Somewhere Over the Freaking Rainbow - By L.L. Muir Page 0,19
one who fears and fights, or one who fears and hides.”
“Mr. Evans?”
“Yes, Mr. Shaw?”
“Why not have a debate instead of an essay? I mean, this is College Prep, and we should learn how to debate our opinions, right?”
“Go on.”
“So, if we just all say which group we are in and why, we wouldn't need to write it down.”
The class went still.
Mr. Evans shook his head. “Is it going to be like this all semester, Mr. Shaw?”
“I don’t think so, Mr. Evans. I'm sure you'll catch up.”
Mr. Evans laughed. “Fine. Miss Phillips, you’re first. If you don't like it, complain to Mr. Shaw.”
Twenty minutes later it was Jamison's turn. He was almost anxious to surprise those idiots who thought he was leadership material.
“I'm a Conrad. I usually choose anything but standing and fighting. I'm a coward.”
Miss Phillips looked like she was going to run over and comfort him.
Evans noticed too, and cleared his throat, probably to distract her. “Not as Scottish as your grandfather, Mr. Shaw?”
“No, sir. I wish I were.”
Jamison resisted turning around to see what affect he'd had on Skye Somerled. He vaguely remembered talking to her in the parking lot the day before but couldn’t remember what they’d talked about. He’d liked her laugh, her soft gloves. He’d caught her lying about sunglasses. When they’d gotten to class the jerk behind him had poked him in the back, warning him that Somerleds didn't date outside their kind, or something like that.
Was that only yesterday?
The confessions went down the line. Most didn't care to join Jamison in the coward club. But when it was time for the last confession, Skye’s, he couldn't help but turn around and watch.
“I'm neither. I fear nothing, so there is no reason to hide or fight.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and lifted her chin.
“Oh ho!” Mr. Evans clapped his hands once. “Miss Somerled has just proven your theory, Mr. Shaw. Did you see? She just chose a side, even though she meant not to. She chose fear and fight. She lifted her chin, ready to take on all comers, didn't she?”
“No, I did not. If there is no reason to fear, there is no reason to fight.” Skye lifted her chin again.
“And yet you are fighting, Miss Somerled.” Evans walked to the board and started writing a mathematical equation, if a, then b or c. “Mr. Shaw’s argument is if there is fear, then there is either flee or fight, agreed?”
The class murmured its agreement.
“And Miss Somerled’s argument is the reverse, but basically means the same thing.” He wrote on the board, if not a, then not b and not c. “If there is no fear, then there is no flee and no fighting. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Most of the class spoke in unison.
Evans faced Jamison. “You were right about one thing, Mr. Shaw; this is turning into an excellent lesson in debate.” He lifted his chalk to the board, writing if b or c, then a. “Follow my logic, if you will. If the first two sentences are correct, if both Jamison and Skye are correct, then it stands to reason that if there is fighting or fleeing, there is fear. Agreed?”
Only a couple kids answered. The class was either a little slow or indifferent.
“So, if Miss Somerled is ready to fight, as implied by the raise of her chin, she must therefore have fear. Agreed?”
Skye was looking at the board, her mouth open, her brow pinched together in confusion.
Jamsion felt bad that his comments had led to this.
Evans slapped the chalk dust from his hands and walked back to his desk. “You make a good argument, Skye. I'll give you a pass for your participation, but I don't buy it, that you have no fear. Everyone fears something.” Evans looked at his cell.
Jamison didn’t want things left that way, with her squirming in the spotlight.
“What about you, Mr. Evans? Which side are you on?”
The man glared at Jamison, then the clock. Still two more minutes.
“I'm the fear and hide type, Mr. Shaw, like you. But I'm getting out of Shangri-La, just as soon as I dare.” He turned to the class. “Tomorrow's discussion will be Wisdom vs. Passion. How old do you think you will be when you do as Mr. Conrad did and exchange the latter for the former—exchange the passion of youth for the wisdom of maturity? I want an essay, not a debate, so be prepared. I recommend reading the classic, Lost Horizon, to get some perspective. If