Somewhere To Park /
Index /
back
SOMEWHERE TO PARK
A short story by Mick Macve
Part 6
"No! I don’t believe it. I simply do not believe it! Not again!"
Alan slammed his sandwiches down on the table.
"But sir, I’m..."
"I can see what you’re doing Larry. I have eyes you know."
Alan could feel the adrenaline welling up in his stomach and he knew that he was going to get angry, despite himself.
"I thought, after last night, that things might have changed."
"They have, sir, they have. You’ve got it all wrong. I..."
"I thought you might appreciate what I did for you."
"I did, sir. That’s why..."
"That’s why I find you in my room again; going through my briefcase."
"I’m not, sir. I only..."
"You know, Larry, I spent a long time on the phone last night talking to your father."
"I know, sir. You see..."
"He was angry at first. Angry with me for interfering. Then he was angry with you for telling me about his family. He said he could sort things out for himself. I explained about your sister and the bullying and the money."
Alan was agitated now and he was waving his arms around. Larry sat down and looked up at him.
"Yes sir. I know."
"Your Dad is a very sensible man. He loves you a lot, you know."
Larry didn’t respond.
"Oh yes, he does," Alan continued. "He was a very worried man. He knew something was wrong. He knew your sister had taken money. He just didn’t know why."
Larry’s jaw dropped.
"He knew Joanne had taken money, sir?" he asked incredulously.
"Oh yes. He knew. When I finished talking to him he was very grateful. He explained that he finds it difficult talking to you. I told him how much you cared and how worried you were. He knows how much you love your sister. Did he talk to you after I phoned?"
"Yes sir."
"Was he all right to you? Did he shout at you? Did he kill you?"
"Yes sir. I mean no sir. I mean it was great sir. I’ve never talked to my Dad for so long. We’re going fishing at the weekend. Never done that before sir. Not with my Dad."
"So your way of thanking me is to steal something else from my briefcase. What do you want? My calculator? My pen? My markbook? Take it all. Take everything. You know, I give up. I really do give up with kids like you. I do what I can to help. I don’t yell at you. I listen to you. I’M ON YOUR SIDE. And your way of saying thank you is to steal from me. Well that’s it, I’m leaving. I quit. I’m going home!"
Alan knew he was being foolish, but he was genuinely angry. He barged out of the classroom.
"Mr. Kowper?"
"Mr. Brand."
Alan stormed past the Deputy Head.
"Mr. Kowper. Where are you going?"
"I’m sorry, Mr Brand. It’s Larry James. Here he is."
Larry had followed Alan out of the classroom.
"Do you know what this boy has done Mr. Brand?"
The older man shook his head.
"He’s only gone and..."
"Bought you a present sir."
"What?"
"What?"
"I’ve bought you a present. I’ve bought you a lunchbox."
Larry had a new lunchbox in his hand.
"I was just putting it in your briefcase when you came in, sir. Along with this card."
Larry handed Alan a card in a bright yellow envelope.
"You’ve been really good to me, sir. You’ve listened to me when other teachers would have punished me. You’ve sorted out a big problem for me. You’re the best teacher in the school, sir."
Mr. Brand stared at Larry and Alan in turn. Alan went red. He felt ashamed. He had nearly lost his faith.
"I think you’ll find things a bit easier from now on, sir."
Home page
Please mail your comments to Mick Macve, mmacve@mistral.co.uk
last modified: April 24, 1998
URL: http://www3.mistral.co.uk/mmacve/park6.html