Beam

Beam

There were many things 13-year-old Luke Martin didn’t understand about life- how the stars managed to stay up there, why Susie Smith didn’t like him, how a baseball can curve, and why God made broccoli, to name a few.

“Linda, why even try with the broccoli? You know he won’t eat it.”

“It’s good for him, Roger.”

“Not if he doesn’t eat it.”

The battle of wills had gone on for years. His mother made broccoli, and Luke refused to eat it. The smell of broccoli simmering in the frying pan didn’t slowly waft its way through the house until it gently tweaked young Luke’s nose; it was more like shock and awe, a hand grenade of unpleasant odor smacking him squarely in the face. He couldn’t stand the stuff.

Linda’s efforts were met with a rare blend of frustration and humor. Luke was tired of hearing about the wondrous benefits of broccoli, but like many children, he enjoyed the occasional kid/parent skirmish, and he relished the foreseeable outcome- mounds of untouched broccoli on his plate at dinner’s end.

“Luke, you haven’t touched your broccoli."

 A smug sense of satisfaction warmed Luke’s heart while his dad turned his head to hide the hint of a smile.

----------

 Luke liked school; he just didn’t like the work that came with it. A close runner-up to broccoli for Luke was homework.

“I’m done studying for my math test, Dad.”

“No, you’re not.”

Luke felt like a slave chained to an oar on a Roman galley as he sat at the dining room table trying to understand the point of algebra.

“I’m never going to need this stuff, Dad.”

“Now how would you know that, Luke?”

Luke was easily distracted whenever he had to endure one of his required study sessions. Usually, it would be his eyes following his little sister Anna out of the room as she passed by, or his biologically unlikely number of bathroom breaks. This late afternoon, he was curious as to why his father was staring out the window.

“What are you looking at, Dad?”

“Come over here, Luke. Check this out”

An unexpected and most welcome reprieve from an unlikely source! Luke was there in a flash.

“Check this out, Luke. A tunnel of light is breaking through the clouds.”

Luke was mesmerized by the unusual beam of light shining on a small patch of grass in the middle of his backyard. It was as narrow and sharp as a spotlight in a theater. Luke left the house and ran through the yard, drawn to the beam like a moth to a porchlight.

He stood in the beam, feeling its comforting warmth on his face. He reached his arms up high as though he was trying to get closer to the source. Luke felt relaxed, a little weak in the knees, a touch of a tingle in his chest, and for a moment he thought his feet had left the ground. He closed his eyes and imagined he had fallen into a vat of cotton candy. His dream world cracked with his dad’s call to supper.

“Luke! Time for dinner!”

Roger moved closer as his voice had elicited no response.

“Luke!! Let’s go. Scotty’s not going to be beaming you up anytime soon.”

The Martins, like many other households, had long settled into a life of uneventful routine. This dinner would be different. Except for an occasional glance at each other, Roger and Linda maintained a steady stare at their son in near disbelief- he was eating his broccoli. It was more like devouring his broccoli. It was a puzzlement as mysterious as the construction of the pyramids of Egypt.

“Mom, is there any more broccoli left?”

Luke noticed the dumbfounded look on his father’s face.

“What’s wrong, Dad?”

“You’re eating your broccoli, Luke. I don’t understand it.”

“Broccoli is good for you. You should know that, Dad.”

As soon as dinner was finished, Luke bolted out the back door.

“Luke, get back in here. You need to spend a little more time studying for your math test.”

“Bring my book out here, Dad. I’ll study in the beam. I can sit on the grass.”

Roger reasoned that willingly-sitting-on-the-grass-in-the-backyard studying was better than marginally effective coerced study at the dining room table. He retrieved Luke’s math book and walked to the backyard.

“Luke, your beam of sunlight is gone. The sun’s not shining through.”

“No, it’s still here. You can’t see it?”

Roger walked over to his son and handed him his math book.

“No, I don’t see anything… but you see it?”

Luke extended his arms out in front of him and looked at his hands.

“Of course I can see it. And I can feel it.”

 Linda noticed her son sitting in the middle of the backyard, cradling his math book and looking upward to the sky.

“Roger, what is Luke doing out there?”

“He’s studying for his math test.”

“That seems like an odd way to study. Maybe it’s some kind of learning through osmosis.”

Roger took a look out the window.

“What’s the saying? You can lead a horse to water… ”

---------

It’s never a good sign when your kid’s school shows up on your caller ID. Luke’s math teacher had called to set up a meeting.

“Thank you so much for coming in on such short notice. We have a very puzzling situation here.”

“What is it? Has Luke done something wrong, Miss Childers?”

“No, Linda, it’s yesterday’smath test…”

“Yes, we know. We’ll spend more time with him on his homework. How bad was it?”

“That’s the problem. Luke’s been struggling in math, and he got 100% on a very difficult test.”

