In the earliest part of morning, Andrea and Debra were finishing up worksheets for their English class. They finished in separate times and passed theirs down across the rows they sat in. After the teacher collected all of the students' worksheets, he straightened them out and laid the stack on his desk. Then he walked up in front of the class.
"Okay, kids," he declared, "for your next assignment, I desire to know your true aspirations in life."
A girl with black hair from the middle row raised her hand.
"Yes, Katrina?"
"What is an aspiration?"
"Good question."
"No, it's not," said a boy in a blue plaid shirt from the front row.
"Shh! An aspiration is the hope of achieving something."
"I thought it was the act of breathing," said a different student, a girl with two braids.
"Well, this isn't medicine class."
"Do you mean health class?"
"Shut up! Anyway, I have realized it is more easy to write down the things you want than to write the things others want. So I want you all to create a collage for your dream career and your explanations for that career."
Andrea rose her hand.
"Yes, Andrea?"
"What if we don't know what we want to be when we grow up?" she asked.
"Well, there has to be one thing that you want to be."
"Nope, nothing comes to mind."
"Then take all the things that you like and translate them into a career."
"What if those things are all different?"
"Then pick one thing that can translate into an aspiration."
"But what if that thing doesn't translate into an aspiration?"
"Are you going to ask me a million questions?"
"Depends on how many questions of mine needs to be answered."
"Look, if you don't know what you want to be, try research. I want everybody to choose one aspiration. Try writing down three careers that you wish you had. Pick one and start making your collage when you go home."
Instantly, the school bell rung.
"Class dismissed."
The students got up and scrambled out of the classroom with their books. Debra walked up to Andrea who was scooting in her chair.
"Ooh, I can't wait to do the project," said Debra.
"I can wait," responded Andrea.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I don't know what I want to be when I grow up."
"Everybody knows what they want to be when they grow up."
"Well, I'm not everybody."
"You mean there's not one thing that you want to become when you're an adult?"
"Hmm... I don't mind becoming Jennifer Lopez."
"So you want to be a singer, a dancer and an actress?"
"No, I just want to be her."
"I'm sorry but that's impossible."
"Then there's nothing I want to be when I grow up."
"I just can't believe you, Andrea, don't know what you want to be in the future."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know. You're confidant; I assumed you had a future planned ahead of you."
"Well, just because a camel drinks water doesn't make it a mermaid."
"I might use that."
"Don't, it's mine."
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