A Lesson in history
You know that assignment? The one where you pick a person from history to have dinner with while discussing specific subjects. You write five pages detailing the person's responses and your reaction to it. Maybe if you're a little more creative you also put in the other person’s reaction to seeing the world again. Or you just focus on what food you're being served. The questions are usually generic.
1. Where were you born?
2. What was your greatest achievement?
3. Were you ever married?
You know, just so you could show that you did your research.
I always hated that project. For one thing... I could never chose a person from history. Why would I want to talk to them? They're dead. Secondly... what’s the point? Allow me to emphasize the ‘dead’ part. You will never talk to a person from history no matter what you do. So why imagine?
It was thoughts like these, that were whirling around my head, as I stared at the dead man seated across from me. I didn't have any generic questions for him as I watched him twirl a knife around his fingers. I only had one.
Was he going to let me walk out of here alive?