LESLEY'S POTENTIAL

“Good morning class.”

“Good morning Mrs. Richards.” The boys chorused in a flat monotone.”

I have marked your creative writing essays, and have returned all of them to you. There are some that reached the required standard, others that were exceptional, and others whose authors irritated me immensely.”

There was a general mumbling from amongst the boys.

“The topic was Reality versus Potential and I am going to ask some of you to read what you have written.

Michael Barrett had mixed emotions. He was happy to have scored an A plus, particularly as he was open to the possibility of receiving a reprimand.

“Um let me see... Mr Nhlapo you go first read the opening paragraph.”

“Reality is the physical thing that we see before us.  A physical thing is defined as such by virtue of the fact that ,we perceive it with one of our five senses. Potential is an element contained in that physical reality, which although it  may not be perceived exists for a future physical reality. That it may not be perceived physically does not mean that it does not exist, on the contrary its existence is real. The question therefore arises `how may it be perceived?'”

“Thank you, Mr Nhlapo that will do. Class what do you think? Mr Chetty?”

“Ms Richards I think it is too wordy. What is he getting at anyway?”

“Mr Petersen?”

“Ms Richards, I thing the reality is verbiage, and the potential is gobbledegook.”

The boys in the class laughed in response.

“Mr Petersen you are wrong.  It is not potentially gobbledegook.  If you read the rest of Mr Nhlapo’s essay you would discover that he was laying the foundations for an argument.  Mr Petersen you’re next. Read until I tell you to stop.”

“The Porsche stands in the parking lot, its reality is the metal, paintwork, leather, shatter proof glass and rubber tyres. In fact it is a piece of tin with a wheel at each corner.  Its potential is a thrilling dash down the highway at two hundred kilometres per hour.”

“And a two hundred thousand rand speeding fine.”  Mr Nhlapo interjected.

“Boys, let me remind you not to heckle until I give you permission to speak. Comment on that opening paragraph.  Mr Stevenson.”

“Ma’am I think it’s fantastic.”

“Why do you say it’s fantastic, Mr Stevenson?”

“Well ma’am it’s something we can identify with. We would all like to be speeding down the highway in a Porsche.”

“Mr Barrett I want you to come to the front of the class and read your entire essay.”

“No Ms Richards, I would rather not.”

“Mr Barrett it is not for you to decide. Come to the front of the class and read your essay. That is an instruction.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes you have to.”

Barrett shuffled up to the front of the class cleared his throat and then began.

,”At the sound of a footfall Jake turned around.   Lesley was walking down the stairs.   Her radiant beauty took his breath away.   Her chestnut coloured hair cascaded down onto her bare shoulders below which the elegant evening gown starting just...”

At this stage he stopped and cleared his throat self consciously.

the elegant evening gown starting below the top of her little rounded breasts.”

The last comment resulted in a general commotion from the class.

“I am warning this class I will not tolerate these interjections. Continue Mr Barratt.”

“The elegant evening gown starting just below the top of her little rounded breasts flowed down to her dainty feet."Do I look Okay?" she asked a little self consciously.  "Wow " said  Jake breathlessly "You are so incredibly beautiful." She then smiled that radiant smile that made Jake’s heart leap.

Later that evening when they entered the ballroom, Jake conscious of the impression that all the men in the room turned to look at Lesley, swelled with pride.  When Lesley went up on stage to receive her prize for ground breaking research, Jake was almost unable to contain himself he felt so happy.

Later that night while Jake lay close to Lesley's soft warm body

There was another general commotion from the class.

“I am going to give you a bit of reality and, potential myself. This in reality is a pen in my hand and there in reality is a pad of detention slips under it. The next person to interject will get his name on one of them. Continue Mr Barratt and read you whole essay, do not leave any part out.”

“Later that night after passionate love making ....” he stopped reading anticipating a response from the class, in contrast there was only a stunned silence.

"Ma'am I don't mean to interject, but you have always told us to stick to real life experiences in our writing, this oke doesn’t even have a girlfriend.” Chetty said before Barrett could continue.

“Maybe a valid criticism but bear Mr Barratt out.”

"You are an idiot Chetty, that comment shows just how much you know about me."

Chetty shrugged his shoulders “I rest my case I rest my case.”

“Later that night after passionate love making Jake lay close to Lesley's soft warm naked body. I am a king, of all the world he thought.  Not only do I have as my wife

such an incredibly beautiful woman, but an incredibly brilliant one too.

,Jake’s daydreaming was interrupted at the sound of a footfall. He looked up.  I am right he thought she is incredibly beautiful.   Although her chestnut coloured hair was cut to school regulation length.   Her shoulders were not bare and on them

she wore the straps of her gym slip.   Her smile though, radiant also revealed the orthodontist handiwork Jake did not notice the stain on the skirt of thegym slip or the spot on her forehead that Lesley had been trying to hide. 

"Hi Lesley"" he said

"Hi"" she replied. 

"How was the Science exam?" Jake asked 

"The Physics section was tough, I don't think that I will make the hoped for 95 percent."  She replied. 

"I hope you do.”By the way, I wanted to ask you, Will you come with me to movies on Friday?  Exams will be over by then. My mom will come and fetch you and we will take you home again.

"I don't know"" she replied.  "I will have to ask my mom, she is very strict and doesn't like us going out at nights during term time, even on Friday nights."

,The Lesley with the gym slip, hair cut to regulation length, and the orthodontics, the Lesley who has to ask her mother's permission to go out even on Friday nights.   The Lesley who might not get another 95 percent in her science exam was the reality of Lesley.  The Lesley who was the adoring wife, and brilliant scientist admired by many was her potential.”