A Turn of School Events

It was not to say that he hated school. After all, since the day he was born he dreamed of being seated at his desk and listening to the teacher - well, at least since he could remember.

But now that he was there, William was not sure about it anymore. Numbers, letters, writing their names. He already knew all that. He had even been a journalist for a day, for goodness sake! He was almost a writer himself, and a storyteller to his two little and very demanding sisters. He wanted to learn about Kings and Queens. Conquerings and actual mathematics. Mytolo...gy? Mythology and how to turn dirt into gold. To count to ten and the alphabet was something Mum and Dad were teaching the twins. He felt...cheated.

'William Bates?' The teacher's voice shook him away from his upsetting thoughts. Her face was not a happy one. 'Did you even listen to what I asked you?'

'I'm sorry, Miss.'

'I don't like to be ignored, William. You are here to learn, not allow your mind to wander about.' She shook her short, fat finger at him.

'I already know everything you're teaching,' William replied under his breath, but somehow, the whole room managed to hear to his complaints.

'What did you say?'

'Nothing, Miss. I'm sorry.' The boy tried to excuse himself, even lowering his head in submission but it wouldn't do.

'Oh, yes you did. I'm not deaf!' The woman shouted walking to him and grabbing him by the ear. 'You think you're too smart, don't you? Well maybe spending the rest of the class facing the wall will make you even smarter, hum?'

'Please Miss, don't make me face the wall,' William pleaded.

'Go on, before I have to say it again!'

William slowly rose from his desk and forlornly walked to the corner of the room like a man to the gallows.

xxx

Next to having Mr Molesley as his teacher and now being a pretty good student himself, there was nothing better than recess. Oh yes, the best part of school from Percy's point of view. There, he could be free to talk, run, even make fun of one or two boys he didn't like that much. But best of all, he had his little brother to play with.

What's taking him so long? Percy thought as he searched for William everywhere, but when he asked classmates if they had seen him...

'William Bates? Yes, he's inside. Miss Jakes has him facing the wall.'

'What?!' Percy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Since when was William a facing wall kind of boy?

'He answered back so…' the boy from Will's class shrugged his shoulders before running off, leaving Percy behind feeling that his brother had been severely wronged. William answering back to a teacher? No way!

x

'Will? Will? Pssst.'

'Percy?! What are you doing?' William asked, seeing his brother whispering to him through the open window of the classroom.

'Where's your teacher?'

William looked around, to be sure he was alone. 'She went out for a minute. She told me not to move.'

'Pfff! They're saying you answered back. Did you?' Percy asked, poking his head inside the classroom.

'Well...I only told her the truth.'

'That's what I thought.' The older brother shook his head in disgust. 'Come on, Will, jump out of the window.'

'Are you mad? I can't!'

'Well, you're innocent, aren't you?'

'But I can't!' William cried. 'It will only put me into more trouble.'

'Well…' Percy thought for a moment. 'I can run to Mama real fast and call her if you want.'

'No! Don't do that. You'd be in trouble then. You can't leave the school without Mum or Dad.'

'All right... just jump out then!'

When William was almost convinced to do as his brother asked, the door of the room swung open.

'What are you boys doing?' It was Miss Jakes, once again shouting. 'William?! Didn't I tell you not to move?'

'Sorry, Miss, but-.'

'And you, you hooligan!' The woman turned to the window then. 'What are you doing here? Shoo!'

'Shoo, nothin'!' Percy faced the woman with no fear at all. 'That's my brother there. He ain't no facing the wall kind of boy. He's a good one.'

'Aren't you Mr Molesley's?' The teacher eyed the boy. 'Yes, you are! I'll be telling him what you're up to.'

'And I'll be tellin' my mama and papa that you're a fat witch!'

'Oh you! Come here you horrible child!'

xxx

From the Journal of John Bates ~

If someone had told me a month ago, that the first week of Will's schooling would have had gone this way, I never would have believed them. What a disaster it has been thus far, culminating with today's fiasco. When Anna came home from picking the boys up at school, she was fit to be tied, let me tell you - and I was not far behind her.

We called the director for a meeting immediately after school. It was attended by Miss Jakes and thankfully, Mr Moseley too. Mr Moseley spoke up for Will and suggested he be tested for placement in a higher grade, which the director agreed with.

Miss Jakes was not happy and made it very clear that she thought the education of children should be left in the more capable hands of trained teachers. I watched as Mr Moseley rolled his eyes at that comment. He's a good friend.

Hopefully, this will all be settled by tomorrow.

~ John Bates

xxx

'A bit more, come on.' Eamon gestured for Anna to fill up his glass with port.

'And you'll be singing and dancing on the tabletop if I do.' She shook her head. 'That's it for you. Now don't give me a hard time. I've had about enough for one day.'

'Women.' The old man rolled his eyes. 'It was good of His Lordship to offer you a bottle.'

