Word: Ruth

ruth

[rooth]

noun

1. pity or compassion.

2. sorrow or grief.

3. self-reproach; contrition; remorse. 

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Chuck’s chin lay slumped against the table.  His eyes stared out at the wall, somehow finding the one spot that was clear of people.  His body was hunched over in an almost painful way.  He strove to think about nothing, and mostly succeeded until one of his friends, Amy, started talking.

“Oh come on, I’m sure it’s not that bad.” She said.  Chuck did not expend the effort needed to look at the girl, nor did he dignify her words with a response.

A hand clasped his bent over shoulder in what was supposed to be a friendly, reassuring manner. “Yeah, I mean, you can always take summer classes.  That’ll make it all fine.” The boy who spoke was another of his friends, Willy. 

The group all looked at their fallen companion.  Even while avoiding their gazes, Chuck could still feel their pitying stares.  He took a deep breath and began to move.  He did so slowly, and only enough to bring a single sheet of paper onto the surface of the table.  The others looked at it and recoiled in shock.

“Okay, maybe not.” Willy corrected.  “But that doesn’t mean anything.  I mean, I bet lots of really successful people failed a grade or two.”

Chuck’s only response was a slow blink aimed at nothing.  His friends kept talking.  They kept trying to console him; make him feel better about failing the 10^th grade.  But they did not understand.  How could they?  They were all smart.  They all passed their classes.  Amy even did so with straight As.  How could they understand the plight of the idiot?  Their attempts at cheering him up sounded like nothing but them taking pity on him.

Maybe that’s all they ever did.  Maybe he was just too dumb to have noticed it until now.  Maybe they only hung out with him out of pity, since nobody else would.  Maybe they saw him as nothing but a charity case.  Hang out with the pathetic stupid boy and suddenly they look compassionate and good natured.

Chuck’s mouth curled down and his brow furrowed.  He had just figured it out.  His friendship was based on nothing but a big pity party.  What else could it be?  They were all smart and good looking and talented.  All Chuck had was sheer size.  He was just a big dumb lunk who was good for nothing but making the others look better.  And now that he was being held back a year, they could feel even better about being his so-called friend.  After all, what better way to make themselves look better than by continuing to allow him to be near them for a prolonged period of time?

Well, he might be dumb, but Chuck still had his pride.  He would have none of their false compassion.  He would find new friends.  Real friends.  Friends who did not hang out with him out of pity.  He stood up quickly, grabbed his report card and walked out of the room without saying a word.

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 So glad I never got held back a grade.  Really, that must be terrible for everyone involved, not just the person being held back.