Mrs. Davis didn’t know what to say. Her worst nightmare came true. Something was wrong with Jerrick. She wanted to cradle her face into her hands and cry. However, Jerrick’s mom fought back those tears. She didn’t cry in front of strangers.
Ms. Bauer sat there quietly with a serious expression upon her face. She wouldn’t be the harbinger of bad news. Furthermore, she neither added nor elucidated any points. She observed the meeting between the principal and the parent.
“Mrs. Davis; please permit our psychologist to test Jerrick? Once we have more information, then we can plan a course of action,” the principal said cheerfully, dispelling the gloom.
Principal slid a consent form across the desk, so it rested in front of Mrs. Davis.
With no conscious thought, she grabbed the nearest pen and scribbled her signature on the bottom of the form.
“Mrs. Davis, where is your husband?” the principal inquired solemnly.
Looking up to see the principal’s face, Mrs. Davis studied the principal’s degrees on the wall behind him. A Bachelor’s degree hung to the left while a Master’s degree hung to the right.
“He’s a truck driver. He’s delivering a long haul to Nevada,” Dorothy mumbled.
Emotional impact from today’s bad news made her voice crackle and rough. She wished her husband, John, was here, so she could hold his hand and tap into his strength. As usual, he had left, when she needed him the most.
“Thank you for coming in, Mrs. Davis,” the principal said.
Jerrick’s mom shot up from the chair and bolted for the exit.
Teacher remained in the principal's office a little longer.
Once Jerrick’s mom inserted the key into the car door, the tears flowed down her face in small rivulets, smearing her makeup.
Dorothy sat in her car for 15 minutes until she had composed herself and drove home.
***
Psychologist tested Jerrick’s IQ. He scored 80, placing him in the below average intelligence category.
Watching a talk show on TV, Jerrick’s mother answered the telephone. Principal informed her of the bad news. He said, “We think the best course for Jerrick is to place him in special education. There, he’ll get the attention he deserves. Don’t worry! Once he makes progress, we’ll switch him to the regular classes. We also have a licensed speech therapist, who’ll meet Jerrick three times a week to work with his speech impediment.”
Hanging up the phone, Jerrick’s mother sat on the couch and cried again.
Dorothy’s tears drowned out the constant arguing emanating from a TV talk show host and his rowdy guests. She drowned in her own thoughts. What could she do? These educated people knew what they were doing. She placed her son’s future into their hands. Perhaps the principal thought they can help him and make him normal. Jerrick would live a regular life and make a decent living someday.
Principal immediately placed Jerrick in special education.
Teacher, Kathy Brewster hated the title Ms. Brewster because it made her sound old, so everyone called her Kathy. Besides, Kathy was more personable, more approachable, more friendly. Kathy taught in a classroom, located at the end of the building on the far side of an L-shaped school. School administration isolated the special kids from everyone else.
Kathy was a middle-aged woman. Her life consisted of her job, taking care of her cat, and reading hot, steamy romance novels. Sometimes, she dated younger men, but they were immature and afraid of a strong, educated woman. Kathy remained unwed and focused on her job.
Kathy noticed strange things about Jerrick. On one fall day when the green leaves were turning into yellows, reds, and browns, she was reading to the children.
Children were sitting on the carpet surrounding the teacher, giggling and laughing at the funny story.
Kathy noticed Jerrick playing by himself in the corner. She let him play alone, avoiding a conflict with him. He could be a stubborn little guy with a little temper.
Kathy noticed Jerrick had a Rubric’s Cube in his hands, and every side had a mixture of different colors.
After Kathy had read the book, she saw the happy faces who immensely enjoyed the story. Then she stared at Jerrick.
Jerrick tossed the Rubric’s Cube onto the floor near his feet. He solved it! Every side had a solid color.
Teacher looked at the Rubric’s Cube in disbelief. Perhaps she was working too hard and wasn’t sleeping well. She imagined he had solved it! Even though she loved these children and loved her job, these kids were special, or in the old days, they would call them slow. They were light bulbs that didn’t shine as brightly as the other children in the normal classes.
