Dear Mr. Cohen:

For many years, 14+ but who's counting, I have singled you out for being the root of my demise as a mathemical genius [to be]. Although I really don't like holding hateful feelings towards anyone, and truly make an effort to not hold grudges, I have truly hated you. I have wished you harm. You stand alone as the only person I have ever felt so strongly about; whenever I ran into you post school, I would literally get sick to my stomach and want to throw it all up in your face. I never thought that would change.

But today, for the first time since I admitted to myself that I absolutely despised you as a human being, I was able to step back and realize, well, that I'm crazy. I still think you were unfair and inconsiderate and should've been more careful with your choice of words, but I don't hate you. And I can't possibly blame you for my messy exit from my nerdy dreams to become an established mathematician.

It's not your fault I'll never be the next Pythagoras. It's not your fault I haven't been written about in modern day math books. It's not your fault if I never win a Nobel prize.

It is mostly your fault that I didn't do well in Pre-Calculus and consequently in Calculus, but it is also my fault.

I may have had the potential, you certainly presented yourself as a challenge on my journey, but I never kept up my end. I was irresponsible and lazy, highly unmotivated, and unhealthily sensitive to criticism.

I crushed my own dreams, I now realize, because of my inability to cope with failure and my unrealistic expectations of myself.

So, Mr. Larry Cohen, I offer you a sincere apology and thank you for not letting me get away with things like everyone else did.

And if I may offer some advice, you do need to work on your communication and people skills, especially if you continue to teach, because you are dealing with hopes and aspirations and you hold the power in the classroom. Don't play favorites, don't give 3 question tests, and don't humiliate a student in front of his peers.

Thanks,

Verna (the only other sophomore in your pre-cal class whom you automatically assumed did not belong in your class and which you made that clear to on day 1, literally)




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