The Road Less Traveled . . .Back Home
The road he travels to and from school each day is not easy. As the sun rises, he walks past run-down homes, graffiti-filled walls, and boarded-up buildings. The backpack he carries holds his AP United States history notebook, a dog-eared copy of The Great Gatsby, and calculus practice problems for the upcoming exam. Also tucked away, are his khaki pants and blue polo shirt. He has learned some lessons the hard way. After suffering from hard thrown punches and a black eye at the hands of neighborhood bullies, the school uniform stays hidden away until the bus doors close and he is safely seated.
As he enters my classroom about twenty minutes before our morning class starts, I can tell immediately it has already been a tough day. Besides the deep circles under his eyes, the usual boisterous greeting that announces his arrival – “Mornin’ Ms. Kovacic!” – is subdued. His hard mornings are starting to outnumber the good. The last few months have been difficult. His older brother was fatally shot late last year in a gang related drive-by-shooting. His younger brother was arrested a few weeks ago for drug possession and attempted robbery. His mother lost her job last month. And the electricity in their one bedroom apartment was finally
