“Remember students, please read about page 34 and 35 before coming to class tomorrow, okay?” the teacher sweetly coaxed her students in the saccharine voice of hers.
30 cute doting students nodded their head eagerly before exiting the class. They all pore through the pages at home except one who forgot. He came to school crying because he felt left out.
“I expect you to have a clear understanding of what we are going to do before venturing into the lab tomorrow. Chapter 6 has a good account of the topic. Please read.”
“Yes sir!” Twenty voices chorused in unison. Snorting grumble were heard in the other ten. They eventually managed the next day by paraphrasing the work of their friends and vowed not to do it again.
“It is impossible to pass this unit by just coming to these lectures. These two books - ” the professor paused for effect, his hands gesticulating towards the direction of two thick leather-bound tome - “will be essential to guide you through the whole semester. Study hard guys.”
Only ten pore into the books diligently in the first week. The other twenty laze under the sun in the afternoons. “Relax, there’s still time,” they drawled, before cramping it all in in the last minute, with the help of caffeine and ginseng. They survived, barely.
“The group of you, you will be sent to the marketing department next week for a two weeks attachment. Hope you can learn as much as you can over there,” the manager said to the bunch of immaculately dressed new recruits.
Twenty nine of them went to party the night before the attachment. And they bitched and bitched and bitched about the single alien who opted to stay home to study and prepare for the stint.
“Abnormal crazy lonely no-life guy that one,” one said. All other nodded in agreement, glad that they are normal and know how to have fun. “He is such a boot licker,” said one. "I’m sure he did that just to make us look bad. Damn him,” quipped another. Everyone avoided being seen with him. Nobody wants to be seen to be friends with an outcast. From that day onwards, the alien did his best to fit in.
“Okay guys, we must win this award. Do whatever it takes – overtime, take work home – to bring glory to our company. Your sacrifice will be worth it!” the boss tried to fire his staff up. All the thirty employees in the meeting nodded and clapped.
“Five o’clock!” someone said just as they settled back in the office. They all looked up to the clock, hastily packed their briefcases and in two minutes, the office was empty. No one stayed or brought work home.
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