I didn’t excel in school while I lived in Brooklyn, but when I moved to NJ I suddenly found reasons to think that I was very smart. I did well on tests, knew all the answers to questions, and even got a certificate that said “Highest Academic Performance”, although “2nd place” had been carroted in. Nonetheless, I was in high spirits. I didn’t have to be the best; I just had to be good enough. But then I took a test that announced to the school and, to myself, that, indeed, “Ben Kharakh was not really good enough!” It was a test to get into the G&T program and I scored a 119 and you had to get 125 or higher to get in. And so began my disillusionment with the American education system!
One of the highlights of school definitely occurred in the 7th grade when I entered an academic competition. All I had to do was enter every paper I had that was graded an A+ or a 100 and I would have a chance to win a mysterious prize. What would this prize be? A television? Dozens of homework passes? How about a cardboard Coca Cola outdoor thermometer? No, that last one’s a joke of a gift. Rule of threes: third one’s always the funny one. Well, I wasn’t laughing when they handed it to me. I just took it and left. And second place was a five-dollar gift certificate to McDonalds! I can’t eat a Thermometer! It made me feel like Charlie Brown. “Even when I win I lose!”
Int, Principal’s Office, Day
“Here’s your prize.”
“This prize is making me sad.”
“I’m sorry. Would you like a slice of the second place prize? It’s a delicious pie! You could eat with the silverware third place got.”
“Those are both better than my prize!”
“Nonsense, we used your prize to measure the temperature outside and then had a party. Without your prize, we wouldn’t have known how to dress for the party.”
“Why wasn’t I invited to the party?”
“You were too busy getting your prize. And then you complained about it.”
