''No Talking''

When I was in 5th grade, I was attended John Bouroughs Elementary School in Fresno. I was about ten years old at the time. My teacher's was Mr.Peratt, a tall balding man with a deep voice, and a big smile. My best friend in those days was Sam, and she and I always stuck together whether at school and at home, facing our troubles and joys together. During recess we walked around the school yard talking and watching the others play ball games. Within Mr. Peratt's class though "reading time" became a time when we could find our own comfortable place to sit and read alone. Naturally, Sam and I always sat where the teacher couldn't watch us very well, so that way we could talk--not read. One day during "reading time", the teacher must have heard our little voices and quietly approached us. He asked us "what is all this chattering about"? We told him "nothing". This excuse didn't satisfy Mr. Peratt, and we sensed trouble. As punishment, he required us to write 100 times: "I will not talk during reading". We only had until the next morning to turn this writing assignment in or we would have to forfeit recess and our lunch period. Luckily, Sam and I finished and never again did we talk during reading. Well, at least not loud enough for the teacher to hear. While it didn't stop our enjoyment of talking, it did demotivate my desire to write repetitive essays in school.