Fiction Short Story

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Fiction Short Story

by Susanne Shaphren

First Day Of School

Five times, we've gone through this ritual. Brand new clothes and a special lunch box. Waffles made from scratch and snapshots for the scrapbook.

Benjy's big brothers stopped by over the weekend to bring him little gifts and whisper advice that Mom wasn't supposed to hear. Jeffrey called from Hong Kong to deliver the traditional lecture about paying attention to the teacher and making the most of this wonderful opportunity to learn.

Big sister Kate insisted on coming this morning on her way to work. She'd better hurry. It's almost time.

Just this once, the breakfast dishes will be left to soak in the sink. I have a million things to do today, but first and most important on the list is walking Benjy to school. Making sure he's comfortably started on the lifetime adventure of learning. Thank goodness, his teacher said it would be fine if he got there early.

Kate hurries in just as I'm about to give up on her. "Sorry, Mom. Traffic was awful."

She gives Benjy a big hug and Spiderman pencils.

"This is for you, Mom, from Dad and the guys and me. Just a little something to remind you how very proud we are of you for not letting anything stand in the way of your dream."

The briefcase is as soft as a baby's kiss, smells just like all those leather-bound books in my father's office. Nobody will ever know I'd planned to carefully tuck my folders in a grocery bag.

And no one will ever know how many years it took to get my degree. Correspondence courses in those early years when I was working to help make ends meet. Night classes when Jeffrey could watch the babies. Once Benjy was out of diapers and in pre-school, I finished my credits in classrooms with students half my age.

Benjy hesitates at the classroom door, carefully looks around to be sure nobody is watching. Gives me a kiss on the cheek.

Two more short blocks to walk. Plenty of time. New briefcase in hand, I carefully unlock the door. Take a quick look around to be sure I haven't forgotten anything important.

Suddenly, the room is full. I carefully print my name on the board, turn to welcome my students to our first day of school.

Copyright © 2004 Susanne Shaphren

About the Author
The author is a native of Phoenix, Arizona. Her first nationally published fiction was a Fiction Award Story in Weight Watchers (in the good old days when they printed fiction.) This story, "First Day of School," first appeared in Short Stuff Magazine. Susanne's articles and fiction have appeared in an eclectic alphabet soup of print and online venues including: Authorship, Adventure Fiction Online, Better Communication, Children's Playmate, Dana Literary Society Online Journal, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, Monthly Short Stories, and The Writer. "Arrangements" appears in Mystery Writers of America Presents Show Business is Murder.