b'One Mans JourneyBy Richard Jones, Retired MSPMA memberI ve traveled twenty years performingSuddenly there I am amidstOnce again, there I am pulling various positions and work tasksthese young kids at a local testing related to maintaining the stability,site and told I have a limited integrity and safety of different classesamount of time to complete theback into that same parking of ships while serving in the military.test. What seemed like an eternity,lot in the same parking space, Now, facing my family and I, is anmy test results arrived courtesy of intersection requiring oneself to choose tothe United States Postal Service.down the same hallway and stay on course and know that, too often,You guessed it, I was anxious and family must take a back seat. The presentmy palms were wet, as I found thefinally to the math classroom.course has not always been smooth andcourage to open the letter. I found steady, but rather abrupt and excitingI was no great scholar; however, at the same time. Witnessing firsthandI did pass and I felt the internal jubilation and despair along with victory,pressure relief valve open andsame hallway and finally to the math this lifestyle gets into your blood andbreathed a huge sigh of relief.classroom. I thanked the teacher for her it becomes scary to think youre sayingOK Lord, I said to myself as Isupport and deposited the math books goodbye and starting anew. contemplated my next move, nowinto her hands, excused myself, and Settling into civilian life isnt as easy aswhat? Well, now it is time to returnbegan making my way back to the front one might think (these civilians work atthe math books to the local high schooldoor toward what I thought was leading a slower pace and sometimes I questionand find the math teacher and returnme to my destiny. Suddenly, as I had their intent to earn their wages). Afterher books to her. Once again, there Ijust exited the doors of the high school three months of separation from theam pulling back into that same parkingand had just opened my car door, a voice Military Service, I find myself thinking,lot in the same parking space, down thecalled outto be continued.perhaps Ill go into teaching. After all, I just completed years of military service where I was often required to instruct and teach maintenance routine for shipboard habitability/fire safety/hazardous materials and indoctrination of newly appointed Petty Officers. And my wife said it was time to get a regular job! As a family, our first decision was where we should establish roots and commence the next chapter in our lives. Well, its the end of the week (as a matter of fact it is Friday) and Ive decided teaching it will be. I have dragged my feet all day and its about two in the afternoon as I pull into the parking lot of a local high school. I opened the car door and walked immediately into the front door and down the hallway until I located the math department (youve got to remember it has been over twenty years since I experienced geometry,BuildingBe\x1der Schools, Together.trigonometry etc). What I learned is now there was an ACT test given to students that was a required test to gain access for college acceptance.For another two or three weeks, I read the math documents and practiced various math situations I felt one might encounter 1000 Macklind Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 I 314.833.3555I hollandcs.comwhile taking this so-called ACT. WWW.MSPMA.COM|9'