Willa Pepin September 14th 2012
Alice, I think and The Andromeda Strain
Alice MacLeod sat in the musty old alternative school classroom, her cousin Frank sleeping on the desk to the left of her. Her teacher, Mr. Richards, stood at the front of the room, droning on about peer groups. Alice thought to herself "this is supposed to be science class" and sighed.
After Mr. Richards finished his speech and just before he walked out of the class, he reminded the students that there is a guest speaker coming to talk to them that afternoon. Everyone groaned, including Alice, the thought of another person come in and talking about how he or she could "help" the students made Alice wish that she was like Frank, fast asleep.
After lunch, the class piled back into the classroom. Mr. Richards stood at the front of the class again, only this time with more excitement. Once the class had sat down he called the speaker in. Alice reached into her backpack and grabbed a journal and a pen in preparation to critique today's speaker, as one would have to if they were to pursue a career as a critic. Moments later, in walked a frail old man, a cane grasped in his right hand and a very peculiar necklace around his neck. As he reached the make-shift music stand podium, he sighed and begun to speak.
"Hello" he said "my name is Dr. Mark Hall M.D., member of the Wildfire Scientific Team"
Those words seemed to bring back great pain and fear to him but he continued.
"I am here to talk about the first, and hopefully last, biological crisis the world had ever experienced, it was called the Andromeda Strain."
Everyone in the class sat straight up eyes pinned on Dr. Hall.
"Many years ago," he spoke " a project called Scoop was launched. Its goal was to bring back evidence of extraterrestrial life." he paused "Well it sure did."
At this point the entire class was on the edge of their seats with anticipation.
"One morning in the town of Piedmont, Arizona one of the Scoop satellites crashed exposing the world to the deadliest life forms it had ever seen. It was up to a team of four (including me) to get the extraterrestrial life form under control. We did, and just in the nick of time, I may add." He stopped, trying to figure out what he would say next.
"The main reason I came to talk to you students today was not the explain all about the biological crisis, it was to explain that in times of stress, no one matters more than your friends and peers." He pointed to the class. "Never underestimate the power of friends, they could just maybe help you save the world one day," he said with a chuckle.
Mr. Richards grinned.
As he continued to talk, Alice opened up her journal and wrote in big bold letters: NEW LIFE GOAL, BECOME A SCIENTIST. With that she shut her journal and continued to listen to Dr. Hall.
Alice, I think and The Andromeda Strain
Alice MacLeod sat in the musty old alternative school classroom, her cousin Frank sleeping on the desk to the left of her. Her teacher, Mr. Richards, stood at the front of the room, droning on about peer groups. Alice thought to herself "this is supposed to be science class" and sighed.
After Mr. Richards finished his speech and just before he walked out of the class, he reminded the students that there is a guest speaker coming to talk to them that afternoon. Everyone groaned, including Alice, the thought of another person come in and talking about how he or she could "help" the students made Alice wish that she was like Frank, fast asleep.
After lunch, the class piled back into the classroom. Mr. Richards stood at the front of the class again, only this time with more excitement. Once the class had sat down he called the speaker in. Alice reached into her backpack and grabbed a journal and a pen in preparation to critique today's speaker, as one would have to if they were to pursue a career as a critic. Moments later, in walked a frail old man, a cane grasped in his right hand and a very peculiar necklace around his neck. As he reached the make-shift music stand podium, he sighed and begun to speak.
"Hello" he said "my name is Dr. Mark Hall M.D., member of the Wildfire Scientific Team"
Those words seemed to bring back great pain and fear to him but he continued.
"I am here to talk about the first, and hopefully last, biological crisis the world had ever experienced, it was called the Andromeda Strain."
Everyone in the class sat straight up eyes pinned on Dr. Hall.
"Many years ago," he spoke " a project called Scoop was launched. Its goal was to bring back evidence of extraterrestrial life." he paused "Well it sure did."
At this point the entire class was on the edge of their seats with anticipation.
"One morning in the town of Piedmont, Arizona one of the Scoop satellites crashed exposing the world to the deadliest life forms it had ever seen. It was up to a team of four (including me) to get the extraterrestrial life form under control. We did, and just in the nick of time, I may add." He stopped, trying to figure out what he would say next.
"The main reason I came to talk to you students today was not the explain all about the biological crisis, it was to explain that in times of stress, no one matters more than your friends and peers." He pointed to the class. "Never underestimate the power of friends, they could just maybe help you save the world one day," he said with a chuckle.
Mr. Richards grinned.
As he continued to talk, Alice opened up her journal and wrote in big bold letters: NEW LIFE GOAL, BECOME A SCIENTIST. With that she shut her journal and continued to listen to Dr. Hall.
RSS Feed