On Growing Up - Part Two (Continued).
The firefighters entered with the hose. I stood on the sidewalk with the rest of the students, our gazes on the steam replacing the smelly smoke. It was so quiet, we could hear the hiss of the water run through the hose. Even the kids that had been half-heartedly suggesting cutting school were respectfully silent. We on the sidewalk still didn't know what had caught fire and what, or how much, had burned. All I could ascertain was it was someplace in the gym.
The remembrance of those long-ago days when the snotty kids used to tease the Science teacher came unbidden to me. Had something exploded when the entrant began to demonstrate his exhibit? That could -
The firemen were rolling up their hoses again as they came down the steps. We moved over to let them pass.
Merry's hand still reposed in mine. It was now slippery. I pulled a Kleenex out of my hand to wipe it as the last of the firemen passed by.
"Can you get over that?" the younger of the pair asked the other.
The older one shook his head. "I had to keep from laughing. Did you see the name of that project he had? 'How To Prevent A Fire'. Well - "
The other fireman burst into laughter. I nearly choked in holding back my own. I was still trying to stifle a nervous giggle when Mrs. Evans came patrolling the walk She stopped in front of us.
"You young ladies - the entire class - is to remain on the sidewalk until the smoke is cleared away. No one is to go ANYWHERE. Attendance will be taken again and if anyone is missing, they will get an in-school suspension."
She said this last over her shoulder, loud enough to be heard by the eldest kids, who were listening in to see what was being said. They glared at Mrs. Evans with murder in their expressions. After all, they weren't HER class students. Mrs. Evans responded with a sweet smile.
She walked away.Merry gazed at her retreating back dully.
It seemed like a long time before the bell to return to classes rang over the winter landscape.
(To Be Continued.)
One thing at a time...The chapter(s) you read are part of an unfinished novel. The "Merry" in the name is really "Merrilee" but Merry is shorter.
Merry is an only child - The narrator on the second half of the story is her friend Marianne (Mari).
The teachers are patterned after my grammar school teachers.
When I was in grade school, we all had to enter the Science Fair. One of the guys had an exhibit titled "How To Prevent A Fire" and when he was talking to the judges, I don't know what he did, but he set the exhibit on fire. I was on the other side with my exhibit, a couple of kids away, and I saw the blue and green flames jump out of the exhibit, and - well, you know the rest.
I know growing up is different for everybody. But it's hard when a child is picked on for whatever reasons and is too timid to fight for her rights.
The theme? Growing up, of course - in two different families and two different ways, mid to late 1960's.
MaryJanine.
Again, that is a wonderful complement. I need to be sure people who read these posts can follow them without too much exposition. (that's "background").
MaryJanine.
P.S. Merry has just recovered (or is recovering) from uremic poisoning - it's a blood disease that killed actress Jean Harlow a number of years ago (early 1930's).
