Cassie: Charlie, your teacher said something about a math test that was pretty hard. On fractions. Can I see it? Where is it?

Charlie: I don’t know. In my desk at school, I think.

Cassie: You didn’t bring it home?

Charlie: No.

Cassie: (sighing) Well, I’d like to see it.

Charlie: Really? Why? I got two wrong. That’s all you need to know.

Cassie: Which two? I’d like to see your work.

Charlie: It was fractions, Mom. You’re not good on fractions.

Cassie: Pffft. It’ll probably come back to me when I see the ones you got wrong. 

Charlie: Doubt it. It never comes back to you when you’re trying to help me with my math homework. Pffft. (Smirk)

Cassie: Well, please find it in your desk and bring it home tomorrow so we can have a look at it together.

Charlie: Oh. My. God. Who cares?! (Mumbling now) So unnecessary. I totally get the math concept. Now I’ll have to find it in my desk. (Loudly) THAT’LL TAKE FOREVER. 

Cassie: Yea. I saw your desk on “Back to School Night.” Absolute nightmare. I can only imagine what it looks like now towards the end of the school year.

Charlie: (Rolling his eyes) I’ll look for it…if I remember. This conversation is over.

Cassie: Very fresh, Fraction Boy. Very fresh indeed.

Charlie: Pffft. (Storms out of the kitchen.)

(Now I’m in a mood. I decide to dash off an email to Char’s teacher….

Dear Ms. G —

Saw your note about the difficult Fractions Test. Of course, Charlie’s test never made it home, but we’re talking “Charlie” here, so you know….he, he, he. Is he okay or was it a Fractions Disaster?

All the best,

Cassie

The next day, Ms. G responds….

Hi Cassie — 

Charlie and I searched high and low for his math test today. We finally found it deep within the back recesses of his desk. It had been completely crumpled up. We smoothed it out as best we could and together we put it in his backpack. Hope you find it there after school. He only got two wrong and one answer was actually correct but I took points off because Charlie refuses to explain HOW he solved the problem in words, which is a requirement for that section of the math chapter test. He and I always have a battle about that particular test section because he feels strongly that he shouldn’t have to explain in words how he got a correct answer. Anyway, he completed the computations correctly, as usual, and he clearly understands the concepts. He got the highest score on this test, which was a doozy for many. The kid is pretty amazing and I just love him.

Well, I enjoyed reading Ms. G’s email to me, especially the part about how “amazing” Charlie is and that she loves him. I couldn’t wait to get a look at the test.

Here is a picture of what came out of his backpack, and now that I think of it, I probably should have asked him whether he blew his nose on it before I proceeded to look it over.