It is after lunchtime, fifth period. The Pharisee wants to know why quotation marks are used to denote artistic or literary titles in essays, when they are not, technically, quotes.
Long-suffering sigh from the teacher.
Only the other day, the same student asked why apostrophes are used to mark possessive case in proper nouns (Dave's dog) as well as contractions of two words (it's). It can only be one or the other, he demands. 'Otherwise, people will think: Dave is dog' (last word pronounced as in, 'Wassup, dawg?'). The Pharisee and his friends titter.
The machinations to undermine are barely subtle. The discussion is waylaid. The teacher remembers that the Messiah himself had to put up with people like these — hardliners who can only cope with single uses for things, trying to show the teacher for a fool. She wonders how he managed to keep from throwing scrolls at them.
The tax collector at the back raises his hand. Good timing. As usual, little Zach has thought long and hard. 'It's all about being clear, isn't it?' he says hesitantly. 'Like, so the reader doesn't mix up your words and get it all wrong. I mean, you know, so they know exactly what you mean.'
He ducks his head to avoid paper balls, which is a reasonable expectation. As in Jesus' time, tax collectors are much maligned in the classroom. They are very diligent and nobody likes them for it (because they 'ruin the curve'). They sometimes do unorthodox things to find out more, much like the diminutive tax collector in the Bible who indecorously climbs a tree to get a better view.
No wonder, the teacher thought, that Jesus seemed rather fond of them. She hoped that Zach would not get a wedgie in the yard later.
A hand suddenly waves excitedly from front row, centre. 'What about commas, Miss? They look like prepostophes, don't they?'
Oh dear. Need to work more on Pete. Participates well in class discussions, but has not submitted a single piece of writing despite promises to do so. Each time he is absent on a due date, she could almost hear a rooster crowing three times in the distance.
She knows he will come back genuinely remorseful, much like his namesake. It is exasperating, but, she reassures herself, if Jesus could believe that his mercurial apostle would be the rock for his church, maybe she can hold some hope for