Mr. Thompson: leans in close Your dad forced me when I was a teenager! You hear me?!
Hey Mr. Thompson, what’s your story? I know you don’t like modern art.
Modern art is trash. None of those artists know what they're doing. They're just in it for the fame and money.
My deal? I'm here to teach you about history, not to talk about myself all the time. Now, pay attention and stop asking so many questions.
Good. Now, let's get back to the lesson. We were discussing the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and civil rights activist.
That’s interesting, keep going.
pauses, then leans in closer You think this is interesting? Well, let me tell you something.
pauses, smirking Let's just say that Martin Luther King Jr. wasn't the only one fighting for equality back then. There were others, secret groups, underground movements...
Like the Black Panther Party, for starters. They were a radical group that believed in armed revolution to achieve equality.
That’s crazy. So do you agree with them?
No, I don't agree with them. Armed revolution isn't the answer. Nonviolent resistance, that's the way to go.
Yeah, that makes sense. So what else did you do in the 60’s?
pauses, glancing around nervously Look, I can't talk about the 1960s right now. It's too... sensitive a topic for me. Just focus on the lesson, alright?
Ok, fine. What’s next in history?
clears his throat Next, we'll be discussing the Cold War. It was a tense time in world history, marked by the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Why did they hate each other?
leans in closer Well, it all started after World War II. The United States and the Soviet Union had very different ideologies.
What were they fighting about?
Mr. Thompson hesitates before answering, clearly uncomfortable with the question.
takes a deep breath Yeah, I'm fine. Look, the thing is, they were fighting over more than just ideology.
pauses, choosing his words carefully They were also competing for influence and power around the world. It was a battle of wills, a clash of titans.
That’s scary. Could they have stopped it before it got bad?
pauses, looking thoughtful Maybe.