Ne maeumun?

I had just emerged from the storage room to put my violin away and began my morning sprint to first period. Unfortunately, the first period bell rang as I went in the door.

"You're late." The teacher coldly stared at me.
Flustered and out of breath, I stuttered, "I'm sorry, my bus was late and I had to put my instrument away in the storage room--"
"I did not ask for an explanation," the teacher cut across me. "Go to your seat."

I hurried to my seat and sat down before she could start docking points off my agenda. Damn, why did I always have to be stuck on a late school bus every morning?

The teacher, meanwhile, continued her long explanation about our homework, assignments for today, etc. She passed out a thick packet of notes and questions to everybody and said, "Kindly finish this packet in class today. Anything that is not finished will be homework."

I noted that she said "finish" and not "work on." Go figure.

Everybody knew the teacher got mad if we didn't explain our tardiness firsthand. Almost immediately after she sat down at her desk and booted up her computer, I walked timidly up to her and cleared my throat.

"Er.." I started uncertainly.
"Is that how you greet a teacher?" she asked, not taking her eyes off her computer.
"Sorry..what?"
"I asked you if that's how you normally greet a teacher."
"Uh..I guess I'll start again, then," I said, completely perplexed.
"No. I asked you a simple yes or no question. Can you answer it please?"

I stared in silence. Wait, what?

The teacher sighed. "Okay, let's start over."
I glanced at the wall and said, "I wanted to explain why I was tardy."
"Have I ever asked? I'm always hearing the same excuse."
"No, ma'am, you've been hearing the same reason. The truth, nonetheless."
She raised her eyes skeptically. "Are you contradicting me?"

I shrugged, which probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.

"My bus was late, ma'am, and I thought you should know."
The teacher rose from her seat and looked at me directly in the eyes. "Do you think I believe you?"
"I think you should, as I'm saying the truth."
"I, on the other hand, think you are lying. I hear that same excuse every day and the same amount of defiance and rudeness that seems to radiate every day in my class. From you."

Shit, I'd forgotten that teachers hate their students' logical reasoning.

I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and tried to start again without the tremor in my voice.

And I dared to ask, "Do you believe in God?" It was the one question that completely threw teachers off balance. I've learned through experience.
"Hmm. Why do you ask?"
I shrugged and said, "I was just wondering."
"That is not a good enough reason."
I looked up at her. "It was only a yes or no question."
"Well, I have to say I find this subject completely irrelevant to the topic we were discussing right now," the teacher said with eyebrows raised so high it disappeared into her flyaway hair.
"Oh, don't worry. I think you'll find it relevant enough to discuss."

The teacher glanced at her watch.
"You do know you are wasting time?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was under the impression that I wanted an answer from you." I glared at her and restated, "Do you or do you not believe in God?"
"And if I say yes?" the teacher inquired.
"Then I would wonder why a believer of God would seek injustice."
"What about no?"
I laughed bitterly. "Then I will finally know what the source of your ignorance is. And seeing your hesitation in answering the question, I must conclude now that if you say yes after all this time, you are an unfaithful believer. If you say no..."

My voice was becoming colder and more forceful all the while. What power lies beyond the everyday art of the human voice?

"...then I will consider you one of the petty obstacles in life that I must face."

I walked away, feeling immensely satisfied at my teacher's--no, my obstacle's--slipping composure and my first feat in life. Teachers must be the first to realize their injustice.