Zoey was currently sitting in her seat in Mr. Feeny's class. She leaned back in her seat while Mr. Feeny was informing everyone about their test last week.
"I have graded last week's geography examination and the highest score was achieved by..." Mr. Feeny trailed off.
"Minkus." Cory spoke in a sarcastic tone. "Was it achieved by Minkus? Does it go to Minkus? Minkus, right?"
"Mr. Minkus." Mr. Feeny said, passing Minkus' test back.
"That's a shock." Zoey muttered under her breath.
"Thank you, Mr. Feeny. Your bonus question was a real stumper." Minkus said. Shawn then threw a paper ball at his head. "Ow."
"Miss Owens, Excellent." Mr. Feeny commented as he passed their tests back. "Mr. Baker, very nice. Mr. Matthews... well there it is."
Cory looked at his test results. "A 'C'? But I actually studied for this test. Why did I get a 'C'?"
"Let' see. Where to begin." Mr. Feeny said, grabbing the test and looked at it. "Well, for one thing Mr. Matthews, this section of the map is not East Germany."
"It's not?" Cory questioned.
"Perhaps you've heard a little incident with the Berlin Wall?" Mr. Feeny asked.
"Was that during Baseball season?" Cory wondered.
"There is no East Germany anymore." Mr. Feeny informed.
"But the textbook says it's right next to West Germany." Cory responded.
"Yes, well, the textbook also says that Alaska and Hawaii would make fine states someday. Things change Mr. Matthews, unfortunately the bored of education doesn't have the funds to keep up." Mr. Feeny said, before he handed Zoey her test.
She took a deep breath before looking at her test to reveal a 'B'. A wide smile spread over her lips.
"Then how am I supposed to keep up?" Cory asked.
"Watch the news. Pay attention in class. Look at mimeograph I give you before you turn them into paper airplanes." Mr. Feeny said.
Zoey chuckled as she watched Shawn through a paper airplane towards Minkus, and hit him in the back of his head.
"Ow." Minkus muttered.
"What good would it do?" Cory questioned. "They keep changing geography. Why can't it be like all the other subjects? Math - two plus two is always four. Uh, science - the Earth always goes around the Sun. History - Lincoln always gets shot in the head."
"Lincoln got off easy." Mr. Feeny muttered. "All right, heads up. In these last few moments in class I want to make an announcement about this year's regional geography tournament. As some as you may know, for the past five years I have always fielded a champion and I expect the same this year. So, based on his outstanding elastic achievement I have selected as this year entra--"
"Minkus." Cory spoke up. "Have you selected Minkus?"
"Mr. Minkus." Mr. Feeny announced. "And this year's first prize will be..."
"A Mercator projection pull down wall map?" Minkus asked quickly.
"No. Uh, this years winner will be a bat boy at the opening game of the World Series." Mr. Feeny said.
Minkus frowned. "Oh."
Cory turned around to face Shawn and Zoey with wide eyes. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah. So?" Shawn asked.
"So I'm seeing my dream come true here." Cory said with a smile.
Zoey scoffed. "Yeah, right Cory. Like Feeny's going to take you to the geography tournament."
"You didn't even know they tore down the Berlin Wall." Shawn added.
The bell rang. Everyone in the classroom stood up and gathered all their books. Zoey gathered all her books and walked out of the classroom, and saw Shawn standing outside, looking for something.
"Where's Cory?" Shawn asked.
"He's probably talking with Feeny." Zoey said, before chuckling slightly. "He really wants this bat boy prize really bad."
Shawn chuckled. "Yeah."
••••
Cory had informed Shawn and Zoey about a plan that he had for Minkus... and of course they agreed.
After school, Shawn and Cory had their arms around Minkus' shoulders while Zoey followed along as they walked into Cory's house. When they entered from the back door and into the kitchen, they saw Eric and Mrs. Matthews.
"Hi, Mrs. Matthews." Zoey greeted.
"Hey, Zoey." Mrs. Matthews said with a smile.
"Mum, have you met my good friend Minkus?" Cory asked.
"It's nice to meet you, Minkus." Mrs. Matthews greeted.
"Call my mother." Minkus said desperately.
"What?" Mrs. Matthews questioned, confused.
Shawn, Cory and Zoey started to head towards the stairs up to Cory's room, pulling Minkus with them.
"He's a little nervous." Zoey explained.
"We're gonna take him upstairs now." Cory said.
"27842, it's the only Minkus in the book." Minkus called out as the three of them dragged him upstairs.
Once they reached the top of the stairs to Cory's room. Cory opened the door and they all walked inside.
"I'm glad you could come over, Minkus." Cory said.
"It's nice to be here. Can I go now?" Minkus asked.
"Chill." Zoey said as she placed a hand on his shoulder, pushing slightly so that he sat down on Cory's bed.
"I don't understand what that means." Minkus said.
"It means that one out of every four people is a nerd." Shawn explained. "So when you look around this room and you don't see one, you're it."
