The Only True Test

The Only True Test

“Did you study for the test?” asked a voice from behind him. Cavan McBride turned abruptly to find his teacher back there.

“I have no need to,” he answered boldly.

“And why would that be?” he asked curiously.

“It’s logical, sir!”

“Only if you’re Mr. Spock! What do you hope to prove by not studying?”

Cavan replied as they entered the classroom together. “A test is just that, a way to find out what you know, not what you can cram into your head at the last minute.”

His teacher nodded. “I guess it will also prove whether I’m a good teacher, won’t it Cavan?”

“If you aren’t, I can always blame my mark on you being a poor teacher!”

“We’ll see, won’t we?” was the teacher’s final word on the matter for now.

When the rest of the class had filed in and got settled in their places, the teacher passed out quiz papers. There was a brief silence as they read the paper. Muffled groans came up from some, while others mimed wiping sweat from their brows.

“Ready, begin!” the teacher announced from the head of the class.

Cavan set to work and finished in record time. The teacher had passed him several times in his usual walk through the class as they worked.

“Time. Everyone pass their papers forward by one desk for marking by your peers,” he announced.

After much rustling and some confusion, the students began to mark each other’s quizzes.

“Cavan, please gather all the papers and place them on my desk,” the teacher said.

While he did so, he tried to get a peek at his own mark, but as the class was filing out to go home.

“I’ll see everyone tomorrow after I’ve checked the marking, right Cavan?”

300 WORDS DAILY FLASH 2/7/2024