Self-Review – Mike’s Grades

Review – Mike’s Grades

I wrote Mike’s Grades completely by the seat of my pants, but I still think it turned out pretty well. The original prompt was just the word ‘Question’.

I wrote this story during first quarter 2021.

Background

This story came from one idea. A tough kid, not so great student would take advantage of an open Q & A in class. Their question? Where do babies come from?.

Plot

When the teacher holds an open question and answer session, all of the students are invited to submit a question anonymously. Originally done to be disruptive, Mike just asks where babies come from. But he gets a lot more than he bargained for.

Because his teacher has just the book for him to not only read but write a long report on and present it. The book? Our Bodies, Ourselves..

Characters

The characters are Mike, his parents, his classmate Julie, and his teacher, Laura McDonald.

Memorable Quotes

“Mike! Supper!”

“Be right down!”

He shoved the book under his bed. The report was shaping up nicely. He didn’t think he had ever read anything so carefully or taken so many notes. It was … strange.

He washed his hands and face and got downstairs just as his father pulled out a whiskey bottle. “What took ya so long?”

“I was, I was studying.” For once, that was even true.

“You never studied a day in ya life,” his mother snarled.

“It’s a book report.”

“Oh? What kind of a loser book is it?” snapped his father between pulls from the bottle.

“It’s, it’s a book about, about the old west. Cowboys and Indians, that sorta stuff.”

“Oh,” his mother said. “Eat your peas.”

“Yes, Mom.” He would have to get his hands on a book with cowboys and Indians in it, just in case either of them pressed him for any more details. He’d have to go to the library, a place he rarely visited. Voluntary reading! As if things weren’t odd enough.

Rating for Mike’s Grades

The story has a K+ rating. Mike starts off reading something pretty risqué, and his parents are none too gentle with him.

Takeaways for Mike’s Grades

I really like the idea of redeeming Mike. He could have been (and pretty much was) just another nasty kid with a bad home life who wouldn’t make much of himself. This is how I originally wrote him, too.

But then I realized I kind of liked him.

And I also love that he’s being disciplined yet it has the very real chance to utterly change and make over his life.

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Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?

If this story resonates with you, then please check out my other articles about my shorter works.

Short Stories

Finally, for a complete list of my shorter works, please be sure to check out the Hub Page—Short Stories.