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Very Smart
Marc Bilgrey
Being smart doesn't solve all your problems, at least not usually. Take me, for instance. My name's Robert Sutton, I'm twelve years old, and I'm a genius. Well, I don't feel like a genius, but that's what the test said I was. Mom and Dad took me to some office where they asked me all kinds of questions and had me play with blocks and other stuff and then, a couple of weeks later, the results came back: genius.
Since Mom and Dad found out about it, it's the only thing they talk about. They talk about it with their friends, the neighbors, and on the phone with relatives I haven't even met. All I know is I still have to eat my vegetables, I still have to clean my room, and I still have to go to school. So I guess it hasn't really changed anything, except every so often Dad will say, "Hey, why are you watching TV? Geniuses don't watch TV" Well, since I like to watch TV, I guess geniuses do watch TV.
Anyway, like I said, since finding out about how smart I am, everything's exactly the same, and, I guess, that's the problem. Let me explain that. See, there's this kid in my math class, Jimmy Fenner, and every day after school he waits for me, beats me up, and steals my allowance. Sometimes I manage to run home before he can grab me, but usually he catches me. This has been going on for months. In fact, I don't like to admit it, but it's made me scared to go out. All I think about every day is Jimmy Fenner waiting for me.
I've thought about telling Mom and Dad about it, but I know that they'll just say what they've been saying about everything lately, which is, "Geniuses don't get into fights." Every time I do something they don't like, they always say, "Geniuses don't--- whatever." The other thing I'm worried about is that if my dad ever did find out he'd call up Jimmy's dad and then word would get out and everyone would think that I'm a chicken who can't fight his own battles.
So, I'm stuck. I even bought a book on karate, but being smart doesn't make you coordinated. I tried to work out some of the moves from the book and fell down on the floor in my room.
The other thing, that bothers me about this whole Jimmy Fenner situation is that the other kids in my class all know about it. How could they not? It happens in front of the school just about every day. A lot of the kids have been making fun of me about it. They'll say stuff like, "Going out for a little run, Robert?" Or, "Hey, Robert, I hear Jimmy wants to use his punching bag later."
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One day, I managed to sneak out the school's back door and avoid Jimmy. Instead of going home, I just kept walking. In fact, I walked all the way out of town. The whole time I was turning around, ready to run if I had to. Luckily, I didn't have to. So, I just kept walking. After a while, I managed to stop thinking about Jimmy and thought about plans for a couple of inventions I was working on. I'm always trying to come up with something--- maybe that's why my grades aren't better. The things I work on are usually a lot more interesting than my school assignments, and I guess I spend more time on them than I should. "Geniuses should do their homework," my dad is always saying.
I walked for a while longer till I came to a big, open field, a couple of miles from town. By now it was getting dark. I sat down on the grass and took out my notepad and wrote down some ideas for a bird-feeding machine I'd come up with. Then I heard this strange humming sound. I turned around, trying to figure out where it was coming from, when I looked up and saw this bright light moving across the sky.
The light got closer and then I saw it was a saucer-shaped spaceship! Seriously! I jumped up and watched it hover above me. It was maybe fifty feet wide. Suddenly, a light went on under it and then someone appeared in front of me. He was wearing a tight silver suit. He had green skin like a lizard and yellow eyes.
"Wow!" I said.
"You are Robert Sutton?" said the alien.
"Yeah, but how'd you know that?" I said.
"We've been studying your planet and you in particular."
"Why've you been studying me?" I was scared but also kind of excited.
"Excuse me, I do not know all your customs. I have been rude. Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Klarzak, from the planet Ronor."
"Pleased to meet you," I said, remembering what my dad always told me I should say when I got introduced to someone.
Instead of shaking my hand, he just held his up. I imitated him.
"Now then," said Klarzak, "as to why we have been studying you. We have been collecting the most brilliant beings of all the inhabited planets in the galaxy, to take them to a special world where they will try to solve the problems of the universe."
"Oh?" I said, not exactly following what he was getting at.
"Don't you see?" said Klarzak. "You are the most intelligent being on your planet."
"Well, I know I got a high score on that test but---"
"We want to take you to be with others of your intelligence level."
"How long will I be away?" I asked.
