Jack is an ordinary boy of Class Ten, Grade 11. He can’t play football or basketball; nor will you see his name on the list of the best students. He is of average height, has few advantages over others, and is self-conscious.

One day, Jack was on cleaning duty. He was sweeping the floor after the other students were gone. He noticed something shiny in the corner of the hallway. When he picked it up, to his excitement, it was the key to the door of their classroom-the symbol of the highest power in his class. It was usually carried by the monitor. Their teacher would make a big deal of the key, swinging it in the air before giving it to the monitor.

Every day the students gathered around the door and waited for the monitor to unlock it. He would slowly take the key out of his pocket and act very proud. He had the right to let in whomever he liked; and, of course, he would keep back those he disliked. Jack was among those the monitor didn’t like because he wouldn’t kowtow to him. Several times Jack was kept back and his classmates laughed.

Now that Jack had the key, he would do the same thing to the monitor. God offered him the chance; he was happy beyond words.

At home, Jack took red cord put it through the key and wore it around his neck, next to his skin. The next day he went to school earlier than usual. He opened the classroom door without being seen. He went to his seat and waited to see how the monitor would react when he came.

When the monitor found the door was open, he had a surprised yet embarrassed look. What puzzled the monitor most was every morning he found the classroom cleaned. He didn’t realize Jack had the key and cleaned the room.

Finally one day the monitor reported the loss of the key to the teacher. The teacher didn’t scold him; instead, he told him with a smile that he would have another key made. Now every morning it was the monitor who opened the door and locked it after school. Jack couldn’t use his key, but he stubbornly took it with him every day.

One afternoon Jack quarreled with the monitor and then they fought. The key poked out from under Jack’s T-shirt.

The monitor cried, “So you are the thief!”

One of Jack’s classmates brought the teacher. When he was told what had happened, he took the key from Jack’s neck and threw it out of the window. The key flew like a bullet with a red tail. Jack stood still. He realized now, that power never lasts.

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