Channeling Matilda
In my freshman year of high school, I had a very mean math teacher. Let's call him Mr. X — one, to protect his identity — but also because I forgot it. Mr. X was tall, bald, and uncharacteristically muscular for an algebra teacher. He wore thick-rimmed, gold eyeglasses reminiscent of a slimy, 1970's Steve McQueen. His brow was permanently furrowed from repeatedly scowling at his students. In the middle of his left palm was a large, deep scar, and to intimate us, he would dig and twist his chalk over and over into the scar, filling us with terror and disgust. It was in this class that my distaste for math and power-hungry authoritarians solidified.
Mr. X was like an evil villain plucked straight out of one of my beloved books. Miss Agatha Trunchbull, the tyrannical principal from Matilda, comes to mind. Both relied on bullying and intimidation to retain their authority. And much like Matilda, I had a youthful penchant towards rebellion. Most of the time, I was a good student and didn't cause trouble, but if I felt mistreated, I'd become cantankerous. Needless to say, Mr. X and I did not get along, and without Matilda's telekinetic powers, I had to rely on my strong will and icy glare for protection.
It was in this class that my hatred for math and power-hungry authoritarians solidified.
Unlike in fictional stories, there was no profound moment where our class defeated Mr. X and helped the greater good. In my story, I took a failing grade and went ahead to summer school to get an A+. The closest I came to redemption was the following year — bumping into Mr. X on my way to class. We exchanged disgruntled looks, surveying each other, wondering who would make the first move. Mr. X gave me a menacing smile. "How was summer school?" he asked in a condescending tone. "Great!" I exclaimed a little too cheerfully. "I got an A+!" Dissatisfied with my answer, Mr. X shrugged and walked away. This was no dramatic ending, but still, I knew I had won. I'd proven that it was not the math I was terrible at, but the teacher who was terrible.
This wasn't the first time I channeled Matilda and it wasn't the last.
Check out:
Original post featured on Glitter Guide with the addition of Matilda-inspired outfits.
My best Matila-style outfit.
