fandomhigh | Creative Problem Solving, Tuesday, period 3

[Class #8: The Prairie Dog Maze Job!]

“Welcome back! I hope you guys had as much fun as we did on break.” Parker was looking manically pleased with herself about that job. “And I hope you didn't get arrested in Mexico.”

"Though if you did, you clearly got back out," Eliot said with a shrug. "So see it as a learnin' experience."

Parker had to nod in agreement on that point, then went on, gesturing to this week’s Danger Shop set-up: what looked like a high-tech cubicle farm, with people working on computers and phones, ignoring the newcomers, except to pop a head over a divider every once in a while. Floor-to-ceiling windows comprised two walls, and there were clearly marked exits.

“Your job is to get out of this building. It’s 55 stories, and the elevators may not work for you. You aren't suppose to be here. Also, there are security guys roaming around, and they've been told to hang onto anyone who isn't cleared. Those exits? Go to other rooms like this one. So you better be able to remember where you've been before.”

"Basically," Eliot said, looking juuuuust a little too pleased with himself. "It's a giant maze. That really wants to put you in jail."

“So! Pair up, or triple up, or go it on your own, and try to get out.” Parker beamed at them all. “Do it with computers, do it with smarts, do it with punching people. There’s popcorn of all kinds once you get out, so you can watch other people try.”

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"Except for maybe that offer of coaching?" Kathy asked. "It would be really cool if that were real."

"I think we can see our way to somethin' like that," Eliot said. "Purely in self-defense, of course."

The best defense was a good offense.

"You're a really great teacher, did you know that?" Kathy asked, beaming at him. "Just as a warning, I'm probably going to ask you to write me a letter of recommendation for college, too. Because I didn't owe you enough already or something."

Eliot actually got kind of a deer-in-the-headlights look at that. The hell did he know about college?

"Uh, yeah, sure."

Maybe he could get Hardison to write it for him.

Kathy tried not to grin at his expression. Eliot was normally so calm and on top of everything that seeing him taken aback was funnier than it ought to be.

"All you have to do is assure the board that I'm a good student and that you recommend me for their school," she said, trying to comfort him. "And if that's not something that you feel like you can do--or even just don't want to!--you can always say no."

"Nah. I could -- I could do that."

Try to sound a little more certain on that one next time, Eliot.

"You sure?" Kathy was more concerned with his obvious discomfort than the quality of her college letter right now. "It's really okay if you don't want to."

"Yeah . . . I kinda skipped the whole college experience thing," Eliot explained. Being planted in a freshman year psych experiment on veterans run by the CIA aside. "But I could figure something out."

Pffft, they should have known something was up when they were first told it was a freshman year psych project. No one let freshmen do anything more intensive than hand out surveys.

"There are lots of great resources online," she assured him, since she, like everyone reasonable in this day and age, believed in the power of the internet. "Probably in the library, too?"

"I'll look around," Eliot assured her.

Which totally meant he'd try to make Hardison do it for him. At least he'd tell him what to say? Just, you know, all fancied up in geek-speak.

And Hardison would just ask why they didn't hack the system and put her down as accepted into every school she wanted, along with a hefty scholarship and financial aid. Because he was practical.

"I really don't know how to thank you enough for everything," Kathy said.. Two letters down and one to go. Score! "I'm so glad you and Ms. Parker decided to teach this class."

"Yeah," Eliot said, smiling. "So'm I."

Creative Problem Solving, Tuesday, period 3

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!

Re: Find your teachers, eat some popcorn, observe others!