Foster was sitting alone in the intro to energy room. He had
been sitting in the same spot, eyes closed, counting the same beats, breathing in and out,
feeling nothing but pressure.
One, two, three, Breathe out
One, two, three, breathe in
One, two, three, almost killed your friend
One, two, three, who are you?
One, two, three, what are you becoming?
One, two, three, four, five, breathe out
One, two, three, four, five, breathe in
One, two, three, four, five, breathe out
One, two, three, four, five, six, Breathe in
As he pulled air into his lungs papers on the wall pulled
slightly toward him. When he let the air out of his lungs the papers pressed
against the wall. He opened his eyes to see Cynthia standing in the doorway of
the classroom.
She stepped into the room completely. “That was nice.” She
said sitting in front of him.
Foster relaxed his legs. “Hey Cynthia.”
She smiled. “For someone who just passed intro to energy you
don’t seem very excited.” She pointed out.
Foster shrugged. “I’m not sure I deserve to pass the class.”
He admitted.
Cynthia cocked her head in confusion. “Why?” she asked.
Foster laid on his back. “Because I tried to kill Thompson,
I was so afraid of failing that I turned to something in me that I am now
desperately afraid of. I made a lot of mistakes this semester.” He was almost
shouting at the ceiling.
Cynthia moves to lay down close to him but at an odd angle. “Look
I know the college industry has everyone believing that’s what this is all
about, attaining enough “success” to earn and alphabetical pat on the head. But
that’s not what learning is Foster. What did you LEARN this semester?” She asked
him.
Foster and Cynthia laid on the floor of the dark room while
he thought the question over. Finally he spoke. “A good friend will go so far
as to beat the crap out of you to keep you from making a life altering mistake.
A good teacher will help you learn form the ones they cannot stop you from
making. Control is more important than strength. Understanding is more important
than control.” He stopped there.
Cynthia nodded as he spoke. “And would you have learned any
of that if you had never gone through this semester the way you did?” She asked.
He shook his head. “You didn’t fail Foster.” She continued. “You walked a hard
road and didn’t quit. Make no mistake, no one who’s ever changed the world, did
It because the world did it because it was the easy way out.” She concluded.
Foster rolled his head to the side to look at Cynthia. “ So
why don’t I feel like I accomplished anything?” he asked.
Cynthia shrugged. “You are young, and this is just one
moment in your life. You passed intro to energy, take that for what it is.” She advised.
Silence in the room as he thought about what she was saying.
“Ok then, what is it?” he asked her.
She sat up and folded herself in half, stretching out her
back. “The first step in the long walk of your adult life.” She offered.
Foster sat up and scratched the back of his head. “So, is
every class going to be like this?” he asked.
Cynthia got to her feet. “Nope” She decreed. “Only the
really good ones.” Foster smiled and got to his feet as well.