"But, we can help you change." Cory offered.
"Maybe, I like how I am." Minkus said, smiling.
Zoey crossed her arms over her stomach. "You like everyone making fun of you?"
"No." Minkus said.
"You like always being last one picked on teams?" Cory asked.
"No." Minkus said.
"You like everyone pulling your underwear up your butthole all the time?" Shawn questioned.
Minkus shrugged his shoulders. "It's not so bad."
Shawn, Cory and Zoey all let out a groan of frustration.
"Minkus, let us help you." Cory insisted.
"We're here for you, man." Shawn said.
"It's early in the year. You can still change your image." Zoey added as she stood beside Shawn.
Minkus smiled. "What do I do?"
"The Geography tournament, you don't want to do it." Cory told him.
"It'll brand you for life." Shawn said as he sat on Cory's desk.
"But I love Geography." Minkus stated. "I'm drawn to the adventure and exoticism from it." He then stood up from Cory's bed and crossed his arms. "Hey, perhaps you fellows would like to join the Future Cartographers of America Club with me."
Zoey sighed. "Let it go, man."
"If I don't do the tournament, will you guys like me?" Minkus wondered.
"No." Cory said.
"Then I don't see what's in it for me." Minkus huffed, sitting back down on the bed.
Shawn sighed. "All right, name your price, you little creep."
"When you guys play Bombardment could you not aim the ball at my head anymore?" Minkus asked.
Cory paused for a moment. "Deal."
••••
Next day at School, everyone was in class doing work until the bell rung.
Class was over.
Everyone got up and left the classroom, apart from Shawn, Cory and Zoey. The three of them waited and watched as Minkus approached Mr. Feeny at his desk.
"Mr. Feeny, I'm afraid I must tender my resignation from the Geography tournament." Minkus said.
"Mr. Minkus, I'm aware that the changing geopolitical face of the globe offers a difficult challenge." Mr. Feeny responded.
"I just don't feel that the Geography tournament fits with my knew image." Minkus simply said.
Mr. Feeny raised his eyebrows. "And what, pray tell, would that image be?"
"Stuart Minkus, regular guy." Minkus announced. Zoey closed her eyes and sighed heavily.
"Mr. Minkus, I have always thought you as exceptional." Mr. Feeny stated. "Now why would you suddenly settle for a regular? Read average, read mediocre."
"Because exceptional people get Bombardment balls thrown at their heads. And regular guys do the throwing." Minkus simply explained.
"I see, and I can't convince you to postpone your new association with the common man until after the roundabout?" Mr. Feeny asked, standing up and approaching Minkus.
"No." Minkus said. "I'm seizing the day. Carpe diem, Mr. Feeny."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Minkus. You are the only student I ever had who could locate Thrace on a map of the ancient world." Mr. Feeny said, gesturing to the map on the wall near the door.
"It's easy, just go north from Aegean and..." Minkus started before he stopped himself. "Ah, I know what you're doing, Mr. Feeny, and it's not going... it ain't going to work."
"I shall miss you, Mr. Minkus." Mr. Feeny said. Minkus nodded before he walked out of the classroom. "I only wish I knew how I was going to replace you."
Shawn and Zoey rolled their eyes as Mr. Feney turned around to see Cory gesturing to himself. The brunette sighed before she grabbed her books off the table and walked out of the classroom along with Shawn.
••••
Shawn, Cory and Zoey were all meant to go to the park today but Cory bailed out. Shawn and Zoey decided to go over to Cory's house. When they walked into his backyard, Zoey saw Cory studying for the Geography tournament.
"Cory, I thought we were going to the park." Zoey reminded him.
"Yeah, come on, man, you're studying too much. The teachers are starting to notice." Shawn said.
Zoey chuckled. "Yeah, they're calling you a good student."
"They say you have potential." Shawn added.
"Wow." Cory gaped as he looked through a book with a magnifying glass. "The highest and lowest points in the Continental United States are only fifty miles apart. Death Valley and Mount Whitney. I find that extraordinary."
Shawn turned to Zoey with a shocked and confused expression. "Extraordinary?"
"Yep, I think he's mutating." Zoey stated.
Shawn picked up a small ball and threw it at Cory's head.
"Ow." Cory muttered, sounding like Minkus.
"Hey dudes." Minkus greeted. Zoey eyes widened when she saw Minkus wearing bright yellow pants, a rainbow striped shirt with a red cap on his head. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh at him.
"I'm out of here." Shawn said. Zoey nodded in agreement, and the two of them left Cory's house and went to the park.
••••
After the weekend, back at School Cory told his best friends that he had lost the Geography tournament.
"So you did all that studying and you didn't win?" Shawn questioned as they walked through the halls
Cory sighed. "Yeah. Sadly."
"Don't worry, Cory. Somehow you'll get them next time." Zoey reassured with a gentle smile.
_____________________
PUBLISHED: November 14, 2017
WORDS: 1754