Jerrick can’t solve a Rubric’s Cube in 15 minutes. The principal never placed children who can solve Rubric's Cubes into her class. Principal always gave her the special children, who needed more help with their education.
Kathy Brewster noticed another incident with Jerrick in January 1985 in the middle of a mild Michigan winter. It snowed a lot in Michigan because the Great Lakes surrounded the state, creating the lake effect.
Children returned to their classrooms after three-week Christmas vacation, spending their free time making snowmen and throwing snowballs. Children sat at their desk and painted pictures with watercolors.
Jerrick played on the other side of the room and collected all the wooden blocks from the toy chest.
After 40 minutes, Kathy didn’t hear a peep from Jerrick. He played on the side of the room with a partition blocking her view.
Kathy stood up and rushed to the other side of the room, and lo and behold, she almost tripped over an elaborate city made from the small wooden blocks. City spanned half the floor.
“What’s that?” Kathy asked sweetly.
“That ff-food ff-for people,” Jerrick replied, stuttering a little, pointing to a large building on the city’s edge. Building was sizable and square as if the building could feed thousands.
Then he pointed to the largest building in the center and added, “That’s KK-King lives.” Building was not quite a pyramid because the blocks made it boxy, similar to an Aztec ziggurat.
City also had a library, a car repair shop, and a school.
Teacher was in shock because Jerrick put thought into the city’s layout. He ensured the city’s residents had easy access to all the amenities.
Towards the end of the year, Kathy experienced the biggest shock in her life.
Kathy was reading a children’s book about the Founding Fathers of the United States. She held the book up high, so the children can see the pictures. She read each sentence slowly, precisely enunciating her words.
Kathy glanced to her left, surprised to see Jerrick sitting with the group, listening intently.
Once Kathy finished, a commotion broke out.
Jerrick stood on one of the chairs above the other children. In perfect English, he said, “Give me liberty or give me death. Tell the King no more taxes!”
Kathy was both amazed and shocked.
Jerrick always played alone and never showed interest in the other children. Now, he became a politician, standing on his soapbox, giving a political speech. He would be a good politician. Heaven forbid, his low IQ would be perfect for the job.
After Kathy had guided her students onto their buses, she dashed to the psychologist’s office.
Psychologist was bewildered too and re-tested Jerrick’s IQ unofficially.
Following week, Jerrick left Kathy’s room and went to the psychologist’s office for half the day.
At the end of the day, Kathy’s curiosity tugged impatiently at her mind.
Kathy hurried to the psychologist’s office and tapped on the psychologist’s office door.
“Door is open, come on in!”
Kathy opened the door and walked in, “I hate to bother you, but I’m curious about the IQ results for one of my students.”
Psychologist sat behind his desk, folding his hands behind his head, leaning da
ngerously back on his chair.
Psychologist grew a thick dark beard, gradually turning gray. He absently scratched his beard, when he talked to people as if the act of scratching boosted his intelligence level. Unfortunately, the years behind the desk and little physical exercise took a tow on him as his belly protruded from his abdomen.
Kathy noticed the psychologist's desk, littered with stacks of random papers, student files, and test results. On one stack of papers, a coffee cup lay in the center with a mist rising from the cup.
“I have your student’s results right here. That’s why I just poured myself another cup of coffee. I’m relaxing and thinking about it,” the psychologist stated in a mysterious tone.
Kathy’s curiosity escalated and asked, “What do you mean? What do you need to think about?”
“Jerrick tested higher. His IQ increased to 120.”
“What? What do you mean?”
Kathy’s mouth opened widely in surprise, and she grabbed the back of a chair to hold her balance.
“That is why I’m sitting here, thinking. IQs are stable and change very little over a person’s life.”
“So, Jerrick is not only smart but gifted?”
“It does appear that way.”
“Should he remain in special ed?”
