🍄 A weekend at Nathan's
Part 5: I don't like poetry
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"Finally, I will really get to know you, Sam, Nathan's mom tells me. He talked a lot about you. But to start, my name is Anne, you can call me that."
Anne seems cool, and not at all like I had imagined.
"Okay, Anne."
"So we will spend a few days together and get to know each other. But did Nathan explain to you a little bit how things work here?"
"How does it work?"
"Already having an older brother."
"Oh yes, he told me a few minutes ago."
"Nathan is quite secretive about that. You'll see, Valentin is very nice, you just have to respect a few rules with him. You shouldn't be scared even though he may act in a surprising way."
"Understood."
"There are also rules concerning those who live here, whether it is on a regular or temporary basis. If you respect them, there will be no problem and we will all have a good weekend together."
"Ok... I say somewhat reassured."
Rules, I hate that. It's Thursday, so I have three days and nights to spend here, I hope it won't be too long. Well, already tomorrow is school, so that's one less day. I hope Nathan won't make us go home right after school ends anyway.
"Well, we'll talk about all this later. I'll prepare dinner. Nathan, help Sam bring his things to your room and do your homework. I'll check on you later."
Anne leaves and Nathan and I go up with my bags. I enter his room and I discover that it is very well organized, everything has a place and there is a place for everything.
"Wow, it's really tidy here. You should see mine..."
"Mom is pretty strict about that, but also about a bunch of other things."
I listen absentmindedly and continue my observations. There is a double bed but I can see that a mattress has been set up next to it, most likely for me. Nathan also has a large shelf filled with books. However, I do not see a console, computer, or television. Nathan is not any luckier than me on that.
"What were you saying? I say."
"I'm not sure if you made the best choice coming to sleep here this weekend."
"Why do you say that? I say very surprised. I thought you would be happy to spend time together. Anyway, I'm super happy."
"You know, it's not like home here. When my mom says there are rules, there really are, and it's better to follow them or else..."
"Or else what?"
"Or else there are punishments... By the way, we should start doing our homework."
Nathan sits at his desk and seems to continue what he was apparently doing before he came down to greet me.
"What do we have to do for tomorrow? I ask."
"We have a mini math quiz on how to write numbers in letters. And in French we also have a poem to recite, you know the one with lines in alexandrine."
Oh bother, I don't like math or poetry. Nathan is focused and I try to do the same. I sit on his bed with my poem on my knees. It's been a while since the teacher gave it to us but I kept thinking I had time and finally... I don't have it anymore, it's for tomorrow.
I've always had trouble with rote learning. Well, let's say I know it. As for mathematics, it's more like French so I should be able to manage without having to review.
I get up and start approaching the toys in Nathan's room. I realize there aren't that many.
"No, those are clothes there, Nathan shouts as I go to open a small closet."
"You don't have many toys, I say."
"We mostly play with Valentin's games, they are mostly in his room. Have you finished learning your poem and revising your math?"
"Yeah, more or less."
"You know mom is going to quiz us."
"I'll read my poem while you recite yours. And anyway, your mother won't grade me."
"It's up to you."
"What do you think of Clotilde by the way? I think she's really cute. I feel like she likes me. Have you noticed how she looks at me in gym class?"
"Sam, if you don't mind, we'll discuss that later, I need to finish learning the poem."
"Yes, sorry, I'm bothering you."
While Nathan learns his poem, I take out my sketchbook and draw, or rather doodle a few characters. It relaxes me and I think I'm not so bad at it, even the art teacher told me so.
A little later, Anne enters the room.
"Are you ready to recite your poem, boys?"
"I don't know it all yet, Mom, but the teacher said we only needed to learn half of it for now."
"What the teacher asks is one thing, what I ask of you is another. And yesterday, did I not ask you to learn it all for tonight?"
"Yes but..."
"What but? Anne says, cutting him off."
"Nothing, sorry mom, Nathan responds handing his notebook to his mother"
Oh my, it's not like at home here... I quickly grab my own notebook and start rereading the poem while Nathan starts reciting:
"Tonight, the sky growled like an old mastiff
The park was deserted, slide without children
And the tall basketball baskets haloed,
Thin, hunched, watched over like streetlights.
Animated by the wind, the dangerous sharks
Repainted on worn spring swings
Creaked... And lingering, from port to starboard
They danced, crazy like the pendulum of time..."
"And the rest? Anne asks."
"I haven't had time yet mom..."
"Okay. The punishment is not lifted then, in fact I think it will be extended."
"Oh no mom, please, Sam is at home!"
"Whether Sam is there or not, it won't change anything. Keep going and I'll give you another one immediately."
Nathan goes silent. I saw his face fall when his mother told him his punishment was not over. I wonder what it is.
"Your turn, Sam, recite your poem to me."
"I don't know it very well..."
"Go ahead, I'm listening. You must still know it to be drawing on your notebook instead of learning it."
"Uh... yes, well kind of..."
"Tonight, the sky growled like an old mastiff
The park was deserted..."
"And the rest? Anne asks me."
"I don't know it..."
"I can see that, Sam. It's not good to do something other than your homework when it's not finished."
"But I don't like poetry. I can't remember them, I've always had trouble."
"Let's move on, it's your problem after all. Come down to eat, it's ready."
I can see that Nathan's mom is upset, but I think it's more about him than me.
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