Saving Miss Oliver's by Stephen Davenport

Author:Stephen Davenport
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Graphic Arts Books
Published: 2018-10-10T16:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

The last thing either Francis Plummer or Fred Kindler needed was to be face to face with each other. But that was exactly what was about to happen a day later as Francis hurried across campus to his classroom and Fred Kindler walked on the same path in the opposite direction to his office. They both considered stepping off the path to avoid one another. But of course they rejected the idea. They were grown men, after all.

Francis forced himself not to look away from Kindler’s face as they approached each other. Fred Kindler did the same: He kept his eyes up, full on his senior teacher’s face. Let him cringe, he thought. He’d already crossed Francis Plummer off his list. He was hurrying to a meeting with Rachel Bickham. He could trust her advice. And Peggy Plummer’s too. And there were others, maybe, to help him steer the course.

Nevertheless, it made him sad to think how good it would have been if this Plummer were a different kind of guy and he could have had him for a partner. When Fred had visited Plummer’s English and math classes during his visits as a candidate, he’d seen the demands Plummer was able to make of his students, the standard to which he raised them. It was a revelation for Fred. He was sure that if he and Plummer were working hand in hand, they’d be able to turn the Declaration Lila presented to him yesterday into a victory for both of them and the school. The four of us, he thought. Gail and me and the Plummers. That would have made a home.

“Good morning.” Francis tried to say it first, but they both said it together—a kind of unison. The irony would occur to Francis later. Right then, all he was aware of was that every interaction he’d had with Kindler had been a disaster.

And then they were past each other, and he wondered if he should have stopped, put his hand on Kindler’s elbow, said something to give them both a chance to start again. But he didn’t know what he could say to make that happen. He could be a mentor to Fred Kindler if Kindler needed some advice as to how to run some other school. But here? Following Marjorie? How could that be! Kindler didn’t look like the head of this school, he didn’t talk like the head of this school. And he didn’t think like the head of that school. How could he not see how wrong he is for us?

Nevertheless, Francis would keep his opinion to himself, let others have their own.

On the other side of campus, Fred’s spirits lifted. He was looking forward to this meeting with Rachel Bickham. The high standards to which she held herself intimidated some of her colleagues, but they delighted him.

Chair of the Science Department, teacher of physics, head of athletics, and coach of the varsity basketball team, Rachel Bickham was six feet tall, thirty-four years old. Her stately presence drew one’s gaze when she entered a room.

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