After I had lunch today I was walking down the hallway and I saw a former student. He was talking to a couple of teachers. He was walking backwards as he talked to them, walking the other direction. I recognized him from behind and quickly determined that I wanted to avoid this one. As he turned around I passed right behind him and he never saw me. Whew!
I caught up with the other teachers and asked why this student was back. Apparently he’s running for office and is somehow trying to garner some support around his old high school. I’m not exactly sure who he was visiting. He’s running as a Republican and in general, they’re aren’t as many of them amongst the teacher folk.
I don’t know much about this former student since he graduated. I know he’s served three tours in Iraq. He’s the kind of kid that you figure would be a good fit for the military. I’m sure the discipline that it offered is probably exactly what he needed. I only know him from several years ago in my classes.
He wasn’t exactly a favorite. In fact, he was closer to the other end. It was a constant battle with him to show work on any math problems. He would turn in late work and it would routinely have just lists of answers that looked like they came directly from the back of the book. When I questioned him about it, he would deny any wrongdoing. He’s tests were all points I gave for effort – not for being correct. So maybe math wasn’t his thing. But at the time, honesty wasn’t either.
This kid had a knack for talking his way out of situations. I wonder how many detentions he got out of serving. He also could get a rise out of just about anyone. So his discipline record wasn’t too clean. Taking responsibility was fairly unknown at that time too. He was one of those kids that everyone looked forward to graduation and him moving on… and out the door. I remember a particularly clever prank at the faculty softball game. (Probably shouldn’t write about that one.)
So here we are, several years later. How much has he changed? I’m not sure. I avoided him based on the 18 year old that I once knew. I don’t live in the district in which he is running. So I won’t have to make any decision about voting for him. Well… I wouldn’t anyway based on political affiliation. I’m sure he has changed quite a bit based on his experiences in Iraq. Maybe he’s completely turned around. But I just can’t get over my image of him from years ago. I probably don’t have to… unless he gets elected.