"Many of your years," said the alien. "Perhaps all of your life."
"What exactly would I be doing on this special planet? What kinds of problems would I be trying to solve?"
"Wars, disease, everything that has plagued the inhabited worlds," said Klarzak.
"You're going to kidnap me?" I said, feeling more than a little scared now.
"No, you will go of your own free will."
"What if I don't want to?"
"That is your right. We will give you twenty-four of your hours to make your decision. If you decide to go, come back to this location tomorrow. If not, I would appreciate you returning here to explain your reason or reasons for not accompanying us. Now go and think it over."
With that, Klarzak vanished, and then the spaceship zipped off faster than anything I'd ever seen before.
When I got home, Mom and Dad were annoyed that I was late, but when I told them that I was working on a science project in the woods they quieted down. After dinner, I went up to my room and thought about the alien's offer. I've always loved science-fiction novels and I've seen just about every movie with a starship in it, but this was different. The idea of actually being able to go to another planet, for real was hard to imagine. And to do something to help other people and other civilizations, that was beyond amazing.
As I sat in my room looking out at the night sky, I suddenly thought about Jimmy Fenner. If I was on another planet I'd never have to get beaten up by him again. That sounded great! Yd never have to worry about leaving school hoping that Jimmy wouldn't get me. I wouldn't miss that. And I wouldn't miss school either, come to think of it. I certainly wouldn't miss doing homework. Or cleaning my room.
I went to my closet and took out my travel bag. I threw a few pairs of underwear and socks and a couple of shirts into the bag. Then I put in my toothbrush and a new tube of toothpaste. Klarzak hadn't told me what to bring, but I figured that they would have clothes where I was going.
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The next day, I went to school as if it was just another day. After each period I thought about the fact that this would be the last time that I would ever be in English, social studies or math again. Math. That's when I saw Jimmy Fenner. He gave me that look he always gives me. The "I'll be seeing you later" look. Ha, I thought. Those days are over, too.
When the last bell rang, I sprinted out of school through the back door, and then something made me walk toward the front of the building. I peered around the corner and saw Jimmy leaning against a car.
At that moment, I thought about Mom and Dad and warm summer nights and comic books and videotapes of old TV shows and pizza. And then I slowly walked out from behind the building. Jimmy saw me immediately and began coming toward me. That's when I started running. I ran like I've never run before, and all the while Jimmy Fenner was right behind me. In a few minutes we were out of town. And after that, we were in the open field and then, just as Jimmy Fenner was gaining on me, the flying saucer showed up. Jimmy stopped in his tracks and stared at it.
A few seconds later, Klarzak appeared in front of me. "Robert Sutton," said Klarzak, "what is your decision?"
"Klarzak," I said, "you're looking for the most intelligent being on this planet to represent the Earth on this special planet you're going to. Yesterday you said it was me. Well, you were wrong."
"What?" said Klarzak. "But we have been studying you---"
"That's right, you have, but doesn't it stand to reason that the most intelligent being on this planet would hide that fact so as not to be bothered? Klarzak, I'd like you to meet the most intelligent being on Earth: Jimmy Fenner."
Klarzak looked at Jimmy, who was standing about fifteen feet from us, frozen like a deer in car headlights. "Are you sure that this---" Klarzak began to say.
"Yes, I'm positive," I said, "but he's a little shy. Anyway, I've told him everything you've said and, though you can't tell by looking at him, he's very anxious to go with you and solve problems."
Klarzak stared at me and Jimmy. Then Klarzak disappeared into his spaceship and, a few seconds later, Jimmy vanished, too. After that, the ship zoomed off into the night.
I stood looking at the stars and thought about how good I felt. Usually on a weeknight I was sad or worried. Then the strangest thing of all happened. I started thinking about going to school in the morning and realized that, for the first time in months, I was actually looking forward to it. Laughing to myself, I turned around and started walking home.
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"How's your science project coming?" asked my dad after I showed up late again and sat down to dinner.
"It's coming along really well," I said, digging into my vegetables.
"You seem very happy today," said Mom.
"Oh, I am," I replied.
"Any particular reason?" she asked.
"Did you ever have one of those days where everything seemed to go right?" I said.