|
When other kids were staying out until sundown playing baseball in the street, running around in the dirty snow, throwing water balloons at each other, Arron Witter was sitting quietly at home with his face in a book. It all started at the age of three when his grandmother brought him his very first SPOT book. That adorable yellow dog with the giant brown spot always made him laugh and not a night would go by without demanding (or crying) for someone to read him the latest SPOT story. His parents were shocked to see him so heavily invested in books at such an early age but knew this could only mean good things for his future. They were right in this assumption, his love for reading did help his development and open up his imagination. Every weekend he would take trips to the library or the book store with his grandparents, he would sit in giant groups with other kids and listen to whatever reading was happening, reading was not a chore for him, it was a whole new adventure and each time he cracked the binder of a new book his smile only grew. What could ever go wrong with a child so eager to learn? His parents thought nothing of his passion, they just saw their one and only son with a constant smile on his face each time he held a book and never noticed his lack of friends, well until it was pointed out to them.
When other kids were out in the street, playing until sundown and having fun, Arron was sitting at home with a book in his lap. This wasn't a problem when he was young, but as he grew up it did become a problem. When he started school he didn't know how to communicate with others, he wouldn't leave home without a book and carried it around like security. When other kids tried to talk to him he would speak to them as if they were the characters in the book. He would quote lines he had memorized in books these other kids had never read, and when they grew tired of his odd behavior they moved on to another kid, one they could relate to. After three weeks in school his teacher sent a note home to his parents and suggested some sort of group therapy for him, some social skills class, she suggested they do something since she was concerned with him always sitting alone all day and no other kids even knowing his name. His father still did not see this as a problem and this began the first major argument that he would witness between his parents. They could never agree on anything as far as his raising went but they always argued in private, however this particular fight would be the start of the end, they clearly stopped trying to hide anything from him even though he was still too young to really understand.
The fighting between his parents did light a fire under him and Arron started trying harder to make friends. He stopped begging his family to take him to the book store and library and started begging them to take him to the park and sign him up for sports. Even though he was horrible at socializing he at least felt like his attempts would stop the fighting between his parents. Every time he would hear them raise their voices at one another he would request another activity. Perhaps soccer? A birthday party with all his classmates? He was willing to do just about anything to make his parents stop screaming and bring peace to the household. His attempts were futile, though. His parents arguing had nothing to do with him and everything to do with each other yet he was far too young to understand this, so he kept trying harder and harder, until eventually one evening his father returned home from work and gave him a kiss on the forehead. The older man leaned in, whispered "I love you, champ and I'm sorry." He walked out the door that night and Arron never saw him again.
It was just him and his mom now and Arron had no choice but to step up and play man of the house. His mother has always been a very kind, compassionate, loving woman who was easily taken advantage of due to her constantly positive view on everything. When his father left she just smiled and told Arron "it was for the best." It wouldn't be for many years that Arron would find out the real reason his father left had nothing to do with him being a bad son and everything to do with being a bad husband. As it would turn out, his father was heavily engaged in an affair with a much younger woman whom he eventually chose over his own family and started a new life with. When Arron foudn out this news he wanted to express his hatred for the man yet his positive, loving mother insisted it was all for the best and he should not hate anyone no matter what they do. Her kind heart is what inspired Arron to grow up and be the best man he could be, to be the man his mother would want him to be and not the man his father turned out to be. He watched as his mother suffered silently through a very obvious depression the years following the crumbling of her marriage and not once did she take it out or blame anyone. She simply insisted it was all the way it was supposed to be and this is something she will get through in time. She was right about that, eventually she did get through it and she did so with the unconditional love and support of her only child.
With his father gone, Arron was finally able to become the complete bookworm he always wanted to be. By the time high school hit he already knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, teach. He always admired his teachers in school and knowing that what they do is making a difference in the lives of everyone they touch inspired him. With excellent grades, Arron graduated in the top of his class and went on to college where he received a degree in English. After meeting all requirements by his major, working as a TA, taking some substation jobs, Arron eventually worked his way into a full time English teacher position at Sleepy Hollow High school at twenty-five. Since becoming a full time teacher he could not be more pleased with the direction his life is heading.
|
