Mark's Pages

April 12, 2006:

Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away a boy in middle school loves his art class. Not that he's brilliant at it, but, his teacher is supportive and that's a unique experience in his world.

On the final day of the year he sculpts a simple bust in clay. Far from perfect, but, he's elated over the experience. He did a good job with parts of it, and, it was fun.

He doesn't have time to fire it. It's the last day.

Most gingerly he carries it home, where his parent picks it up, looks him in the eye, and drops it, ostentatiously, as if to say, "You can't stop me doing this."

There she stands, smugly smiling, while he looks down at the broken clay, thinking, Why did she do that?