A New Term By Jonah
We're once more at the Norwich City Technology College with Simon. Not that there is any such place. None of the people in any of my stories are real. Many of the places are, though the people attached to them aren't, but none of the schools are real either. There are some things you don't want to inflict on real people or institutions by writing stories about them. Although I invented most of the people in this story, one of them - Garret - is the invention of another author - of Jacob Lion in the United States - as are some characters that only get a mention. I want to thank Jacob for his kind permission to use his characters in my story. If you've enjoyed my previous stories from 'A Letter from America', to 'On Sea and Sand', I hope you'll enjoy this one. if you do enjoy it, please spare a thought for the kind man who published it for you. Nifty doesn't charge you to read these stories, and he doesn't charge us authors either, but it does cost money to publish them. He bears this cost from his own pocket and from donations via https://donate.nifty.org/ . Please consider donating.
Chapter 4
Wednesday morning was overcast and there had been some rain in the night. I made porridge for breakfast, and then Barry and I climbed into my mini to head for the City Technology College.
"Did you mark our papers from yesterday?" my passenger wanted to know.
"You haven't got English again till Friday," I pointed out. "They don't need to be marked until then".
"Dad says it's not a good idea to put off homework until the last moment". He was apparently serious.
"Did he say that to me or to you?" I asked.
There was no reply but my peripheral vision picked up a shrug. There was silence most of the way until we arrived in the city.
"Are you still pretending you don't know me?"
That was a surprise, but I was prepared to meet it head on.
"Yes, I'll drop you off around the corner then drive into the staff car-park on my own".
He looked at me for a long moment, trying to decide whether I was being serious.
"Look, it's for the best Barry," I said, "There are kids in this school who you wouldn't want to know who you are. That's why we got Philip into St. Oswalds and, if we'd been allowed to, we'd have got you there too".
"Gee Daddy, you sure know how to make a guy feel welcome. I feel a lot safer now."
Lloyd called me Daddy. Neither Philip nor Barry were expected to. Occasionally they did, either by way of a compliment, or in gratitude. On this occasion about two and a half tons of sarcasm came free with it.
I drove straight into the CTC's staff car park and sat looking straight ahead through the windscreen while he silently left the car.
He didn't slam the door because he was prevented from doing so by Grev Kennedy, who slid into the passenger seat and closed the door.
"Morning Simon", he said brightly. "Trouble?"
I shook my head wearily.
"Not at the moment", I said, "but I'm afraid there might be. I almost wish I'd let Philip come here so that there'd be two of them".
"No point in worrying before it happens", he said. "I should know. I'll help you keep an eye on things though."
"Thanks Grev. It might be nothing. Let's hope so eh?"
That was the start to the day. I didn't go into asembly because Barry had shamed me into marking the first-year English comprehension papers. I'd just about finished when I heard 3SI line up outside the door. I went out to meet them.
"In you go 3SI. Sit straight down."
I let them troop in, then followed them and sat down at my desk.
"Settle down 3SI, there is no reason for there to be any noise. Peters, Newman, out here please."
I leaned back in my chair as the two boys arrived in front of my desk.
"You seem to have swapped places since yestereday", I told them, "without asking. You needn't bother asking now. The answer's no. Go and sit in your proper places."
"Sir, I..."
"Shawn, I have said my final word on the matter. If you wish to go and discuss it with the principal, I can arrange it for you. Is that what you want?"
He muttered, "no Sir", as he shuffled off toward the seat that David Newman had just vacated. I nodded to David to sit down. There were no further incidents during registration, after which I packed up my things and headed for the metalwork room.
The design technology session with 4JCB proved productive and pleasant. I had just started to enjoy myself when the bell went for break. I had a free period after break so I didn't immediately tidy away the metalwork room. I would be in the classroom for the rest of the day, or so I thought.
Grev Kennedy poked his head around the staff room door just as I was about to return to the metalwork room for a few minutes of tidying up.
""Can I borrow you for a few minutes Simon?" he said.
I followed him to the office as he explained,
"We've got a small problem with Barry I'm afraid. I've got a third year with a bad nose-bleed because Barry socked him one. I'm sure he had a good reason but I'm getting the silent treatment. You might be better taking him home. I can get Charles to take your classes for the rest of today".
"I was afraid something like this would happen," I remarked.
"Yes, it was always on the cards, but we aren't dealing with a serial offender here. We're dealing with a boy who was prepared to swim out to sea to save a child's life. I think Barry believes he's being honorable by refusing to speak up for himself".
We passed into Grev's outer office where, under the eagle eye of the school secretary, Neil Trent sat, leaning forward and holding his nose with a tissue.
"So what happened Neil?" I enquired in as off-hand a manner as I could muster.
"Little c**t hit me for no reason", he scowled. "Should be expelled but I bet he won't be".
