In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

Mallory plopped into a seat on the bus. She looked over and inwardly groaned, she had picked the spot next to Eddy Davis. Eddy Davis wasn’t mean or anything but he was the nerd. That means he didn’t have any friends and was bullied all the time. Mallory wished she could get up but while she wasn’t exactly what you would call a nice kid she wasn’t mean either so she stayed in her seat next to Eddy. 

“Hey, Whatcha doin? You tryin to get in my way Mallory Jones?” 

“No,” Mallory said in a shaky voice. 

“Are you sure? Cause it sure looks like you trying to hide my buddy Eddy here from me,” 

Mallory gulped. Why hadn’t she moved seats before James got on the bus? 

“Don't’ ignore me Mallory Jones,” James said sharply as she sat silently staring at the floor. 

“I’m not tryin to get in your way” Mallory said while quietly cursing the fact that she always happened to be in the wrong places at the wrong times. 

“Why don’t you just go ahead and move to another   seat than?” 

“Sure,” Mallory said with obvious relief as she got up and tried sliding past the bully. 

“Hey! You tripped me! You tryin to be funny?” 

James yelled at Mallory. Mallory looked up with wide eyes as she realized that she had fallen while trying to get past and had brought James down with her. James, always one to take advantage of surprise, had already gotten to his feet and now he kicked her in the stomach before walking down the schoolbus to terrify the other kids. 

“Thanks, Mallory!” Eddy Davis reached down to help her up as he said this and Mallory taking his hand, sat down again. 

“Sure,” she replied cringing as she remembered she had said the exact same thing to James before she had fallen and tripped him. She felt her stomach, wincing as she pushed a little too hard on the already forming bruises. She thought about the encounter which was far from unordinary. Ever since she could remember she had always been in all the wrong places at all the wrong times. She had lost count of the number of times she had been thanked by someone for accidentally helping them, most times at her own expense. 

“Hey Mallory!” Mallory turned towards the voice that greeted her as she stepped out of her classroom. 

“Hey Wilona!” Mallory said, smiling. She grimaced as her chapped lips stretched and tore. She had given her only chapstick to a boy at the bus stop a few days ago who’s lips had been horribly chapped and bleeding. Just another instance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

“We heard that you tripped James Byrd on the bus!” 

“Yeah well, it didn’t go too well for me” Mallory replied to her friend. 

“I heard that he kicked you in the stomach!” 

“Still hurts.” Mallory said in reply. 

“Ouch. how’d it happen?” Wilona sympathized 

“I sat next to Eddy Davis”

“You did what!” 

“I sat next to Eddy Davis,” Mallory said slowly so she could not be mistaken. 

“Wow. Why the heck would you do that?” Wilona remarked, genuinely confused. 

“I wasn’t paying attention when I sat down,” Mallory responded, already knowing what was coming next. 

“Don’t tell me you didn’t switch seats so that his feelings weren’t hurt.” Wilona said condescendingly. 

“Just because everyone else is mean doesn’t mean we have to be” Mallory spoke. 

“Yeah, and look where that got you,” Wilona replied while walking away, “I have to go to class.” 

Mallory stared at Wilona’s receding back wanting to go into a corner and wallow in her own self-pity. First James now Wilona. Could her life get any worse? 

****** 

Mallory opened the door back into school and the hallway was flooded with sunlight for a second before the door closed and cut off the brilliant rays. Mallory looked around and began trudging along the hallway towards her science lab. 

“Ow!” Mallory cried out as she was knocked over and onto the floor from behind. 

“Sorry. I am so so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going and, and.”

Mallory sighed before telling the little 6th grader that it was okay and helping him pick up his spilled books. 

“Do you know where the 6th grade math class is?” the little boy questioned Mallory.

“Yes, do you need me to take you?” Mallory said kindly. 

“I can’t remember how to get there,” 

“Come on,” Mallory grabbed the boy's backpack and took the lead as she followed the well ingrained directions to her old 6th grade class. 

“Here you are,” Mallory said as she came to the room marked Ms. Page Frost 6th grade math. 

“Thanks!” the boy said as he accepted his backpack from Mallory and opened the door to his classroom. Mallory smiled as the door closed behind him, she loved helping the little kids of the school. 

Ring! Mallory gasped. 

“Mallory Jones, You’re late.” 

“I’m so sorry Mrs. Horton. I was helping a boy and,”

“No excuses. You came into class late, you get a tardy, which I believe is your 2nd tardy today and your 5th all this week. You will report after school for detention to the main office.” 

“Yes Mrs. Horton,” Mallory said miserably. 

*******

Mallory left the school building later that afternoon grumpy. She helped Mrs. Horton clean her room and then had even helped the janitor clean parts of the rest of the school. Now she was sweaty, tired, and still had homework left to do. 

“Hey Mallory!” 

“Oh, hey Ms. Page. How are you?” Mallory said when she had gotten over her surprise at seeing her old teacher. 

“Fine, thank you. What are you doing still at school?” Ms. Page asked 

“I got detention for too many tardies so Mrs. Horton made me stay and help clean.” 

“Oh,” Ms. Page said a little surprised, “well it was nice of you to help Timothy find my class.” 

“Thanks,” Mallory said halfheartedly. 

“You seem to have quite the reputation around here for being helpful.” Ms. Page replied 

“Yeah,” Mallory agreed. “Isn’t always that great,” Mallory muttered under her breath 

“What did you say?” Ms. Page asked in her kind and gentle voice. 

“Oh nothing, just that it’s not always that great to help everyone,” Mallory answered dejectedly 

“Now why’s that?” Ms. Page asked in a sympathetic, and questioning tone. 

“I always seem to be in the wrong places at the wrong times. I mean this morning on the bus I sat in the seat next to Eddy Davis and got kicked by James and then when I helped Timothy to your class I was late to my own class and got detention for it. Why couldn’t Timothy have knocked into someone else? Or the kid at the bus have been at a different bus stop! Why can’t I just go to school without being punished for being nice?” 

“Oh,” Ms. Page putting her arm around Mallory sympitized, “sweetie. I’m so sorry. It does seem unfair for you to have to suffer for doing something good. But a lot of other people have it a lot worse than we do. I mean take Eddy Davis he has no friends and is bullied all the time. Maybe you aren’t in the wrong places at the wrong times but in the right places at the right times. Maybe God is giving you a chance to help others.”

“It feels as though he is punishing me for something,” Mallory said, again dejected. 

“It can feel that way sometimes, but we have to keep pushing through. Keep helping people who aren’t as lucky as we are. We have to remain thankful despite all the circumstances trying to bring us down,” Ms. Page pulled Mallory into her embrace before letting her go, “you are still my favorite and sweetest student I have ever had.” Ms. Page smiled at Mallory and then turned around and drove away. 

Mallory stood there for a moment thinking about Ms. Page and all the good times she had in her class.

“Thank you Lord for Ms. Page”