Lost Lad Read Free Page B

seemed to take an eternity as she stooped to pick up the papers.  He helped.
                "Oh thank you, Simeon, so kind.  If only my office could be as neat and organised as your pristine room.  They tell me you actually clean it yourself?"
                "Well ... just a few minutes at the end of the day ... I .."
                "If only all my troops were as conscientious as you are!  Do take a seat."  
     
    She beamed a wide smile.  This initial benign banter was interpreted by Mr Hogg as a softening up process to prepare the way for the censure and possible ultimatum to follow.  She reached for a file and sat facing him.  Apprehensively he noticed it was a file inscribed with his own name.  His throat went a little dry.  She looked up and smiled again.
                "Do you know, Simeon, that you're the longest serving teacher here?  Really!  You're not quite as old as Tim Bucheye, but out of 178 teaching staff, you ...  Here it is ... September 1968.  'Magna cum laude'.  What an achievement!"  
               
    On the face of it the tone was sincere, but he could not help thinking that possibly she despised his long dull career spanning three decades in the same old subject, in the same old school, without any effort to seek promotion and move around the country.  To Simeon it was simple.  He loved history and had only ever wanted to be a classroom teacher.  Management had never interested him.         
                She leaned back and smiled at him again.  The smile faded slightly to an expression of concern with a gentle hint of puzzlement as she put the next question -
                "Have you given much thought to retirement, Simeon?"
     
    So that was it!  That is how she would solve her problem.  But how?  The earliest possible date was 2005 when he was 60.  He had every intention of breaking out of the 'Socialist Republic of Eisenhower High School', even at a reduced pension at this first chance.  Colleagues would tease him - 
                "Are you going at 60, Simeon?"
                "Is the Pope Catholic?" was his standard response.  He would sell up and return to England, to the 'sceptred isle' he had left so long ago and so loved.  Mr Hogg responded to the Principal's question.
                "I certainly intend to apply for the early option of 60 if it can be achieved."
                "That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Simeon.  It's a hard fact of fiscal life that a valuable teacher like yourself is much more expensive than an inexperienced probationer, and as you know, I have to balance the budget.  At risk of sounding like 'The Godfather', I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse."  She took a breath.  
                "As you know the Board of Regents had their meeting on Friday and, Ed Dyer, the Chairman who has just negotiated our new state Constitution with the State Senate ...  Well you know all about that.  The long and short of it is this, Simeon.  Strings have been pulled.  If you want to cut loose,  you can go this year on the same terms as if you were 60 years of age! 
                In fact ... if you wish Simeon .. as it's the last day of Semester, tomorrow being Good Friday ...  you can go this very day!  What d'ya say?"      
     
    Mr Simeon Hogg could not contemplate a better Friday.  He wanted to leap up into the air and say - 'Whoopee!!'   But in fact, he said in his quiet dignified British tone -
               
    "Thank you, Miss Vanderburgh - I'll go today."
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 3
     
    The Agony, the Erotic and the Ecstasy
     
    Simeon floated out of the Principal's office and into the familiar, comfortable retreat and blessed silence of the rest-room.  Once more he took an interest in the image in the mirror.  This time it beamed back at him two generations younger.  He