“I talked to the principal half an hour ago. We believe Jerrick should stay in special ed. He hasn’t developed the maturity and social skills to be in a normal class. If he improves socially, then we’ll place him in a regular class. Don’t tell his parents about the new IQ results.”
“Why?” Kathy asked perplexed and added, “That would put Jerrick’s parents at ease because their son is smart.”
“Principal and I concur the best course of action is Jerrick stays in special ed. If his parents knew, they could sue the school. Besides, if Jerrick’s parents think their son is slow, they’ll be more motivated to help him succeed,” the psychologist said mechanically in a calculated tone.
Kathy left the psychologist’s office bewildered because special ed is for the special students. Now she had this anomaly attending her class.
Kathy, principal, and psychologist knew little about Jerrick because he was a creative genius. Creative geniuses are a different breed. Half of them showed their brilliance at a young age while the other half appeared slow and even retarded as young children. Their brilliant minds needed more time to develop, but once their minds blossomed; then nothing could stop their brilliance and creativity.
If the psychologist had retested Jerrick as a young man, he would discover Jerrick’s IQ rose to 150. Jerrick was quite gifted as the whole world would find out.
***
Jerrick’s mom suspected something was different about her son. One Saturday morning, she popped into his room unannounced.
Jerrick kept his room organized with all the toys stacked neatly on shelves. However, on this day, Jerrick spread all his toys across the bedroom floor.
On one side of the room, Jerrick constructed a large city made from dominoes with an elaborate layout, resembling Aztec architecture.
On the other side of the room, Jerrick constructed a modern city made from children’s blocks. Some blocks stood tall like skyscrapers while other blocks were short and long.
Between the cities, Jerrick lined all his little green, plastic army men and tanks. They faced the domino city. On one side of the block city, Jerrick placed several small toy airplanes.
“Jerrick, sweetie, what are you doing?”
“Mom, army goes there,” as he pointed at the domino city.
“Why?”
“Build, mom. Bigger cities.”
“Which city is that,” his mom asked while pointing at the domino city.
“Mexico, mom.”
“How do you know about Mexico?”
“A map mom,” Jerrick said as he pointed to his bed.
On his bed, he sprawled a world map over the top of the bedspread. On the map, Jerrick circled Mexico with a crayon and scribbled an arrow pointing at Mexico City.
Jerrick’s mom shook her head in disbelief because he had an active imagination.
“I made you a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and cherry punch.”
“Oh boy,” Jerrick screamed as he ran from the room to the kitchen.
Jerrick delayed the battle because the little Emperor was hungry. Conquest of Mexico will wait for another day.
***
By the third grade, the principal and psychologist placed Jerrick in the normal classes.
Jerrick floated through school and never completed any homework. He slid by with B’s and C’s in his classes. Sometimes, Jerrick became defiant and didn’t listen to his teachers, spending a chunk of his early education in the detention room, counting the number of bricks in the wall.
***
By the fifth grade, the school administration combated Jerrick’s classroom disruptions with Ritalin, believing he suffered from attention-deficit disorder. In the old days, teachers called it hyperactivity. Unfortunately, many people view hyperactivity as a disease that must be cured. However, as hyperactive children reached adulthood, they can channel the energy from hyperactivity into motivation and drive.
Around 10 o’clock, Jerrick strolled to the office to take his medication each morning.
Jerrick’s parents went along because the school officials knew what to do. Besides, Jerrick’s parents didn’t have a choice. If they refused the medication, then the school would turn the parents into the Child Protective Services. The State of Michigan during that time treated families harshly if they refused to drug their hyperactive kids.
Ritalin reduced Jerrick’s disruptions. Once the drug kicked in, Jerrick became drowsy, lethargic, and imaginative. He didn’t mind because daydreams would flow through his mind.
