My First Zoom Class

January 19, 2021  •  Leave a Comment

My First Zoom Class

Arriving early 
I snagged the middle square of the top row
The other squares filled in
Most of them had name tags on but
I could tell, right away
These weren’t the best of the best. Not
by a long shot. I suddenly realized it wasn't a coincidence
that I was here

But I was hopeful
I had heard that our teacher, Mrs. Smeary
was good, super good
sometimes funny, she could get real and
snap it.  Bring it all into focus
and I could use some of that because
 
I liked how
her long dark hair came down
in braids

But Mrs Smeary
sucker punched us
saying put away your books
(What books? I thought)

She said
This will count
I’ll ask questions. And you will answer
Right now you can hear each other, but I can mute
you at any time
Remember to use whole sentences

Adjectives? said Amy, bottom square, third row, poor lighting
Do I need to use adjectives?

Yes, said Mrs. Smeary. And what does an adjective do?
It modifies a noun, said Amy
Very good, said Mrs. Smeary. And what does modify mean?
Jimmy, first square, second row, waved frantically
Yes Jimmy? 
It means to take something that used to be fun and happy
and put it on a chair in front of a computer
and push and tease it until it feels bad and sad

This is BS, said Bobby, 3rd square down, 4th row
Yeah, said Jenny,  fifth row. Crapola
CBD, small for his age, and twitchy, bottom row, corner
ducked out of the screen and then
popped back in
Funky dipshit stuff, he said

After that there was no sound but
I could tell the others were saying more things
because their lips were moving

Boys and girls, said Mrs Smeary
Does anyone have anything positive and uplifting to say?

Jimmy's hand shot up
Jimmy? Said Mrs. Smeary
Only love can break your heart, said Jimmy

That’s lovely said Mrs Smeary
and it was a song,
but that’s not quite right, is it?
Because love doesn't actually
break anything. Love makes us feel good, right?

Several heads perked up at this
Jenny’s eyes uncrossed as she spoke up 
My Mother says that love is an illusion
a feeling that doesn’t last...

My love is like a fart on a windy day, muttered Bobby
Like in summertime, when rocks are warmed by the sun
said CBD
Very good, said Mrs. Smeary
And then you pick them up and smash things with them, said Jimmy
Okay now, said Mrs. Smeary

Samantha, in the square next to me, looked resolute, she
hadn’t said anything yet, and now she sat up straight. Her bangs looked good to me
I think, she said, 
Love
is in the winter 
when you’ve been outside and it’s cold and wet and you’re tired and you finally get home
and you come inside and take off your coat and boots
and there’s a fire going in the fireplace and the heat just pours over you
and you smell cookies in the oven. And your mom comes to you and puts
her hands on your cheeks
and she smooths back your hair and kisses the top of your head
and she asks 
what did you learn today?

The class fell silent
Rain splattered against the window 
Mrs. Smeary seemed at a loss for words
A bell rang somewhere
Our first Zoom class was over

 


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