I have only ever cheated on one test.

It was the very first week of high school Spanish.

I was busted immediately.

The lesson from sticks with me to this day….

The week before school started I was hanging out in the basement with my brother’s friends. As usual. I told them about my upcoming schedule. When they heard I had Mrs. Viggiano for Spanish the group erupted, “Her class is a joke!”, they unanimously exclaimed. I can’t remember who it was exactly, but a couple of them went on to tell me how they didn’t do anything, cheated on the exams, and the teacher didn’t care.

Well, I took their word for it.

At the end of the first week we had a quiz. The quiz began, I looked over at someone’s paper (I think it was Calderone), and was caught red handed! Much to my surprise, Viggiano seemed to care a lot and I was marched over to the Vice Principal’s office. Our school had two VPs for some reason. One was Mr. Long, while the name of the other escapes me now. Well, I was in the other guy’s office. He told me if I got caught again I would be expelled (EXPELLED!) and they would be sending a letter home to my parents notifying them of the situation (!!).

What a morning. I was sweating it the rest of the day.

In the locker room before football practice I told my brother’s friends how listening to them got me in trouble. We debriefed the story. I think it was Rob Duran or Kevin Sonnet who told me, “You need to get home before that letter!” He proceeded to tell me how it’s always better for your parents to hear about your troubles from you rather than from someone else..

I hustled home after practice. Told my parents the terrible news….and they said “don’t do it again.”

That was it. No punishment.

😅 Dodged a bullet.

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This lesson has continued to serve me well:

When you’re wrong or make a mistake, admit it quickly & emphatically…and share how you will correct course.

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