Free The McGillicuddy Book of Personal Records by Colleen Sydor Page B

“Well, Mr. McGillicuddy,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back and looking down at the tips of his nerdy shoes, “if I were an English teacher, I would give you an A-plus for such inspired originality, but as it is, I am a Math teacher, and—”
    â€œThose aren’t my words,” interrupted Lee.
    â€œNo doubt,” smiled Mr. Wood. “Whose, pray tell, are they?”
    â€œAlbert Einstein’s.”
    â€œ Rea lly,” said Mr. Wood, smugly looking at the rest of the class, even though he was addressing Lee. “And have you managed to keep anything else that Mr. Einstein said in that head of yours?” Two seconds of silence.
    Okay, you asked for it , thought Lee. “As a matter of fact, yes, Mr. Wood. May I write it on the board?”
    â€œPlease,” said Mr. Wood, holding up a piece of chalk for Lee.
    Lee wondered if he’d finally gone and lost his cotton-pickin’ mind as he walked to the front of the room. Still, it was too late for that now. He took the piece of chalk and wrote one sentence on the board: The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education. Then he signed Albert Einstein’s name and underlined it three times.
    â€œWell, well,” cooed Mr. Wood, “a real rebel , your Mr. Einstein. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us before I send you to the office for disrupting my class?”
    Lee wondered if anyone could see the smoke that was surely pouring from his own scarlet ears. “As a matter of fact, yes,” said Lee, and he turned back to the board and wrote one last sentence, his hand shaking this time: Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from weak minds. This time he underlined Albert’s name four times.
    â€œAnd do tell us, Mr. McGillicuddy,” said Mr. Wood, again addressing the class instead of Lee, “into which category do you fall? That of a great spirit or a weak mind?”
    Some of Lee’s classmates laughed.
    â€œLaugh if you like,” said Lee, cursing the wobble in his voice. “But there were enough dummies who believed that Einstein had a weak mind.”
    â€œAnd how would you know that, I wonder?” asked Mr. Wood.
    â€œHe was refused by the first university he applied to,” said Lee. “They said he didn’t show enough potential as a student.”
    More nervous laughter from the class. Mr. Wood waited for the laughter to die before saying, “And your point is ?”
    I’m okay. For sure. I’m fine , thought Lee, as he replaced the chalk on the ledge and slowly walked toward the door.
    â€œWay to go , Einstein,” called someone from the back row. Lee knew instantly that from this day on, he’d never be known by any other name. Well, there were worse names. Einstein. He’d wear it with pride.
    I’m fine. Really. Nothing can bring me down today.
    That’s what he told himself as he stepped out into the hall.
    Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
    Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
    â€“ Mark Twain

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    â€œWell, finally ,” said Agnes, when Lee walked in the door that day. “We were starting to worry. Where have you been?”
    Lee stared at the spectacle in Agnes’s front room. She was on her knees in front of Rhonda, who was standing on the leather footstool in her unlaced high-tops, with her bare, skinny legs sticking out of … some weird thing she was wearing.
    â€œWhat the heck is that ?” said Lee.
    Agnes spoke around the pins sticking out of her mouth. “It’s a bed jacket,” she said. “I’m just finishing the hem.” With that, she stuck a pin through the fabric and Rhonda came alive.
    â€œOuch!”
    â€œOops, sorry, love.”
    Lee stared at Rhonda in the bizarre looking “jacket.” It looked as if it was made out