It has now been 16 years since this story began. And 13.5 years since it ended. It's a Christmas Story... of sorts.
I was a sophomore, taking Honors Algebra 2. Until that class I was not particularly good in math, but my teacher proved to be a God-send. She had a knack for delivering her material so that everyone could get it, including me.
A note about me. I was a very quiet student in high school. I rarely raised my hand in class for fear of looking foolish or making a mistake. That fact becomes important right about...
Now. So there I was sitting in this teacher's classroom in the middle of December. The class was about to begin. This small blond-haired woman in her early to mid-40s stood in front of the class and explained to us that she was a Christmas fanatic. She loved everything about Christmas. The cartoon specials. The movies. The decorations. All of it. And each year, she explained, she asked random questions that, if answered correctly, would score the responder points on a quiz or test.
The questions began that day. The first question: Who was the bad guy in 'Santa Claus Is Comin to Town'? It was worth 5 points on the next quiz. I knew it, but I didn't. Not the name anyway. But I knew who she was talking about. I began squirming in my seat, and like any good teacher would, she noticed me and put me on the spot. My face caught on fire as I turned bright red. 'I know who it is, but I can't remember the name.' She looked away. 'I remember the song, though,' I blurted. The teacher turned and smiled an evil smile. She then said that she would give me 10 points if I sang one verse of the song in front of the class. My face went from red to scarlet. My mind raced, vying between the 10 points on the next quiz and the incessant teasing I'd sustain for the remaining 2.5 years of high school. As anyone who knows me understands, I decided to sing. And I got the 10 points.
The teacher then announced that there would be weekly questions - for which I was not eligible to receive quiz points - leading up to the Christmas quiz that would be good for 10 points towards any test for the rest of the year. Each week, the teacher asked a new question. And each week, I knew the answer, passing it along to a peer. When the day of the Christmas quiz came, the teacher said that she would be handling a tad bit differently than in years past. Instead of giving 10 points to the person / people who had the most correct answers, it would be a competition. The class against me. If they won, everyone in the class would receive 5 points towards any test. And if I won, I would get 15 points. I accepted the challenge.
There were 20 questions. Name the town in 'It's a Wonderful Life.' What did Frosty say when he came alive? What was the name of the miner in 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?' What was Mrs. Claus' first name in 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town?' In which state did the ski lodge reside in 'White Christmas'? How was it that Santa Claus was proven to be who he was in court in 'Miracle on 34th Street?' The class answered 17 correctly.
I answered 18.
I didn't need those points the rest of the year. I aced the class, in fact, because the teacher was so good. I did not have her for Pre-Calculus junior year. But I did have her for Calculus my senior year.
I did well in Calculus. I enjoyed it, in fact. I struggled, at times, but kept a high B to low A average. At the end of my senior year, the teacher calculated my grade. 89.3 a B+. Not bad.
What does this have to do with the Christmas Quiz I 'won' sophomore year? Well, there was a policy at Lyman Hall that allowed those students who received an A in a class in the second semester to forego the final in that subject. When the teacher showed me my grade, I was understandably disappointed. But she said, 'do you remember that Christmas Quiz from sophomore year? I think that's enough to give you an 89.5. And that rounds up to a 90. Enjoy the summer and get yourself ready for college.'
That was the best delayed Christmas gift I've ever received...
And the one I didn't get: the Winter Warlock
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