Grade 9 was such an eye-opener for me, as I'm sure it has been for my daughter this year. One of the things that surprised me were the kids that were older than me who somehow failed courses. Not only did they fail courses once, but twice or three times and I had a grade 12 student in my grade 9 art or religion class. How do you fail art or religion?!
My grade 9 religion class was held in one of the many portable classrooms my high school had and has now replaced with a super build. The teacher was a deacon or layman's pastor who was beyond socially awkward. It was rumoured that he actually fell out of the window of the portable classroom during a lecture and just kept talking while he brushed himself off and walked back in through the door. Being shy, I usually sat in a desk near the back to go unnoticed. Also trying to go unnoticed was the 6' tall grade 12 boy behind me who I tried to ignore.
During one class I started to feel a warmth on my hind quarters. I turned around to find out what the guy was up to and he played innocent. This kept happening until the class ended and I stayed in my seat as everyone left for their next class. Approaching the teacher and prefacing my request as strange I asked him to look at the back of my pants. Scorch marks. The guy behind me was using his lighter to basically burn me alive.
Luckily the pants were cords and not the polyester/wool dress pants required in later years or else I would have actually caught fire. Phone calls were made, pants were replaced and buddy was expelled. I often wonder what would have happened if he had succeeded in lighting me on fire. What I don't wonder is where he is today, jail sounds about right.
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