Roger and Linda were in a near state of shock.

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Normally it would be. But the test included problems that required 2 or 3 steps, and his worksheets were completely blank. The only marks on the paper were his correct answers.”

“So, you think he copied off someone else’s paper?”

“I don’t know how he could have. He’s the only one who got all the answers right… and he finished the test in 5 minutes. It took all the other students at least half an hour. He couldn’t have copied the answers. Can you explain it?”

“Do you think he got a hold of a copy of the test?”

“No, that wouldn’t have been possible. It’s from a workbook I keep at home.”

“What else could it be, Miss Childs?”

“Short of a miracle or magic, I have no idea.”

----------

 On the ride home, Roger and Linda considered the possibilities.

“Maybe our son is a genius.”

This possibility was quickly discounted by virtue of having lived with him for 13 years.

“Maybe he did somehow manage to get a copy of the test in advance.”

Impossible per Miss Williams, and it seemed unlikely Luke would put in the requisite effort to memorize the answers anyway.

“Maybe it’s like Dustin Hoffman in that “Rain Man” movie. Some special talent for numbers.”

Doubtful, as he had never exhibited such a talent in the past.

“Maybe it’s just a gag that Luke and Miss Williams are pulling on us.”

Hmmm…

----------

If Roger, Linda, and Miss Childers were “dazed and confused”, Luke was downright befuddled. His best friend, Matt, was in the same camp.

“Come on, Luke, tell me how you did it. I swear I won’t tell a soul.”

Luke had no idea how he did it, but he understood his perfect score on his math test put him in an interesting position, one that might even offer some benefits. He wondered if Susie Smith might want to study with him some night.

“I’ve just been studying a little more, Matt, or who knows, maybe I just have a gift.”

Clueless as to how he could have possibly answered every question on the math test correctly, he was also unable to explain it to his parents.

“I don’t know, Dad, maybe it was all that extra studying. Like you always say, hard work pays off.”

----------

Luke was puzzled by his newfound affinity for broccoli, but it was his performance on the math test that truly boggled his brain. He had done the impossible, and he searched for an explanation. There was no better place for quiet contemplation than the beam.

“What’s up, Luke?”

“I’m just going to go outside and sit in the beam for a while.”

“I don’t get it, Linda. He thinks the beam is still there.”

The spot in his backyard where the beam appeared had become Luke’s safe place. He had it set up with a lawn chair, a blanket for his after-dark visits, a cooler for snacks, and a can of mosquito repellent. His parents drew the line at the 100’ orange extension cord and TV.

On his best of days, he knew he couldn’t have come up with those answers without writing down the steps and in so short a time. He hadn’t prayed for a miracle the night before the test, though he had made such supplications in the past. There was no explanation. It hurt his head to think about it. He relived the day, what he had for breakfast, the ride on the bus with Matt, his heart fluttering when he passed Susie Smith in the hallway and thinking this time maybe she smiled at him, sitting at his desk in his math class, staring at the test papers before him, his mind swirling with numbers and x’s, his hand feverishly writing down answers, and walking to the front of the room to leave with test with a very surprised Miss Childers. Lots of details, but no answers. He had performed a miracle or a feat of magic, and he had no idea how he did it.

----------

Luke spent some time in the beam every day. He couldn’t understand why he was the only one who could see it or feel its warmth.

“Luke…”

“Oh hi, Anna.”

“Mom and Dad are busy. Will you read my Cinderella book to me?”

“Sure, Anna. Come here and sit on the blanket with me.”

Anna handed the book to Luke, and he started to tell Anna the story of Cinderella.

“Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a girl named Cinderella. She was a kind…”

“Luke, you’re not reading it.”

“What do you mean?”

“The book isn’t even open.”

She was right. Luke was “reading” the book without opening it. He was back to befuddled. His mind kicked into autopilot, and he continued.

“She was a kind, gentle, and beautiful child with the most radiant smile.”

He knew the words. He could see the pictures. He struggled to understand what was happening. He looked to the stars above and held his open hands up to the sky. He could feel the warmth of the beam. The beam… the beam… a perfect score on his math test… the beam. That was the only variable in Luke’s life.

“I’ll be right back, Anna.”

Luke ran to the house and returned with his American History book. He settled into his chair, held the book close to his forehead for maximum connectivity, and closed his eyes. Dates, names, and places immediately poured through his mind- 1492, 1776, 1812, 1865, George Washington, Geronimo, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Plymouth Rock, and Gettysburg. He opened his eyes and remembered it all. With a smug smile, he continued.

“Cinderella had a heart full of love…”

---------

Luke gave up trying to understand the magic of the beam and would now only use it to his advantage. All study sessions were moved to his backyard lawn chair as he embarked on the greatest falsification of knowledge in the history of learning.

