Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Wake-up calls for all, part 2

I have a broken alarm clock in my school bag. For some reason, it's been crushed by books and folders and my laptop these last couple of weeks. For some reason, I've forgotten to take it out, so there it is, crushed and now broken. For some reason? No reason? No wait, there was a reason I packed the alarm clock and took it to work. There had to be.

I remember seeing a student for the first time in a week. This was two weeks ago. I remember asking him to stick around after class, so I could fill him in on what he had missed. I remember talking to him briefly.

"So where have you been?"
"I've been oversleeping."
"Do I need to call your house, talk to someone about this?"
"That's the problem. No one's home. My dad has been away. He usually wakes me up."
"Your dad's not around? Who you living with?"
"No one."
"Can't you set an alarm clock to wake you?"
"I don't have one."
"How about your cell phone? It's got an alarm."
"I don't have a cell phone."
"Can't you buy a cheap little alarm clock?"
"Can't afford one. Really."
"OK, tell you what. I'm sure I have some sort of alarm clock at home, something I take with when I travel. Tomorrow, I'll bring it in and give it to you. You can have it. I just need you to start coming to school. Otherwise, you're going to fail the semester because of attendance before it begins."

He promised he'd be back the next day. So I packed a little alarm clock, brought it with to school the next day. He wasn't there. The alarm clock stayed in my bag. That was two weeks ago. The alarm clock is still in my bag. I haven't seen the student again.

I now have a broken alarm clock in my school bag. For some reason, it's been crushed by books and folders and my laptop these last couple of weeks. For some reason, I've forgotten to take it out, so there it is, crushed and now broken. For some reason? No reason? No wait, there was a reason I packed the alarm clock and took it to work. There had to be.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Man, that's sad. I hope he comes back to school and you're able to give him that alarm clock (or at least one that's not broken). Can you drive by where he lives to see if you see him? So sad.

teacherman said...

Good idea, but two reasons why I can't/won't:
1. There are several students in similar situations. Who would I pick?
2. I usually walk to work.