Folie A Deux

Chapter 1

He was my teacher, my hero, but he didn’t know that. Let me ask you something, what if someone you look up to breaks in front of you? Wouldn’t it bring you to tears, wouldn’t it hurt you more? My name’s Jimmy Nichols and I barely passed as a computer science graduate, well, actually I didn’t pass ‘cause I dropped out because of financial problems.

But even though I dropped out, I would never forget my programming teacher. He was awe inspiring. In fact I would re-apply as a student there just so he could be my teacher and because I want to prove that I can become successful. He, for me, is the greatest programmer ever. His knowledge is unquestionable and his skill, impeccable. He has like the IQ of 190 or something like that and what’s even more shocking is that he’s just a year or two older than me. Around two years ago, I dropped out. A few months ago, after working one dead-end job after another, an alumnus of the university offered to give me a scholarship up to the date I graduate from that school because he saw how determined I was to become a programmer. God bless his soul.

I will become a programmer, and a good one at that. I made a promise to myself and to my mom before she passed away. I then checked out the schedule of my classes, hmm... that’s weird. I don’t see his name listed here in the list of teachers, well, I’ll ask around later right now I need to get to class.

After I graduate I’ll strive hard so that Professor Carl MacMillan will finally see that I too have a brilliant mind. So I get to class and I listened attentively and wrote down almost everything that the teacher said. Good thing I can write fast, although my penmanship does need a little work.

It’s now fifth period, finally! It’s time for our programming class; this is one of the elective classes. Obviously I like programming and thus, I picked it. I picked out as much classes as possible. I want to make something of my life and I will strive to gain more knowledge. Anyway, I’m hurrying because I am running a little late. I get to the class and the professor's already talking, but wait. That isn’t professor Carl. He must be just a substitute or something.... I’ll ask him after class.

Class is over.

“Excuse me sir,” I asked as he was organizing the papers on his desk.

“Yes?”

“I was just wondering why Professor Carl is absent and why he isn’t listed in the list of teachers.” I said as I showed him the list.

“Professor Carl,” he pondered for a while, “Ah, you mean Professor MacMillan. Well, he’s no longer a professor here, he had a breakdown here in school.”

 “What? But why?”

“Turns out that he had some form of mental illness, and he resigned from the university over a year ago.”He said as he sighed, “We lost one of the best teachers in this school, such a shame.”

“Do you know where he is now?” I asked eagerly.

He shook his head, “Sorry.”

I then left the classroom. I told myself that I’ll prove to that professor of mine that I’ll succeed and be as successful as him. I need to find him. After what I heard, I couldn’t quite concentrate in class. I needed to know that he was getting better. I needed to know that he was okay.