STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED_JIM HOPPER

STEVE

What is one lesson you've learned this year that, you feel, will extend through the rest of your life?

IT WASN'T the most tasking end-of-year essay since there was no particular right or wrong answer, but it was an assignment intended to encourage self-reflection and forethought. Some of the responses were still lacking, though, to say the least.

James wrote a diatribe about how stupid and boring English class had been. The lesson he proclaimed to have learned was that he was never going to read another book once he dropped out, which he intended to do in high school. This assessment caused Ana to roll her eyes while grading, but at least James had stayed within the parameters of the rubric, so there was something to be said for small victories.

Troy, his partner in crime's, essay had been somewhat surprising upon the first scan. He discussed the importance of not underestimating others because you might not know what someone has been through, and, therefore, might be capable of. It was actually a rather insightful paper, and Ana was close to giving him a perfect score until she reached the final paragraph. His conclusion surmised that you needed to be careful around freaks because they might be friends with even bigger weirdos, and freaks and weirdos get away with everything. So close, Ana thought before slapping a large C+ on the assignment.

Ana was beginning to read Max's paper, which appeared to be about the benefits of being open to change, when she saw in her peripheral a familiar head of hair hesitate outside her doorway. By the time she'd looked up from her reading, the male Farrah Fawcett was gone, and, so, she assumed he'd moved on to find his new BFF, Dustin Henderson.

Speaking of Dustin, Ana started looking over his work once she'd finished scoring Max's. His seemed to be a harrowing tale about the dangers girls pose to a friend group. There was a footnote informing Ana that she was not the type of girl he was referring to in the essay because she apparently didn't qualify as a girl to the party. Dustin Henderson was a boy who thoroughly understood how to flatter a lady.

After that rollercoaster of a thesis, Ana was intending to pack up for the night and finish grading the rest of the finals on another day. While stacking and straightening the incomplete pile of papers, that same mop of voluptuous hair appeared back at her class entrance, but this time the adjoining body took a hesitant step inside the room.

"Harrington, what brings you to Hawkins Middle? Did they send you back a few grades because you don't know the difference between Germans and Nazis?" Ana asked with a smirk while sitting back in her chair and folding her hands to rest atop her stomach.

Steve Harrington chuckled sheepishly at her mock question and ventured further into the room. Scratching the back of his neck in a nervous tick, Steve kept glancing towards the door over his shoulder, as though he were contemplating bolting at any moment. Seeing the usually confident boy looking so unassured, had Ana sitting straighter in her chair, switching to seriousness.

"Steve, you okay?" Ana attempted again, realizing the high school senior still hadn't spoken since entering her room.

"Yeah, yeah," he said while waving off her obvious concern at his unusual behavior.

"Okay," Ana began warily. "Then what brings you to my humble abode?" She asked while gesturing around the English classroom.

It was evident that Steve still hadn't completely committed to whatever had brought him to Ana in the first place, and he took one last longing look at the hallway just on the other side of the door.

But Ana waited patiently for him to strike up the nerve to ask whatever he had come here for. She didn't want to push him when the teen was already noticeably uncomfortable.

"Can I ask you a favor, Ms. T?" Ana didn't correct the casual title as she would with some of the less familiar students. Fighting monsters together allowed for some additional rights, she supposed.

"Ask away," Ana instructed. "As long as it's not to buy you beer. I'm not going to buy you beer, Harrington." She hoped her attempt at humor would undercut some of the nervousness radiating off of the other party.

The joke seemed to have done its intended job. Steve let out a small chuckle, and visibly lost some of the tension in his shoulders, though he didn't relax entirely. "That's fine, I usually just steal it from my dad," he replied. Then, thinking better of the unlawful admission, he added, "I'm kidding." Another beat of uncertainty passed before he finally confessed, "I was actually wondering if you could write me a letter of recommendation?"

The question wasn't at all what Ana had been expecting and it explained some of the boy's nervousness, but didn't justify it entirely. Did he really think she'd deny his request? She was closer with the younger children, sure. They'd actually spent time in her classroom, but she'd still found the time to bond with the Harrington boy in another way-walking the train tracks with fists full of uncooked meat.

Steve kept on mumbling while Ana mulled it over. "It's just that you're an English teacher, and I know you can write good." She didn't bother telling him that she could write well, not good. However, he continued to sputter out his explanation without interruption. "I'm probably not even going to get into college anyway. I'll probably just end up working for my dad. You know what, never mind," he concluded and started making his break for the door.

"Wait!" Ana's shout stopped Steve in his mad dash for the exit. "Of course, I'll write you a letter of recommendation. Harrington, obviously, I can write you one."

Turning back towards Ana, still seated behind her desk, all of the anxiety had returned to Steve's stature. "Are you sure? Because if it's too much trouble-"

She cut his backtracking short, now the one waving off his obvious concern. "It's not too much trouble. I'll happily do it."

A timid smile came upon Steve's face as he accepted that Ana didn't intend to just blow him off. "Okay. Thanks, I appreciate it," he concluded, then scurried away before either of them could change their mind.

Ana laughed to herself at the teenager's antics before pulling out a clean slip of paper, and began drafting the requested letter of recommendation. Once she had finished, it read thus:

To Whom It May Concern,

There are many qualities by which to measure a man.

Some are generous to those in need. Others are brave in the face of adversity. Many are intelligent, either in a scholarly regard, or to do with common sense. There are those who possess an unwavering loyalty, and too few who are honest to a fault.

Steve Harrington encompasses all of the aforementioned traits, but they are not what makes him indispensable. No, Mr. Harrington's greatest quality is that he is resilient.

In the last year, I have watched this young man struggle, learn, and, most importantly, change. While it is easy for one to be unwavering in their beliefs. While it is simpler to face uncertainty and turn one's back in favor of the familiar. It is far harder to adapt and grow, even if it means your foundation is irrevocably altered.

Steve Harrington is not the same man today as he was yesterday, and he will be a different man tomorrow. I know this because he will never stop progressing and bettering himself, whereas others will falter in their contentment.

Regardless of where he should end up, this young man will be a value to whichever domain he occupies. Not only because he strives to advance himself, but because he ensures the advancement of others along with him.

To conclude, I strongly recommend Steve Harrington's acceptance as a benefit to your campus, and strongly discourage his dismissal as a detriment, in turn. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any further inquiries into Mr. Harrington's capabilities.

Best Regards,

Ana Thompson
English Teacher, Hawkins Middle School