A boy gets reprimanded for arriving late to class, and the teacher insists on meeting his parents. However, the next day, the boy doesn’t show up—only his grandmother does, claiming he’s unwell. When the teacher later makes an unannounced visit to their home, he discovers that the boy’s life is far more troubling than he ever imagined.
Mr. Morgan was eager to start his new position as a history teacher. Walking into the seventh-grade classroom, he was ready to engage the students with captivating lessons on the Great Depression and World War II. But just minutes into his lecture, the classroom door creaked open unexpectedly.
The room fell silent as everyone turned to see who had interrupted. A boy shuffled in, eyes cast downward, and quietly took his seat without a word. «Good morning, young man,» Mr. Morgan said sternly. «You’re 20 minutes late. Do you mind explaining why?» But the boy said nothing, sitting in silence.
«Stand up and introduce yourself,» the teacher requested. The boy rose slowly, lifting his head just enough to mutter, «My name’s Archie.» He rubbed his tired eyes, looking disheveled as if he hadn’t slept at all.
«Well, Archie, it’s nice to meet you, but tardiness isn’t acceptable,» Mr. Morgan said, growing firmer. «Care to explain why you’re late? And I hear you haven’t turned in any assignments. Do you have your homework from last week?»
Archie handed over his notebook hesitantly. «I didn’t do it, sir,» he admitted, avoiding eye contact. As Mr. Morgan flipped through the pages, he saw they were blank.
«You haven’t done a single piece of homework this term. That’s a serious issue,» Mr. Morgan remarked. «I need to meet your parents first thing tomorrow. Otherwise, we’ll have to visit the principal’s office. Is that clear?»
«Yes, sir,» Archie whispered, sinking into his seat.
But the next day, Archie didn’t show up for class. Concerned, Mr. Morgan wondered if his stern warning had scared the boy off. As the day dragged on, his unease grew, and just as he was preparing to leave for the day, he noticed an elderly woman waiting outside the classroom.
«Can I help you?» he asked politely.
The woman, frail but composed, nodded. «I’m Archie’s grandmother, Willow Parker. Archie couldn’t come today—he’s feeling under the weather,» she explained. «His father told me you wanted to meet with his parents, but his mother couldn’t make it. Can I pass on a message?»
Mr. Morgan shared his concerns about Archie’s lateness, his missing assignments, and his failing grades, stressing the need for an immediate meeting with his mother.
«I’ll make sure to arrange it,» Mrs. Parker replied before turning to leave. But Mr. Morgan couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that there was more to Archie’s situation.
Shortly afterward, the school’s director, Mr. Smith, called Mr. Morgan into his office. “I see you’ve been worried about Archie,” the director began, “but his situation is complicated. His father passed away, and his mother has… struggles of her own. His academic performance has been slipping, and we’re planning to expel him next month.»
«Expel him?!» Mr. Morgan exclaimed, stunned. «He’s clearly going through a lot—he needs support, not punishment. Can’t we help him instead of turning our backs?»
But Mr. Smith shook his head. «We have standards. I’ve given Archie multiple chances, but he hasn’t improved. Unfortunately, his grades are affecting our school’s reputation.»
Frustrated but determined, Mr. Morgan left the meeting, refusing to give up on Archie. That evening, he drove to the boy’s home, hoping to speak with his mother. When no one answered the door after several knocks, he cautiously stepped inside.
The sight that greeted him was grim—empty whiskey bottles littered the floor, and the air was thick with the stench of alcohol. «Mrs. Parker? Archie?» he called out, only to jump when the grandmother appeared from a back room.
«Mr. Morgan, what are you doing here?» she asked, startled.
«I needed to speak with Archie’s mother,» Mr. Morgan replied. «I’m really worried about him.»
«Archie’s out picking up medicine,» she said quickly, avoiding eye contact. «I’ve got some things to handle here.»
Just as Mr. Morgan was about to leave, Archie returned home. Dressed in dirty clothes and smelling of smoke, the boy froze when he saw his teacher, then bolted back outside.
«Archie, wait!» Mr. Morgan shouted, running after him. «I’m here to help! What’s going on? Why do you smell like smoke?»
The boy stopped but didn’t turn around. Mr. Morgan knew then that Archie was facing far more than just academic struggles, and it was clear that his problems ran deep. The teacher vowed to do everything in his power to help the boy find a way out of the difficult life he was trapped in.
