Finding Hope in Texas by Ryan T. Petty

Author:Ryan T. Petty
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: tragedy, hope, introverted, new york, culture shock, school bully, move, handsome man, solace, haunting memories, eccentric teacher, estranged aunt, find the strength to live again, finding hope in texas, horrible tragedy, ryan t petty, special someone
Publisher: Melange Books

Chapter Seven

The rest of the weekend was empty. Although Mags accepted my apology, I could tell I had hurt her. Dad had never questioned her choices in life and loved his sister more than she ever knew. It wasn’t my place as his daughter, her niece, to take my pain out on her. She had been gracious enough to take me in, to get me away from the pain, at least by distance. For that alone I should’ve been grateful.

School wasn’t much better. Another chaotic cold front had blasted through the plains and landed in North Texas. When students entered the high school that Monday morning, they were dressed as though there were four-foot snow banks outside. I wasn’t a tough person at all and I realized that getting down to freezing temperatures would bring a chill to anyone’s spine, but Texans were not used to it. Many of the students looked like they were about to cross the glaciers of the North Pole by dogsled, with their hoods pulled over their heads tight, their hands stuffed deep into the warm pockets of their coats or hoodies.

The day dragged on, going through the mundane to the monotonous. I think the cold even affected Mr. Peet, as even he wasn’t as lively in the classroom. The Industrial Revolution brought up more entrepreneurs. Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller were the great builders of the time, making more money than even Bill Gates today, if you took in the rate of inflation.

“Alright people, I’ve used the word railroad about a billion times today. With that in mind, what do you think was the main cause for the economic collapse of 1893?”

“The railroad?” A girl answered it more like a question.

“Very good, Miss Bennett. Now, for extra points. If anyone watches the news, what do you think has caused the economic collapse of today?”

“There was an economic collapse today?” asked a boy from across the room.

“Well, not today today, but yes. We are in a major slump economically. The ‘Great Recession’ as I have heard it been called. So what caused it?” No one said a word. I rolled my eyes. Apparently, as a teenager, I was supposed to be oblivious to the world as well, thank you Facebook, but I actually watched the news from time to time. Brian Williams was straight-laced, but he was a good reporter. I raised my hand and Mr. Peet nodded at me.

“The housing market.”

“And what about the housing market?”

“The greedy banks sold a bunch of houses to a lot of people who either couldn’t afford them or paid more than what they were worth.”

“Thank you, Miss Kilpatrick. You see, people, history kind of repeats itself. We bought heavily into railroads and collapsed. We bought heavily into stocks and collapsed. Now we buy heavily into real estate and...”

“Collapsed,” the rest of the class said together just as the bell was ringing.

“Good. Y’all have a good day. Don’t do anything I would do like read a book or something. And Miss Kilpatrick, an extra two points for you for the test in a couple of weeks.

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