Part Finish - The Reckoning

 ( Names have been changed to protect me from litigation)  True Story - every word.

  They say that men with clear consciences sleep like babies the night before their execution..I don’t remember..

   Monday morning I got to work at 0620 and headed straight to the office of my friend and assistant principal, Charlie. To many of his colleagues, and pretty much every parent of a student who had to deal with him, Charlie was considered a complete asshole.. We got along just fine..(After that day he only addressed me as “Rocky.” He would retire about seven years later with his beautiful Phillipino wife but not before he tried his best to hook me up with his sister-in-law..He told me that she only knew two words of English and they were both “Yes.”)

Thankfully, he was in early too..I walked into his office and closed the door behind me..Charlie’s eyebrows arched behind his desk..

“We need to talk, Charlie,” I said..He motioned for me to sit, which I did and I told him about Friday night..He didn’t say a word until I finished..

“ Well, Mister Stimmel - this all happened on your own time, right?”                                       “Right,” I said.. “And you weren’t arrested?Didn’t go to jail?”  He looked skeptical..                                       “No sir, I did get a ticket though..” He stared at me for a second - that seemed like a semester.. “Then I don’t see a problem.”  I left his office doing my happy-dance and high-fived the maintenance guy, then hugged a couple of cafeteria ladies remarking on how beautiful they looked that morning, on the way to my classroom. (I’m always friendly, but they must have thought I was high on something.) I unlocked my door and was halfway through it before I realized that the light was already on. Uh-oh - spider sense is going nuclear..

  THE Principal, Ms. Gee, is sitting in a chair beside my desk..Her eyes were locked on something - maybe all the artwork on the wall, maybe not, but she doesn’t even turn to look at me..It was too late to run to the men’s room and hide in a stall so I stroll to my desk, sit down and say  “ Good morning, Ms. Gee.”

  She’s not here for small talk..She finally looks me square in the eye and asks  “John, would you like to tell me what in the hell happened? “ Before I could begin she follows up with “ Did you know that my phone started ringing at four o’clock Saturday morning and didn’t stop until that afternoon? Did you know that I’ve already had to speak to two mothers this morning who wanted to know if they should have their child’s schedule changed because they’re wondering if we hire psychopaths?”                                                     I told her everything - almost.. She thought for a second, then said, “ I like to enjoy an adult beverage occasionally,” ( I swear those were her exact words )  “ but you don’t shit where you eat, John.”                                                   “ I know, Ms. Gee..I’m sorry,” - and for the first time, I was..”Am I going to lose my job?”         “I don’t know, John - I’ll do what I can but it’s up to the school board. In the meantime don’t be doing any high-fives in the hallway- no “Yeah, kick-ass!”                                               “Yes Ma’am,” I replied..

  And that was it..She was in this too..And I felt like a dirt clod because of it..

  When Ms. Gee announced she was leaving at an impromptu teacher meeting several years later she stood in the conference room doorway and said her personal goodbyes to all that attended.. I didn’t know what to say - there was so much I’d never taken the time to tell her..When it was my turn I shook her hand and said,  “You changed my life..”  Which summed it up perfectly in four words..  She just said, “John” and with both of our eyes glistening, gave me a hug..

  And then I turned and went to do the job that SHE hired me to do..

  I would teach there another fourteen years and it was, by far, the best job I ever had..

  So here’s to you Ms. Gee.. I know that you had my back all those years ago - you considered it a part of your job and we loved you for it..You were the best boss I ever had, and if you aren’t in a class of your own it sure doesn’t take long to call roll..

JBS Blackheart.           Thank you friend-reader