By Paula Russell-Peters
Rupert smiled broadly as he sharpened his pencil in preparation for the Social-Studies test. He was prepared! He had found a fool proof way of getting through grade five with high marks. You see, there were two grade fives. The other one was a bit further ahead than the one he was in, and got their tests about a week before his class. What he had done was pure genius. Rupert had borrowed the last two quizzes from his best friend Jaquan and had aced those tests. Everyone had been surprised at his high scores, especially Mrs. James, the teacher.
He whistled softly to himself and could hardly keep still in his seat. He looked around at the other students’ faces. They looked apprehensive. He had to bite in his lips to keep from laughing. Ha, ha. He was smart bwoy! He had spent last night memorizing the answers for this test. It would be a breeze!
“Tanks, Miss. James,” he said in his sweetest voice as he took the paper from his teacher.
“You’re very welcome, Rupert,” Mrs. James answered just as sweetly.
The students were instructed to fill in the necessary information such as name and date. Rupert could hardly wait to start. He was ready like a horse impatient to be freed from the confines of the box and race to the finish line. Mrs. James was reading the instructions for the others.
Retards! he thought as he turned to the first page of the test and got ready to circle letter C, which was the first answer. But wait! The first section wasn’t multiple choice. It was supposed to be multiple choice first! He leafed through the rest of the pages in a panic. No multiple choice anywhere. What was going on?
“Miss, miss, yuh gey me the wrang paypah,” he stammered.
Mrs. James walked over to him and flicked through the test sheets.
“No, Rupert. This is the right paper,” she answered.
“No, eh carn be! Eh diffrant fram…” he didn’t know how to continue.
“Different from what, dear?” Mrs. James asked, with a voice dripping with sugar.
He looked up into her face. There was a glint of mischief in her eyes and a triumphant smirk on her face.
“Nutten,” Rupert mumbled as he slumped down in his seat in defeat.
Mrs. James walked away; the same jaunty melody Rupert had been whistling earlier escaping her lips.
Author’s bio: Paula Russell-Peters, second and third placed for for the inaugural Teachers Prize in the 2014 Wadadli Pen Challenge, is a primary school teacher at T N Kirnon. Growing up she was a book-worm and, as an adult, she still enjoys reading. She sees reading and writing as being intertwined and believes that writing can be therapeutic and a creative way to express emotions.
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