Unknown - The Genius

He nods.

Good. Promise me you’ll be a good boy.

Ah here he is, our young gentleman. A man with stuck-down hair stands at the top of the stairs. He smiles. Hello there, young sir. My name is Dr. Worthe. You must be Victor. He holds out his hand. Victor puts his hands behind his back.

He’s very tired sir.

I can see that. The rest of the boys have just sat down to dinner. Would you like something to eat, Victor?

He’s quiet sir.

Dr. Worthe, who does not resemble the other doctor at all, crouches so that his face is near Victor’s. Are you hungry, young man? He smiles. Well, cat’s got his tongue. Victor doesn’t know anything about a cat.

They go inside. There is a big wooden staircase and a sparkly light. Mrs. Greene puts the suitcase down. We didn’t have time to pack all his things. I’ll send them along.

We’ll make sure he has everything he needs. Won’t we, Victor?

Then Mrs. Greene says I’m going to go now, Victor. You must listen to the man and do as he says. Be a good boy, be on your best behavior. I know you’ll do me proud.

She walks toward the front door. Victor follows.

No, you must stay.

Come, young man, let’s put something in your stomach, hey?

You must stay Victor.

Come on young man. Let’s be grown-up about this.

Victor. No. No Victor no. No.

They hold him.

Then he is alone.

Dr. Worthe puts his hand on Victor’s shoulder and leads him out a different door. They walk along a stone path to a brick building with a puffing chimney. Victor hears a car start and he wants to see if it is Mrs. Greene but Dr. Worthe squeezes his shoulder and says Now, now.

In the brick building they go first to the dining room. It is bigger than any room Victor has ever seen, running the length of the building and filled with tables and benches, boys and men of all ages wearing white shirts and brown sweaters and ties. Some of them look over when the door opens. They stare at Victor. Everyone is talking, the noise hurts Victor’s ears. He covers his ears but Dr. Worthe pries off his hands.

Let’s introduce you to some people who can be your friends.

Dr. Worthe shows him where to get food. There is a window and you go with a metal tray. The man in the apron gives you a plateful of stew. You take the tray and you sit at the third table.

Boys I’d like you to meet your new classmate. This is Victor. Say hello boys.

Hello.

Say hello Victor.

Victor says nothing.

Be friendly now. It is not clear who Dr. Worthe is speaking to.

Victor sits at the end of the bench. It is crowded and uncomfortable. He sees that there is another table with more room and he goes there.

No they say. You must go back. A man with a long neck takes him by the arm. Victor screams and bites him. The man lets out a shout and then everyone begins to shout. The noise makes Victor’s ears crackle. He has hot liquid on his arms, it burns him. The shouting grows louder and louder until Dr. Worthe stands on a chair. That’s enough. Victor is on the floor. Dr. Worthe comes near him and he screams. Dr. Worthe picks him up, another man also picks him up and they carry him away. He screams. They put him on a bed. You must stop screaming, nobody will hurt you. Dr. Worthe tells them to turn him and they turn Victor over and then he feels a jab and he falls asleep.

DURING THE DAY HE HAS LESSONS. Victor takes the pencil and paper they gave him and he draws the other boys. He draws the backs of heads, the sides of heads, the teacher’s face. Sometimes he imagines what it would look like to see the room from another place and he draws that. Outside the classroom window there is a big tree that reaches with its arms, he draws it. He draws pages of snowflakes. He puts the papers inside his desk.

He does not do his lessons well. Dr. Worthe says You must study.

The only lessons he likes are geography. He likes the shapes. Some of the maps have countries and some have continents. Africa and South America dragons’ heads nodding. He draws Italy a boot. He draws Spain a man with a big nose coughing out islands. He draws Finland. He draws Ceylon a teardrop. He draws Australia. The teacher says that there are kangaroos in Australia. He does not know what a kangaroo is. The teacher shows them a picture. A kangaroo is a big rat. He draws the teacher with whiskers and a tail. He draws the other boys in the class in the shapes of countries they resemble. George is Chile and Irving is Germany. Victor draws them and puts them in his desk. His desk is bottomless. He will never fill it up.

The older boys play football. Victor does not understand. Instead of watching the players he watches the patterns their boots make in the snow. At first the snow is smooth, then they begin and the dimples spread like bubbles in a pot. They are beautiful but then the snow gets too mushy.

Victor wishes they would stop in the middle so they don’t ruin the beautiful patterns. But the next day it snows again and the surface is clean.

The other boys do not talk to him. They call him Twitter. Victor thinks about Mrs. Greene. He asks for her often and the teacher does not understand. Dr. Worthe brings him into his office.

I understand you miss your old friend. Do you know how to write a letter?

He does not.

I’m going to show you what to do. Then you may write to her anytime you want. We encourage you to write, and to be friendly. How are you liking your friends? Do you know everyone’s name? Do you enjoy your classes?

Victor says nothing.

Naturally it has been difficult for you. You must try harder. It will get easier the more you practice. I see that you have not done your homework. That is not acceptable. You must do your homework. If you have trouble then ask for help. I will help you personally. That isn’t something I say to everyone. I say it to you because I think you’re a special child. I know that you’re capable of more than we’ve seen from you. I would like you to succeed. Would you like to succeed? Well would you?

He nods.

Good. Very good. Now let’s write that letter.

Dr. Worthe shows him the salutation. Now you write whatever you’d like.

Victor chews his pencil. He does not know what to do. He draws a picture of Belgium.

Dr. Worthe looks at the paper. This is what you want to write to her?

Victor nods.

I don’t think she’ll understand this. Wouldn’t you like to tell her how you are? Do you want to tell her about your friends? Let me have that for a moment if you please. Dr. Worthe erases Belgium, leaving a faint outline that he writes over. Dear Mrs. Greene. Hello. How are you? I am fine. I am trying very hard to do my best in school. I am enjoying my schoolwork. I have many friends. What else can we tell her? Yesterday we had potato soup. It was—Victor? Did you like the potato soup?

He did not eat the soup. He shakes his head.

Dr. Worthe says All right. Yesterday we had potato soup. It was not my favorite although still very tasty. My favorite foods to eat are—

Dr. Worthe is staring at him. Victor?

Victor is frightened. He feels stupid. Oatmeal he says.

Oatmeal. Excellent. I enjoy eating oatmeal, which—Dr. Worthe smiles—is very fortunate because we receive it for breakfast almost every morning.

This is true. Victor has never eaten so much oatmeal in his entire life. He does not mind it, but he has a feeling that he will not like it soon.

I hope that you are very well and that you will come to visit. You may visit whenever you’d like. Perhaps when it is not so cold you will come to visit. Dr. Worthe stops writing. Is there anything else you’d like to tell her?

Victor shakes his head.

Now you need to sign the letter. How would you like to close? You may say sincerely or cordially or your friend. Here, take it. You choose.