The bad news is that today is a school day. The kids heard all of that.
As I struggle to walk to the classroom, the students stare at me. Most with distrust, many with fear, and some with pity. I managed to put my shirt back on before entering, but am in too much pain to put on my coat. Mr. Teacher has me sit by the central cast iron fire place. So they do have metal working, but it is a little crude and must be costly still, if it is for public space only.
I stay warm, but the cold feeling of numbness washes over me like a glacial river. Shivering from the thought of what I just did, I don't even pay attention to the morning lesson. When it comes to lunch, one of the really little kids (meaning about 3 ft tall) beings me a bowl of soup as directed by the woman with red hair. I smile at her, with teeth covered, hoping to not scare her even more. She scampers off quickly. I pick at it, trying to think of next steps.
After lunch, the class resumes and my mind begins to wander off again, until I hear the sound of chalk drawing.long lines on the board.
Looking at it, it's a right angle triangle. More symbols surround it, but the triangle is definitely a triangle. Mr teacher stops talking, looking around the class, I am guessing he just asked a question? His eyes lock with mine, and hesitantly, he tilts the piece of chalk towards me. Picking it up from his outstretched and lowered hand I walk to the chalkboard, hoping I guessed correctly. Reaching up, I realize I cannot reach the top of his triangle. I hear snickering and giggling from the class. I spot a stool in 1 corner of the class, and quickly pick it up and move it to near the triangle on the board.
Carefully, I climb up onto the stool. It creaks and groans, but seems to hold my weight. Not wanting to spend too much time up here, I add a 90 degree square box denoting the 90 degree angle. Showing that, I then label the shorter vertical side attached to the 90 degree angle 'a' and the longer 'b'. I extend the sides, forming squares, labelling the new sides 'a' and 'b' respectively as well.
The snickering has died down, and most of the class is paying attention, Mr Teacher nods at me to continue. Reaching up, I label the hypotenuse 'c' and draw its square as well labelling the sides like before.
I then write out a^2 +b^2=c^2
Mr Teacher stares for a bit, and then nods politely, then claps celebratory. The rest of the class joins in half heartedly as well. Feeling embarrassed I sit back down.
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For once in my life I probably need to prove Pythagoras correct and I cannot remember how!
Stewing to myself, I see him replace my a, b, and c with some weird symbols, but he does not erase my drawing. I at least did something right.
Reaching into my backpack, I pull out my notebook and tear a sheet out and grab my pen. If they do not know I am not from here by now, no amount of school will help them. As I reach for one of my pens, I see my phone. My phone! Sure, it cannot get me home, and it is probably dying, but other than almost being an electrical engineer, I am also a data hoarder. Now my phone does not hold much, but it does hold a copy of the text of English Wikipedia! It's only 40gb so not much to carry the entire world's knowledge with you. I should be able to find a good proof that I can explain to them, showing I know something!
I dig out my phone and find the page for Pythagorean theorem and find the section on rearrangement proofs. I sketch out what I read as there are no pictures and eventually find the tip to tail triangles form a square who's sides are a +b with a c^2 sized hole in the middle. By dragging the triangles to form rectangles, 2 holes are made, a^2 and b^2. I have my proof!
I shutdown my phone, pop my neck as I was staring at it under the desk (old habits die hard ok?) And tentatively raise my hand.
I walk up to the chalkboard and sketch it out. I see several eyes light up with clarity this time, and even a few of the older students pay strict attention, some even trying it on their slates!
Mr Teacher seems impressed, nods at me and I sit back down, knowing that I showed them I know something.
I slowly zone out as he explains it in what I assume is more detail, along with easier methods for the younger (not always smaller) ones to understand.
Dread returns. My mind wanders again. I take deep breaths but my mind does not clear. I try doodling various things, but that adds homesickness to the feelings as well, making it worse.
Eventually, my thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the sound of clinking. Looking outside through the small window(the school has glass?!) I see the kids playing with the red helmet I saw before I passed out.
I get off the chair and curl up into a ball and rock beside the fireplace.
Time passes. I don't feel any better..the kids all leave and the fire is dying down.
In my peripheral vision, I see a stick reach toward me and I snap my head up, thinking it is another one of the red guards. Instead it is Mr teacher and the red haired woman, looking at me with worry and pity.
He holds her hands out showing he is not going to hurt me, but shows me some weird coin sized trinket in my hand. He closes his hand around the trinket, stands up straight, and suddenly looks a little pale
He opens his mouth, and speaks
"Can you understand me?"