The Weighing Man
“Son you must be honest. Remember he knows if you are lying. He can tell!”
‘yes dad.’
“And son! Don’t forget to speak about the classes we put you in!”
‘yes dad.’
- “John leave him be. He’ll be fine! He’s been preparing his whole life for the Weighing. He’s my son after all! You’ll do great sweetheart don’t worry. A lot was made from a Little son. Don’t forget! The weight of a Grain of Sand can be a Ton if it carries itself right! And some are so hard done by, they turn a Mountain into a Pebble!”- Johns mother said with a smile.
At this point, John was so overwhelmed with fear. He forgot his own fear. Shut down, and simply started to look past his dad’s shoulder as he reminded him more about the classes to mention. The scores he’d scored.
“JOHN!”
‘yes dad.’
“Are you listening son? Don’t forget to mention the scholarship you got to that school in the West Side!”
‘Yes….’ he kept looking past. His father became blurry, his focus turned to a character, almost half asleep. Sitting on the chair. Reading a book….
*whisper ‘That must be the hacker’ - John said under his breath.
“What?”
‘That must be the Hacker.’
- “Sweetheart its fine! Its fine! You don’t need to say anymore.’ John’s mother stepped in between them. His father about to completely lose his shit all over the hall.
“THE HACKER!”
‘Dad I’m pretty sure that’s the hacker.’
“THE HACKER! DID THE HACKER SEND YOU TO PRIVATE SCHOOL TO PREPARE FOR THE WEIGHING? THAT FAT FUCK IN THE NEXT ROOM?”
‘Okay dad, relax I’m just saying I think THATS the dude.’
“SON. That SLACKER is no HACKER. There is no HACK to life son. You have to study. Work hard. Play sports. Extra Curriculars! There is NO HACK to life son.”
‘yes dad.’
….
“Will John Nguyen please come up to the table. We will escort you to the weigh in. He is ready for you now.”
John looks back, sees his dad and mom looking on worrying. They gave everything they had for this. So he could get a good weight at the weigh in…
“The weight is in your heart son.” - his dad whispers