Terry Brock starts freshman year in the brand new high school of Winning, Oregon. He will be part of the smallest graduating class ever in the state. All of his siblings attended the finest universities America can offer, Terry is next in line and plans to go to Yale. Terry’s entire family so happens to be gifted at science. Terry’s biology class is coincidentally his first period. Striding through the halls of the science wing, he feels powerful and nothing could knock him out.

Mr. Katz, his biology teacher, motivates Terry to do anything for a passing grade. Mr. Katz taught Mary and Gary, Terry’s older siblings, and that gives him the opportunity for being a good official seed. Terry sets contact with the handle for the door to Mr. Katz’s room, opens it, and no other students in the class seem present, except an Indian woman playing Grumpy Turtles on her phone. “Um, where’s Mr. Katz?” Terry questioned her in confusion. The woman replied to him, clarifying that she’s the sub for Mr. Katz until further notice, without looking up from her phone.

Terry couldn’t believe his loss, finding the only gold coin out of mountains of coal ended up to be chocolate. He couldn’t rely on a sub playing Grumpy Turtles while all of his siblings are winning Nobel Prizes right in front of him. During dinner that night, with his parents and younger siblings, Wally and Cindy, Terry explained the entire scenario to his family. Mr. Brock looked pleased with a sub as Terry’s teacher saying, “This could be a challenge for you Terry, think of this as an experiment. If the sub doesn’t work, maybe consider a private tutor, or something out of the ordinary.” Terry does like doing experiments.

On the other hand, Mrs. Brock was upset with her husband, and worried about her son, responding, “Berry, what are you thinking?” She washes the plates and continues, “Terry needs first class support if he’s going to Yale after high school.” Terry didn’t say a word during their argument. The sub gave the class a letter that says that Mr. Katz is out for no particular reason. Terry could easily contact Mr. Katz during anytime of the day and not get in trouble, because they haven’t formally met.

After the first test of the grading period, Terry and the other students of his biology class failed. After school that day, Terry was conflicting whether or not he should contact Mr. Katz. He has his email, number, and address or he could take the other tunnel where the darkness shines. Terry never got a grade this low, and can’t sign up for a re-test, only teachers could offer that. After thirty minutes of thinking and convincing himself not to do it, Terry raised the white flag and typed away. When dinner ended, Terry ran upstairs to his computer and received a response from Mr. Katz.

In the email, Mr. Katz included links to several websites on the current lesson. All of them were from college students who study biology. Terry read all their papers and understood the lesson the sub was “teaching”. Terry passed all the exams and quizzes the sub could throw at them. Terry gets emails throughout the week on the lessons and even topics they will learn in the future. Terry writes a plea to Mr. Katz telling him to teach for his class for the rest of the year.

Mr. Katz wrote back: Terry, I have been teaching in that classroom for fifteen years now. I have been a teacher for thirty, and not one breath in that room has been fresh. Everyone talks trash to me, and I am the department head of science for the entire school district. The year before this one, I watched a concert with my family. They told me that I was drunk and winded up in the streets after the concert. I have lost my sense of hearing and have to use a cane for five years until I recover. You know teenagers these days, boy; they spread rumors, like the black plague. Disrespect is all I will ever get, and I have hired multiple substitutes this year to teach my class. I was hoping for hundreds of students’ emails or calls, but no, I only have yours, Mr. Brock. That proves that no one will ever depend on me as a teacher. If you have any suggestions or tips, please let me know. - Mr. Katz

At that moment, Terry became shock. He has several ideas, but he needed Mr. Katz’s approval. Terry replied back, saying for them to meet at the Cheesecake Workshop near the school next week. As Terry enters the Cheesecake Workshop he spots Mr. Katz and realize that he could pass up for twenty. When Terry read “thirty years”, he believed that Mr. Katz would be almost sixty. “Hi.” Terry greeted. “You must be Mr. Katz.” He extended his hand, hoping that Mr. Katz would react. And he did, giving Terry a nod and shaking his hand. “Okay well for starters…” Mr. Katz taped Terry’s hand and in a flash, he took out a pen, scribbled on the air, and offered it to Terry. That’s right, Mr. Katz is deaf. He said in his mind. Terry wrote out loud on a napkin, quietly, “You must come next week, during finals.” He stopped for Mr. Katz to read, and continues, “They will think that you are a sub, so you won’t be judged.” Mr. Katz awkwardly takes the paper and writes back, “How would I temporarily teach when I’m deaf and crippled.”

Mr. Katz got him good. He couldn’t try to cut that corner. He came up with a quick idea, while Mr. Katz orders a strawberry cheesecake, Terry writes, “My mother works with disabled people, and she owns a voice box, like what Stephan Hawking uses.” Mr. Katz read over it, shrugged, and wrote back, “That idea works.” He gave Terry thumbs up and plopped a strawberry in his mouth. Terry’s freshman year couldn’t be any better.