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| >> Static Item >> Short Story >> Crime/Gangster >> ID #1537594 |
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There are positive and negative stereotypes of Jews: Smart, greedy, industrious, treacherous, miserly.
Belgrade Glendenning could be summed up in one word: Average. He had the misfortune of being an average Jew. Gentiles hated him for being Jewish. Jews hated him for reflecting mediocrity. An average Jew dumbed down the whole race, reasoned some fanatics. To further understand Belgrade's mediocrity you have to know he had a problem with reading comprehension. He was not a dyslexic and he could read but not at a high enough level to score well on a standadized test like the SAT. Belgrade tried and tried to improve but nothing worked. The bottom line was always the same. Without a high score on a standardized test he couldn't get ahead. A tutor can teach students how to pronouce a word or do an equation but reading at a high level has to be learned. If one can't learn to comprehend difficult materials the problem is IQ. While Belgrade did have an overall high IQ he didn't have the specialized type of intelligence that it takes to beat a standardized test. On the other hand people born without the ability for high level reading maybe intelligent in other respects. Belgrade was born with an above average memory even if he hardly ever used it. Belgrade couldn't make people understand his problem. Just because you can digest the newspaper or even a few more difficult works doesn't mean you can come up to the level of professional school. Belgrade's parents made his life miserable. They worried that since Belgrade wasn't cut out for any lucrative profession he would end up as a burden. Every single day they reminded him about being different. "Your brother didn't have to burn the midnight oil but you do. Study harder so your parents won't end up supporting you." Belgrade was defiant. "As long as I am supported who cares?" Mom and/or dad would try the carrot and stick approach but with a huge emphasis on the latter: “You will starve." one of Belgrade's tormentors replied. Belgrade grew up in a highly competitive environment. Mom and dad were both professionals. Belgrade Glendenning Sr. was world renowned for the chemical categorization of interferon. For a pathologist to make such a huge contribution to immunochemistry is unusual but Belgrade's father was really sharp. He finished first in his class from Utrecht University medical school in Holland. Usually medical schools are dominated by MDs but most of the basic science research is done by PhDs. However, Belgrade's dad was brilliant enough to make a huge advance in basic science without the PhD and by himself. Interferon is a lethal weapon in the war against Cancer. Belgrade Sr's huge find caused him to quickly move up the long ladder at Sloan Kettering. By the time of his thirty second birthday he was already Director of Interferon Research at Sloan Kettering. Belgrade's mom worked in research at The Nuclear Regulatory Commision. When your mom is a PhD in nuclear physics and still not nearly as smart as your dad you really have problems. Belgrade's brother was a geek who made his first million off a computer game before he finished high school. He never even bothered with college because he had his first million before he was old enough to drink. Belgrade didn't exactly exude peace and good will toward man. He fed his albatross so everybody else would suffocate. Belgrade hated EVERYBODY! He hated his parents, classmates, teachers, and most of all he hated anyone smart. To infuriate mom and dad he bought a shirt showing a Star of David merged with a swastika and the slogan Zio-Nazi. Contrary to the rhetoric on Rush Limbaugh there are winners and losers of life's lottery and Belgrade wasn't going to let the winners forget it. When you went into the school cafeteria you couldn't miss Belgrade. He was the one sitting alone picking his nose or pulling his hair. One day Belgrade's history teacher asked Belgrade "What will your term paper be about?" Belgrade replied with an evil smile "The sonderkommandos."{Every concentration camp had Jews called sonderkommandos that did the Nazi's dirty work hoping to live longer}. Belgrade's message wasn't lost on Jewish classmates especially the sons and daughters of Holocaust survivors. “We know you love us, Belgrade." replied the President of The Jewish Students Association. “Belgrade’s relatives were probably converts." added another Jewish honor student. After high school Belgrade decided to attend college at New College in Sarasota, Florida. He majored in history and biology and passed all his classes {New College is an honors college so every class is Pass or Fail} but his MCAT was too low for a well known medical school. Since Belgrade couldn't get into a state medical school he went to UNIBE and he borrowed heavily to pay the tuition. Universidad Iberoamericana or UNIBE for short is an expensive private medical school in Santo Domingo capitol of The Dominican Republic. Belgrade's parents would have paid the tuition had he listened to them and found a cheap medical school but he was lazy. Beside that Belgrade didn't want the hassle of retaking the MCAT. Whenever Belgrade tried to explain that reading comprehension held him back he always got the same responce, "Why can't you get a tutor or take a class?" No matter how Belgrade tried to explain that this ability cannot be taught he would hit a brick wall. After UNIBE Belgrade failed the examination for foreign medical graduates and so he couldn't get into an American residency program. He entered a three year residency in forensic science in Spain. Belgrade hoped that his graduation from residency would make his parents reconsider the problem of paying back a student loan. Belgrade was shocked that old age made them even more stubborn. Dad screamed at Belgrade, "You picked a crappy oversea's medical school so tough" "Dad you never paid one dime for medical school so what--" Mom interjected, "Your dad didn't have to worry about tuition because Holland is different." "You mean socialist?" "I spent six years at one of the toughest medical schools in Europe not some country club in The Dominican Republic." Belgrade's parents retired to the west coast of Florida and as a coincidence Belgrade found a job at a brand new medical school in St.Petersburg. They needed someone to teach 'History of Medicine' and they wanted a PhD in History but Belgrade put on a good act. He pulled out his thesis from New College "The History of Walter Reed Army Hospital". Belgrade could have never wished for better interviewer; He spent most his career in military medicine and never left home without the flag on his lapel. Belgrade in a matter of minutes went from unqualified, unpublished, nobody to fellow travelor. He ended up as Instructor of Medical Humanities at Asimov Osteopathic University a branch of Isaac Asimov University a Jewish run chain headquartered in New York City. He was on the verge of getting fired for only publishing one paper when he wrote in The St. Petersburg Times that Zionists are modern Nazis. A Jewish run osteopathic medical school didn't look too kindly on an arrogant allopath that rarly published calling Zionists Nazis. Belgrade wanted to get even not only with Asimov but with all of humanity. He picked March, 19 for his day of reckoning. March, 19 was match day for Asimov medical students. Match day is when medical students find out where they will go for residency. The students celebrate match day at Skipper's Smokehouse a locally famous seafood restaurant with an outdoor area for live performances. After the Columbine massacre every psychopath wanted to go out in glory. The future Harris and Klebold would just pull out a gun and start firing. As Belgrade walked toward the check in clerk {who makes sure patrons headed for the outdoor area really belong there} he got an epiphany. What if a student has a concealed gun permit? He could be killed before finishing off the whole crowd. He stepped back a few steps and threw a grenade. The few survivors from the grenade he gunned down. After all that Belgrade Glendenning would be famous. I mean infamous.
© Copyright 2009 DB Cooper (UN: dbc666 at Writing.Com).
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