Uncertainty

Upside down

Have you ever stopped to think about how your life could change from one day to the next? Any specific circumstance that would turn everything upside down? She did, and she always smiled to herself at the thought that such situation would be winning the lottery suddenly. Of course, for that she would first have to buy a ticket, and to buy a ticket she had to be 18 years old. Not just 15, as was her case.

She didn't complain about her life, in fact she felt grateful most of the time because despite the economic limitations they had, her parents made an effort to make sure she didn't lack anything and always prioritized her access to education over other things, for example paying for internet service so she could do her homework.

But knowing that she would turn 16 that year, she couldn't avoid feeling a little sad when she saw on television the huge celebrations that other countries did either with 15 or 16 and she felt sad because that would be something that would never happen to her.

She knew something was wrong that morning when the house phone rang and asked for her parents, when she clarified that they were at work they told her that they were calling from her high school for a priority meeting the next day. She wrote down the hour they gave her and when she hung up, she couldn't help but feel that it was something weird, classes would start in one week and she was waiting for it to start so she would not be bored at home all day.

When the night arrived the first to arrive was her mother, greeting her with a hug while they finished preparing dinner, she used to do the basics and it was her mother who cooked the most elaborate.

She told her mother about the meeting and her mother called her work at once, excusing herself for not having given notice in time for the leave and promising to replace the hours. They had dinner alone because her father had not yet arrived and it was probably because he had had the chance to work a couple of extra hours, something that the man always appreciated because it was an additional income.

The following afternoon they arrived at the small auditorium of the institution, discovering that the parents of the upper-class students were also there. They sat down and waited until the principal turned on the microphone that made the characteristic sound when it is too close to the horn and for which everyone wanted to cover their ears. He began to speak a second later, apologizing for the sudden meeting and the reason for it.

"The deadline to receive the money transfer from the government was last week, since we didn't receive it, we have been making inquiries and they have already confirmed that it will not arrive."

The parents exchanged glances, worried because being a state institution they depended entirely on governmental and foundation funding for their operation.

"We have reviewed what reductions we can make and... well, the only way we have found to be able to function almost normally this year with the new budget is to remove the two upper grades."

"What are you saying?" She did not even turn to see which mother had said that.

"The meeting is precisely to tell you that this year the penultimate and last course will not be taught, we can't afford the teachers and the respective maintenance of the laboratories that your children need."

"We are a week away from the start of classes! What do you expect us to do at this point?!"

"You can't do this to us!"

"Our children can't be left without studying!"

"Calm down parents, please." No doubt the principal had expected such reaction. "I have been talking to other principals in the city, knocking on doors and trying to get them to accept at least one of your children, it has been a busy week but I managed to get 76 places in other high schools in the city." At last there was some sort of silence.