"Paul's Case"

Paul was a seventeen year old boy who absolutely despised the idea of attending school but loved the theater more than anything in the world. He went to Pittsburg High School. If it was not for Paul’s father, Paul would have chosen to not attend school ever in his life. His father often said, “Paul, going to school is not a choice. You have to go and get an education.”

“I do not want to go; I want to spend all my time at the theater.” Paul was a child who had a learning disability. Paul would rather spend all his time at the theater where he feels more accepted. He does not feel judged and feels like a free man. At school, Paul was often ridiculed; he would not pay attention to lessons being taught, he talked back to the teachers and often acted out repulsively. One time, he got so angry at Mrs. Dumford, his teacher, for trying to correct him that he threw the chalk and almost hit her in the eye. The teachers at his school would try to calm Paul down because they were aware of his situation but their actions just angered Paul even more. After repeatedly being a distraction in class, Paul was moved into the Special Education class. Here, Paul was just like the rest of the students in the sense that they all had a disability too. Paul though hated the idea of “being different.” He wanted to be just like everybody else because in his eyes he was just like everyone else.

What Paul failed to realize though was that the teachers and his father saw him like everyone else and they were just trying to recognize that he has a disability that can be helped. Paul at first was actually trying in his new classes but as time passed he began to not show and go back to his old habits. One day, Paul’s father called Mrs. Lanty, his Special Educat...

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...w York and how he always wanted to live there. Pauls’ father began calling every hotel until he finally found the one where his son was staying. Once he did, he booked a flight and was on his way to New York. When he arrived in New York Paul happened to be sitting in the hotel lobby. Pauls’ father walked up and Paul was astonished. He was so angry with himself that he told the other employees. Pauls’ father though was very understanding because of Pauls’ disability. In Paul's eyes, running away was not the problem. That night the two men took a flight back to Pittsburgh.

Paul was accepted back into his Special Education class and was also allowed to do small jobs at the business he had stolen from. Paul agreed not to skip school for the theater and his father also agreed that if Paul was able to maintain passing grades that his father would take him to the theater.