© Copyright 2005 by silli_artie@hotmail.com
This work may not be reposted or redistributed without the prior
express written permission of the author.
A work of fiction, meant for adults. Read something else if you are
not an adult, or are offended by stories with sexual content. Then
again, if all you’re looking for is in-out, in-out, in-out, you
should probably read something else. I welcome constructive comments.
Enjoy.
Joyce
I managed to catch Ed just before lunch.
“You spoke with Alice, and Joan?” I’d seen a contingent head into his office the start of fifth period.
He motioned for me to close the door. “Spoke? They spoke; I listened,” he told me.
I raised an eyebrow as I sat down.
He managed a smile, and rubbed his face. “Starting to get the feeling back. Actually, they were quite rational about the whole situation, and presented me with a solution.”
“Ultimatum? Fait accompli?” I suggested.
He shrugged. “They pulled the pieces together nicely and presented me with a well thought out package. And they’re not out to fry Madsen or ride him out of town on a rail.”
I raised my eyebrows again.
He chortled a bit. “They expect him to do it himself. Joan and Alice, among others, want out of his class. Not, they explained, because they disagree with his personal beliefs, or his use of his position as a teacher to promote those beliefs to his students during class, which they can, have, and will document, but because they do not feel he has been or will be objective or fair in evaluating their performance. And I agree with them. They’ve spoken to Tom Melton, and he’s agreed to take on another section, first period, normally a prep period for him. The student council room is also available, and can hold the class if no other room can be found. Alice says she’s contacted most of the students in Madsen’s class, and sixteen of the twenty eight are definitely interested in transferring to a class taught by Tom, with four undecided, three don’t care, and the remainder they haven’t been able to contact. I chatted with Tom and he’s willing to start tomorrow morning, Monday, or whenever.”
I nodded. “Nicely done. Wouldn’t make much sense for us to have eight kids in a class...”
“Nope, not at all,” Ed agreed.
“Has Alice talked to daddy yet?”
Ed frowned. “She said she hadn’t spoken to him in his capacity as a member of the school board, and I didn’t ask if she’d spoken to him about this debacle in any other capacity. I’m sure that part of it will hit the fan soon enough.”
“A future senator,” I suggested.
“Wouldn’t be surprised,” Ed agreed.
“So what do we do about Madsen? If, as Alice says, he’s been using his classroom as a pulpit, he’s in clear violation of district policy, his own contract, written agreements from last year, and exposing the school and the school district to substantial liability. We’ve been through this with him in gruesome detail.”
“In spades,” said Ed. “I can either call him on it, in which case he’ll say we’re out to get him and it turns into a big us-against-him deal, or the way I figure it, when his class walks out from under him, and if more than half the class wants to go with Tom Melton, I’ll move the whole bunch, he’ll start screaming and admit more than we need to take care of the situation.” He shrugged. “That’s in addition to whatever Alice tells her dad, and what he brings to the party.”
“Don’t want to do anything proactive?”
He picked up some papers from his desk. “Statements signed by Alice and eight , no, make that nine, other kids from the class, many of them student government with Alice, quoting Madsen in front of the class today, threatening to expel Joan if she so much as touched the door, the forgiving Christian remark that Mary was being punished for transgressing against the will of God, the choice remark to Alice that she ‘Will burn forever in the fires of Hell unless she accepts Jesus Christ as her Savior,’ that ‘The Program is a creation of the devil,’ and ‘Anyone who actively or passively supports The Program is in league with the Devil and will burn in Hell for all eternity,’ and rounding out with the remark to the entire class that, ‘Their success in life, and in his class, will be determined by what they believe.’ If the girl was a prosecuting attorney, I’d say she’s made her case.”
“With Mr. Madsen’s grateful assistance... Should we advise the district?”
He smiled. “I’m meeting some folks at four today. I think this will come up.”
I shook my head. “I most emphatically do not want your job!”
He laughed, and held his head. “Ooh! That hurt! Some times, neither do I. My lovely wife tried to get me to stay in bed this morning -- silly me, I didn’t listen. But even if I had, I wouldn’t have missed the fun, right?”
