An apple for the teacher

I had been sat on the bench for the last ten minutes taking in the sites and sounds. I was a people watcher; I loved to look at someone, imagine who they were or was and give them a back story to go along with it. I had always found myself doing it. Sometimes I found myself staring a little too long and ended up getting some funny looks in return. Wouldn’t like to think what back story I was being given!

I screwed the lid off my new shiny metal flask and poured myself another cup of Nescafe Gold Blend. I missed my usual long black coffee with a dash of milk and a shot of caramel. Every morning, I would make the stop off and collect one from my local Starbucks on my way to work, but I suppose this would have to do for now.

I pulled my brown leather satchel towards me looking for the oatmeal granola bar that I was sure I had brought with me. The flask and satchel had been a gift from my wife. Sat waiting for me on the breakfast bar this morning along with a little good luck message. “Not that you need it” she said, but I was starting to think otherwise. Maybe with good luck on my side I would not have forgotten the delicious treat.

“Watch out!!” came the call. I looked up just quick enough to dodge the tattered football that was now hurtling towards my face. My coffee on the other hand was not so lucky. A young man in long shorts. T-shirt and backwards baseball cap followed the ball “Sorry Sir, shot kind of got away from me there” as he retrieved the ball from behind me

“That’s ok no harm done” I replied as I checked myself for spilt coffee

I looked across to the group of lads playing football. I laughed, jumpers for goalposts I thought. It made me think about me and my friends playing of a night. Finishing school and racing off towards the park. Jackets, jumpers, and tops thrown onto the ground. Pretty much anything we had that could be made into goal posts was put down. I remember once we even using a couple of bikes. I started to wonder what their back story would be. The sound of the bell brought me out of my daze, just as the nerves hit me like a bullet to the stomach. Did I have time to go to the toilet once more…. probably not I thought.

I walked into the classroom, satchel in hand readjusting my tie that complemented my light blue shirt and dark suit. Then it hit me like a big old slap in the face, but not just any normal one. A back of the hand slap in the face. The noise was deafening. I scanned the room, it looked like a scene out of high school musical. Boys and girls sat at and on desks, screaming at one another. Like it was a competition to see who could be and was the loudest. Rolled up bits of paper made there way through the air and were returned just as quick.

The room fell silent as I walked in. Which if I am honest did not help with the nerves or the stomach. A chorus of “Morning Sir,” rang out around the room as students began making there way to their desks. Glancing around I am fairly sure I had at least twenty years on some of these….at least. They all watched as I walked towards the teacher’s desk and then straight past it and to an empty one on the front row.

“He’s a student!” came one of the remarks from behind me.

“Oh my god he’s older than my dad,” came a girl’s voice from the side, being broken up by the chewing of gum. I quickly unpacked my bag. Taking out a pad and an array of stationery and placed it neatly on the desk.

“My brothers got that set,” a large boy in joggers and a hoodie said picking up one of the pens “It was in WHSmith, in their back to school range,” breaking into a snigger

“That’s nice,” I said taking the pen from him and placing it back with the others.

 “Look at his bag,” from a skinny kid at the back of the room. In a t-shirt that was many sizes too big for him. Also placed on his head was what can only be described as something my nan would have put on her tea pot on a Sunday lunch time “Indiana Jones has one of them and he’s ancient,” he said trying to get a laugh from the class

I sighed and with the shake of my head I added “He’s a fictional character!”

“No, he’s not I’ve seen him on the tv,” was the reply. I could slowly feel the will to live drain from my body.

“What else you got in there an apple for the teacher?” as the rest of the class joined in with the laughter. In school I was the cool kid. I was the one who made the jokes, not was the joke. I placed my jacket on the back of the chair, kicked my bag under the desk and slumped down into my chair. It wasn’t great being the brunt of the jokes.

Ok I got it, I’m the older student and by some way, by the looks of things. I’m just a mature student, nothing wrong with that. It was nothing to be ashamed of. At the end of the day I’m just trying to better myself, again, nothing wrong with that. Then why did I feel so lousy about it all. Could this day get any worse I thought? I had to ask.

“That’s enough now class quiet down please,” came the shout from the thirty something male that had just placed his bag down upon the front desk. The thirty something male in a polo shirt, jeans, and designer sports shoes. I suddenly felt very over dressed and old to go along with it. He picked up a marker and wrote on the board “My name is Mr. Smith,” placing the pen back down on the desk “Ok let us see who’s bothered to get out of bed this morning,” he added. I started to wish I hadn’t.

He began to call out a register and my heart started to sink along with my pride. An array of yes sirs sounded out around the room, ticking them off with every reply. Then came the moment I was dreading “Mr. Hughes,” he said looking down at the paper on his desk

“Yes sir, here,” I replied raising my hand slightly into the air. The class erupted into laughter “Yes sir,” came one of the cheap shots from the back “Your old enough to be his dad,” he added. I quickly swung round in my chair trying my best to look in the direction from where it had come “I’m not that old!” I said through gritted teeth.

“Ok that’s enough now…calm down!” the teacher said looking up from his desk. He glanced across in my direction “Well no point giving out the award for best dressed now is there,” as the rest of the class laughed. “It’s not often I feel like I’m the one that should be sitting down and facing forward,” As he walked around and sat down on the front of his table “Ok then class lets discuss the second world war,” as he scanned the room “Yes you there in the I’m with stupid t-shirt,”

“Its just that it doesn't seem very fair Sir… as he was probably there for most of it,” the class erupted into laughter once more.

I sat back in my chair and thought to myself I could really do without all this!