Story 4. Good Enough

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          When we were in our Senior year, there was a new teacher. And for some reason, she didn't like me at all. But it was okay because the feeling was mutual. In fact, most of our year didn't like her. Jonathan, on the other hand, considered her his favorite teacher and I have no idea why. She was very smart, but she wasn't kind. I was not special in any way, but she would often belittle me and my talents.  She always has something to say about me. When she found out that I aspired to be a disc jockey in our local radio station, she would say that the station and its announcers were cheap and boring. During class, she would often correct my slightest mistakes and she would make it seem that I was dumb. And whenever I would talk, she would have this smug look on her face. I would even catch her roll her eyes sometimes. She would also do this to Anna. She was simply a bully. It got to a point that Anna had to tell her parents about this and her parents had to talk to this teacher. She was very angry at Anna and she even expressed it in front of the class. Poor Anna cried in class that day. 

          During our Nutrition month, I participated in the extemporaneous speech again. I had been participating since our freshman year. Having had no training at all and having written my pieces all by myself, I've only won 2nd place so far. Still, our teachers would encourage me to join. But this teacher... my God!!! When she found out about this, she exclaimed in front of our whole class that I should be replaced. After all, I'm not good enough because I haven't won yet. I was so shocked and insulted that I was rendered speechless. Why would she say that when she hasn't even seen me up on stage. I was not the best but I knew that I was getting better. My classmates were so sweet. They defended me and told her that I was good enough. I was never more determined to win anything than that day just so I could wipe that smug expression from her ugly face. And I did win. When I went down that stage after receiving my award and I saw her face. I waved my prize in front of her and said, "I won ma'am." She just rolled her eyes and looked away. In reality, I really wanted to slap my prize on her face. 

          After we graduated high school, I still see her from time to time. But I would never say hi to her or show respect to her. I still don't know what made her hate me and I'll probably never will. Perhaps she was insecure, perhaps she was unhappy. But what I'm sure of is that she didn't deserve to be a teacher.