Pieces of a Puzzle

Orangutan College

"We need to discuss your progress in this course." He paused. "You may or may not pass."

I shook my head in frustration. "Those things can not possibly be beating me. I have a 99 in the course. How could I possibly fail?"

"Well," He said, with a knowing voice. "You do remember that you are graded against your peers, right? The lowest man on the totem pole fails."

Yeah, I thought, I remember that stupid rule. But that's an issue for a different time. "Yes, sir."

"So...the problem is...that low man is you. If you don't beat at least one of your classmate's average, you will fail the course and possibly be removed from the entire institution.

"But..." I spoke, in pure desperation.

"But nothing, human. I do not want to hear the 'I'm the only human in an orangutan class' excuse again. I will make sure you lose that minority scholarship if you say anything of that sort again."

I sighed. I thought, This is what I get for going to an all monkey school.