Mr Lemmington

Chapter 1: Mr Lemmington

Many parents are stuck trying to teach their children, unable to make them focus or learn. I wonder, how many of you currently are helplessly trying to shovel vegetables into your child's mouth while telling them "Eat your veggies otherwise you won't grow big and strong", or locking them to their seats while futilely assisting them with their math homework. To many of you parents, this is a familiar story.

Teachers as well, must know of the struggles. Far more so than any parent, at the very least parents must only deal with a few children at a time. But teachers... well they struggle to handle tens of rowdy, rambunctious kids who are seated next to their best friends, distracting the very few ones who do wish to learn. During these moments, you must think to yourself "is there anyone on Earth who can manage to contain children like these...", but you are in luck! There does exist such a person. A particular fellow who goes by the name "Mr Lemmington", who just so happened to find out the best way to teach his students.

In a relatively small town somewhere in the West, lived Mr Lemmington. You see, Mr Lemmington enjoyed the peace and quiet of small towns. He once visited the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles but loathed the way people talked and droned on. So, he decided to settle down where the people were well-mannered, spoke clearly, and valued education. But while he was happy, oh so very happy here, there was just one tiny detail he couldn't get out of his head.

You see, in this town there was a school who had a very naughty boy. A boy who could never sit still and would interrupt his teacher with the worst jokes that didn't make sense. Mr Lemmington had taught many children in the past, some of whom were just like this boy, while others were curious and polite. But this boy, Mr Lemmington thought he would be able to teach oh so very well.

In the crowded hallway, a voice could be heard trying to squeeze through the many children rushing around, with the metallic clanks of lockers closing, books being dropped, and chit-chatter that was allowed in the short 10 minute break.

"Hey Jake, what class do you have next?"

"I've got English next, what about you?" Jake responded, trying to shuffle through his locker, finding a pencil that he was sure was in there.

"Mr Porter and his History class", Sully groaned, "anyways you know that reel I sent this morning. We should try copying it, I bet we'd go viral."

"Can't, got detention. Let's do it tomorrow though."

Rushing to his classroom with pencil and book in hand, Jake just barely managed to make it in time right before the bell rang. Taking a seat near the back, Jake plopped his things on his desk, deciding what he should daydream of today.

In the midst of dreaming of running a successful business, becoming a billionaire and fulfilling his wildest fantasies, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Jake, would you be able to answer this question please."

"Huh..." Jake mumbled, wiping away a small streak of saliva that had been building up in his cheek and now slowly running down his face.

"I take it you weren't listening, so I shall repeat myself", Mr Porter fixed his glasses while sighing.

"While Christopher Columbus may not have been the first European settler in the United States, he did ignite the era of European exploration and colonization that permanently reshaped the Americas, setting off a chain of contact, conquest, and migration that transformed the world. However, there were also many tragedies that he caused. Please recall one incident in which he took the lives of many."

Surrounding Jake, some students shot their hands up, while others murmured trying to figure out what the answer could be.

"Uhhh...," Jake stuttered but quickly gained back his confidence. He wasn't called the class clown for no reason. "Well Columbus came to America because he couldn't find India, murdering the tastebuds of millions of English who never found out what spicy even means."