Jerrick Ray Davis, being a creative genius, kicked back, relaxed, and enjoyed his vivid daydreams. He sometimes dreamt he flew airplanes around the world and visited exotic cities. Other daydream he stood on stage delivering speeches while crowds of people chanted his name after he had made a poignant statement. Then the crowd’s roar rose to a crescendo, ‘Jerrick! Jerrick! Jerrick!. . .’
If Jerrick weren’t daydreaming, he stared out the classroom windows at the clouds and trees, conjuring faces and images from the trees and clouds.
For example, one day in 5th grade science class, Jerrick gazed out the classroom window at a group of oak trees, bordering the school playground. He saw one oak tree resembled a witch’s face.
Witch had sunken, beady eyes, and a long, crooked nose as green oak leaves cast the face in a greenish hue. Jagged shards of teeth jutted from a large, grinning mouth.
Looking at the witch’s face, Jerrick saw the eyes turned a bloody red while his heart had beaten faster.
Then a wind rustled through the leaves.
Witch grimaced and opened her mouth broadly to blow a curse in Jerrick’s direction.
Jerrick convulsed from his daydream.
Witch casting a curse on Jerrick had startled him. He twitched is arms and legs while his right arm collided with his books, crashing them to the floor, disrupting the whole class.
All the students stopped writing notes, and his teacher stopped his lecture in mid-sentence. Everyone turned to face Jerrick.
Teacher asked, “Jerrick, is there a problem?”
“No!” Jerrick replied firmly with a little cockiness in his voice, challenging the teacher, hissing like a striking cobra.
Teacher turned to the blackboard and continued writing.
Jerrick picked up his books and returned them to their spot on the desk. He stared at the oak tree through the window. Witch had left. Jerrick saw an ordinary, oak tree.
Unfortunately, Jerrick’s imagination would get the best of him. On some nights, he still checked under the bed for monsters. He didn’t want any extra guests in his room at night, especially guests with beady red eyes, claws and ragged teeth, waiting for
Jerrick to fall asleep.
The Teenage Years
Jerrick hated high school and all his teachers. Who could blame him? Jerrick’s high school was located at the end of a long paved road on the edge of town. A fence followed the property on the backside of the school, isolating the school from the four-lane highway, and its roaring traffic speeding down the asphalt jungle. On some days, students heard the incessant howl of the traffic.
On the left side of the school was a dark, dense forest while on the right side was the football and baseball fields. Then thick, dense woods bordered the sports fields. Many students felt the property was better suited for a prison than a school.
During high school, Jerrick’s brilliant mind blossomed. He picked up a book in the 8th grade and couldn’t put it down. He devoured all 800 pages of the Stephen King’s The Stand in one weekend. This one book led to stacks of other books. He branched into electronics, computers, psychology, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Unfortunately, Jerrick’s restless mind had trouble focusing on history and classical literature.
Jerrick’s peers noticed. Although Jerrick didn’t earn the highest grades in class, he brilliantly answered the teacher’s questions, swimming circles around the teacher’s head.
Jerrick loved mathematics, and his brilliant mind absorbed basic calculus by the 10th grade.
Jerrick stealthily approached and cornered the school principal one day while the principal was walking along the hallway.
Principal jumped in surprise and tried to walk around Jerrick.
Subsequently, Jerrick announced in a loud voice, “Mr. Bastien; could I take calculus in the 11th grade?”
Principal stopped and glared at Jerrick, startled as if he stepped on some dog shit during a walk in the park. Then he searched for a discrete way to shake the shit off his shoe without touching it.
Principal retorted in an authoritative voice, “I’m sorry Jerrick, but you should take calculus during your senior year.”
Entire school administration knew Jerrick, and he was a pain in the ass. Principal didn’t want to torture the calculus teacher yet, granting the teacher another year of peace before Jerrick showed up.
Of course, Jerrick showed his brilliance to the calculus teacher, defying authority.
One day in the 10th grade, Jerrick stayed late in the electronics lab, playing with an educational, electric motor, where a person can adjust multiple settings. Jerrick tried various adjustments until he squeezed the most power from that motor as the motor’s whine filled the classroom.