, well, I've been trying to do these lines for class, but they come out crooked, even when I use a ruler. And now my paper is all smudgy from eraser marks, and..."
"Wait," I said cutting Janine off. "Draw a line for me."
Janine looked at me suspiciously but did it.
I nodded as I watched her work. "Mmmhmm. Janine, it's the way you're holding the paper. As you move your hand, the paper moves with it, and the line comes out crooked." I picked up my own pencil. "Here, try holding the paper down like this." I demonstrated for her.
Janine watched carefully, then tried another line. It wasn't perfect, but it was a lot better. "Wow Claud, thanks! You're a lifesaver."
I smiled graciously and then left my room. Wow. A lifesaver for Janine! I'd never heard her say that before. I looked back at my desk and the ominous algebra homework awaiting me. Hmmm... maybe Janine could help me with that. True, I never liked when Janine helped me before, but maybe now. after this, I would understand her a little more. I picked up my books and walked into Janine's room. I knew she would be there, probably on the Internet. I was right.
"Hey Janine, would you mind help me with these algebra problems?"
Janine spun around surprised. "Sure!" she smiled brightly. "Sit down," she pointed to her desk chair.
Pulling up a seat next to me, we opened my math book and got to work. Within a half hour, we were done. Not only were we done, but I actually think I understood most of what we did.
"Thanks a lot Janine." I said. "I just really don't get math, but you're a big help."
"No problem," she said "I've always liked math. I mean art always seemed so trivial to me, but math just makes perfect sense."
"Trivial? I said Janine blushed. "Well, I just meant, well. not as, uh, useful as math."
I glared at her. "Gee, thanks Janine. Thanks A LOT!" I stormed out of Janine's room and back into my own. I couldn't hold back the tears as put my books back into my bag.
Well, now I knew how Janine really felt about me. And Art. It was good to finally know that all my fears since my earliest memories were true. Janine found art useless and important, and even more, that meant she thought I was stupid enough to be interested in art.
So here I am, one hour and three Hershey bars later, and still not done. I'd had enough. I decided to start working on my art homework. I pulled out my pencils and sketchbook, and got to work. I finished the assignment relatively quickly, so I was about to go over my drawings and fix them up a little, when there was a knock on my door
"Come in, it's open," I said
"Hi Claud," Janine said, standing in the doorway. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Okay, well, I've been trying to do these lines for class, but they come out crooked, even when I use a ruler. And now my paper is all smudgy from eraser marks, and..."
"Wait," I said cutting Janine off. "Draw a line for me."
Janine looked at me suspiciously but did it.
I nodded as I watched her work. "Mmmhmm. Janine, it's the way you're holding the paper. As you move your hand, the paper moves with it, and the line comes out crooked." I picked up my own pencil. "Here, try holding the paper down like this." I demonstrated for her.
Janine watched carefully, then tried another line. It wasn't perfect, but it was a lot better. "Wow Claud, thanks! You're a lifesaver."
I smiled graciously and then left my room. Wow. A lifesaver for Janine! I'd never heard her say that before. I looked back at my desk and the ominous algebra homework awaiting me. Hmmm... maybe Janine could help me with that. True, I never liked when Janine helped me before, but maybe now. after this, I would understand her a little more. I picked up my books and walked into Janine's room. I knew she would be there, probably on the Internet. I was right.
"Hey Janine, would you mind help me with these algebra problems?"
Janine spun around surprised. "Sure!" she smiled brightly. "Sit down," she pointed to her desk chair.
Pulling up a seat next to me, we opened my math book and got to work. Within a half hour, we were done. Not only were we done, but I actually think I understood most of what we did.
"Thanks a lot Janine." I said. "I just really don't get math, but you're a big help."
"No problem," she said "I've always liked math. I mean art always seemed so trivial to me, but math just makes perfect sense."
"Trivial? I said Janine blushed. "Well, I just meant, well. not as, uh, useful as math."
I glared at her. "Gee, thanks Janine. Thanks A LOT!" I stormed out of Janine's room and back into my own. I couldn't hold back the tears as put my books back into my bag.
Well, now I knew how Janine really felt about me. And Art. It was good to finally know that all my fears since my earliest memories were true. Janine found art useless and important, and even more, that meant she thought I was stupid enough to be interested in art.