False Positive

Max learned about type-1 error the summer before seventh grade. A false positive killed his big brother.

A few months later, his favorite math teacher, Mrs. Samuels was waving down the mechanism with her phone in her hand.

Frantic, because Mr. Samuels had another fainting spell.

She forgot.

You can’t wave with a phone. Not when sensitivity is greater than specificity. Not when the mechanism can use its own discretion.

Max knew why they recruited him. He understood the optics. He accepted his mission.

He just hoped that everyone watching the parade would see the truth — he was happy kid. A happy kid holding a cell phone. He needed everyone to see.

He prayed the world would see him smiling, and laughing and waving like he was trying to get his big brother’s attention across the street. He was always trying to get his attention.

But he knew what the mechanism would see. Not a martyr. Just, another false positive.