'Even though he knows I don't drink,' John chuckled. 'He forgets it sometimes, but it was nice, yes. He wanted to thank us for the kitten. Miss Sybbie is over the moon, he says.'

'Of course, she is. She loves animals!' Anna returned.

'And he says Tiaa is really gentle with him, although he doesn't like the dog always trying to lick him.'

'And what did they name him?' she asked.

'Rameses, what else?' John grinned, taking a sip of his tea.

'That's it then, hum? Mr Sunshine and Pearly are staying?' Eamon stated. 'I mean, you ain't giving Mr Sunshine away while I live, that's for sure.'

'Don't worry, Father. Mr Sunshine and Pearly are part of the family now. As is Lily, Charlie, Jack and Honey. And that is it!' Anna concluded shooting her husband a look.

John brought his hands up in surrender. 'Like they were all my idea!' They had plenty pets walking, singing, shedding and peeing around the house and garden already. It was more than enough.

'Daddy, daddy! Up!' Fee demanded as she pulled at her father's trousers. The twins had been playing since after dinner. An ongoing battle over the ownership of Fee's favourite soft toy, Kitty Boo-Boo, was being waged in the middle of the living room floor.

'Come here, my girl. Was Finnie being mean to you?'

'Yes…' Fee pouted sadly. 'Hit me!'

'She hit you?' John eyed the other girl with a scolding look. 'Oh, my. Finn, you know that's not nice.' But Finn just shook her head no and defiantly scooped up Kitty Boo-Boo.

'She's turning into a bully,' Anna said with a knowing smile. 'We'll have to do something about that before she gets older.'

John sighed, 'Something else to deal with, speaking of which, where are the boys?' He just now noticed their absence.

'Up in their room,' Anna replied, pouring herself some tea as well.

'You sent them up there?'

'Not really, they actually did that themselves. I told them it was wrong what they did, though...even if Will was not that bad, was he?'

'He feels dumbed down, I think,' John sighed. 'He already knows all they're being taught.'

'And Percy was just trying to stand up for him,' Anna added.

'By calling Miss Jake's a fat witch?' John tried his best to suppress a chuckle.

'Nevertheless…' Anna shot him a look. 'We know he was raised that way and it'll take him time to stop the cursing for good.'

'The lad has personality,' Eamon spoke. 'And he doesn't even curse that much. And if I may say so, she deserved it.'

'Did she now?' John voiced, already waiting for his father's answer.

'Telling our Will to face the wall?' the old man grimaced. 'As if the lad is nothing but a rascal. Our Will is a good boy, and he's all polite and soft. She wronged him, she did. I wasn't there, but I know it, for sure!'

'Anyway,' John shook his head before continuing. 'William will be tested tomorrow and if the director finds that he should be placed in the next grade, he will. Mr Moseley said he will stand with the boy.'

'And he's so excited about that,' Anna smiled. 'I'm sure he'll do well on that test.'

'I hope he does,' John nodded. 'He needs a more challenging environment, else he'll hate school and that's never good.'

'I know so! He's smart. And I'm not just saying it because he's my son.'

'Now, you two...stop it.' John spoke, getting off the sofa and kneeling on the floor, trying to break apart another fight. 'Why can't you play nice? Two beautiful little girls, always fighting over silly toys?'

'Silly Daddy!' Finn exclaimed, patting her father's cheek ever so gently and grinning as she did.

'What?'

'Silly Daddy!' Fee repeated giggling heartily before reaching for her father too.

'This is your doing; I know it.' John eyed Anna, trying to be serious about it.

'I have no idea what you're talking about,' she swore, biting her lower lip to suppress a laugh.

'Truth to be told…' Eamon sat back in his chair, closing his eyes, ' if that's anyone's doing it would be from all of us.'

Anna laughed then, and John could only roll his eyes.

'Isn't it time for you to leave? It's getting late.'

'I'm going, son. I gotta feed my cat. But I'll be back tomorrow.' The old man winked, before bidding everyone goodnight.

xxx

From the Journal of Anna Bates ~

My husband is in the boy's room giving Will a pep talk. John's worried about that test tomorrow. He said when he was a boy he'd know everything there was to know on a subject but when he went in to take the test he'd get nervous and fail miserably. I find that hard to believe. John is the smartest man I know, but that's what he says. I hope he doesn't project his own nerves on to Will.

Both boys have orders to apologise to Miss Jakes first thing in the morning, and they have a big, shiny apple to give to her - and an order to keep their distance from her in the future. Mr Molesley told us this is her first year teaching and well, she's trying extra hard to maintain her control over the students.

The twins went to bed angry with each other tonight and at me. I forbade either of them to sleep with Kitty Boo-Boo. Give me boys to raise any day.

I'll be so glad when tomorrow is over, and Will is situated. I think John and I are long overdue for a date night.

~ Anna Bates