MR. TRUNG

The art class teacher was ill, so a famous artist took over the class. He greeted them and introduced himself, namely Mr. Trung. He told them to draw what they want to do or where they want to go in the coming spring vacation, and so they started. Mr. Trung was walking the isles between student's desks to oversee what they do. He had the terrible practice to "correct" the students drawing with a pen or if he didn't like the drawing, we was crossing it out. Of course, he went to Mia, too. He had drawn a wonderful landscape – a meadow and a small river passing through with colorful stones on both sides.

Mr. Trung didn't like it, it was too simple. There were no animals, no people, no threes no nothing. He was very unhappy, so he took the pen and reached for the drawing to cross it out. Unexpectedly she held the pen before it could do any damage to her work. She took the drawing in her other hand and put it at the bottom of her sketchbook. Only then she let go if the pen. Mia looked up the surprised Mr. Trung and told him:

"If you don't like it, you don't have the right to destroy it. If you want to teach us, better tell us what the mistake is other than destroying everything completely."

"How dare you little girl?! Do you know who I am?" he asked angrily.

"Of course I know who you are. I don't like your art, but I never came to an exhibition with a pen or marker to cross your drawings out. How would you feel if I do this?" She took from her bag an exhibition flier of Mr. Trung drawing on it and crossed it out with her own pen.

He looked stunned and angry.

"Young girl, do you know what is the punishment for undermining the authority of a teacher and an artist?"

"My name is Mia, Mr. Trung, and I am not undermining you. It is just a flier that is distributed for free. It is mine and I can do what I want with it. It is not your drawing for real, but note how you feel right now. I did this to put yourself in the shoes of the students who got their drawings destroyed. It hurts, does it?"

He gasped in understandment and blushed. Turned around and went to the platform where the white board was.

"Dear students I was not right crossing out your drawings. I am sorry." He really was meaning it.

"The credit for this belongs to your classmate Mia. Sometimes we all need someone to kick us hard to realize that what we do is wrong."

The students applauded her shortly and the class carried on peacefully after that.