Story time today, squiders!
When I was in seventh grade, my science teacher gave us a maze to do for extra credit. It had been drawn by a previous student of his, and went along with some system of the body (I don’t recall which).
Now, I love a good maze and also extra credit, so I did it. But it occurred to me, as I did so, that if my science teacher was using a maze someone had drawn for him, that I, too, could draw a maze and perhaps my teacher would use that one too.
So I set to work creating the hardest maze I could. Making mazes is actually very calming–I have a method I use to make sure I have a path from start to finish that is not obvious–and I should probably do it more often. But anyway! This maze. It, too, was of some body system (digestive, maybe? I honestly don’t remember) and I filled up an entire 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper with that baby.
It was glorious.
I gave it to my science teacher, who agreed it was glorious and, I think, gave me even more extra credit, though I may be imagining that part.
Fast forward two years. I have moved into high school, and my sister is in my old hall at middle school, so unfortunately has all my teachers.
(I feel a bit of sympathy for her having to be my little sister throughout middle and high school, but not especially. Such is the way of siblings. It’s her own fault for not being born first.)
(That was a joke.)
She comes home, all grumpy, and forces a photocopy of my maze at me. Apparently my old science teacher had given the maze out to everyone (and of course noted that I had made it, to the embarrassment of my sister) and no one could solve the thing.
It is extremely satisfying, being the bane of an entire seventh grade science class.
Every now and then I think about that maze and that teacher. I’m sure he’s retired by now, so current and future science classes are probably safe from my maze. But I wonder how many years he brought it out? Was it just for a few before someone else drew a new maze and he switched it out? Did he terrorize children with it for many years? Was it really that hard, or was it just intimidating?
I also occasionally wonder if I should take up maze making again. Maybe make a maze book with an accompanying story. Could be fun (though definitely something for another time).
What about you, squider? Ever done something for fun that brought unexpected dividends?
