A "Fictional" Story

          The two teachers plotted together...The older, gray-haired one took the lead, and insisted, days in advance, that they were not going to stay after the musical performance to take down the decorations that had been scotch-taped all over the walls and the base of the stage.  The two of them were going to race out as soon as the performance was over. The grizzled-one's rationale:

• This is the music teacher's "event" and he/she does not support events sponsored by other teachers. It is bad enough that all the teachers are "guilted" into attending and supervising, but taking extra time to painstakingly pull off bits of tape, trying to avoid tearing at construction paper decorations...That was too much.
• The traffic is horrendous, with everyone trying to get out of the crowded parking lot at the same time.  Leaving ahead of the surge of people would result in a quick exit.
• The music teacher goes out of their way to ensure that the music is not culturally relevant to the kids, making sure that as much rhythm and fun are squeezed out of the program/song choice.  Why go out of the way when an educator feels the road to respect is only a one-way street?
• It was already a late night.  Her contacts had already been in too long...
• It was Glee night.  (No hope in getting home in time to watch it. That was just a huge source of surliness.)

        The wrinkled and haggard one kept an eye on the program, counting off the songs.  As the two teachers stood behind the risers, giving evil looks to off-task kids when they clowned instead of sang, the old one saw that the younger one did not have her coat with her. 

"Where is your coat?" she hissed.  Their plot would fail if one of them had to go searching amongst the audience for a coat.  Almost certainly, a parent or colleague would stop them to talk and then... The two of them would just have to cut their losses and leave the coat behind...

       The apprentice in espionage smiled, and nodded to a spot on the floor next to her.  There was her coat. Ready to grab as they escaped.

          As the program ended and the two teachers escorted their students off the stage, they hurtled up the aisle, and out the door.  As the gray one shoved open the auditorium door and raced down the hall, she turned to look back.  No sight of the young one. She was torn between leaving her there, stranded, and waiting for her.  But there was no need to worry. A moment later, the perky one emerged, and together they ran to their cars, laughing.

photo by bradleygee

           They were the first cars out of the lot.  But they didn't feel guilty, because they are usually the first ones on the lot in the morning. And on many Saturdays and/or Sundays, their cars are the only ones in the teachers' lot...