Ray of Light

Several posts ago, I mentioned a student from my fourth period class named Ray.  He has been one of my more obviously homophobic students.  Ray often makes homophobic comments (not necessarily toward or about me) and constantly attempts to intimidate me with his large stature and “redneck appeal.”

However, a few weeks ago, Ray was faced with an extreme medical emergency that could have taken – and could still possibly take – his life.  He had missed an entire week of class, and neither I nor my host teacher had any idea of what was going on with him.  On Thursday and Friday of that week, Ray’s girlfriend visited our class to get his missed work.  I inquired of the situation and she responded by saying that he was “okay” but very sick.

Ray showed up before school started the following Monday in very weak condition.  He wore his same old camouflage jacket, beat-up jeans, and scuffed boots, but his face was sunken and pale.  Ray’s girlfriend was following him carrying both Ray’s bookbag as well as her own.  Ray sat down with me to explain exactly what had happened.

The symptoms Ray were describing sounded like severe acid reflux.  Ray explained that he had an ulcer in his small intestine, his spleen was extremely enlarged, and the lining in his esophagus had essentially eroded.  Any strenuous physical activity or a sudden strike to Ray’s stomach could rupture his spleen, resulting in his death.  He held a protein shake bottle in his hand the entire time he was explaining this to me, and he must have saw me staring at it because he then added that he would not be able to eat any solid food for weeks. 

For the first time, I felt a genuine sympathy for Ray.  I offered any help I could to him: leaving his geometry books and supplies in my room, keeping any liquids (such as protein shakes or water) in the fridge in the back room, and even sitting in my chair at my desk during class.  I believe this allowed Ray to see me stripped of all stigma.  For once, he did not see me as a queer man who had an annoying passion for math, but as a caring teacher who only wants the best for his students.

Since then, Ray visits my class at many instances throughout the day.  He is in my class before school begins (despite the fact that I don’t teach his class until later in the day), during his lunch period, and sometimes he even hangs around after school.  Ray and I have been able to “cut up” together, and sometimes we even share a smile.  Ray has been an eye-opening reminder of why I wanted to go into the profession of teaching to begin with: to make a difference.