[ WP ] A man , who has worked in costume in the same corn maze for years , suddenly realizes , he 's lost .

The sun shone through the stalks of corn casting shadows across the twisting paths. I hit behind a large box that always held clue number nine. Small children ran through the maze with their parents collecting the clues and trying to find their way out. I waited, the friendly ghost who guided the hysterical children, ( or parents ) out of the maze if the going got too tough. 
 
 
 I had been doing this for twenty years now. I had a real future once, I was going to do great things. I wanted to be a teacher. Unfortunately, that dream was lost. 
 
 
 I tried to work at two schools at once during my senior year at New York University. I sent out so many applications to be hired as a student teacher. I remember the terror of thinking I would not get any jobs. Finally I was offered a job as the afternoon teaching assistant for Miss Alice ’ s kindergarten class. However, during my first week Miss Alice did not have me do anything. She had me sit in the coat room and sort the clothes by their ethical value. I was to put all of the coats that were made of real fur in a pile to be used as humiliation for the children who owned them. I was miserable at this job. One day as I was sorting jackets my cell phone rang. I had been offered a job as the morning teaching assistant in Mr. Wonderland ’ s first grade class. I was so angry at Miss Alice and the coats that I immediately accepted the offer. Later I came to my senses and realized I couldn ’ t possibly do both jobs. However, it was too late. Both places fired me and I never graduated NYU. 
 
 That summer I needed a job to make some cash. That is what landed me here, wearing a white sheet that some would call a ghost costume while others believed it to be a poor tribute to the KKK. I was happy here. I got to play with kids. I got to eat free corn, and most importantly I got to be alone a majority of the time. I got to hide in the shadows. I truly believed I was happy. That is, until I received a letter this morning. 
 
 Apparently, my own kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Dina made us write letters to our future selves. The letter I received this morning was written by me nearly forty years ago. “ Hi! I hope you do lots of fun things. I hope you eat lots of candy, play with lots of toys, and become a teacher! ” That is all it said. The smudged huge letters were written in blue crayon on a piece of construction paper. What really got me annoyed and upset about this letter was that I was disappointing that kid. Even in memory I knew that that little guy wanted to be a teacher. I had disappointed everyone. Even myself. 
 
 
 As the sun began to set, I rose to exit the maze. Maybe tonight I would send out my resume to other places. Then I realized. I did not know which way to go. 

