Paradise Today
Illustration
Stories
George took a deep breath and stepped into the cafeteria. He hated this part of the day. Classes were okay because there were teachers to make sure that no one picked on him. In the hallways there were only a few minutes so nothing bad ever happened. Lunch time and after school though, were no good. That was when he really felt lost and alone in this new school.
Someone jostled him and he scurried to one side. “Sorry.”
“You sure are,” someone from beside him said.
George didn’t make eye contact and hoped that would be the end of it. Laughter trailed him as he moved into a corner seat. He breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes getting out of the way was enough. He looked over at the group of boys carrying on and laughing.
He didn’t like the way they treated him. He really wished he was tougher and could stand up to them or that he was brave enough to tell them off. He wished he never ended up at this stupid school. He opened up his backpack and pulled out his lunch. He tore the top off the snack.
“You angry at that snack for some reason?” a voice from in front of him asked.
George looked up to see a mountain of a boy standing in front of him. “Sorry, I’ll move.”
“Just sit for a moment.”
George stayed where he was. George’s eyes darted from side to side looking for an exit.
“Are you okay?” the boy asked as he sat across from George.
“Okay? How can I be okay when you won’t let me leave? I just want to be left alone.” George pushed his eyes together to stop the tears from flowing. “I hate this place. I wish I had never come here.”
“So why are you here?”
“My dad moved here for work.” George looked up. “Can I go now?”
The boy pushed his chair, so George had a path. “You can go whenever you want. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
George picked up his things. “Well now you know, I am the freak.”
“I don’t think so and I’m sorry if I upset you. I just wanted to know if you were okay.”
George turned back. He looked at the boy and didn’t see any mocking in the eyes, no scorn in his face. “Why?”
“Not everyone grew up in this neighborhood. I arrived six years ago when my gran moved here after my parents died. It’s rough being the new kid at the grade. I can’t imagine how bad it is being our age starting over.” The boy paused and played with the cross around his neck for moment. “I saw you in math class and just thought I’d say hello.”
“You don’t want my notes or the assignment?”
The boy shook his head. “No offense but I make top grades already.”
“But...” George paused.
“Because I’m this size you think I’m just a dumb jock? Sure, I play football but there is no way I love it enough to devote my life to it. I’ve got bigger plans.” The boy leaned forward. “Gran wants me to be a lawyer but I’m going to be a dentist.”
George furrowed his brow. “Why a dentist?”
“Helping people smile? That’s my dream.” The boy showed off his pearly whites. George couldn’t help but smile in response.
“Hector, you coming to practice today?” came the shout from across the cafeteria. “After you’re finished talking to whoever that is.”
“I’ll be there after getting to know my new friend.”
“Aren’t we enough friends for you?” one of the boys in the group yelled.
“Why would I limit the number of friends I have?” Hector shouted back. The boys shrugged and then went back to talking among themselves.
Hector turned back to George. “Where were we before they interrupted?”
“You were talking about studying to be a dentist.”
“Right. So, what do you want to do?”
“I want to be an electrical engineer.”
“Wow. Good for you.” Hector leaned forward. “That’s a rough course though.”
“No harder than dentistry,” George replied.
“I think you’re probably right.” Hector smiled. “Hey. You have the same schedule tomorrow?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Meet me here for lunch. I got practice today and don’t have time to chat more but I want to hear about your future plans.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m certain.” Hector gave him a big grin and stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you. See you tomorrow.”
George shook his hand and smiled back. “Absolutely.”
Hector waved as he joined the boys heading for the locker room. George looked around at the cafeteria. It didn’t seem as scary and he felt that maybe it would be okay here at this school. He unpacked the rest of his lunch and started to eat. For the first time since he came to the school, he realized he wasn’t anxious or upset anymore. He was going to be okay.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 20, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Someone jostled him and he scurried to one side. “Sorry.”
“You sure are,” someone from beside him said.
George didn’t make eye contact and hoped that would be the end of it. Laughter trailed him as he moved into a corner seat. He breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes getting out of the way was enough. He looked over at the group of boys carrying on and laughing.
He didn’t like the way they treated him. He really wished he was tougher and could stand up to them or that he was brave enough to tell them off. He wished he never ended up at this stupid school. He opened up his backpack and pulled out his lunch. He tore the top off the snack.
“You angry at that snack for some reason?” a voice from in front of him asked.
George looked up to see a mountain of a boy standing in front of him. “Sorry, I’ll move.”
“Just sit for a moment.”
George stayed where he was. George’s eyes darted from side to side looking for an exit.
“Are you okay?” the boy asked as he sat across from George.
“Okay? How can I be okay when you won’t let me leave? I just want to be left alone.” George pushed his eyes together to stop the tears from flowing. “I hate this place. I wish I had never come here.”
“So why are you here?”
“My dad moved here for work.” George looked up. “Can I go now?”
The boy pushed his chair, so George had a path. “You can go whenever you want. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
George picked up his things. “Well now you know, I am the freak.”
“I don’t think so and I’m sorry if I upset you. I just wanted to know if you were okay.”
George turned back. He looked at the boy and didn’t see any mocking in the eyes, no scorn in his face. “Why?”
“Not everyone grew up in this neighborhood. I arrived six years ago when my gran moved here after my parents died. It’s rough being the new kid at the grade. I can’t imagine how bad it is being our age starting over.” The boy paused and played with the cross around his neck for moment. “I saw you in math class and just thought I’d say hello.”
“You don’t want my notes or the assignment?”
The boy shook his head. “No offense but I make top grades already.”
“But...” George paused.
“Because I’m this size you think I’m just a dumb jock? Sure, I play football but there is no way I love it enough to devote my life to it. I’ve got bigger plans.” The boy leaned forward. “Gran wants me to be a lawyer but I’m going to be a dentist.”
George furrowed his brow. “Why a dentist?”
“Helping people smile? That’s my dream.” The boy showed off his pearly whites. George couldn’t help but smile in response.
“Hector, you coming to practice today?” came the shout from across the cafeteria. “After you’re finished talking to whoever that is.”
“I’ll be there after getting to know my new friend.”
“Aren’t we enough friends for you?” one of the boys in the group yelled.
“Why would I limit the number of friends I have?” Hector shouted back. The boys shrugged and then went back to talking among themselves.
Hector turned back to George. “Where were we before they interrupted?”
“You were talking about studying to be a dentist.”
“Right. So, what do you want to do?”
“I want to be an electrical engineer.”
“Wow. Good for you.” Hector leaned forward. “That’s a rough course though.”
“No harder than dentistry,” George replied.
“I think you’re probably right.” Hector smiled. “Hey. You have the same schedule tomorrow?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Meet me here for lunch. I got practice today and don’t have time to chat more but I want to hear about your future plans.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m certain.” Hector gave him a big grin and stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you. See you tomorrow.”
George shook his hand and smiled back. “Absolutely.”
Hector waved as he joined the boys heading for the locker room. George looked around at the cafeteria. It didn’t seem as scary and he felt that maybe it would be okay here at this school. He unpacked the rest of his lunch and started to eat. For the first time since he came to the school, he realized he wasn’t anxious or upset anymore. He was going to be okay.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 20, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
