How Green Becomes Wood

Austin was there and already sitting in his spot when the others came in. He looked up expectantly when the twins arrived. "Hey. I saw your dad in that article."

Xander set down his back qnd sat before cautiously replying, "So?"

"What did you think?" Alec asked, far more openly curious.

"My mom bawled when she first read it, and then my parents had a sit down with all us kids to talk about it," Austin replied.
 
Milo glanced slightly at Austin for a few seconds and then asked, "What did they say to you about it?" He hadn't read it, and he was pretty sure his grandparents hadn't either, but if they had, they didn't see a need to have a conversation about it. He was curious.
 
Austin shrugged a bit awkwardly. "Just about how everyone has struggles we might not know about, about how everyone has a right to live peacefully no matter where they come from, and a bit about how some people are racists, but no matter how cool or influential they are or if they're in power, that's not okay. Stuff like that."
 
"That's very thorough of them," Alec said, nodding. "Very nice."

"Yeah, suppose so," Xander agreed, feeling awkward.

The teacher started the class, ending the current trend toward awkwardness. She pulled down a map of India and started the lesson, talking about the colonization and the benefits that the new rulers brought as well as the obvious negative sides to the whole affair.
 
Milo sat back, taking notes in class. It struck him as weird that the lesson began with talking about the upsides of colonialism but he figured every lesson needed to start somewhere, and she still ended up talking about the problems with the practice, so he supposed it was alright.
 
"That was a weird class," Alec commented as the class finished up. "An interesting take on history. It was kind of nice not to focus just on how terrible it all is."

"Seemed a little too positive to me," Xander muttered.

"Only because we're so used to hearing just how terrible it all is. It's a bad wind indeed that doesn't bring anyone some good fortune," Alec said cheerfully. "I think there's a saying that goes something like that. I wonder if she read the article?"
 
Milo listened to Alec's perspective while squinting down the hallway, "I think it's not easy to strike the right balance without making it seem like the atrocities were ultimately a good thing. Like how the Colombian exchange is why Italian food is so good, but it also destroyed, like, a hundred societies."
 
"Yes, it was absolutely awful, there is zero argument from me how bad it was, but it's also amazing to hear about how humans can still blossom and do amazing things even in the face of advercity and atrocity," Alec said.
 
"I'm just saying there needs to be a balance in how it's taught," Milo replied, "There are a lot of people who will hear things like 'well they got new medicines' and think it excuses residential schools or whatever. I'm not saying you're going to think that way."
 
"Good. I'm glad you don't think I think that way," Alec sighed in relief.

Xander slung his backpack over one shoulder. "If we don't get a move on, we'll be late for class."

Austin glanced at Milo. "Did you read it? The article?"
 
"You're not missing anything," Xander told him.

"I think I'll go ask her opinion," Alec said, starting toward the teacher.

"No, no, you shouldn't," Xander said, blocking the way.

"Yes, yes, I should," Alec replied. "I think it'll be insightful!"

"I doubt it. No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Tie breaker."

They both turned and stared at Austin, who turned bright red. "I abstain from voting," he mumbled, scooting away.

The pair turned to stare at Milo.
 
Milo shrugged his shoulders, "I don't think it's a big deal to ask. Didn't she kind of shut you down the last time you mentioned it? If she read it, it means she probably knows you just weren't trying to start trouble before."
 
"Professional? Which profession?" Xander asked Milo.

"Hello!" Alec said cheerfully, greeting his teacher. He explained about the article and which paper it was in, and she was already nodding in recognition before he finished. "What did you think of it?" Alec asked curiously.

"An interesting collection of tales, but nothing particularly earth-shattering," she replied, sorting out papers on her desk.

Alec tipped his head. "You don't think stories about historic events from the people who lived through them are that important?"

"In general, no, with specific exceptions," she replied. She picked out a colored paper clip and slid it on with care. "They were children. Children exaggerate. Eye-witness accounts are notoriously unreliable. I see no reason why a cute little blog such as that should catch my attention in any way. Besides, newspapers love their salacious headlines and human interest stories. The more horrific the better so that people can read it, be grateful they don't live like that, and enjoy a good shudder at brushing as close to tragedy as most of them will ever feel."

"Oh," Alec said, not sure how to take that. Xander started moving him along, but he said, "My ba, my father, he was in there."

"I thought I recognized him," she said vaguely.

"He doesn't exaggerate."

She glanced at him. "No, I don't suppose he would. He looked like the type of solidly grounded person who had no flair for fantasy whatsoever."

"Right," Alec confirmed, not catching her slight tone. "He's not. Which means that-"

"I'm sorry, but I have another class coming in, so unless you have a question that pertains to actual history," she prompted.

Alec wilted but nodded. "Understood. Thank you."

Xander said nothing as they walked out into the hall.
 
"Yeah, that's not cool," Alec said softly.

"We're not talking about it," Xander said bluntly.

Alec looked at him in surprise. "What? But she-"

"She's a teacher, we're students, and she hasn't said anything A. fireable or B. provable," Xander said bluntly. "Talking is just going to stir up trouble, and Mama and Ba do not need that."

Alec looked down. "I guess so..."

"If it's ever something we can prove, fine, but that was just a private conversation about personal opinions," Xander pointed out. "There's nothing to be done there."

Alec heaved a sigh. "You're probably right."
 
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