The Best of Bexley

The Best of Bexley

“Can I draw it out, Ms.Yankee?” Bexley asked her teacher. “No! The point of this exercise is to increase your vocabulary. All you have to do is describe the effects of a hurricane on a small town.” Ms.Yankee threw a dictionary on the desk. “Use this.” she said. “Devastating, rough, depressing.” Bexley muttered to herself. Ms.Yankee congratulated her and Bexley walked home grinning proudly.

“How was your day, B?” Bexley’s mom asked. “I got my three words!” Bexley exclaimed. “And what were they?” her brother Benji teased. Bexley couldn’t respond. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she lost them. She went to bed without saying another word.

When Bexley woke up, she tried to describe what she saw out of her window, but her mind was blank. She walked through the doors and into the school. There were a group of kids joking. “Well, your mama’s so dumb she traded her car for gas money!” Then, Bexley’s friend Regina said to Bexley, “Aren’t they just hilarious?!” But Bexley didn’t understand the joke. She just silently walked to class.

“Good Morning, Class!” said Ms.Yankee. “I have some fabulous news! I want to congratulate Regina Meyer for winning the Debate club’s argument yesterday.” The whole class applauded. Bexley slid in her chair. Why couldn’t she be as good as Regina?

Bexley sulked even lower in her chair, it was three words time. “Okay, class. Today, find three words to describe a student who is smart but very shy. And remember, no dictionaries or thesauruses!” Regina finished in a matter of seconds, when Bexley could not get one word. “Bexley, why don’t you share your words with the class?” Ms.Yankee asked. “Um, uh…” Bexley stuttered, “I didn’t get my 3 words.” Bexley replied nervously. The class snickered. “Not even one word, Bexley?” Ms.Yankee asked again. Bexley shook her head and sank so far down in her chair she could barely see above her desk. “Okay, how about Regina?” Regina stood up proudly and gave her three words with ease and extreme (nearly arrogant) confidence.

When Bexley got home, her parents were talking and they looked at her seriously when she walked in the door. “Bexley,” her mom said, “We’re getting you some special help.”

The next day, Bexley and her parents were sitting with a man. He was old, with glasses and a bushy beard. His name was Mr. Hopsendooger. He was Bexley’s speech language pathologist. “Hi Bexley,” he said “My name is Mr. Hopsendooger. Your parents and I have concluded that you have a language-processing disorder. You and I are going to work together to help you.” Bexley gulped nervously and nodded.

It was the next day, and Bexley was going to her first official session with Mr. Hopsendooger. “Okay, Bexley.” Mr. Hopsendooger said, “Do you have a smartphone?” she whipped it out. “Great, do you have video?” she nodded. “When you are in class, Bexley, I want you to record your teacher’s lectures, and play them back when you are studying or doing homework.” “That sounds great!” Bexley exclaimed. “Now I have an activity for you,” said Mr.Hopsendooger, “This is a mapping sheet, I want you to take notes in class. On this paper, you write the main topic and some important points.” Bexley nodded. “Finally,” said Mr. Hopsendooger, “I want you to verbally respond to people when they talk to you, let’s start right now.” “Sounds Great!” Bexley replied enthusiastically.

After three years of practice, Bexley nails her three words every day, she gives wonderful(and award winning) speeches, and she even is captain of the debate team! Bexley shows that with hard work, you can beat any challenge that gets in your way.