Luke did not have an incorrect answer on any test in any of his subjects. His parents moved a table to Luke’s outdoor location so he could work on his homework assignments. In light of his outstanding academic achievements, Roger ran an outdoor electric cord out to his table so he could have a TV, a lamp, and a small refrigerator on hand. 

Luke soon became the talk of the entire school as word of his sheer genius spread like wildfire. Staff called it remarkable; students called him Mr. Wizard, Albert E., or the Magic Man. Luke basked in the glory of his academic reputation- straight A’s, 1st in his class, citations, and merit awards. His renown jumped the schoolyard fence, and he was recognized throughout the town.

“Look! It’s Boy Wonder.”

“He doesn’t look so smart.”

“Let’s ask him something.”

“He should be on Jeopardy.”

Life was good for young Luke Martin. What could go wrong?

---------

“Luke, the phone’s for you, and… it’s a girl.”

A girl calling for Luke was as rare as a perfect score on a math test.

“Huh? A girl? Who is it, Dad?”

“How would I know? Why don’t you ask her?”

Luke nervously picked up the phone.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Luke, this is Susie… Susie Smith. We go to school together.”

Luke suddenly fell into the role of the dog that finally caught the car. He struggled for the words.

“I… I think I know who you are. You sit in the back in my Algebra class… and you’re in my English class, right?”

Very smooth, Luke.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m having a little trouble with the chapter we’re on in Algebra right now. I was wondering if we could, you know, study together some night. Maybe you could help me.”

Jackpot! A study date with Susie! She will be so grateful for his help. Maybe he’ll take her to the movie theater this weekend. They’ll probably talk on the phone for hours every night, neither being anxious to hang up. And of course, holding her hand while they took long walks in the park, and… Whoa, slow down, Luke.

“Sure, I can do that.”

“Maybe we could meet at City Library tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, that sounds great. What…”

Oh-oh. The library. That would be far from his comfort zone. What if the subject matter strayed outside of what he mastered in the beam? The risk was too great. It wouldn’t have taken Roxanne long to discover Christian was a fraud if Cyrano was a no-show. But… this was Susie Smith. She captured his heart 2 years ago. Love can be blind. If he said no, he might not have another chance. She would think he wasn’t interested at best, rude at worst.

“… what time?”

“Seven o’clock?”

“Perfect.”

“See you then.”

Let the anxiety begin.

----------

“Luke, where are you going?”

Luke was at the back door, Algebra book in hand.

“I’m just going to review some stuff for my math class.”

“It’s nine o’clock, Luke.”

“I know. I won’t be long.”

Luke hurried out to the beam, sat down in his lawn chair, and pressed the book to his forehead. He could feel the beam doing its job. By this time, Luke had developed some control, more of an influence, over the subject matter. He focused on the current chapter, but he reviewed all previously covered and future chapters as well. His confidence grew as he could feel all requisite knowledge being injected into his brain.

“Roger, what is Luke doing out there?”

“Studying his math book.”

“He doesn’t have his light on.”

“Curious, isn’t it?”

----------

 Luke sat at a table at the library waiting for Susie. Last night’s confidence was fading as the moment of reckoning neared. His heart skipped a beat as Susie entered the room. It darn near stopped when six more girls from his class followed her in.

“Hi, Luke, sorry I’m late. Some of my friends thought this would help them too. I hope you don’t mind.”

Now Luke wasn’t breathing.

“Uh… no… of course not. I’m glad to help.”

Luke watched with great interest as Susie took a stack of papers out of her book bag and placed them on the table.

“My next-door neighbor is in the 8th grade at St. Mary’s, and she's taking Algebra too. I thought it might help if we were to work on a whole new set of problems, you know, problems we haven’t seen before.”

“A new set of problems… yeah, that would be great.”

Susie placed the problem in front of Luke.

Luke closed his eyes tight and summoned the beam, without result. He was alone. His magic was a sedentary force confined to his own backyard. Because these students needed extra help, he thought he might be able to wing it.

“Yes, this appears to be a very complex equation. We have X squared over here and then an A and a B over here with some other stuff. So, first you have to move the A over here so now we have XA equals B…plus the remainder…”

Cristian exposed. It didn’t take long. One by one the girls left, leaving only Susie and Luke at the table.

“How did you do it, Luke?”

“I really don’t know. Aren’t you going to leave?”

“No, I think I’ll stick around.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t like you cuz you were so smart. I guess I just like you, Luke.”

“You’re kidding?”

“No, but it’s too bad. I really could have used some help on algebra.”

Luke overcame the shock of discovering Susie liked him and gave the situation some thought. It could all be salvaged.

“Susie, I still might be of some help.”

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“Who was that on the phone, Roger?”

“Luke. He wants me to put another chair out in the beam.”