Lesley Garnett was leaning in the doorway of her classroom, when she saw Meg Scott coming down the hallway. The young student had her head down as usual. With a sigh, Lesley just shook her head. "Meg," she called, "could I talk to you for a second."
The girl looked up long enough to see who had called her. Then, with her head down again, walked over to the teacher. "Yes, Ms. Garnett," she said.
"What's wrong, Meg?" Lesley asked. "Are the other girls giving you a hard time again?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Lesley sighed. "Why do you let them walk all over you like that, Meg? Is it because of the braces?"
"That," Meg nodded, "and I'm just not as pretty as they are."
"That's ridiculous. Of course, you are. You just need to work on your self-image a little. When I was you're age, I had a little trick that helped me build up my confidence. Whenever I was feeling like you do right now, I'd find me a mirror and look into it. Then, I'd tell that mirror that I was pretty -- that I was smart -- that I was everything that I wanted to be. You should try that."
"Okay, Ms. Garnett," Meg said without a trace of enthusiasm. "I will. Can I go now?"
With a shake of her head, Lesley said, "Yes, but think about what I've said. Okay?" Meg gave her a noncommittal nod and headed off down the hallway. As she turned a corner, Lesley sighed again. "That girl is such a doormat," she said.
