The Prodigy

Below is my first and probably only attempt at a short story. I admit that the plot is stolen from a short story my class was required to read in sophomore English. I don’t remember the author, name of the story, or any of the dialogue. I’ve cast about for years trying to find a copy of the story. I’ve even asked if English teachers of that generation, and classmates of mine remember the story, but no one does. If anyone remembers the story, I would like to know its name and author. I apologize to the author for my crude attempt to re-create it.

The Prodigy

Mary tried to wait for Tom to get home, but the news was too good. Finally she called him at the office. “Tom, Jimmy got his ninth grade PE test scores today. I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you.” “So, how did we do?” Tom asked. Mary could hardly contain her excitement. “An overall 97^th percentile, with a 95^th percentile on the IQ, and a 98^th percentile on the ambition quotient. His persuasive and manipulative skills were at the very top.”

“This calls for a celebration, I’ll be home about six, we can try the new Italian restaurant, I’ve heard they have veal. Put a frozen pizza in the oven for Jimmy, and make sure he has enough schoolwork to keep him busy. If he gets finished, he can watch that motivational DVD again. We’ve got to stay on top of the situation.”

“Tom, do you think we can stop by the Best Buy and look at a new HDTV for the bedroom?”“I don’t see why not, Jimmy’s scores will automatically up our card limit. Maybe on Saturday we can go to Bass Pro Shop, and look at a new fishing boat.” “I don’t know about that, Tom, You know I want to remodel our kitchen, and there is a PE cap that doesn’t change until his senior year.” “I know, but with his scores, I’m sure the bank will give us a bridge loan until then.” “Okay, we’ll talk about it tonight.”

While Jimmy’s mom dressed and primped for her night out, she thought about the implications of their good fortune. Tom made a good living as a design engineer, but she had chosen not to work. They had no trouble supporting themselves, but had tended to live beyond their means, and their debt burden had gotten out of hand. They were in the same boat as millions of American couples, their credit cards nearly maxed out, and their spending spree nearly over. The big three credit card companies, facing flat growth, and increasing defaults, had come up with a novel solution to the credit crunch. They combined their considerable lobbying force with that of the US Chamber of Commerce, and convinced congress to pass a bill labeled CPECA. The Child Potential Earnings Credit Act empowered parents to enter into a credit card agreement in which the Child, upon achieving adulthood, would become responsible for the debts and interest accrued by his parents for purchases placed on the CPECA credit card. To protect the issuing companies from parents that charged more on the cards, than the child, as an adult, could reasonably repay, a series of tests were mandated by the Department of Education, to measure the child’s adult income potential. The first battery of tests were performed when the child entered the seventh grade, and based upon the scores, a credit card was issued with a credit limit which reflected the child’s earning potential, and the actuarial potential of the child to live long enough to repay the debts. Because of the unpredictable vectors of a thirteen year olds’ future, the credit limit was initially low. Subsequent good test results in the ninth and twelfth grades increased the credit limit available to the parent. A high score in the twelfth grade also indicated that the child would go on to complete college, and although the parents could not continue to charge new purchases on the card after the child reached the age of eighteen, the college costs could be added to the total amount, and the initial payments by the child were deferred until completion of college, although interest was accrued on the balance.

Now, with Jimmy’s excellent ninth grade scores, they could afford some of the luxuries they had been wishing for. But she had some doubts. Mary thought to herself: “Is it really fair to Jimmy to run up all these debts that he will be responsible for? Will he be able to afford a wife and family, a house, car? Will he grow to hate us? But, all the sacrifices we’ve made for him, food, clothing, a home, why, most of the things we’ve bought, were for his benefit as well as ours. We’ve spent more on him than we will ever borrow on his credit line. Besides, his PE is so good; he won’t even miss the money we’ve spent. I’ll look for a new video game for Jimmy at Best Buy. He can play it in his spare time.”

By the time Tom came through the front door, she was in a much better frame of mind. Jimmy’s pizza was in the oven, a second glass of wine was on the table, and she was looking forward to a fine dinner, and perhaps a new TV. Tom poured himself bourbon, she sipped her wine, and they called Jimmy to the kitchen.

“Jimmy, Tom and I are going out for dinner. After you finish your pizza, you need to finish your homework, and if you have time, there’s the motivational DVD you can watch. By the way, congratulations on you PE scores, we are very pleased with you.”“Mom, since I’m doing so well in school, and my PE scores were so good, do you think I could have an increase in my allowance?”“Jimmy, we’ve sacrificed so that your mother would not have to work, money is tight, I don’t think we can afford to increase your allowance.”“Why don’t you just borrow the money from the CPECA account, you know I’m good for it.” Jimmy said in a surprisingly sarcastic tone.

Jimmy’s mom jumped up from the table and roughly slapped him. “You ungrateful little shit, I dare you to speak to your father like that. Go to your room and hit those books before I slap you again. Tom, lets go, we will be late for dinner.”

Mary and Tom came home from dinner very pleased with themselves. The dinner was excellent, and the 42-inch HDTV was on sale. Mary had convinced Tom that a new kitchen was more important than a new boat, and she had looked at new appliances while at Best Buy. Tomorrow she would call a cabinetmaker, and look at granite counter top samples. The house was quiet. She went upstairs to check on Jimmy. The light was off, but she could see his silhouette under the blanket. As she turned to leave the room, she noticed a faint metallic smell. Curious, she flipped on the light and turned around. The blood had oozed through the blanket, and stained the edges of the note of four words. No future money spent.

The End

The original story was written over forty years ago. To me, it is a prescient view of my generation’s squandering of our children’s and their children’s future. Our greed and short sightedness has saddled them with a tremendous national debt, wasted our natural resources, and arguably bequeathed to them an environment that may become inhospitable to human existence.