Just like a Flower

Just Like a Flower

We were sitting in the front of the auditorium together when the Dr. Brandon, The University president, asked me, So, Mr. Prescott, how did you two meet. I smiled and began my story.

"I was Colliers her third grade teacher. Dr Branson. The first day I saw Collier. I realized she was a child with great command of voice and very special. From the time she entered that room she had the other children listening and even obeying her. I remember, a young boy had foolishly tried to take the seat she'd chosen, and she told him firmly."

“No, I..., will be sitting here.”

"And the boy obeyed just as if his mother had spoke. At first, I thought, third grader, I'll give her some things to read, to improve her reading level. Only to find that she had an extraordinary vocabulary for age. And so I tested her to find her ability beyond that of most of our 8th graders. I was stunned an began to consider the things that might need to be done for her. But then, I remember the day she asked me a question about her math class. I listened and everything changed."

"Mr. Prescott. Ms.Jones my math teacher doesn't listen to me, like you do. I asked Ms. Jones, why did we need to study math? I didn't get why everyone had to go over and over the problems. It was stupid, especially after she's gives us all the rules. But when I ask her, she just rattled back to me, 'Mathematics is very important!, You'll need it when you get older'."

"But you see, Ms. Jones had not answered the question Collier was really asking. She then told me how simple math was for her, but was afraid to say to Ms. Jones "she was bored". Mind you, she was only six or seven then. To show you, just how easy it is for people can slip through the cracks in a system. I went to Ms. Jones and suggested that she might give her harder work."

"But Ms Jones, sitting me down, she putting some papers away. Looked at me and said."

“Lewis, at first I thought there was some potential there too, but soon after her grades became pretty much average."

"She had opened and placed before me a folder with Colliers test scores. I looked. It was just as she said, but I remember thinking, something about the scores, the numbers, they were familiar somehow. So thanking Ms. Jones I went home to think about it. At home I played with the grades a while untill I realized they were'nt just average. They were exactly average. You know, my wife is an amazing women. I hope you get to meet her. She'll be here soon. So, let me make a long story short. She put it all together and she hit the nail on the head for me when she said."

“Lewis, if you think she's that good and able to do what you suggest, you might consider why she's done it and what else she's learned at that school of yours that may be behind her behavior.”

"My God! I thought. In a flash it all made sense. I was in a tough school. One of the toughest in the county. And an instant, I had an idea. But before I could breathe it, I would have to test the theory. So the very next week, I summoned Collier to a special meeting. I had Ms. Jones attended because I believed I understood why her grades had fallen and she'd need to understand if she was going to help. Collier came in looking about the empty classroom and sat down. I was able to calm most of her fears about why she was there, and asked the first question which was a real reach."

“Collier, do you know what a mean average is?”

"The question brought on a look of surprise on her and Ms Jones face. I smiled and told her genly, just relax. Then for a moment, she stared at me blankly and I felt a moment of disappointment, but then she said."

“It has to do with Standard deviations in Statistics and stuff.”

"My jaw dropped, Ms. Jone's hit the floor." Throwing my hand up, to hold back Ms. Jones questions I asked.

“Where did you hear about Standard Deviations and... Statistics?”

"She took a deep exhale. And explained. No one had actually told her. She had read about it herself. "Where did you find this subject?" I asked. She told us of a cousin of hers, in college, who would babysit and let her look through her books as long as she didn't tear or mark any of the pages. She then stunned us when she said"

“And I just learned how to find a limit.”

"Whoa!, well as you and I know Dr., to understand let alone find a limit, requires a good grip on Algebra, Trigonometry, as well as Geometry. And she had it."

"I told her I was also pretty good with math and after a couple of hours of working on why her scores seemed so familliar last night. I realized that your grades fell right down the line of the mean average for her class. But, how did...could she... have sampled her class to work out the needed grades?"

And with a big Cheshire cat smile she said.

“'That was easy'" she said, "'Ms. Jones reads all the grades after a test, I just remember them'. Then when she got home she worked out what grade she needed for the next test to keep the average.”

"I was done, we had a child prodigy on our hands and my thoughts raced ahead, on to how we could help her, progams, schools and..."

“But why are you hiding all this? I asked.

"Her head hung, and she took another deep breath, glancing up, I remember, then looking out the window she whispered,

“They beat you, if you get good grades.”

"There was your special program she would do well in, but she was three years too young. So with Ms. Jones help, myself, and several of the other teachers, administration and her parents help. We protected and nurtured our flower with our own programs for those next three years. In that time we all grew very close to her and each other. We discovered many things about each other tose years. Collier not only loved math but also science and history as well. When it was time for her go enter the university program, I felt like I was losing my own child."

"After showing me the acceptance letter she asked. 'Will you come to my graduation?'".

"Yes, absolutely my darling."

“She reached her arms around me. And there you have it. Five years later, here we are, Graduation day.”

“Well Mr. Prescott, Collier has been nothing but a star ever since shes gotten here. I'm glad I've gotten this chance to meet you.” he said

Dr. Brandon the university president was shaking my hand when, someone across the auditorium was gesturing to him and he had to leave.

Collier's family was arriving.

“Collier look, Mr. Prescott came.” her father said.

She running over jumps, right into my arms.

"Hey now, I'm an old man, I break easy these days, “

"You're always funny Mr. Prescott, thank you for coming."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world, Collier."

"So what's the big surprise your mother called me about?" he asked

"Remember what your always telling me Mr. Prescott, just relax. You'll know in a minute."

As she makes her way up onto the stage to take her place in her class, I laugh to myself. So, it seems she would have one more secret.

The ceremony begins. Several professors speak. Then Dr. Brandon, the president, makes the special announcement.

"This years Valor Victorian has been the jewel of our school for the last 5 years, you all know her, your classmate having earned a double masters in Mathematics and Biology at fifthteen, and will be going on for her P.H.D. I present to you, Ms, Collier, J., Farmer."

And as she moves forward I see only a flower in bloom.

And with each step, the crowd goes wild.







This short story has 996 words originally written by D.S..Ferguson aka Ironworker156 for the Writer's Cramp Contest

Expanded a bit employing some thing I've recently learned and hope I've applied well.

Hope it's enjoyable. I seek all comments, feeling, technique, content, grammar, delivery, etc. Thanks