I sighed. “Let me know what I can do to help.”
He nodded. “Keep telling it to me straight. Look after those kids, especially Miss Doherty.”
Gwen
I was really hungry at lunch!. And the good news was I didn’t have to pay! Ron and I got there a little too early and we had to wait. But we got our lunch and sat in the same place we’d been the last few days.
I felt better. I had time to catch up on assignments. Being in the pool, all that swimming, felt good. Ms. Foster had been right -- don’t hold things in.
Gloria
I got to lunch as soon as I could. Ron and that Gwen chick were already there, along with some swim team dudes and dudettes. Gwen looked a lot better than earlier in the morning, well, if you go for small tits. The story was all over school -- she kicked ass, and they were gone, expelled from school.
And other kids came by to congratulate Gwen. That was cool.
Except when one of the angels came by. I thought Gwen was going to rip her throat out! Oh, she didn’t say anything nasty, but she got that cold hard look again. That’s one chick you don’t want to get pissed off! She took on two guys, naked? Woot!
Bev
I managed to get lunch, sitting with Ellen and Donna. Kids’ attitude were different -- kids looked differently at Ron, and Gwen. I saw Kevin -- he looked quite subdued, possibly even contrite. Probably realizing how close he’d come to going down the same path as Jeremy. Didn’t see Alice Lim. That one will hit soon enough.
What a mess. You would have thought someone like Madsen would have been more careful, especially given the composition of that first period class -- the student body president, daughter of a school board member, most of the student government, an angel... Had to agree with Ed, though -- Madsen would string himself up, given the opportunity. The first year we had The Program, we’d had quite a few of those problems. And a few teachers decided to transfer to other schools, or retire. Madsen had been warned last year, on more than one occasion, in writing. He’d agreed to behave. Guess things wore off over the summer.
Beth
Beth leaned against her locker and sighed; it was the first time the three Angels had a chance to talk since school started. “Any news on Barb?” she asked.
Joan shook her head. “Talked to her mom at lunch -- she’s got an infection to go along with all her other troubles. She’s been taking pills, but they’re probably going to take her to the hospital if she doesn’t improve quick.”
Karen shook her head. “Shit. They’ll call?”
Joan nodded. “Oh yeah. I’ll stop by this afternoon. Did you talk to Alice? How did her little chat with our principal go?”
Karen grinned. “She went in ready to stick it straight up his ass, but he’s going along with it! Even gave her some suggestions! And that’s without her dad getting involved -- she hasn’t been able to talk to him yet. Melton is so cool about the whole thing. I’d call it a done deal.” She looked to Joan. “Pity we can’t do something about Cartwright.”
Joan sighed. “That bitch -- every day this week she’s found some pissy reason to hold us for a few minutes at the end of school. I’m convinced it’s to make sure I can’t get to the damn door to help. When she finally let us go yesterday afternoon, I looked at the clock and gave her a nasty look -- the bitch actually laughed at me!”
“Ought to tell Alice at least,” Karen suggested.
“Better than telling that pompous ass principal,” Beth agreed.
The three got quiet as some kids passed them in the hall. “And the other matter?” Karen asked.
Joan shrugged. “I’ve messaged Barb every way you can, and I’m going to stop by. I’ll track her down at the hospital if I need to -- but I can’t see why she wouldn’t agree.”
Beth nodded. “I’m for going ahead even if we can’t get in touch with Barb. I think she’ll take it...” She looked to Karen and continued, “the same way you did...”
Karen gave a low laugh. “I thought she was going to nail me at lunch...” She sighed. “Talk tonight around seven?”
The other two Angels agreed. The three hugged, then headed to their classes.
Gwen
They pulled me out of sixth period to talk to two police officers, both women; they wanted to know what had happened, this morning and earlier in the week. I told them what I’d seen and done. I was glad Ms. Kelsey was there. She reminded me to only talk about what I’d seen and done.
