Heilners "beneath The Wheel" And Me

Heilner's "Beneath the Wheel" and Me

As it did every school day of my junior year, 11:12 AM had come once more to mark the end of my academic morning, and the beginning of my lunch period. After paying my one dollar for a small cherry vita-pup slush drink and a strawberry fruit roll-up, I would take my place at the usual lunch table. The next forty-five minutes were always used as an escape from the labor and frustration of the academic world. Whether my time was spent playing bass in the band room, or spent engaging myself in conversation with my close friends, I never let schoolwork, tests, or quizzes interfere with this opportunity to let my mind leave school for a few moments.

Meanwhile, just a couple of tables away sat Chris. Just as religiously as I relaxed during the period, Chris would be diligently working. Chris and I did not have much in common, but one thing we did share was our Algebra II class that followed the lunch period. Most days Chris would still be studying while I was on the way out of the cafeteria. One day in particular, the bell that marks the end of the lunch period had just rung, and I was heading out for Ms.

Henyon's math class. I saw up ahead of me, Chris frantically flipping through his Algebraic Concepts text book. I approached Chris and asked: "Did we have any homework we were supposed to do?"

"All we had to do was study for the test today," Chris replied. As usual, I had forgotten another quiz; either that I had chosen to neglect it.

Whichever it was, I never study for tests and quizzes. "Yeah, I've been studying for it all period. I studied last night too, so I should be pretty good," Chris added.

"Oh, well that's a surprise; guess it slipped my mind," I responded.

With time marching on I gave Chris a "see ya there," and went on my way.

Two days went by and the test results were in. "Henyon" marched down the rows of desks and slapped the quizzes down on our desks like death passing judgement on us little students. At least that's how seriously some people took it. The usual aftermath of "What did you gets?" and "How did you do's?" inevitably followed.

"How did you do?" Chris asked in a concerned tone, as if studying meant passing. "93, A-. How did you do?"

"95, A. Good job Mike."

Chris had spent hours and hours working to come out on top of me and the