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T

he paper made Dovid wince and he cringed each time his backpack jostled his shoulders on his walk home from school. Each tap was another reminder. How would he explain this to Ma and Ta? They had warned him for months to buckle down in school but once again he was bringing home a big fat D. Heaving a large sigh Dovid wished he could burn the evidence.

I’m in big trouble. I wish I could quit school.

“But you’re so smart” Dovid’s parents and teachers always told him. “If this was the best you could do we would be satisfied. But you’re not even trying. And that’s not acceptable.”

Dovid knew the speech verbatim; he could wake up from a deep sleep and quote it perfectly. But doing something about the matter was a different story. School bored him. While teachers droned on about history or mathematical equations Dovid’s mind invariably took him on interesting trips. He would think about taking a long bike ride with his best friend Shuey or remember the amazing road trip his family had taken this summer. His thoughts would take him away from the teacher standing in front of him rattling off facts that as far as he was concerned had nothing to do with real life.

Well here goes he worried dragging one foot in front of the other up his front walkway and into his house. The moment of doom is here.

“Hi Dovid” Ma greeted him cheerfully. “How was your day?” Dovid’s heart skipped a beat but thankfully Ma didn’t wait for his answer. “We’re about to visit Zeidy; it’s his birthday today. So quickly take a snack and we’ll leave in a few minutes.”