The Turing Test

Chapter 6

September

I've always liked math. But more importantly, I've always been good at math. If anything has carried me through school with a decent chance of getting into college, it's mathematics. For a lot of people it's just a fun thing to complain about, but I find it reassuring. In math, there are facts and formulas and limits. Everything is logical and makes sense. You know when you have the right answer, and you know when you're doing it wrong. There are clear rules that can be defined and followed without any blurring of lines. In the end, it all works out like a nice neat puzzle. Most importantly though, it is never subject to opinion.

So you can see how English is such a struggle for me.

In English, there are no rules, or clear lines, or facts. Everything is dependent on your interpretation, and there are really no right answers. Virtually any theme can be taken from any book, and anything you write could become a piece of literature. At least, that's what I've experienced. Half the time, the entire class is just bullshitting themselves through essays and oral presentations. The other half of the time, the students are the teacher's favorites, and they could say complete crap and still get As.

I leave second period math in a good mood, and then fifth period English destroys it like a grand piano being dropped onto a cardboard box. And yes, that was a short story from a kid two weeks ago. Again, why is this a subject?

I throw my bag unenthusiastically next to my desk. Another reason I hate this class is the tiny desks we have to cram in. Already seated in the one behind me, is Jimmy.

Jimmy Andrade. He sits with a straight spine that inspires everyone around him want to improve their posture. His wardrobe consists of flannels and t-shirts with a pocket on the right side, and sometimes a preppy sweater. His face is very symmetrical, with a chin that's as square as the black rims of his glasses that frame his brown eyes. Underneath those glasses is his smile, which is the kind of thin smile that looks like he's subtly laughing to himself about something only he can understand. Above the glasses is jet-black hair that's neatly lifted up in the front, not a hair out of place. He's always fidgeting with a pencil or tapping his knee, and he clenches his jaw when he's deep in thought. Sometimes when he fidgets a lot, a single strand of his hair will fall across his forehead, immediately swept back up into its position.

How much I've observed about him is telling of how much I pay attention in this class.

When I walk in, Jimmy raises his eyebrows at my harrumphing. "Someone's in a good mood."

"I'm so excited for this class," I respond dryly. I'm usually not this sarcastic, but that one girl with her prying eyebrows and prying questions has me in a mood. She approached me again after the weekend, and I still have no idea why.

Jimmy just laughs, and goes back to fiddling with his pencil.

I met Jimmy on the first day of school, and we've never exchanged more words than this. He's been seated behind me for a little over a month now, but all I can ever manage to say to him is a sarcastic comment about how much fun I'm having failing English. He will just respond with basic sarcasm, but he doesn't really instigate further conversation. It's almost like he just doesn't know what to say, or how to continue talking. His social skills are a lot worse than his English skills, to be sure. During presentations he stands awkwardly close to the corner, and sometimes he gets so carried away during discussions that it makes me cringe, and I just want to tell him to stop talking. He's the kind of person that only has good intentions, but will ask the teacher about homework when you were hoping that she forgot.

He sits in the library during lunch every day.

"Hi, sorry I'm late, but I hope you all have your notebooks out. Come on people, we've been in school for a month now, you should know the routine," our teacher scrambles around the room setting down folders and picking up papers. "Today I'm going to be handing back your creative essays, but before that, we're going to take a small quiz on Macbeth."