Friday, Week 3

Friday, a balmy late September morning and another tedious assembly before lessons. This assembly has a guest speaker, a local town councillor, Mr Lionel Oversight. Is he related to Mrs Oversight? He looks about the same age, but he doesn’t look anything like her, so maybe he’s her husband?

He’s an average size man, with a shock of white hair, white moustache, white beard, a round, chubby face, a round chubby belly. He’d make a perfect Father Christmas. Except he has no jolly. He sits in the chair next to Dr Stricture, face screwed up around a pair of circular spectacles, his eyes critical of the students arrayed before him, Lower and Upper Sixth, and by the staff off to one side. When the first hymn is sung, he does so in a deep baritone that stands out among the female voices. It’s just as well he can hold a tune.

His speech is about the importance of belonging, in particular about belonging to the town. The girls should be loyal to St Perpetua’s and to the town. He goes through the history of the school. How it was founded over a century ago to help usher young women into life. Its purpose was to prepare the girls to be upstanding citizens of the town. He lists the books written by the founders and urges the girls to read them. He's passionate, but the topic is ponderous and the language archaic, as if it was written over a century ago. The girls’ applause is half-hearted. It’s overshadowed by the enthusiastic applause of Mrs Oversight and Dr Stricture.

As you’re traipsing out of the hall you ask Abigail whether that was Mrs Oversight’s husband. She nods.

“You enjoy his speech?” she asks.

“Not really, sounded a bit leaden to me.”

“It is. He gives that speech every term. This is my fourth-year teaching here. That’s the tenth time I’ve heard it. I wasn’t impressed by it the first time. Repetition hasn’t made it better.”

Then it’s off to lessons. A morning of the Upper Sixth, first the ‘B’ Stream and then the reprobates.

{if Harem = 2}

It’s a very pleasant lesson. Kelly sits at her desk and is attentive. It’s other students who cause the problems this time around. When the lesson is over, Kelly is the last to leave. While the others file out, she sits there, and only once they’re gone does she approach you.

“Sir, have you decided about Saturday?” she whispers to you, looking round to make certain no-one else is near.

“You protecting Ellie?” She nods. “She given you any lessons?” She nods again. “I haven’t seen any evidence.”

“But we have,” she begins.

“I’ll talk with the other staff. See if they have seen an improvement in your behaviours. Now run along.”

She leaves reluctantly, passing Abigail as she enters your room. Abigail looks at her strangely.

{elseif Wandering = 2}

It’s a very pleasant lesson. Kelly sits at her desk, not paying any attention. It’s other students who cause the problems this time around. When the lesson is over, Kelly is the last to leave. While the others file out, she sits there, and only once they’re gone does she approach you.

“Sir, I’ve got the information you wanted, about the symbols in your office. Can I show you?”

Intriguing. But you don’t have time now. A strange idea comes to you.

“Kelly, I don’t have time. Are you free tomorrow?” She nods. “I’ll send you my address, can you come over tomorrow afternoon, and show me?” She nods again.

You get her phone number and then send her a text with your address and the meeting time. Just as well, as you finish texting it Abigail enters.

{else}

It’s a decent lesson. Kelly is surprisingly behaved, not paying any attention to you, but not disrupting the class either. Clearly, she’s considering her next course of action. When the bell rings, she’s the first out of the class.

You tidy up and are ready when Abigail enters.

{endif}

“You ready?” she asks. You don’t have to ask what for. It’s time for the weekly meeting, this time held in Mrs Oversight’s office. She’s waiting for you.

“Did you like my husband’s speech, Mr Smith?” is her first question as she ushers you in.

“I didn’t know the school was so central to the town. I grew up here, and I never picked up on that.”

“Well, yes, you went to the state school, didn’t you? They don’t instil the same sense of local pride that we aim for in St Perpetua’s.”