Back to School Blues

Back to School Blues

Johnny groaned and slapped at the calendar when he saw what the date was tomorrow – how could he miss it with the big red circle around it?

“Why are you hitting the calendar?” his sister Sammy asked. “Because we are back at school tomorrow and I just don’t want to go back to school yet” he whined. “I hate getting up early, doing homework every night, and sitting in those horrible seats all day long.”

“Well, what else are you going to do? Go and live under a bridge and never do anything?” Sammy laughed, amused by the idea. Johnny shook his head. “No, I could be a sports hero or a famous actor.” Sammy smirked. “Yeah, good luck with that at age eleven. Most athletes and actors are well-educated and they also have to struggle for years to be really successful. I am not sure you have any amazing talents yet, and you’re not very handsome, either.”

“That’s a horrible thing to say!” Johnny whined again.

“Sorry to say it, but sometimes honesty is what people need to hear. Anyway, homework means you don’t have to do any chores at home. Dad says we don’t have to when we have homework.” “That’s true.” said Johnny.

“And TV gets boring when you sit in front of it for hours all day” Sammy continued.

“Also true”, Johnny admitted. Each thing she said made him realise that he didn’t really hate school after all.

“We have so many friends at school, too.” Sammy pointed out.

“Yeah, that’s true as well. OK, I get it. School isn’t that bad.” Johnny finally admitted. Sammy grinned. “But I still don’t have to like it.” he said. Johnny felt a lot more enthusiastic now. “One day you will, though.” Sammy promised, smiling.

Johnny thought about the things he liked at school: friends, burger and chips for school lunch, fewer chores… there were actually a lot of reasons to like school and Johnny had an idea that he would agree with Sammy one day, too.