The Old West: Expanding Your Horizons

Maybe I should quit school," said Troy quietly. He knew his marks were not good.

His English teacher could not believe what she heard him say.

""Expanding your horizons might help to improve your marks." Troy was one of her favorite, grade ten students. "Think about the old west for a minute."

Troy wondered what she was trying to tell him, as she went on to repeat the old adage, "Go west, young man, go west."

"I have heard that before, Miss Green," said Troy. "But I really do not know how to do that."

"You'll figure it out. Think about it tonight. What did the early pioneers do?"

"I don't know," Troy replied, as he got ready to leave the classroom. "They packed up everything and moved out west, right? Tried something new and different?"

A little while later, Troy sat on a park bench and chatted with an elderly, gentleman.

"Young man, when I was much younger, my teenage son wanted to become a movie star, so I took him down to the studio to audition for a part in a western movie. Well, to make a long story short, he did not get the part. They asked me to try out. I didn't know if it was such a good idea, but decided to give it a try. I got the part and wound up wearing a cowboy suit complete with hat, spurs and boots, for a saloon scene. I played opposite a fantastic, young lady. It was kind of fun!"

"I bet it was. Maybe that's what I should do. Where do I sign up?"

That evening, Troy watched a movie about the old west.

"I have an idea," he thought. "I am pretty much a city guy. I may not be able to be a cowboy, throw a rope or ride a horse, but somebody has to write all those scripts for the characters. It might as well be me."

Troy aced his next English assignment.

"Thanks, I don't think I will quit school, after all," Troy told his English teacher. "I am going to do like you suggested and expand my horizons."