Monday
"Mon Petit Miette" [Post-Tech Room Class]
Tuesday
"Dewey's Gone Fishing ..." [Dewey Readings]
Wednesday
"Lost in Thought ..." [Post-Dewey Readings Class]
"Lost in Thought (in Russia) ..." [Organize Online Life]
"Lost in Thought (Outside) ..." [Post-Organize Online Life Class]
Thursday
"A Long Day of Games" [Pre-Games Class]
Friday
"Life is Just a Game We Play" [Post-Games Class]
"Late to the Garden" [Pre-Edublogger Class]
The Cast of Characters from the Previous Installments:
Mr. G – history teacher, narrator
Leah (nee Stilman) – French teacher, fellow MACer
Mrs. Filipovic – history teacher, "voice on the line," in Russia
Mrs. K – science teacher, Curator of the School Garden
Mr. Palapas – school carpenter
Naomi (nee Miller) – fellow MACer
Dr. Vi Quach – former Chemistry teacher, fellow MACer, apps creator
Madame Vice President – Vice President of the United States
Sage – Mr. G’s daughter
Chantel – Mr. G’s wife
Male Students (in order of first appearance) – James, Hideki, Yuri, Manny, Amir
Female Students (in order of first appearance) – Ana, Sarita, Amara
International Student(s) – Yarina
James's Uncle – Matthew
***
If only I knew whether I was still talking to you ... My memories seem like the pieces of a puzzle, but I can't find all of the pieces.
What did Jeff and Rory do with the other envelope? That game that some of us played in our class with them. A game that I had my students play. Sometimes two groups or three groups. One group has some of the pieces to the jigsaw puzzle. Another group has the rest in another envelope. And, all they can do is talk to each other, with their backs to each other, in order to put it together in their mind's eye ... The rest of the class, bystanders, observing how the two groups of students communicate with each other ... How many times have I played that game with my students?
Ana and James open one envelope. Hideki and Sarita open the other.
I can hear their conversation ringing in my ears:
"We see trees."
"We see a White hand grabbing a sweater."
"What? Like a gloved hand?"
"No. Someone who is White?"
"We see an animal's tail."
"We see pieces of a uniform."
"We see part of a building."
I see a picture of oppression. A young man who could very well be my son, but that's not possible ... because my James is dead. And, it's a different time anyway. And, a different place: Alabama.
I am sitting alone at a table, dressed all in white, all around me an endless horizon of white, no depth, no delineation of foreground or background, no sunset, no shadow. I look down at my hands opening an envelope, pieces of puzzle falling to the white tabletop.
Where did my students go?
I begin to arrange the pieces, and call out:
"I see Sage holding ... I think that it's my hand, and turning around over her left shoulder to look at the camera?
"And, I see another piece with the profile of Leah's head turned slightly toward her right and smiling.
"I see a picture of plants ... maybe in a garden. It looks familiar.
"I see blue sky.
"And, I see Chantel's face and part of her body next to a young tree in ... I think the background?"
The picture ... the puzzle ... is incomplete.
"What do you see?" I call out.
Why is there no response?
I look behind me.
There's no second group? What? Just another table without an envelope. Formless white all around.
I look back at my table. The pieces are gone, and there's a new envelope. I open it, and different pieces fall out.
The same blue sky.
My face turned to my right and down toward something or someone. I'm smiling.
"Andrew! He's in the background.
"And, Casey! Emily! Kelsey! Catherine! Evan! Cory! Morgan! Jayanthi! And ... Sixth-grade Scarlett teaching interns! Other MACers! All in the background ...
"Next to a piece of a tree that looks familiar. Like the one that Chantel was standing next to in that piece of the puzzle. Where is it?
"Did you see where ...?"
Wait! That's James, my son! That ... can't ... be ... possible ...
"Wait. Do you ... Did you see where ...?"
I turn around again.
The other table is gone.
I look back.
Why am I not sitting? Where is the table? The pieces are gone?
I reach into my pocket.
A picture of me and Sage sitting under a young sapling, looking into the horizon. Do I remember this picture?
Everything fades to black.
"Hey, buddy!" I hear Andrew say.
Why can't I see him? There's nothing but darkness. Hey, Andrew, where are you, brother?
"I could tell you something historical, Al, and I probably will, but it's just good to see you," I hear Cory say. "Actually, before I do that, though, I've been watching the Tour de France--Well, before I tell you about that ... Al, what you're experiencing right now--"
Cory? Where are you?
A picture popped into my mind. Charlie Brown characters?
I feel a punch at my arm, and hear Leah, I think, starting to say something, but its fading out.
Leah?
"Alex, it's okay."
Dad?
"We miss you."
Mom?
"Hello, Hello, my boy."
My godfather? Jack? But you're ...
"Papa?" Sage calls out.
"Mon Petit Miette, where are you? I can't see you? I can't see anyone? Sage? Sage?! Where are you?!"
"Alex?" a soft voice calms me. One that always has.
"Chantel? Sage called to me, but I can't help her! I think she needs help, Honey. Where is she?! Where are you?! Honey, I can't see anything?! Chantel, I don't understand! Chantel ... I don't know where Sage is. Just help her, Honey. I love you, Honey. Just find her, and then ... help me, please, like you always do."
"It's okay, Papa."
James? My boy, my son, where are you? I miss you, so ... so much. Help me, my boy. Please. Please. Please.
No responses.
No more pieces to the puzzle.
Just quiet ...
Just peace ...
Just darkness ...
