Seeing in the Dark

Being an adult has its ups and downs as anyone who has reached this point knows. I am older now, I should be more responsible. Especially since I am a teacher--one who influences young minds. But I am also human.

I am of the mindset that in order to reach my students, I often have to think like them. Thus enters, by proxy, the urge to ACT like them. Sometimes, anyway. I had a student who would not believe that it is light that allows him to see (understanding that all of the physical connections from eye to brain are functional). He told me and the class that he can see in the dark. I allowed the students to discuss this for a while, and the concensus--sans this one student--was that one cannot see in the dark. If you think you can see, it is because there is a little light from somewhere reflecting off the objects in some way so you are able to perceive them.

To prove the point, I located a totally dark room--the locker room--to take these junior high school students into. Yeah, I know. Probably a dumb idea in the first place. But these kids are pretty good kids for the most part. I had them line up along the wall while the light was still on. We talked about the persistence of vision--the lingering image your brain holds on to after the light is removed--so they would not misunderstand this initial sensation. I flipped off the switch, they screamed, and then they settled down so I could test them.

Here is where my juvenile behavior ensued. I knew they could not see me, so I asked them what I was doing, based on what they could see. I, of course, focused on the student with the notion that he could see in the dark. I asked, "Jordan, what am I doing now?"

He said, "You're standing there."

Duh. And I said, "Duh. No, what am I doing with my right hand?" I was making the sign of "loser" on my forehead. Of course he had no idea, and I didn't tell him. Then I made some faces and a few other gestures they couldn't see. I asked about all of them and lied that I was holding up so-and-so number of fingers (I guess I was holding up one specific finger in one instance), waving my hand, etc.

Then, I began to take advantage of the darkness, and realizing how easily frightened I was at that age, began to tell them of cave madness, the affliction that hits people who have become trapped in caves for even moderate periods of time. Since those trapped cannot see, their minds begin to play tricks on them, and often their greatest fears "appear" to them in this state. I told them of ghosts and demons people had "seen." They began to get pretty excited and nervous, and I could sense the tension in the air. I smiled evilly, since they couldn't see me. They chattered amongst themselves, recounting and sharing their own memories of fright.

I seized the moment and sneaked away from the bunch and just let them talk, letting them believe I was still there with them. I could hear them, but was a good 25 feet away by the light switch. It was then that I let out a low growling moan that turned into a blood-curdling howl! They screamed like banshees, and I flipped on the light. Boy, were they mad at me!

I asked Jordan if he still believed he could see in the dark. He scowled at me, then laughed. "No, I don't. I think I was being stupid." Then he held up his right hand to his forehead, looked at me and made the "loser" sign.