PA: Now that, that fun is done. I wish to remind the students that bomb scares aren’t jokes and if you had any information that about the person or persons responsible please contact the office. Anything you say will be confidential. And teachers please retake period 4 attendance.
Teacher : Students back to your seats and shimmer down. *sits at computer* ‘Student # 1’?
Student #1: Here- * time freezes and the student stands up. All lights dim and spot light highlighting Student #1* …*pause* here is where I would rather be. Sitting in my room from the time I leave to the time I come home, has lost its appeal. Especially when blaring music fails to drown out my parents’ fighting. Cringing, the phrase, “ please don’t hit her†runs though my mind.
*time resumes and teacher continues roll call*
Teacher : Student # 2?
Student # 2: Here- * time freezes and the student stands up. All lights dim and spot light highlighting Student # 2 * is the only place of warmth for me tonight. I am sick of the farce I put up so you don’t ask questions. Questions that would lead to answers of how can I come to school happy and clean when I just spent night in a dumpster. If I am lucky a settler will take me in for the night but I won’t sleep for the fear that someone will take my things.
*time resumes and teacher continues roll call*
Teacher: Student # 3?
Student #3: Here- * time freezes and the student stands up. All lights dim and spot light highlighting Student #3* is where I wear my mask mental problems and try to act normal. I pretend not to hear voices and not see things that aren’t there. I dare not to take off my mask for the fear the other students will run and move their seat. I don’t need a remind of how different I am to them.
*time resumes and teacher continues roll call*
Teacher : Student # 4? Student # 4? Student # 4?! Will someone please wakes up Student # 4. *student #2 nudges student #4 in the arm*
Student # 4: *grumbles a ‘here’ sounding noise* * time freezes and the student puts head up while remaining sitting. All lights dim and spot light highlighting Student # 4* - is where I sleep and try to ignore the teacher. Why don’t they get off my back? Don’t they understand I have to work after school? That I have to work or else I don’t eat and the bills don’t pay. And if I don’t work I can’t pay for the gas that gets me to school, nor the SAT test I have to take so I can go to college. Oh I how I cry think how I will pay for college. I am here, what else do they want from me? *student #4 falls back to sleep*
*time resumes and teacher continues roll call*
Teacher: Student # 5?
Student #5: Here- * time freezes and the student stands up. All lights dim and spot light highlighting Student #5* is where I shake and fidget as I think only of time. The time left until I can leave school to hit the corner store to gamble. I watch the second tick away thinking only the relief I will feel when I have that lotto ticket in my hand.
*time resumes*
Teacher: Good. All here- * time freezes and the teacher stands up. All lights dim and spot light highlighting teacher* is where I make my living. I come here everyday not just for my paycheck, as most of my students believe. I started this job bright eyed and ready to shape the lives of a new generation. However, as each year goes by the brightness of my eyes has dimmed little by little. I wonder some times if it is worth coming to school to the-dog-ate-my-homework excuses, confrontations at least once every period, or the occasional sleep deprive student. No, it has not been that bad. I get one, (may more if I am lucky), student that I can tell I made a difference. I just wish the students would see that I am not the enemy, that I just trying to their lives better. What’s worse is I am expected to not only held crazy unpredictable schedules to be a teacher, friend, bouncer and even a social work for time to time. I can’t for the bell to ring. *time resumes as teacher and students watches the clock tick away*
*bell rings*
THE END
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