The Horror! The Horror!

No. 95

“The horror! The horror!”

Most will recall these words spoken by famous actor Marlon Brando in his role as Colonel Kurtz in Francis Ford Coppola’s classic 1979 epic film Apocalypse Now based loosely on Joseph Conrad’s dark novel Heart of Darkness. That movie is not what this week’s article is about but rather the feelings of many students who had to return to school after the summer holiday—reflective of my own feelings at one time.

Tuesday morning, of course, was the first day of school for most kids in the western world. The words in the title came to mind as I walked past a youngster on my morning walk around the neighborhood who I guessed might have been starting grade four or five. His eyes were barely opened as he stood on the asphalt sidewalk waiting for what I suspected was his yellow school bus ride to school. He was by himself. His clothes and Nike runners looked new as did the rather large knapsack draped over his shoulder. He held it with one hand like someone might carry a jacket. All of it had likely been purchased for this back-to-school occasion—a day that many seem excited about that likely stems more from parents than the students themselves.