Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this fic…If I DID own the characters I'd have Charlie all to myself! And Neil would still be alive…and Charlie would be mine…and Mr. Keating would still have his job…and Chet Danbury would have had his butt kicked by Knox…and did I mention Charlie would be mine? I did? Oh, okay! LoL Italics are quotes taken right from the movie. Thanks to the brilliant writers for wonderful quotes and scenes to write fabulous stories around!

The poem is, bolded and italicized, 'NOISELESS PATIENT SPIDER' By 'Uncle' Walt Whitman.

This will be a 7 or 8 chapter story. After Mr. Keating leaves Welton, he sits at a coffee shop and thinks of each boy and what difference he made or could have made in each young man. Next up…Gerard Pitts. His will some made up scenes since he didn't have much 'one on one' with Mr. Keating that we saw.

Ponderings of Pitts:

A noiseless, patient spider,

I mark'd where on a little promontory it stood isolated,

The young man behind the counter, except for the glasses, reminded me of Mr. Pitts. The same buzz hair cut. The same gangly arms and same too long for his body legs. He is, undoubtedly, more spindly than Mr. Pitts, but I see a strange vague resemblance. If it hadn't have been for my knowledge that each of the boys had been put on probation, I could have sworn on a Bible that it was indeed the aforementioned Mr. Pitts in disguise.

As I drank my coffee, I smiled in memory of the shy quiet and tall one that sat just in front of Neil Perry in class and spent most of his time quietly working with Mr. Meeks on a radio. Sorry. I mean, a radar.

I looked at the papers in my hands and called the first name I saw. "Now, Mr… Pitts. That's a rather unfortunate name. Mr. Pitts, where are you?" A pimply-faced young man in front of me raised his hand. "Mr. Pitts, would you open your hymnal to page 542 and read the first stanza of the poem you find there?"

He looked at me with surprise at what he was to read. "'To the virgins, to make much of time'"?

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's the one. Somewhat appropriate, doesn't it?"

Mr. Pitts slowly read "'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a flying, and this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow will be dying.'"

"Thank you Mr. Pitts. 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may'. The Latin term for that sentiment is 'Carpe Diem.'"

Mark'd how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,

It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament out of itself,

I couldn't help but smile when I thought of Mr. Pitts. I could never classify him as a troublemaker, but he could raise it if he wanted to. As I looked out the window, the memory of how much Charlie Dalton rubbed off on the young man came to mind. Mr. Pitts had two weeks detention due to it, but he never complained. He felt it was worth it.

The boys in the classes never seemed to like the one called 'Spaz'. They went out of their way to pick on him every shot they got. Mr. Hopkins was being especially cruel this one day and Mr. Pitts just had enough. True, he never cared for 'Spaz", but he didn't think the absolute bullying that Mr. Hopkins was doing was right. I stood in the hall, watching the normally quiet Pitts come to blows with the chip on my shoulder Mr. Hopkins.

"I don't care, Hopkins. It's not funny and I think you should apologize." Mr. Pitts' voice was soft, but firm. He helped 'Spaz' to his feet.

Hopkins smirked. "For what? It's not my fault he's a drip. Blame his parents on that one, Pitts. It's what they get for having a kid." His smile and amusement only served to incense Mr. Pitts.

And Mr. Pitts lost it.

"Like your parents? Having a stupid jock like you for a son? If I spot you the 'C', the 'A', and the 'T', could you still spell cat?" He looked Hopkins up and down and shrugged. "Doubt it."

"You calling me stupid?"

"If the shoe fits, Dumbass…"

I stepped in as Mr. Hopkins threw a punch, knocking Mr. Pitts against the wall. Had I not, the look in Mr. Pitts' eyes promised he'd hit back. "ENOUGH!" I yelled. "Both of you in my classroom…NOW!" (1)

I hated having to punish Mr. Pitts. After all, he stood up for someone and that takes a lot of courage.

Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you O my soul where you stand,

The snow outside started to gently fall as I continued drinking coffee and remembering Mr. Pitts. He was the quiet one, never seeking attention. I often wondered about him. Would he, like Todd, break out of the shell he placed himself in?

'NOT FUNNY, MEEKS!' The normally soft-spoken Mr. Pitts yelled.

'Gentlemen.' I opened my door. 'What seems to be the trouble?'

Charlie Dalton merely laughed. 'I think I have rubbed off on Meeks!' He nearly doubled over in a fit of hysterics. 'I never knew Meeks had it in him. All this time…'

Mr. Pitts remained angry looking. 'It wasn't funny, Charlie.'

'Come on, Pittsie. It was hysterical!' Charlie pleaded.

'What happened?' I pushed for more answers.

Meeks uncharacteristically looked timidly at me. 'I hid the science project he was working on.'

'The one we've both been working on and look how long it took!' I could tell Mr. Pitts was not happy.

I knew I should not have laughed, but I found I couldn't help it. 'Mr. Pitts, I assure you that there was no harm to your project and there's something in life you must learn.' I looked around at the young faces looking at me, seemingly anxious for what I was going to say. 'There are times that jokes are pulled on us at our expenses. I know. Jimmy Talfar pulled one on me that nearly got me expelled, but the point is that you need to know how to respond, Mr. Pitts.'

He looked at me. 'How?'

I smiled. 'Revenge.' I winked at Meeks, who was laughing despite Mr. Pitts being angry (2)

Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,

Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,

Till the bridge you will need be form'd, till the ductile anchor hold,

Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul.

Mr. Pitts sought revenge in stealing Mr. Meeks' Latin notes. Only, he got caught. But he laughed it off and had fun helping Meeks study and found that Mr. Meeks is a great ally to have on your side. He sighed when I joked about him helping his friend study, but they were all in a study group together, so that was like asking the pot to boil water.

I shall indeed miss Mr. Pitts, but I shall smile at the memories and try not to stare at the young man behind the counter.

(1) I obviously made this scene up. I know Pittsie was quiet and no one liked 'Spaz' but I think that if it got to be too bad, Pitts would stand up for him. I didn't mention it only because I didn't know how to properly word it, but I have Hopkins physically hitting 'Spaz', knocking him to the ground and Pitts sees this and is unhappy about it.

(2) Yes. This is a carry over from Memories of Meeks, chapter three, but I also felt it needed to be in this story as well, as it appeared in the film, Meeks and Pitts were best friends.

(I don't know Pitts character very well and hope that somewhere in this you can see Pitts. If you see something that isn't right or would like to add something, please message me and I'll re-write this, obviously giving you credit.)