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I took a drafting class my junior year of
high school. I don’t know how that was a
class. I gained absolutely nothing out
of it. We had a CAD Machine that did not
work. I don’t remember much of it other
than drawing out some designs from different perspectives. Anyway, one day I asked permission to go to
the library. I was back from surgery and needed time to research for my paper on Dracula. A classmate
of mine also asked and was allowed to join me.
The kid was Johnathon T. We made it to the library and I got bored of
reading and Johnathon? I’m not sure what
he was doing. I went and sat down at the
computer (this was back when the library had only two computers.) I nodded over to Johnathon to come over here. I navigated to an Ozzfest or Ozzy Osbourne
website. There were these awesome
looking stick figure guys. I don’t know
why but it was amazing in the moment. I
asked if he wanted me to print some of them and he said, “Sure.” I don’t even know if he liked metal. I just
assumed he did because of how he dressed.
He had shoulder length curly black hair.
He had had an accident or something because he was missing the tip of a
few fingers. Johnathon was a grade below
me and always wore jeans with holes, plain black t-shirts and flannel
shirts. I didn’t really know him, but he
seemed the type of person I would be cool with.
I printed away, and we clicked around the website. Until the librarian approached.
I had not realized that the 3 or 4 stick
figures I printed were dozens. Like 20
pages worth. And inappropriate. Flipping the bird, bloody axes. Stuff like that. She sent us to the principal with the
evidence. The principal’s office was not
a place I was familiar with. I had never
ever been sent there. Something told me
that Johnathon was no stranger to Principal Clark. We sat next to each other across from the old
guy. He initially focused his attention
to Johnathon, assuming I was some innocent bystander. And it was understandable. He was obviously a seasoned vet (not to
mention that a few years ago out of curiosity I searched the sex offender
registry for my hometown. Sure, enough
Johnathon was there. Why was I shocked a
guy that went by the nickname “Sugar Bear” would be there?). Me, the honest and guilty party here
immediately took full blame. I insisted
on Sugar Bear’s, I mean Johnathon’s, innocence.
Johnathon was sent back to drafting class with a warning and I was
alone.
My stellar reputation, (or lack of
reputation) had the principal at a loss.
He struggled to come up with a proper punishment. In fact, I negotiated the terms of my
sanction. Call my parents? Detention?
Two weeks. I talked him down to
one week of preschool detention. I would
come to school 30 minutes early and sit in the front hallway that was
perpendicular to the administrative offices.
That experience was just the weirdest thing. Can you imagine having so
much input on how you would be punished?
I know Johnathon would not have gotten that same courtesy.
The way that negotiation went down was
absurd. What I printed out was
absurd. The fact that I liked the images
was absurd. But I came out fine, nothing
bad was done, so I felt that the punishment fit the crime. Definitely more than what the other guy would
have gotten.
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