'Keep the numbers up!'

Society decides to tolerate those who lie, cheat, and steal | Janie B. Cheaney

Illustration by Krieg Barrie

I'm working on a short novel about a serial killer. Don't look for it—the bulk of proposed fiction never sees print. I mention it now only because of an observation made by the protagonist early in the story. He's recalling how his mother once covered for him when he cheated on a high-school chemistry exam, revealing the fundamental hypocrisy of "the system":

"Grades and awards are quantifiable, that's the key: call it the Worthy Child Index, the WCI. When moms get together at Little League games or PTO carnivals, you never hear them brag about their kids' goodness. It's more how Heather was recommended for the GT program or Jamie took first place in piano at All-city. They all say, Be good. What they mean is, Be better. Better at basketball or math or chess, even if you turn out to be a jerk. They want something to measure success by, like an SAT score. Better an evil genius than a loser."