ABOVE THE INFLUENCE
8:47 A.M.
"Report time. Anyone want to go first?" Everyone stares down at their feet, or the ceiling trying to ignore Mr. Knowles gaze. "Stephanie." Getting up gingerly, she straightens the purple sweater under her tan coat.
"As you can tell, my ethnicity is definitely Black, or some may call it African- American. My ancestors came from South Africa in the 1800's…."
One by one people gave reports, until it was time for me to go.
"Some of you know that I live with a foster parent." I swat my forehead with my hand. "I mean adopted parent. She fosters other kids. Anyway she told me, that my mother was from Spain, and my father was from Mexico." I keep continuing to blab on about my parents until I lose everyone's interest. Only one person gave interest in my report when I said Adopted Parent, and that is Ziggy.
I don't really like giving reports to the class, so I make eye contact with Ziggy the whole time. His eyes, a mixture of green and brown hold my gaze, like he knows what I'm saying. Nodding a couple of times, his afro, made of dreadlocks bounce with each nod; so does the flaps on each side of his hat.
"Excellent reports everyone." Knowles claps his hands a couple of times, then sets them in his pockets. As if on cue again, the trash bag (a new one was put over the window) blows off. It lands on me, because I got stuck sitting by the window. Knowles slams his fist on the desk. "I had it with these conditions! And the lack of educational materials!"
"Mr. Knowles?" I ask pulling the trash bag off from my body.
"Rodriquez!" He turns toward me taking the trash bag. "Where is the nearest park from the school?"
"Um…about a twenty minute walking distance."
"Perfect! Class. We're going out."
"Mr. Knowles, off campus!" Stephanie jumps out of her seat, unable to contain her excitement.
"Yes. A perfect learning opportunity to explore people in their everyday working habits."
"What about Armstrong?" Lester gets up out of his chair, and pulls his coat around him.
"Let me deal with Armstrong. Right now I just want to give you the chance to learn." Running over to the door, he flings it open. "Follow me." Everyone gets up out of their seats, and shuffle out the door.
"Gwen!"
"Hey Ziggy." He makes his way over to me, with his sketch book at his side. "You excited about going off campus."
"Sure I guess. Although I'm wondering how this situation is going to play out with Armstrong." I snatch my textbook up, and head toward the door.
"Here let me get that for you." Ziggy rushes past me, and swings open the door.
"Thanks." Making my way through, I head toward Stephanie, who was waiting by the drinking fountain.
"I think Knowles lost it." I hand my textbook to her as I take a drink.
"Come on Gwen, he's going against Armstrong. It's brave."
"However stupid." I retrieve my book from her as we walk down the hallway to the front of the school. "I don't' know, maybe I'm just paranoid that nothing good is going to come out of this."
"Your paranoid." She nudges me with her arm.