The Mycenaean

While walking back from an interview one morning, I passed by room 247 only to find Mr. Argao and his first period class attempting to hang a giant marlin on the wall.

“It’s… interesting,” said Liz Lacayo, sophomore. Several other students seemed unsure about the new wall ornament. The unusual sea creature stared down at them as they answered my questions.

The students told me how Mr. Argao came into class that morning with the monstrous marlin in tow, all curious as to where the strange item came from. I, too, was curious. The explanation was much more complicated than we had originally expected.

“Growing up in the eastern block states of Russia in the country of Georgia, my father would train me by making me walk into the freezing waters and catch marlins with my bare hands,” Mr. Argao explained.  “He wouldn’t let me eat or sleep until I caught one.”

He explained how this training really helped him with catching Marlins. “Marlins are clever creatures. They use tools and have their own language,” he said. Outsmarting them showed to be a difficult task.

“When the marlins came, I jumped out and took one of them down. I trapped the marlin’s neck between my jaw, throwing it back and forth. Silence took over the marlin. It was a beautiful moment. I respect him as an enemy. He died as a warrior.”

The captured marlin hangs on the wall of the chemistry room as a trophy secured by a silver, metal chain. “As a science teacher, I’m always afraid of the zombie apocalypse. This is why I insisted on chaining it to the wall. I don’t want to get stabbed by a zombie marlin,” said Mr. Argao.

However, many students believe this story to be fictitious. Mr. Argao refuses to confirm or deny the validity of his tale. The true origins of the marlin will continue to be unknown.
Despite confusion over where it came from, hanging the marlin on the wall showed to be a quick way to enhance the appearance of the room.

“It really brightens my day,” said Matthew Zenner, sophomore.

It is definitely one of the more exciting and creative things I have seen plastered on a wall at Leesville Road High School.