"Why would you say that?"
"Everybody knows he's your son".
"Everybody must be very perceptive. My name is Ito and his is Close. He's white and I'm not, and I don't remember my partner ever being pregnant."
"Foster kid then," he snapped. "It's the same thing".
"It's not the same thing", I retorted. "If you ever grow up you'll find that out. So what was this 'nothing' that he hit you for?"
"Nothing, I told you".
"Yes you did, and you were obviously lying. It was something Neil, and it wasn't something you thought up for yourself".
For the first time a flicker of fear crossed his face. That told me all I needed to know.
"You picked the wrong one Neil", I said quietly. "You thought it would be easier and safer to pick on someone smaller than yourself, rather than risk the wrath of someone the same size. Well you were wrong. Young Close bloodied your nose. Now when did Peters ever do that?"
""He wouldn't just bloody my nose," he replied without challenging my conclusion. "He can be much more evil than that".
"If he does, you talk to us about it", I replied. "It's our job to deal with the likes of him and if it needs the police, that's what will happen. I don't doubt he can be trouble, but you don't have to let him get you into trouble. Just ask yourself why he got you to take on young Barry instead of doing it himself. Was he scared do you think?"
"No, he was testing me. Wanted me to prove myself".
"You're worth ten of him, and he wanted you to prove you're not? No, I reckon he was scared. Take that tissue away and see if the bleeding's stopped. It has but I should still sit still for a bit longer. From the look of your clothes you lost a fair bit of blood".
I followed Grev into the inner office where Barry sat in one of the chairs facing Grev's desk. He was staring deadpan at the window behind the desk.
"Are you still giving us the silent treatment?" I asked quietly as I took the other chair. He burst into tears.
Grev sat behind his desk and waited for the waterworks to stop. When they finally did, he said,
"I guess that means that he is Simon. It doesn't matter anyway because Trent has told us all we need to know. The best thing you can do is take Barry home".
I stood up.
"Fair enough then. Come on trouble."
I just caught him by the chin and angled his face upwards in time to prevent more tears. He caught sight of the grin on my face and his eyes turned down.
"See you in the morning Sir," I said over my shoulder to Grev as I guided Barry from the office. Barry knew, and used, Grev's Christian name on occasions but I had just signalled to him that it wasn't appropriate to do so at school.
The school secretary was alone in the outer office.
"I told him to go home," she told me. I nodded and went on my way.
Barry and I climbed into the mini and I drove out of the gate, only to spot Neil Trent lurking outside. I wound down the window.
"Do you want a lift home Neil?" I called.
"It's alright Sir", he replied. "I can walk".
"But you're not walking. You're lurking," I pointed out. "If you want to avoid Peters, and I'd recommend it, that's not the way to do it. Jump in the back can you Barry".
Barry clambered into the back seat letting Trent sit next to me.
"Sorry about your nose," said Barry as the older boy put on his seat belt.
"It's alright," replied Neil. "I asked for it. Sorry about what I said.."
"What did you say?" I interjected. "Barry won't tell us."
"I'd rather not say sir. I'm not proud of it." he was staring into the footwell. "It was racist and not nice. I think I called you a pervert. I still remember what happened the first time I said it. I'm sorry".
He looked and sounded sincere. He was two years older than Barry so I didn't expect tears, and he couldn't make eye contact while I was driving, but the words he was using were not easy ones to say. I believed him.
"I meant what I said Neil", I told him. "You won't be the only one to get picked on by Peters, and I know he can be nasty, but we can't do anything about him if nobody tells us."
"I know Sir, and I think I owe it to both of you to do the right thing."
Barry finally found his voice.
"He did call you a pervert, only he went into more detail than that, but he meant what he said just now".
I smiled, and so did Neil. I was still driving but I saw him brush his sandy hair out of his eyes and turn in his seat so that he could see Barry.
"Cheers Barry," he said, "I really do".
I dropped Neil at his home on the outskirts of the city and then drove straight to Newton St Faith.
"Pie and chips for lunch Barry", I said. "We've got some chicken ones in the freezer".
"I'm sorry I caused all this trouble", he said. "I know I shouldn't lose my temper".
"Well you got that right", I replied. "Violence is hardly ever the answer but, since you were defending my honour, I don't suppose I can complain".
"What are we doing this afternoon?"
"English comprehension. I've still got a few papers to mark, since it isn't a good idea to put off homework and, since you used your first paper to be cheeky, you can do it properly this time".
"You were right", he said. "Now I know what happens when I meet a teacher with no sense of humour".
"Happy to be furthering your education", I replied.
"Is Lloyd getting the train out later?"
"I don't think so. I don't think we'll have the weather for it. I'll let you watch a DVD instead. Come on, let's get some lunch".