Learning your lessons well #1

What if you found yourself in the following situation?

For the past four years, you have sketched your way through high school. On the strength of pure charm, and a knack for comforting the insecure (especially those who are adults), you have managed to pass a few classes. When you read, however, the words seem to jump off the page and when you write, you stammer. You have no concept of tense, and your vocabulary hasn't changed much since you were eight years old, with the exception of the addition of technical terms useful to you in your job as server at the local pizzeria. At 19 years old, the department of education refuses to test you for learning disabilities. Their argument is that, since you have made it this far, why would you need additional assistance? Nevermind that by "made it" they mean that you have an average below sixty-five and you are now in a second chance school, working full-time and attending classes infrequently. No matter, your guidance counselor assures you: you have a whole two years to finish the five classes which you have already failed three times before.

Your school does offer additional assistance, but you don't have time to take advantage of it because your parents have asked you to leave their place of residence. They don't wish to support a son who can't graduate on time.

Odds are, you tell yourself as throw your backpack down on your bed, you WILL pass those classes. You've already stirred the heartstrings of your English teacher, and when you come, you participate in discussions with a vengeance. Having spent a good part of your life at work in the mid-afternoons, you have caught enough of Oprah to know how to keep an audience interested. That just leaves math and physics. Maybe one of your summer-school teachers will be nice.

You go to sleep.

When you wake up, you find that you have, indeed, attracted the benevolence of both your English and Math teachers, who will pass you if you complete the basic course projects. You have a close friend who will let you copy hers with some alteration, so that's a done deal. Your physics teacher says that if you can pull a 55 on the Regents, he'll pass you for the course. Since you earned a 50 last time you took it, the odds are favorable.

So, you may actually be a high school graduate in June. But, then what? Management of the local pizza shop is not your career goal in life, but you know that you can't charm your way through law school either.

The local community colleges beckon, but you're afraid. You won't be able to spend anymore time in those classes than you have your high school classes. And you are so far behind, it is possible you will spend two years in remedial classes before you even begin to earn credits. Rent is already eating most of your salary....

You hear about a program at a private school in which you can spend a year working only on English and Math. The courses are designed for students with learning disablities, but you don't need to have been diagnosed to be admitted to the program. One hitch. The cost is 35,ooo dollars and the only financial aid they offer is loans.

So, you brace yourself for remedial coursework at the local community college and hope for the best. The manager where you work attends the school and assures you that you will learn. She does seem happy. But, she doesn't write much better than you do, and she's almost ready to graduate.

You resolve to live a life of charm, and hope it will be a charmed life.