'The Scholarship Jacket'.docx

'The Scholarship Jacket'.docx

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"TheScholarshipJacket"

byMartaSalinas

ThesmallTexasschoolthatIattendedcarriedoutatraditioneveryyearduringtheeighthgradegraduation;abeautifulgoldandgreenjacket,theschoolcolors,wasawardedtotheclassvaledictorian,thestudentwhohadmaintainedthehighestgradeforeightyears.ThescholarshipjackethadabiggoldSontheleftfrontsideandthewinner'snamewaswritteningoldlettersonthepocket.

MyoldestsisterRosiehadwonthejacketafewyearsbackandIfullyexpectedtowinalso.Iwasfourteenandintheeighthgrade.IhadbeenastraightAstudentsincethefirstgrade,andthelastyearIhadlookedforwardtoowningthatjacket.Myfatherwasafarmlaborerwhocouldn'tearnenoughmoneytofeedeightchildren,sowhenIwassixIwasgiventomygrandparentstoraise.Wecouldn'tparticipateinsportsinschoolbecausetherewereregistrationfees,uniformcosts,andtripsoutoftown;soeventhoughwewerequiteagileandathletictherewouldneverbeasportsschooljacketforus.Thisone,thescholarshipjacket,wasouronlychance.

InMay,closetograduation,springfeverstruck,andnoonepaidanyattentioninclass;insteadwestaredoutthewindowsandateachother,wantingtospeedupthelastfewweeksofschool.IdespairedeverytimeIlookedinthemirror.Pencilthin,notacurveanywhere,Iwascalled“Beanpole"and"StringBean"andIknewthat'swhatIlookedlike.Aflatchest,nohips,andabrain,that'swhatIhad.Thatreallyisn'tmuchforafourteen-year-oldtoworkwith,Ithought,asIabsentmindedlywanderedfrommyhistoryclassinthegym.Anotherhourofsweatinginbasketballanddisplayingmytoothpicklegswascomingup.ThenIrememberedmyP.E.shortswerestillinabagundermydeskwhereI'dforgottenthem.Ihadtowalkallthewaybackandgetthem.CoachThompsonwasarealbearifanyonewasn'tdressedforP.E.ShehadsaidIwasagoodforwardandoncesheeventriedtotalkGrandmaintolettingmejointheteam.Grandma,ofcourse,saidno.

Iwasalmostbackatmyclassroom'sdoorwhenIheardangryvoicesandarguing.Istopped.Ididn'tmeantoeavesdrop;Ijusthesitated,notknowingwhattodo.IneededthoseshortsandIwasgoingtobelat,butIdidn'twanttointerruptanargumentbetweenmyteachers.Irecognizedthevoices;Mr.Schmidt,myhistoryteacher,andMr.Boone,mymathteacher.Theyseemedtobearguingaboutme.Icouldn'tbelieveit.IstillremembertheshockthatrootedmeflatagainstthewallasifIweretryingtoblendinwiththegraffitiwrittenthere.111refusetodoit!

Idon'tcarewhoherfatheris,hergradesdon'tevenbegintocomparetoMartha's.Iwon'tlieorfalsifyrecords.MarthahasastraightAplusaverageandyouknowit"ThatwasMr.Schmidtandhesoundedveryangry.Mr.Boone'svoicesoundedcalmandquiet.

“Look,Joann'sfatherisnotonlyontheBoard,heownstheonlystoreintown;wecouldsayitwasaclosetieand..."

Thepoundinginmyearsdrownedouttherestiftheword'sonlyawordhereandtherefilteredthrough.ll...MarthaisMexican...resign...won'tdoit..."Mr.Schmidtcamerushingout,luckilyformewentdowntheoppositewastowardtheauditorium,sohedidn'tseeme.Shaking,Iwaitedafewminutesandthenwentinandgrabmybagandfledfromtheroom.Mr.BoonelookedupwhenIcameinbutdidn'tsayanything.TothisdayIdon'trememberifIgotintroubleinP.E.forbeinglateorhowImadeitthroughtherestoftheafternoon.Iwenthomeverysadandcriedintomypillowthatnightsograndmotherwouldn'thearme.ItseemedacruelcoincidencethatIhadoverheardthatconversation.

Thenextdaywhentheprincipalcalledmeintotheoffice,Iknewwhatitwouldbeabout.Helookeduncomfortableandunhappy.IdecidedIwasn'tgoingtomakeiteasierforhimsoIlookedhimstraightintheeye.Helookedawayandfidgetedwiththepapersonhisdesk.

“Martha,"hesaid,"there'sbeenachangeinpolicythisyearregardingthescholarshipjacket.Asyouknow,ithasalwaysbeenfree."Heclearedhisthroatandcontinued."ThisyeartheBoarddecidedtochangefifteendollars一whichstillwon'tcoverthecompletecostofthejacket".

Istaredathiminshockandasmallsoundofdismayescapedbythroat.Ihadn'texpectedthis.Hestillavoidedlookinginmyeye's.

"Soifyouareunabletopaythefifteendollarsforthejacket,itwillbegiventothenextoneinline."

StandingwithallthedignityIcouldmuster,Isaid,I,llspeaktomygrandfatheraboutit,sir,andletyouknowtomorrow."Icriedonthewalkhomefromthebusstop.Thedirtroadwasaquarterofamilefromthehighway,sobythetimeIgothome,myeyeswereredandpuffy.

"Where'sGrandpa?

"IaskedGrandma,lookingdownatthefloorsoshewouldn'taskmewhyI'dbeencrying.Shewassewingonaquiltanddidn'tlookup.

111thinkhe'sout