We talked more after the police left. Those two boys were in a lot of trouble! Poor Mary -- her parents took her home for the day. That left the junior boy on his own; I couldn’t even remember his name.
Ms. Rhodes joined us. She got me to close my eyes, take a deep breath, and look at things from a distance. That helped.
What helped even more, was that it was Thursday, Thursday afternoon. One more day!
What was I going to do? Tonight, I had homework to catch up on! I almost laughed -- I knew, sort of, what I’d do in the morning. But what about Monday? What was “normal” anymore?
And with seventh period drawing to a close, I knew what I had to do -- get to the back door!
Ron
Hamada-san, I thought he was my friend. I guess he is, the same way Ushida-san was, challenging me. I didn’t know -- where I belonged, who I was. So many questions he asked that I couldn’t answer.
But when the bell rang, he gave me a hug. He told me things would work out. Gambatte -- and he said we both knew.
When I got to the back door, Gwen was there, the junior boy was there, and a lot of other kids, too -- but it was a friendly mob for once! We started getting dressed. Gloria showed up and helped me. Gwen helped the junior kid.
Damn, I was cold -- Gloria and I walked home. She said she’d make dinner for us. Her dad had another case, and her mom and my aunt were still tied up in meetings. That sounded good, but I wanted to stop and change clothes; I needed something warmer.
But when we got to my room, I slipped off my sandals, turned around, and Gloria pushed me back on to my bed...
Gwen
Sitting around our dining room table -- Mary from school, her parents, my parents, me... Her parents were grateful, I guess. Mine were surprised, sort of.
Not knowing what to do -- that was the problem. They weren’t sure what to do about the police. The way they talked, the police might decide to press charges even if they didn’t. Mary especially wasn’t sure about what to do tomorrow.
I tried to tell her how different it had been this afternoon -- so many kids there, and all of them supportive! It was different! It had been different at lunch, too! Please, don’t give up! Don’t give up, for you, for the other kids, for the kids that will be in The Program next!
Her mom had a hard time understanding -- was I in The Program? I almost laughed. No, I wasn’t, not officially. Then why? It was something I had to do -- to help Ron, to help Mary, and the other kid. I was there to help. I’d be there in the morning -- and so would kids from the swim team, and, I expected, a lot of other kids too. Please, Mary -- be there as well!
Doctor Vicky Saunders
I got home a little after midnight. Our Glorybug was in bed; I peeked in and gave her a kiss on the head.
I was in our bathroom cleaning up when my husband came in and sat on the toilet, rubbing his face. “Success?” he asked.
I rinsed the toothpaste out of my mouth. “Yes, finally. We got it signed. How about you?”
“Pretty routine -- he’ll pull through.”
I was happy to hear that; he takes each case so personally. “What time did you get in?”
“Oh, a little after ten. Gloria was already in bed.”
I almost remarked about her being alone... “Thank you so much for rescuing Ron this morning -- I spoke with Janice Delaney more about it during the day.”
“Oh, Gloria spotted him sitting in the back of the car. You and Janice straightened things out. Glad I could help.”
“She’s...” I didn’t know how to phrase it... “I think I’ve met someone less adept at parenthood than we are,” I told him.
He gave me a hug. “I think our Glorybug is turning out okay.”
I held his arms around my waist. “Janice told me she’s flying to Dallas to meet her husband; they’ll be back Sunday late. Ron has a swim party at the club on Saturday. I told her we’d be here to watch him.”
“Don’t know how closely I’d watch,” he said, kissing my neck.
“I might suggest to Gloria that she keep a close eye on him...”
He chuckled and moved his hands to my hips. Someone was waking up...
“I’m sure she’ll be interested in that,” he told me as he held me closer. “How tired are you?” he asked with a wiggle. I could tell how tired he was by what he was pressing into my bottom...
I opened one of my drawers and took out my special perfume. “How tired are you, darling?” I asked him.
Next: Friday Morning
Rev 2005/11/23
Naked in School: About Ron
© Copyright 2005 by silli_artie@hotmail.com
http://www.asstr-mirror.org/files/Authors/artie/www