Jimmy Atkinson
Through 5th and 6th grade at Fremont Elementary (class of '87), the best athlete and the coolest kid in school was Jimmy Atkinson. He was always picked first, unless a girl was picked first (by mandate), in which case Tara was picked. He was also always last to get out at dodgeball. He would jump and twist and bend his body, and no one could ever throw him out once he was the only one on the court.
He wasn't the brightest kid in the class, but he ended up figuring a few things out without that talent.
Half way through our sixth grade year, our teacher, Mr. Denezio, retired. I don't remember the name of the guy they got to replace him. I remember he had the worst halitosis I had ever experienced in my life. Later in life, as I learned that word for the first time, this guy instantly popped into my head. While Mr. Denezio had a reputation as a disciplinarian, this new guy tried to make friends quick, and some of the misbehaved kids (Jimmy included) took advantage.
The teacher tried to make up for lost ground by administering rather harsh punishments. His favorite was assigning sentences. Often, the entire class would have to write sentences for one kid's mistakes. The sentence was always the same, something long and rambling about whatever he thought was important. I forget.
On one occasion, Jimmy was asking for trouble. He egged the teacher on, until true to form, he snapped and assigned 200 sentences to the entire class. Jimmy, always the class clown, was prepared. He opened his desk and removed 200+ sentences already finished. He counted the ones he needed, handed them over and put the rest back in his desk for safe keeping.
The teacher was furious. While I was rather impressed with Jimmy's preparation (in a Luke 16:8 sort of way), I wasn't too happy that I was being punished for something Jimmy did, and he was already done with the punishment before we got a chance to get started.
Now I just laugh.
Of course, Jimmy got his the next time sentences were assigned, and the teacher changed the wording.
He wasn't the brightest kid in the class, but he ended up figuring a few things out without that talent.
Half way through our sixth grade year, our teacher, Mr. Denezio, retired. I don't remember the name of the guy they got to replace him. I remember he had the worst halitosis I had ever experienced in my life. Later in life, as I learned that word for the first time, this guy instantly popped into my head. While Mr. Denezio had a reputation as a disciplinarian, this new guy tried to make friends quick, and some of the misbehaved kids (Jimmy included) took advantage.
The teacher tried to make up for lost ground by administering rather harsh punishments. His favorite was assigning sentences. Often, the entire class would have to write sentences for one kid's mistakes. The sentence was always the same, something long and rambling about whatever he thought was important. I forget.
On one occasion, Jimmy was asking for trouble. He egged the teacher on, until true to form, he snapped and assigned 200 sentences to the entire class. Jimmy, always the class clown, was prepared. He opened his desk and removed 200+ sentences already finished. He counted the ones he needed, handed them over and put the rest back in his desk for safe keeping.
The teacher was furious. While I was rather impressed with Jimmy's preparation (in a Luke 16:8 sort of way), I wasn't too happy that I was being punished for something Jimmy did, and he was already done with the punishment before we got a chance to get started.
Now I just laugh.
Of course, Jimmy got his the next time sentences were assigned, and the teacher changed the wording.
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posted by ronny at 20:49
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