فصل 47

CHAPTER 47

Great Minds Don’t Think Alike

Mr. Daniels looks really happy as he makes an announcement to us one morning. Today, my Fantasticos, we are going to jump from our social studies unit and talk a little bit about some famous people. People I bet some of you know.

He takes out pictures and stands them up on the tray of the board. They almost cover the length of it, and I worry that we will have a test or have to write about our favorite.

Mr. Daniels seems electric. I’ll say the name and then you tell me if you know why they’re famous, deal? No need to raise your hands. Just call out.

Wow. He’s breaking the biggest teacher rule ever.

He points to the first picture. Thomas Edison.

Wait. I know who that is. I squeak out, He invented the lightbulb?

Great, Ally. But if you know, don’t answer like a question. Declare your answer!

I imagine myself at a podium in front of thousands of people, arms in the air, declaring my answer.

What about this one? he asks.

Max says, Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone. I did a report on him.

Most excellent work, Mr. Daniels says.

The next one is George Washington. Everyone knows that one.

Henry Ford? he asks.

He invented the car! I declare.

Well, he did begin Ford Motor Company, but he didn’t invent the car. He perfected the moving assembly line, which was a very clever way to build a lot of cars fast.

Oh.

Ally, how do you know about these inventors?

My mom bought a DVD called Schoolhouse Rock. It has a cartoon about inventors.

Ah, yes. Schoolhouse Rock is awesome. Next one? Albert Einstein! He says this one like he’s introducing someone on a game show.

Albert raises his hand.

Yes, Albert?

Albert Einstein was born in Germany on March 14, 1879. He is considered the greatest human mind to ever have lived in the fields of physics, mathematics, and philosophy. He changed all of science with his ideas. My father says that the field of science was like Pinocchio as the puppet, and Einstein changed it into a real boy.

Does he really? Mr. Daniels laughs. That’s brilliant. Is your father a scientist, Albert?

Yes, sir. He named me after Albert Einstein, so I know a lot about him.

Keisha whispers to him, Is that why you style your hair after him? She turns to me. That boy has never even seen a comb.

Style my hair? Albert asks, confused.

Mr. Daniels walks back toward the pictures. I have a feeling that Albert’s father is quite a scientist indeed.

We go through the rest of the pictures.

Leonardo da Vinci, famous painter of the Mona Lisa. Also a gifted inventor.

Pablo Picasso, another famous painter, who created a modern style that no one had ever seen before.

Patricia Polacco, talented illustrator and author.

Whoopi Goldberg, hilarious comedian and actress.

Henry Winkler, famous actor and author.

Muhammad Ali, world heavyweight champion in boxing.

John F. Kennedy, thirty-fifth president of the United States.

Winston Churchill, prime minister of England during World War Two. His intelligence and grit kept the Nazis from taking over England. In fact, all of these people had grit to spare.

Grit. I like that word.

John Lennon of the Beatles.

Walt Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse.

Then Mr. Daniels stands back. Don’t you all agree that this is a stunning group of talent? Is there anyone here that would be willing to stand up and say that any of these people were stupid?

Everyone shakes their heads.

Albert gave us a great rundown of Albert Einstein. But did you know that he was kicked out of school when he was young? His report card said that he was too slow to amount to anything. He couldn’t memorize the months of the year. In fact, he had trouble tying his shoes. But . . . he was and remains one of the greatest minds we’ve ever seen.

I remember when I had a hard time tying my shoes. Travis sat with me for a long time teaching me the baby way where you make the rabbit ears.

I stare at Einstein’s picture with his crazy white hair that looks like he had an accident with a light socket. How could he figure out something like time travel and not know the months of the calendar?

Mr. Daniels says, Some people say that John Lennon is one of the most gifted, spiritual musicians ever.

He walks over and points to Walt Disney. What about this guy? Did you know he was told by a teacher that he wasn’t creative enough? He moves over. How about Henry Ford? He was born understanding how an engine should work. He just knew without studying it.

Hey, that’s like Travis.

He walks toward the windows. Knew exactly how it should go together. He never went to school for it, but he was such a genius with machines, he worked as Thomas Edison’s engineer for a while. He built his first car by hand by building a motor and putting it in between two bicycles. And with his idea of using a moving assembly line, he ushered in a new world.

He walks back toward the board.

You know what all of these people have in common? he asks the class. Then he stands in front of my desk and looks me dead in the eye. Many believe that they all had dyslexia.

I feel it in my gut. In fact, I feel it everywhere.

He smiles a bit. That’s right. As children, they struggled to read even simple words and, based on some other clues as well, most experts now believe that they had dyslexia. But, of course, we know their struggles weren’t because they were stupid. It’s just that their minds worked differently. And thank goodness they did, because otherwise we may not have telephones or lightbulbs or stunning works of art. He smiles. Oh. And we wouldn’t have Mickey Mouse.

He is quiet for a while. I think he’s letting it sink in.

So, then . . . for your homework, I have an extra- credit assignment. He turns on the smart board and there’s writing

Ju jt nvdi ibsefs up sfbe xifo zpv epou ibwf uif dpef.

The class is already complaining that they can’t read it. Complaining that it makes no sense.

It’s a code, he says. Each letter stands for another—extra credit for anyone who can crack it. It isn’t exactly like reading with dyslexia, but it will give you a taste of how hard it is. How long it takes. Then he looks at me. And how smart you have to be to persevere.

He dismisses us and everyone starts to get ready to go home. But I’m still staring at the pictures of all those famous people and wondering if they felt like me when they were young. Did they feel stupid? Did they wonder what would become of them?

Mr. Daniels squats next to me. Ally?

Although the room is loud, it’s like the sounds are far away.

Are you okay, Ally? Mr. Daniels asks.

I turn to him and have to clear my throat before speaking. It’s true? All those people there . . . I look back at their pictures. All of those people couldn’t read, like me?

Indeed, he says, smiling. Not that they couldn’t read. They just needed to learn a different way, that’s all.

He puts an oval-shaped piece of metal in front of me. This is a paperweight, he says. It’s a gift for you.

For me?

Yes. Look. He points at each word as he reads them. Never, never, never quit. Winston Churchill.

I pick it up. It’s heavy.

I’m not giving it to you as a reminder, because I know that you will keep at it. I’ve really gotten a sense lately of how hard you’ve had to work to learn what you have. And, he says, laughing, you’ve fooled a lot of smart people. So, how smart does that make you?

I swallow hard.

I’m giving it to you because I want you to know that I’ve noticed. And that you’re going to be okay, Ally. He leans forward a bit. Better than okay, actually.

My head swims with all that’s changed.

In school.

And in me.