Test
poem by Rob MacDonald
A man walked into my classroom during a test and said he’d been shot. Blood bubbled from a hole in his shoulder. My students took copious notes. One of them asked, “Was the shooter a stranger?” “No,” the man answered. Another asked, “Is it more of a throbbing pain or a constant ache?” “Yes,” he said. The questions continued for quite some time: “Will you live each day with a greater sense of urgency and purpose?” “Yes.” “Could you see the bullet approaching in slo-mo?” “No.” “Has this incident eradicated what little faith you had in humanity?” “Yes.” All of my students were able to predict his last words, so they earned extra credit. I drew smiley faces atop all of their tests.
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Rob MacDonald