I’m not entirely sure where Titus' character originated, but he came to life on the very first day of his junior year after summer break. The following excerpt is from "Torn Robes: Choices." In the auditorium filled with noisy students, an interaction unfolds between Titus and Pastor John. Just moments before, Pastor John was introduced as their new teacher for the elective class titled "God and Faith." This is where Titus' intellect and awkwardness began to take shape.
“Is this class supposed to force us to believe there is a God? Because I’d take the class just to show you there isn’t.” A young man with light brown skin and dark, dancing eyes, jumped up from his seat in the third row. The auditorium erupted with loud applause and offensive remarks.
Smiling at the young man, John replied in a loud voice to be heard over the lingering banter.
“What’s your name young man?”
“Titus Poor,” came the proud reply, feeling the crowd behind him.
“Titus, I take challenges very seriously and if you stand behind your words and mean what you say you’ve just become the first student to sign up for my class. I look forward to our time together. And to be clear Titus. You or any student thinking about taking this class will find out that I won’t be convincing anyone there’s a God. That’s a mountain too high for me to climb. I’ll leave that undertaking to God Himself.”
Titus adjusted his round-rimmed glasses not sure what just happened. He acknowledged John’s proposal with a slight nod and sat down after getting hi-fives and pats on his back.
As you can see, Titus's intelligence can sometimes be a double-edged sword. He is a determined young man, and nothing and no one will stand in the way of his ambition to become a leading scientist for NASA. Throughout the first and second books, Titus undergoes significant personal growth. We discover that he has a humorous and charming side. As he navigates some difficult decisions, he finds support in an unlikely new friend, Sharise Taylor. She helps him realize that there is more to life than just academics. In the following excerpt, Titus is taking a walk with Sharise, sharing without pause details about his heritage and the pride he feels in it.
“Are you serious Titus? You’re not pulling my leg?”
“No really. I don’t tell too many people. But yes, I’m a descendant of the great Salem Poor, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He was a hero at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He literally had fourteen officers write to the Massachusetts legislature commending him for his bravery and gallantry. My family originally comes from Lexington and a lot of them still live there, but my mom and dad wanted to be near the water. So here I am.,” Titus exclaimed with an arm-sweeping bow.
Giggling at his display of chivalry, Sharise told him how impressed she was, understanding where the strength of his confidence and pride came from.
I have had a wonderful time developing Titus's character—something I did not expect. He is an observant individual who has no qualms about stating facts as he sees them. Titus loves to debate and firmly believes he is always right. However, during his journey, he discovers the true significance of friendship.
I would like to conclude this post in true Titus fashion, he would confidently proclaim, "Thank you for visiting! If you return for graduation, I guarantee you won’t want to miss my remarkable valedictorian speech." Although, Sharise might have a different opinion on that.